Okay, I followed this site for some time already before buying my first 914.It took some patience and everyone I asked( that knows about cars ) said not to do it but I think I finally found a decent one (wich is not easy in Belgium since they are very rare here).
Just tell me what you think of it ( don't be polite) and okay, it's a '75 with the BUB's as you guys call it (allmost all the 914's here are reimported Americans)and also a BUS( big ugly spoiler) but it's a 2.0l ,until now I didn't find any rust(some superficial spots) and and it's been technically restored by a PO from California. Engine, clutch , brakes , muffler, etc.
I'll give you a pic already, but tomorrow I'll have more pic's in detail and a lot of questions too.
How do I post a pic anyway and how big can it be?

BUBs actually can look pretty good on Black & other color cars, but don't let them put you off in any case - it's still a fun classic 914 & a 2.0 to boot!

Have Fun!
Tom
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Great to hear! This is a great place and we want to see the picture!

Adding pictures to your post...Link

Nice Congrats! Can't wait to see some pics

Congratulations, you are right, finding one in decent shape even on this side of the pond is getting harder everyday so I can imagine how tough it was for you. I bought a 75 also, my second 75 I have owned. I wasn't very patient when it came to back dating my bumpers and paid a premium. Someone here will remember the name of the business in the U.K. who sells them. Maybe locals get a better price over there.

Let me see if I've got this right. Everyone cautioned you "not" to buy a 914 and you did it anyway? My kind of guy. You'll fit right in here.
Oh,

Konrad

This place is a real magnet... Congratulations on the purchase, oh, and

Welcome to the Madness!

First picture coming up! Thx for all your reply's!Click to view attachment

Front and back. I'd really like to get rid of the backspoiler ASAP but then I'm stuck with 5 holes.Click to view attachment Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment

I think the front bumper has been baked in the Californian sun. Has anyone a suggestion how to get it smooth again?Click to view attachment

And I will have to change the vinyl on the sail panels.Click to view attachment

The interior looks rather good (the dealer I bought it from put in another dash top because the old one was fried) The air vent grilles of the AC are missing( I still have one that I found in the door pocket but it's chrome plastic : looks terrible) The AC doesn't work. It has been uncoupled but the ventilator still gives a lot of fresh air.Maybe I can put in some steel mesh grilles and paint them black. Any suggestions are welcome.Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

Welcome to the World
Car looks good from the pics you posted. If the hell hole (below battery tray) area is decent,and the longs. I'd say it's a great start. Many members here can guide you through almost anything. It kinda reminds me how mine looked when I purchased it 30 years ago.
The 2.0, the console and the A/C are nice accessories to have. Get it all sorted
You'll be quite pleased.
Cheers,Dion

Hello Dion,
As far as I can see , the hellhole looks good , at least from the outside. I'm gonna take out the battery to check the tray . I can see some small rust bubbles underneath the right seal panel. Both trunks have no rust.Click to view attachment Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment

The AC is aftermarket, so unless you really want one, i'd get rid of it.
They're ugly and the huge hole in the front trunk doesn't help things either.

Besides that, the car looks pretty solid!

... from south-east

Hi SirAndy,
Off course I want to get rid of the condenser in the front trunk but then I have to find someone to weld in a piece of metal sheet since welding is not my thing( I can always learn to)
If I remove the AC dashboard console the central instrument console won't fit anymore but I can make a new one (in real leather)

Hoi Wolfgang,
Glad to hear there are also European members.

Grüsse,

Robin

Wow, nice car. Love the color. Best of luck with it.

:
Congrats
All these cars have issues. Take your time. Tackle each problem one by one and you will have a car worth keeping. I would get the car on a lift and really look at the underside of the hell hole area. Then find a local welder or body guy and fix the mess that the aftermarket a/c makes of the front trunk and all the holes from running the lines. Go from there, tackle the issues and lean on 914world when you need help.

One of my best memories was riding on an amateur racing team in Belgium. I spent the spring there back in the 90's. I got my ass kicked by the locals but at least I learned what real bike racing was all about. I never hurt so good

Welcome.

with Andy... The Big Ugly Spoiler is period correct and would blend nicely if it was painted to match.

Hello Mepstein,
Thx for the advice.
The car was on the lift BEFORE I bought it. I almost bought a 914 before this one without putting it on a lift . It looked allright on the outside but the it was full of holes behind the seats. So afterwards I got very cautious. This morning I took out the battery. The battery tray doesn't look so bad. I thought that the battery tray was welded to the side wall of the engine compartment but mine is screwed on. I can always change it afterwards. For now , I just cleaned it with a screwdriver( it felt really solid) and sprayed on some zinc spray.

What attracts me most in the 914 is the very clean lines and the very functional design.
Everything not needed has been left off. And to me the spoiler "spoils" the clean lines. That's just my idea.

Hey, congrats!!!

I agree with SirAndy, dump the AC unit. It will also make the interior much more open. You could cut out the center section of the AC console and use that to fill the gap above the gauges. Then, some black leather or similar around the edges in the foot wells, and it will look fine.

