Well it's gotten to be that time finally. I've been collecting parts to do the repair on my 914-6 and now the work starts. The main issue is the hell hole/inner engine long, inner pass long, pass inner rocker panels are rusted out. The last part I was trying to source seams to be NLA. I sourced most of the parts from the good guys at Restoration Design. I received my order today for the last batch of things. Based on a few threads that I've looked over the outer shell to the inner engine long is currently not being made by RD. A few guys have made their own which looks like a real pain in the rear to do. I laid out all the new metal to see how things lined up. By the looks of things it will need some fine tuning to mate things properly. Before I start cutting into the chassis I'll build a few braces to keep things true.

Time for the pics...

Is that the car that Kirk sold?

Good luck...I hope mine isn't as bad once I start digging into it!

Excellent. It looks like you have matters well in hand. Keep the pictures coming.

Nope.. I've owned this car going on 6 years now.
Purchased it from a local guy that didn't want to deal with fixing it. It was parked in a garage after the engine locked up and sat there from 1983 to 2009.

Big project for sure, but the fact that it is on a rotiserrie, should make it manageable. Measure twice, cut once. Enjoy.

Nice.

Worth saving for sure.

Yea!

Well after nearly three years of searching for a NOS right long I was able to source and buy one. Probably the last one in the US that's for sale ( watch now two will pop up for sale ). I should have it in my hands by late Weds and will post pics once it's here. So with that said, I have a few questions on how to tackle this job.

I know Kent replaced the drivers side of Jim's 6 seen here :
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...4443&st=100

I see Kent has made a jig to align things which I also made.
If you see this Kent how did you attach the rear most section to the rear trunk/shock tower area? Did you weld from the inside as well as the outer portions?

I plan to brace the living heck out of the chassis prior to cutting into it.
Any area worth more bracing then others? I plan on checking the door gaps and all of the specs prior to/while welding in place.

Stay tuned...

Yeah Man! A lot of work, but also very satisfying. Looks like you've already got a handle on it, but brace the doors very well with an adjustable brace so you can adjust your gaps prior to and during welding. Once a long comes off, you'll be amazed how rubbery the car becomes, and also how easy it is to dial in the gaps precisely. I'm looking forward to watching this.

Hey Luke
Excellent !
Now's the time. Take it one day at a time. It'll get done.
Be careful.
Rory

Why did you decide not to use everything you pieced together above? Looks like you had it well underway.

I wanted an NOS part for the repair to begin with. It's just hard to come by the pass side now a days. I found one and will be using it to make the repair. I will sell the other parts that I will not be using.

Hi Rory,

Yes, I'll be taking my time and making sure it gets done correctly .

Look what showed up today...

I'll be removing the 4 cyl mount as this is going into a factory 6.
I'll be posting it for sale once I remove it.
The pics of this rare NOS item.

WOW! Platinum.

Wow, did that come all welded together like that as one complete inner long, including the battery pylon?

That's awesome! I'm trying not to think about how many weeks of fabricating and piecing together that would have saved. Definitely a great way to go.

Yes, it came that way from the factory. I would say that it will make the install a lot easier so I hope.

Fabricating the interior brace which is now done. I need to take a few more chassis measurements then roll it belly up. From there finish the lower chassis support, and add a few attaching points.

Great work !
Good to see progress.
Push on !

Started to check the door gaps and adjusting them. I can't seam to close the front door gap at all. Must be the new to the car doors as my old set seamed to fit better.
I currently have the pass door at 3 mm at the top with 4 mm towards the middle.
The front half is 6 mm top to 7 mm on down.

I checked my drivers side and have 3 mm at the top, 4 mm towards the bottom.
At the front of the drivers side I have 5 mm at the top and 6 mm towards the bottom.

Anyone have any idea what the door gaps should be set at ?

Need to figure this out before I move to the next step..

I will have to tackle this shortly. I am not sure what it should be but I have never seen a 914 with consistent gaps..

I got started on the lower bracing and found a little problem. At some point the car was raised on the longs vs the jacking donuts. It bent both the drivers and pass side outer rockers. It looks like the pass side got the worse of it but I won't know for sure until I start to fab the drivers side brace. Need to take a trip to the steel supply store for a few more pieces then weld it all up.

