Hello, this is my first post. My father, several years ago bought a 914 from a family friend who ran a used car dealership at the time. It's a '74 2.0. He had been working on it at the time, however, a dead tree trunk fell on the front (hood?) and pretty much put a halt to it. Fast forward nearly a decade later... I am sixteen and now in need of a car because a truck used the car I was supposed to inherit as brakes. It is pretty rough shape right now, because I know the floor pan needs to be replaced at least and it's also sitting outside. The vin has been added to the database.

And...

And...

Do you want a project or a car that gets you from point A to point B?

It's a worthy project, but rust is the ruler in these cases. Much support (figuratively) and long-term vision is needed. YMMV.

Sherwood

Redundant. Please disregard.

Wash it, clean out the inside, make it look like a car again, and then assess what you have. It is going to take dedication, I hope you know that and are up for it.

Do you have $10k to fix up the car?

Welcome to Texas 914!

And have fun! I did it when I was 14 (finished at 19 though haha), had a great time, and learned a lot.



Nah...I took a car which looked to be in similar shape to a DD with $2.5k. It did take a lot of work, time, and scrounging, but it can be done. Especially when you're a teenager.

It is good that you are young... You have more time.

Clean it up and get it running (after all potential safety issues are reviewed and addressed.)

Everyone here will say to review the rust situation to be sure you are not working on a parts car.

oh wait, that is soda in the mugs... Root beer, I think.

There are a dozen people ready to help you here.... Ask them anything.

How cool. You have a car that is very desirable. Take your time and clean the heck out of it to begin with. Inside, outside top and bottom. Leave nothing untouched. It will be a terrific way to acquaint yourself with he car. Take pictures of what you see. Keep detailed accurate records of what you do and spend.

The first point, already mentioned above, is to determine the amount rust the car has. A thorough assessment is absolutely necessary so you don't spend money on a car that might be terminal. But no rush. Clean and post pictures. You will find lots of people here who will help you move the project along. Have fun most of all. Welcome again.

... from far, far away

Welcome... lots'a great info here. So, from your name, do you have an Opel too? Never owned one, but I always like 'em.

(Front right marker light lens is on the wrong way/side)

It's going to take at least $10K to fix up this car. Maybe $20k.

Good luck with it and have fun doing it!

..but if you need a car fast you should probably look for something else in the meantime.

Good luck with your 914 and ask questions. We are here to help you.

Good to see someone younger who has our passion for these cars.

See post #7 If this was my son (18 years old) I would be concerned he would spend all his money but not have a car that is safe to drive, if it could even be made drivable, with a limited amount of funds. It would be a shame to spend what money you have but not have a car you can drive. It would also be a good idea to check with your insurance company to see what it will cost to insure you to drive the car.

I started digging around a little today also. It's only got 37k miles, (probably at least 137k)! It's also got carbs, not sure if that is a good or a bad thing yet. The front trunk did not open and the driver's side door doesn't open from the outside. The floor pans are rusted enough for me to pull the seats out, and the parking brake is rusted in place. I was able to put air in the tires though.

Also...

If you were thinking of driving on those tires go ahead and deflate them again.

have fun!

I don't plan on driving on these tires, just using it for rolling it around a bit if need be.

May as well get started on building your personal home made welding machines.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0WA7IJq7pU
Stick + Tig + Spot for cheap.Caution required.
That glass is easily replaced if the sheetmetal is still good.the trim looks good,handle with care.
Reduce every rust spot on the exterior to a repair sheet with a number,and if the chassis is repairable in the hellhole and long areas,have at them with sandpaper and paint.The intent is to make rudimentary repairs to improve the car's appearance and worth to you.
If you like the way it looks,you won't mind getting into some serious commitment and dedication.
A ton of work,break out your 914 calender and write up the repair schedule.

You are scaring him.....

Put a few weekends and nights into it, see if it will start, look for how much rust is there, then decide. Once you have all the bad stuff located somebody here will buy it if you change your mind.

Jump in with both feet and poke around with a screw driver. It won't take long to find out what you have. The toughest thing for you (and me) was or will be welding and rust repair.. Do they still teach that in high school auto shop?

have fun.

A worthwhile project for someone, hopefully for you.
From the pictures though, there's little chance of it being anything close to safe for the roads without a lot of work and metal replacement.

Best of luck. I'm always happy to hear about another 914 being saved.

Holy shit, literally. Buy another pickup, you will need it to go to swap meets, but, never say die. The end will justify your financial means.

Welcome