I think the spoiler looks fine, but I agree with your logic about keeping the lines clean. Not sure how it's attached.

Pull off the rocker panels to inspect for rust there.

Personally, I'd get an original shift knob. I don't think that aftermarket one looks good, and it looks like you are trying to stay original. There are some excellent reproduction ones that are not expensive.

The dash cover that the dealer put on this car isn't that good in my opinion. I'd buy one of the plastic dash covers over what the dealer did to this car. They aren't expensive. The driver's door is sagging a bit. It might just need new wedges. They are a cheap and easy fix. I would definitely see what's up with the door, though.

I'd try sanding down the bumper to get rid of the rough areas.

Looks like a good car from the posted pix!

GREEEN

It's supposed to be Palma Green but I'm not sure since it had a respray and the color inside the trunk is not exactly the same. I sanded the front bumper (was full off "bubbles") and used "Pneu" from Swissol(= now Swissvac) to get it black again. Looks like new now so I'm beginning to like the BUB's. Back bumper will be for the weekend.

Today I finally got through customs with the same forms that they refused the first time.
And now onto the DMV!

Today I visited the Antwerp Oldtimer Fair. At least one hundred Porsches, meticulously restored, and only ONE 914!

Hi Cuda911,
i followed your advice and got rid of the Momo shift knob and put in an original one. I left the AC console but took everything out except the ventilator; It provides good airflow and I made some mesh grilles to replace the missing air vents and painted them satin black.
Click to view attachment

I also took apart the center console because it didn't fit(it was just "thrown" in) and the lower part was broken. I made a new lower part with a a piece of an old leather jacket, some painted wood and some foam. After some cutting grinding and fitting , it looks already a lot better now.
Click to view attachment Click to view attachmentClick to view attachmentClick to view attachment

Today I took off the Momo steering wheel to reach the hub wich didn't look too good.I sanded it to the bare metal until it was real smooth (I didn't like the structure paint) and sprayed on matt black paint. I still have to put the wheel back on. It's in very good condition and I don't have the original one.
Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

Love the leather console !!

Hello from England, I don't think your paint is Palma Green Metallic. I have a Palma Green Metallic 75 which is in the spray shop at the moment. If you look in the drivers side door jamb you should find a plate with the paint code on it. Palma Green Metallic was a 75 only colour and the code is LKL 95 K. Mine also had a rear spoiler which had to go but you will have to get the holes welded up and your boot panel resprayed as you my find the paint that has been covered by the spoiler is brighter and less faded.
Good luck

Hi ! Welcome here. Nice find ! Are you french or netherland speaking ? I ask that because there is a large 914 french speaking belgium community on the french Porsche 914 forum. They often join the french meetings and also organize their own meetings in belgium.

I think it was most probably originally palma green (looking at the inside of the front trunk pictures) just got a bad color mix respray at some time in the past.
That said it looks a good solid car.
Welcome!

Looks like a solid 914.

My advice concerning the A/C system is to remove every A/C related component in the front trunk and engine compartment. Doing that will shed 67 pounds of weight from the car. However, leave the A/C console below the dash, as it gives a more substantial appearance to the interior (replace the missing vents though). Keeping the console means you get to retain the more functional (angled toward the driver) gauge placement of the shorter center console. As far as the hole in the trunk where the condenser was; if you are not ready for a welding job you can do a temporary fix with some light sheet metal and rivets. Good luck.

Ansbacher

Hey Ernie,
My colour code is LKL 95K but the outside of the car is not Palma Green( maybe Viper Green?) Anyway , I'm planning to get it resprayed completely next winter in the original colour. I filled the holes of the spoiler with epoxy as a temporary solution.

Johannes,
I didn't know there was a French 914 forum. I am dutch speaking but I speak french and german too. Maybe it could be interesting to also have a forum closer by, although I must say the 914world forum is a huge source of information for me and it helped me a lot.
I enjoyed very much the videos you sent about the french rally last week. And I was also very interested in the way you lightened your bumpers (old post). I'm planning to do that this summer. Can you tell me how you made the holes?

Ansbacher,
Thx!
I already removed all the AC components except the condenser in the front trunk. The body shop will take it out and replace it with an original formed sheet since they have to weld some rust in the chassis too. I hope to know this week what's it's gonna cost me.
And I totally agree with you that the short center console is better than the original one.

Today , after 6 months of waiting, I finally got my license plates and insurance papers. So now I can make a real test drive! It will be for thursday since I haven't got the time now. But I mounted the center wheel caps from 914rubber and they fit perfectly although I think the wheels are not original ones. Thank you Mark!

Click to view attachment

They look origional. Take a pic of the back. They should have a little Fuchs /fox logo. Post the pic here.

Good luck with the test drive, how can you wait 4 more days? :-)

Wheels look original Fuch to me?
If you're not sure, take one off and see whats cast/written behind the spokes. Lug/Bolt cover caps are not original.

I work from 8 AM till 8.30PM so there's not a lot of time left to drive. But I have 2 weeks holiday starting on thursday, So then I can drive every day. Can anyone tell me what is the best way to get the wheels clean?