It looks (broadly) like both doors need to be moved forward to even out a big
gap at front and tight gap at rear.
~ 5mm at each gap seems possible
moving the door forward ?
I hope a professional here will describe how to accomplish that.

I've seen a lot of cars where the front door gap is wider

I agree it is common for the front gap to be slightly wider but......
Luke has to deal with very little room to spare.

That looks like a ton of work, but the right work to do, saving a car like that.

Keep up the good work.

I tried a few different things and I can't get the front to close up anymore then what it is. I still have to install the replacement drivers door yet so I'm sure that gap will also change. I can get the rear to change and think I may tweek it a little more.

What's the variable that's been seen on these gaps? Rory sent me measurements from his 6 but would like to see/hear from a few more people.

Edit: After looking at a few build threads it looks like 5 mm rear/ front door gaps is the way to go. I maybe able to get 5 mm at the door handle side but the front fender/door is gonna be though. Only way I can see that gap getting smaller would be to cut the front fender off and repositioning it.

I'm gonna pm Mr. Kent on this one.

Getting there... drivers side is now done.
I need to fab up a couple more cross braces then I should be good to start cutting into the pass long.

Well it has been awhile since I updated this..

Change of plans on the chassis jig. I purchased a frame bench form Perry and I will use that to fix the chassis. I've been collecting more chassis parts along the way so hopefully once I start cutting it will make the re assembly a little faster.

Kroon wire harness co. sent me an email that my new chassis harness is done and ready to be shipped. I should see that in about two weeks. Gerard sent me a few pic of it so enjoy.

Great buy on the Perry Black Hawk...

Looking at this thread has me in Awe. I can do engine and drivetrain work with no issues. Suspension and brakes, no problems. Electrical and electronics, piece of cake.

But body work like this scares the living out of me. I have to take my cars to a paint and body shop to get them right. I can't imagine being able to do something like this.....

Just incredible skills.

Finally got the bench under the 6. This weekend we will get the fixtures mounted between the two.

Holy Cow !
I think this car will be very straight.
Great work Luke.

Hi Rory,

You know how I am. I went back and forth on how to do the right long replacement for sometime. When Perry posted the bench for sale I had to jump on it. Thanks again Perry for making it an easy transaction. It's the only way to do this job right and not worry if things are out of alignment. With the bench I have control of the repair and I can take my time to make sure everything is correct. Once I have the current fixtures attached I will work on making some for the front end. Then the spot drilling and cutting will start.
Stay tuned...

It never ceases to amaze me seeing the skills and desire that some teeners show doing these rustorations.

Fantastic - thanks for all of the updates.

@Luke M

@MB911

5-6mm gaps (and inconsitent) were not at all uncommon in any 1970's era cars domestic or imported.

I could write a dissertation on how body dies used to be cut in the Pre-CNC era. Basically, it was done by a Keller Tracing Mill that basically carved metal by tracing a cutting path on a 3-D master which was usually a Kirksite (Zinc based alloy that cuts sort of like Aluminum) prototype die that would only be suitable for low volume use. As the path was traced on the Kirksite die, a production die was simultaneously being cut out of cast iron. Think of a pantograph but cutting cast iron instead of tracing a drawing on paper.

Needless to say, accuracy wasn't what it is today.

Don't kill yourself trying to get a consistent 3-4 mm gap that you would expect today. It isn't going to happen without welding door edges.

I have seen allot of cars with welded edges..

Got all the fixtures attached between the chassis and bench. The right side inner suspension console required some minor adjustment to fit into the fixture. I kinda figured it was going to be an issue seeing how all of the rust damage is around that area.
Otherwise other fixtures bolted right up. I need to level out the bench as it's off just a touch but need to go buy a huge wrench first.

That, in and of itself, is impressive.

With this covid thing going around it has set my project back. I had plans to have the chassis blasted and epoxy primed before I started cutting into it. The blaster emailed me and said per rules under the NY PAUSE act that my project is not essential and he couldn't do it until the state relaxed the rules. So now it's a waiting game there. I can do a few other things on the chassis before it goes. Got the new to me 3.2 in and started working on that. Apart she comes. Going with a 3.4 Mahle MS p/c's while doing the rebuild. Also in the works is a late model 3.2 915 with a Bott 916 shift kit. Stay tuned kids as I'll be working away when I can.

Be safe out there...

Top overhaul or full build ?,will be a quick car with those plans