Hi all,

I've lurked here for years, but I finally feel the need to post a formal hello and thank the group for contributing so richly to my 914 education over the years.

I currently own two 914s (both mostly updated in the VIN database).

1. 1976 2.0L, nepal orange, numbers matching CoA car currently undergoing a full bare metal restoration back to factory perfect. Advertised as rust-free (wink, wink, nudge, nudge), not really rust free (gasp!). Lots of minor, time consuming issues, nothing major. There's no such thing as a rust free 914 anyway, right? After a couple of months worth of work, this 914's tub is now perfect, and it's getting ready for paint. My only two significant deviations from stock on this car are going to be the engine and exhaust will be done like a '73, not a '76 (though I have all the emissions stuff), and I'm going to use black aluminum "914" and "2.0L" badges instead of the cheap decals Porsche was using by '76.

2. 1975 1.8L, diamond silver metallic, probably numbers matching (no CoA), truly rust-free (other than a few places of simple surface rust, no perforations) that I bought from the second owner who's had it for the last 30 years (in PA no less!).

It's car number 2 that's got me scratching my head... It's got a rough respray of the original color. I was originally planning on doing a very nice 914/6 conversion (maybe GT) using a rebuilt 2.7L I have. As I've been stripping it down, I'm kind of stunned at the quality of this car. While I would certainly make a high quality conversation (no shortcuts), I've really been wondering if it's worth preserving a late model 1.8L? I know in the not so distant past most would carve it up and hot rod it in a second, but now... I don't know. I'm still thinking.

Here are pictures of both cars as I received them.

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I say leav it alone. There's plenty of bastard 914 cars out ther to convert to a hot rod.

Also, here's the current state of the orange '76. I can't wait to see it newly painted!

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Welcome to the World...

Nice couple of 914s you have there...what size are the tires and the size of those Phonedials? Car looks great with the orange and black wheels!

Nice garage door also...didn't think I'd be saying that today!

Thanks!

Thanks! I couldn't be happier with my two 914s.

The garage doors and bricks just dress up an otherwise simple metal building. I'd rather put more money in the cars, but I still need them safe (and dry).

The phone dials came with the car, though a lot of people really seem to like them. The offsets were wonky and required some custom milled spacers to work. It wasn't great quality work. The car's going back to four-lug Fuchs with black insets.

I don't honestly remember the tire size, but I'll get back to you on that. The phone dials and tires are for sale! Ha ha...

Thanks, PanelBilly!

OTOH, don't confuse bastard 914s and a donor car that can simply be upgraded with "six" components. A big variable with bastard 914s is the structural integrity of the chassis (i.e. rust) and how much work is necessary to bring it up to spec (much less + spec to support a more powerful drivetrain.

MHO,
Sherwood

Agreed. This wouldn't be a crazy build, just a very responsive 2.7L built for pure street pleasure. I couldn't ask for better quality donor (in terms of condition), which ironically is what gives me pause about doing it to this car at all.

All opinion of course...

If the 1.8 has working FI then keep it original, find a fixer upper to put the 6 in and build it as custom as you want.

75-76 isn't as valuable as the others, but in today's market it could very well pay for building the 6.

I also have a 75 in VGC. Came with a carbed 1.8. Putting a 3.0 in was a no brainer, but when I went to cut the fenders for flares I couldn't do. Too much resto peer pressure these days. I might change my mind before it gets fresh paint.

Thanks... Working FI. Amazingly original. It definitely needs an engine rebuild, though. I've never seen an engine leak so much oil, yet still start and run reliably.

While the sell it to fund the 6 theory is great, I'm only good at acquiring nice cars, I'm quite terrible at ever letting them go. I get attached. Besides, the value isn't all that important to me (not meant as unrealistic as that sounds), happiness with the car is more important. Driving a well-sorted 914 is pure pleasure. 1.8L versus a converted 6 is just splitting hairs. Both are glorious.

I guess I was just more curious if the consensus had started shifting towards preservation versus customizing, enjoying, and driving.

Not so much preservation as restoration. I took a unintended decade off from 914s. Feels like a bunch of Porsche purists bought air-cooled 914s because air-cooled 911s got too expensive. A lot more of the build threads are about undoing the custom stuff.

Good point. Maybe that's the energy I'm inadvertently channeling with my hesitation...

looks like you have a few other projects "shelved".

Copious leaking may not require a rebuild.....the "easy" things are the oil cooler seals, pushrod tube seals and don't forget the oil pressure sender. With huge patience all can be done with the engine in the car (but why??) if you're not into dropping it--easy day's work & you're back in business.

HOT ROD

I like Phone Dials! Must be why I have 20 of them...

Convert the 1.8 and have fun driving it! Keep the matching # car all stock. Have fun and enjoy them.

Very true on the leaking, and I think you're probably right. Unfortunately, it has less than adequate compression, too, which is what originally put the conversion idea in my head. Hey, if I need to rebuild an engine, I might as well rebuild a more fun engine, right?

