Hey Andy!

We should get the locals together for a beer soon. There's four of us that are in the Santa Rosa / RP / Windsor areas.

It's not looking good compared to your cars, but thanks! Just trying to spiff it up a little until I have the means to properly paint it. Getting it mechanically sound and undoing some of my previous shortcuts is top priority.

Hoping Soren will have the motor done soon. Maybe in a few weeks?

Shout out to Mark Whitesell (914rubber.com) for making parts so many of us need.

To Garold Shaffer too for being my go-to guy for used parts that I'm missing.

What a great community. You guys make me sappy.

I'm going to have the taste of ground up rust in my mouth through the majority of this project.

Just a little clean up project last night. Used Metal Prep before sleeping and then primed and put a top coat on before work this AM.

I'll probably used white lithium grease on the swivel and then a little anti seize in the tube portion as I left that mostly bare metal.

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Just a bit more painting last night.

Had blasted the cooling shroud last week. Used a VHT zinc primer and wheel paint to make it shiny. Hope it holds up long term.

Primed and painted both sides.

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Starting this project back up again.

Test fitted the engine tin the other night. Dropped that off along with a bunch of other misc parts for powder coating yesterday.

Inching closer.

Finally found the ignition key hanging on my garage peg board behind some other tools (seriously, don't ask). It's been missing for years. Just happy that I can turn the steering wheel again.

I should mount the fuel pump up front this weekend. Really haven't seen any clear photos of exactly where it should go in relation to the steering rack, but I'm sure I can make that work.

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Looking good Randy! Glad to see you back at it.

Thanks Andy!

Been digging deep into my parts stash to try and anticipate what else I'll need to buy so I can get the motor back in the car. Trying to do this right too so I won't be chasing gremlins around once it's up and running. Only using new hardware, which is a big improvement from how I kept my cars running when I was in my late teens/20s.

Wish I had the means to make the car look better as it does have a little body damage on the passenger side, small rust bubbles, marginal paint. Maybe in the next few years I can prep and at least get the exterior painting. Sorta all depends on what the house needs first.

I want all the bugs ironed out before this time next year as I'd like to drive the car down to the Rennsport Reunion. That should be somewhat smooth sailing from here on out, but I've been saying that for the past five years too. Wish me luck!

Good luck brother! Let me know if I could help. I may also have a part or two laying around.

Just sorting parts. Still waiting for my sheet metal to arrive back from the powder coater. Planning on installing the motor next weekend as long as I get my tin back this week. Looking positive.

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Get that car finished so you can drive it down to Monterey and meet us in September!

Should be on the road in a month or less now. I'd like to send a set of calipers off to Eric for rebuilding before Monterey, but at this point I think we're golden.

Are you planning on bringing your car out this way?

I am hoping to bring two IMSA 914s, going to be a busy winter!

Really happy for you Randy! You've been at it for some time, and the reward will be awesome.

Thanks! I've been wanting to be at this point for over a year now, but we had a few big house projects that needed all our time and $$ that we're just wrapping up.

Fitted the rain hats on the carbs you rebuilt the other evening. Can't wait to hear some air moving through them soon!

Did we ever determine is this is the correct return spring for the CSP linkage?

https://www.csp-shop.com/en/engine/return-s...100-20650a.html

I looked through a ton of CSP related threads but didn't see anything confirming that this is the part to get.

Thanks!

Both versions of that spring (129 881 100 & 129 881 100A) both appear to twist the wrong direction. They're for rear engine applications where the cable approaches from the transmission side.

I haven't bought or hear of anyone buying either, so this is just my 'read' on the pictures. CSP said they were working on a spring way back during the group buy, but I never heard anything.

I would try McMaster 9271K131 and see if that might be made to work.

Ah, got it. Okay, so you're saying that I should hold my breath as even though it's been years, they're probably _this_close_ to having that spring ready, right?



Okay, I'll make something work. Thanks Mark!

Ah, missed this.

Thanks!

Ordered the pack of springs from McMaster-Carr. I'll let you know if they can be made to work.

Mark, I'll have some extras too if you'd like me to mail you four of them. LMK.

How'd you get a pack of 5?

This wording is weird, eh? I had planned on keeping two for myself.

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Nice collection of parts...must feel great putting the car back together!

Where's the "obsessed" emoji? Yeah Mike, it feels great! Can't wait to be back in the driver's seat again soon.

