Hello all,

I am new to 914's but do have a 78 911sc. I am going to look at a 72 914 tomorrow that has been sitting in a garage for the last 20 years. It is a friend of a friend's car and I have been getting all my info through my friend so some may be lost in translation.

It is said to have had the engine rebuilt less than 5,000miles ago at which time it was taken from a 1.7 to a 2.0. I am also told that a hydraulic clutch was installed at some point.

I have been reading as many restoration theads I can so I am somewhat prepared on where to look for signs of rust. Specifically the battery tray and hell hole, the rocker panels, the front trunk seal area,the rear trunk, the floor pans, anywhere else I need to pay close attention to? I also understand that all the fuel lines and vacuum lines will most likely need to be replaced as well as possibly the fuel tank.

Is there anything else besides rust I should be checking for on a car that I won't be able to start? Does the fact that the engine has so few miles on it since rebuild make a difference since it has been sitting so long? Is the hydraulic clutch a hood or bad thing?

Really any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

If you can't turn over the engine via battery, and the car can't be moved a short ways via pushing, take along a ratchet and 7/8" shallow well socket to see if the pistons can be moved. With some contortions, connect to the nut on the alternator pulley and see if you can move the pistons via the alternator belt. Correct ratchet power stroke is from passenger side of car to drivers side (ratchet moves clockwise when viewed from the front of the car).

Look for rust, then look for more rust. When done with that, look for RUST (especially around the jacking points and under the battery tray in the deep recess known as the hell hole). It can be repaired, but not cheaply.

A hydraulic clutch would be a major conversion, so someone may have been caring for it back when. Be sure that it wasn't converted to hydraulic lifters instead, and something got lost in the translation.

If the engine turns over, other mechanical issues can be dealt with as needed. They really are fairly simple cars, with many similar components to the 911 you're used to.

If you are close to Port Hope, Ontario, there is a great fella there there named Mark Henry, he is a member here and will not steer you wrong. I live in Moncton and have been to his shop for a transmission clinic and he was very generous with advice to me.

Ian Stott
Moncton
Canada

First and foremost:

As others have said...look for rust, then have fun with it before you start poking too much.

Just in case:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_start...for_a_long_time

tino

RUST is bad...

Good luck on The 72, and