I acquired a 75 that was already back-dated and bastardized, so there was never a thought about restoring to original, however, my wife has a 71 (1.7L) that was totally unmolested. It's in the process of being restored as original as possible.

It's a 1.8 so who cares
It not like it's a '73 2.0 or a LE, etc. On top of that you state you don't care about the value of the car.
Bottom line it's your car do what you want, what ever puts smile on your face, not what other say should be done.

My '74 1.8 was basically the same deal and it could have easily been a concours base model 1.8 with just a paint job....boring.
It's on the tail end of getting a hot rodded 3.0 put in it, then I plan to drive it into the ground.

welcome

good to see another 914 here in SC! where are you hiding out? there are a few others of us but i seldom ever see another 914 down here in the low country. BillH is up in Orangeburg but the 914's come and go thru his place like its a revolving door!,
One gentleman down here recently bought the green /6 that was restored by Stoddard's, very nice and clean.
regarding your conversion thoughts, do what you want but you may regret changing an original matching numbers car!

consider getting to the Octeenerfest in September? hope you can make that, last year was a blast!

Phil

You are right about any well sorted 914 being glorious. But , the fact is that no matter how much time goes by, a '75 1.8 will remain on the lowest rung of 914 desirability. It's all relative.

Would you put a better stereo in the '75? The only real difference between a better stereo and a better engine is that the engine will give you a much more satisfying sound! That, and it would be even more fun to drive. With a pristine '76 2.0 sitting in the garage, you'll be out blasting around in the hot rod while some other enthusiast is pleased as could be with the 1.8 you sold them, complete with working FI.

Go for it! You'd have the best of both worlds.

Ha ha... Yes, my projects have projects.

Aw, man... My hero. Thanks!

That's perfect. We end up with the best of both worlds, one original and one outlaw.

Love the stereo analogy! You're right, the carbureted 2.7L will sound MUCH better!

The gloriousness of 914s extends into crazy little things for me, too, like the richly complicated smell of the 40 year old interior, the satisfying metallic clunk of the door shutting as I prepare for a drive... it's a bit crazy when you connect this much with a machine, but at least I'm in good company here.

Thanks, Phil... I'm just north of Aiken, SC. It's nice to know there are others "near" me. I always wondered about that.

I don't know that the '75 is numbers matching, but I think it's a pretty safe assumption. If I do the conversion, I'll definitely hang onto the 1.8L and 4-lug suspension parts, so it could go back to original if someone ever desired that.

A quick search (definitely not thorough) didn't turn up anything too useful about Octeenerfest this year. Do you have a link or other information?

This seems to be the consensus, one stock and one outlaw. It sounds perfect to me!

20 Phone Dials?!? Are any of them on a 914?

That seems to be the consensus by a pretty wide (but ever changing) margin. Thanks!

Is that the same '76 Nepal Orange that's currently at Black Forest Racing? (That looks like the BFR green/orange race car in the background there on the shelves). If so I saw it in a pic they posted on Facebook not too long ago. Also, I think I saw that car for sale on ebay in (I think) Florida last year. Maybe a different car, but not too many rubber bumper nepal orange cars with black phone dials!
If it's the same car, I'd almost considered bidding on it but I also had a lead on my current laguna blue 2270 that I ended up going with. Great looking car!

Thanks... Yes sir, on all accounts! It's exciting seeing your car featured even if it's just a business' Facebook page. Ha ha...

I can't say enough about the quality work BFR (John, Jeff, and Timmy) have put into the metal work preparing the tub.

Had you ended up with the orange '76, you would have been satisfied. It was a good starting point for what I wanted. My silver '75, however, has forever ruined me as to what an unrestored rust-free 914 can really be like.

Yeah, your '76 looked like a great car!
I was down at BFR last fall with my old '72 that I ended up selling. But I hung out with John and his crew for a couple hours. They're all great guys and very talented at what they do. There was a restoration in progress at the time of another 914world member's Ravenna Green '74. It was in about the same state as your '76 is in in that pic: stripped, on the lift, and they had the metal work done. They took me through everything they'd done to it. Awesome quality work with a high attention to detail to make sure everything they did appeared factory. If that car was anything to go by, your car should turn out amazing!

Thanks...

That's my favorite thing about BFR. It's feels like you're just dropping in on good friends. John and the guys are always incredibly busy, do consistently great work, and still manage to make time for everyone who comes through the door. At this point, I really can't imagine anyone else ever helping me with my 914s. (If you're reading this, John, please stay around for a lot longer!) To say he and BFR are passionate about 914s would just be an extreme understatement.

As another connection, I bought my old Cayman S at Leith in your neck of the woods. it was one of the better dealership experiences I've had.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=251065

click on this.... registration now open - Banner Elk N.C. this year.

Thanks, Phil. I saw it, too.