You're getting close-ish with your project too, right?

Check your part number, yo.

Oh sheesh. Thanks! One look at the OD and I would have caught that. This is what happens when you try to multitask too many things at once kiddos.

I immediately wrote McMaster-Carr after seeing your post Mark and here's what they replied with -

"Hi Randy,

We've already shipped this out, but we'll credit it back to you. You don't need to return it.

Mike"

Talk about awesome customer service!

I ordered the correct spring as well and will advise as soon as I'm at that point.

The wife has told me to put the 914 as priority number 1 as far as my projects go. She even admits that she sees no major projects on the home front so I am good until she sees a home improvement that "needs" to be done.

More progress. Should have the motor back in the car this Sunday.

I would have had some of the parts shown plated vs. powder coated if I had planned this project out better, but I'm happy how everything turned out.
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914rubber.com's pulley wheel (er, back focused):
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Wiring up the alternator with a new Bowlsby harness:
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IIRC, the factory put thin foam gaskets between the overlapping areas on the tin. Do people bother replacing it?

Those powder coated parts came out great.

Maybe I misunderstood the post, did you plate some of the powder coated parts 1st?

Ah, no, I just would have rather had some of these parts plated vs. coated, but it's really a non-issue at this point.

There's supposed to be a good plater in Sac if you're looking for one. Let me know and I'll dig up their contact info.

Also looking at getting a wide band O2 AF gauge and sensor kit. A friend recommended SpeedHut, but I'm not sure this is the best bang for the buck.

https://www.speedhut.com/gauge/GR-AFWB-09/1...18-(w--warning)

I'm more than happy to buy the O2 sensor and cable separately too for the right gauge. I'd prefer a black bezel too, but that's secondary to a reliable, consistent gauge.

Would really appreciate recommendations.

I've been very impressed with everything I've gotten from 14Point7. At $175 it's not significantly less than the SpeedHut set, but it's still a decent savings.

Gauge: https://www.14point7.com/products/solid-afr-gauge
O2 Sensor + Controller: https://www.14point7.com/products/spartan-l...da-controller-2

Thanks! I might make a post in the main Garage and see if I can get more input too.

Innovate is also pretty popular, though I've never been very impressed with the quality of their controllers. They seem to have weird faulting problems and aren't very tolerant of poor grounding. Just some more options.

http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/xcart/p...=262&page=1

I'll take a look, thanks!

More progress tonight -

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A few more -

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That looks great

This is looking fantastic! Exactly the way my engine looks.... in my dreams!



Now that you mention this, I remember scraping remnants of foam off the joints. I'm hoping someone chimes in on this because it would be easy to add when I install my tins.

Have a cold, so I didn't get a ton done this evening. Realized I'd left off the flapper bar, so I had pull off some tin and sort that out. Missing the spring tab. Looks like something I can probably fabricate pretty easily if I can't find one in my stash.

I'm also missing the oil cooler support bracket. Lame. Hopefully my machinist here in town has a spare, or else my plans on installing the motor this weekend will be stalled until I can buy one from Garold (you listening buddy?)

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Just an upskirt shot. Maybe I'll invest in a bellows kit. IDK, I've never had one working on any 914 I've owned.

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Nice work!!!! Thanks for sharing.
Did you have the push rod tubes powder coated? Or did you purchase them black? Paint? Inquiring minds want to know.
Hope you make the Sunday deadline for motor install. Will car be ‘finished’ with that? Or more still to do?

Also check with Gary at Sonoma Volkswagen (707) 996-1354. He may have the cooler clamp.

Thanks!

My machinist/motor building spray painted both the push rod tubs and the tin that's directly above them.

I don't see why you couldn't powder coat them. The thicker coating shouldn't interfere with the o-rings AFAIK.

Short list of to-dos once the motor is in -

- Install carbs
- Install headlights
- Add fuel pump jumper wire at relay board
- Oh, install relay board
- Install muffler and Ox sensor/gauge
- Install starter (still can't decide which starter to run)
- Install battery
- Check brakes
- Break-in cam/tune carbs, etc.
- Finish assembling rear bumper and paint

Not too bad. Hoping to have it on the road before Christmas, though likely sooner.

Good call!

Though I'm 99% sure Soren will have the parts. I'll probably run by his shop this evening to check.

Mark, I think the happy medium is somewhere in the middle. The wire gauge is gargantuan!

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