Alrighty now - I've been lurking on several 914 forums for about 2 years and have recently joined 914world.com. The reason I've been lurking is because I've really wanted a 914 for a while and now have the time and energy to get my search into high gear. I find that this is a great pool of knowledge, busted knuckles and experience to aid me through what lies ahead.

Long and short - bought my first - running but ratty 1971 with hopes of doing something with it to help better the species. After spending the first 24 hours with it, it's too far off for me right now to imagine it being road worthy.

I've restored, modified and raced (SCCA Solo Events) MGs when I was younger and I have the bug again (Really Bad). The car that I bought was someone else's abandoned project (Abandoned about 3 or 4 years ago) and I think I've got some missing screws (I know I've always had a screw loose) and other stuff to make me insane. I have all kinds of questions like - HOW THE HELL DO YOU TAKE OFF THE SKI SLOPES???!!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I know that half of my battle will be learning by doing and most of the work will be counter productive and I hope not costly.

My intention with this one is again to learn about the quirks and idiocincricies (SP) of the breed and figure out how to tame it.

Thanks and no more lurking.

Welcome to the asylum! Like you, I started with an MGB and then decided that metric made more sense than Whitworth spanner sand lever action shocks.

Get yourself a Clymer manual or try to find a copy of the shop manual online. Also, getting a copy of the parts manual will be helpful as well (though several vendors do have the exploded views on their sites).

Use the search function to try to find other info you may need, or start a thread if you can't find it - lot's of information available on this site (some of it is even right!).

If it's a ski rack you're trying to remove, the upper part bolts under the roll bar with some 6mm bolts if I remember correctly. Post a pic to let folks know what you're trying to do if not sure.

Thanks - I went to Sears and Roebuck and just bought a Left Handed Metric Crescent Wrench. Oh - I'm sure I'm gonna have lots of questions.

Cheers!!

welcome from one newbie to another

and

The "ski slopes" roll bar trim. are held on with a stud at the bottom that goes into the wheel well and a small screw at the top.

They often twist off. You can weld a stud back on if it does.

As I remember it is a 7mm nut on the stud (socket size). Hell (at times) to get at due to crud and position.

Most 914's are ratty by this time in their lives.

Best thing to do is to focus on one issue at a time.

If it's running, work to make it run better; one item at a time.

When I bought my 914, I tried to fix one thing every time I drove it. That was in 2003. I'm still fixing things.

It's a never ending process but one that I like since I've discovered with my 914 that I really like working on cars.

Are you left handed?....that could be a problem.