Recently just had lower spinal surgery and have had a little more time to read many of the build threads and others like the "Barn find"

And while this spinal surgery (life happens)is hopefully a minor set back for my family life and cars, it makes me want to ask the question "who's has the record for the longest ongoing build?"

What kind of "life happens" obstacles caused the build to stop, or rethink your likelihood of ever completing the restoration.

Kinda wishing I was Bon Jovi, and had "the power to turn back time" but never mind must be OxyContin talkin......

My dad bought a 914-6 in 1992. I was a senior in high school. It has been at the paint shop for over a year now. Going on 24 years.

Well, how about 31+ years & still ongoing?

My `73 2L was my DD 12/75 to 5/85 (2nd owner), & after a rolling resto & complete mechanical rebuild 80-83, was hit in a parking structure while I was in grad school classes - mashing both the rear trunk, pushed 2' forward into a concrete 1/2 column & wall thereby mashing the front face too. So all fresh mechanicals, my 3rd car owned, & a car of 10 years with personal meaning to me, collect the insurance after a fight, but a then soon-to-be-wife who said to use the money to "...get a car with a back seat, because we're going to have kids." So it went to get car #4 - our 85 BMW 325e & still a DD.

My 914 went into the garage in May 1985, while I was slowly looking for the needed parts for the repairs - which was much slower in those pre-internet days! And therre was always something else with higher priority for my time & funds, between 2 kids, 1921 house, cars, my business, etc., etc. ....

In 2009 both kids were grown - 1 finishing college that June, the other soon to follow in a couple of years, & I too was laid up for awhile with a surgery, so tarted trolling the net for 914 parts & info., & found 914world & 914club, etc.

So I thoroughly understand why you're on here so much now while you're laid up!

I've had good success since `09 gathering the needed parts, doing research on what/how I wanted to restore my old gal (which has changed from my original plan to just get her to DD working order, & maybe even swap drivetrain into another solid tub), some forensic delving into what was needed & where the tin worm have done damage - yes, even in a dry SoCal garage, after 13+ years in all sorts of weather over 172,000+ miles as a DD for the OO & I.

However, other BS & life still gets in the way, so it will still be a while before the resto really gets rolling & done!

But I didn't keep my 914 for over 3 decades, collect $1,000's in parts, spend the time to figure out what I wanted to do, just to let her go & do nothing. So she will get done .... eventually!

So don't give up hope, as I'm sure you too will get a "round tuit"!

Cheers!
Tom
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Wow you guys are making me look like an angel !!!

Six years restoring my 1970, still have to put the engine back into the car but No way it's going to take another (31-6) = 25 years. Yes... Life, crap and everything else gets in the way, but it is the 914 addiction that we all suffer from.
Can't cure it until you complete it.

Me thinks I'll frame and anodize Tom-T's comment and show it to my wife and kids.
Compared to Tom_T and Bam's dad, I deserve a new moniker: Speedy Gonzales !!

I feel your pain... or at least some of it! Well, maybe you're not feeling much of it either right now. Hopefully not...
My build was stalled a year ago last April when I had my knee replaced, but a week later I showed up at WCR 2015 and had a great time. Then in June I was hit on my Harley head on by a truck at 60mph. Yeah. That set me back a bit, but I had time to shop for what I needed, got it here, and now this Friday I'm off to pick up a rotisserie to get this nonsense started again now that I'm able to get around more. Hopefully this ain't gonna take too much longer - I need a replacement for my bike! My family won't let me have another one...

Father purchased a 914-6 out of an impound lot in 1972, drove it approximately 300 miles, heard what he thought was a bad sound. towed it home, dropped the engine and started a restoration. So that is 43 years and counting.

Wow, it just isn't necessarily a time thing, it is also the obstacles life puts in front of us.

It is amazing to me how undaunted many of you are when it comes to your car or cars, what life throws at you and the ability to still see your way forward to them being completed someday.

No wonder many of us consider them to be part of our family. Whether metal or not, after something has been around that long it is hard not to become attached to it let alone give up on it.

My /6 hasn't rolled by itself since the mid '80s ...

Hope you have a quick recovery, and a speedy restoration for your 914.

Dad's car. More sitting than driving since 1982 or so.

ABM, 2 years and counting....

Last time mine moved under it's own power..

Still on the windshield..


Click to view attachment

Now, I don't feel so bad!

Thank you for the kind words .

I cannot wait until I can get back to work on them.

All the best back to you.

I'm sure I don't have the record but its been out of commission since i parked it in my Mom's garage in 1989. Scotty B should have all the metal work done this summer and then I'll bring it home to finish it up.

The red 74 1.8 liter I picked up in January of 2015, the yellow 75 2.0 liter, the Red 73 supposed to be yellow 1.8 liter and green 72 1.7 liter I picked up in April of 2016.
still not a lot of progress, but things hopefully will be looking up for getting something done. Going to start on the red yellow car.

Good Lord I hope I am still not talking about getting these cars done 20 years from now.......

My 914 project had been mostly setting since 2002. I'd work on it then stall, mostly due to frustration from lack of either skills or knowledge, sometimes both. The board and you guys have been a huge help getting me over some of the humps.

The project has many updates and personal touches and I wanted to make it my restoration as much as possible, but I reached a point where I knew that I had to get help from the pro's or it would probably not see the road.

Thanks to Chris Foley and Ed Morrow at Tangerine Racing, the systems have been integrated into a functioning whole and many of my mistakes have been corrected.

This thread makes me feel better. I thought that I was in the running for longest restoration but I'm relieved to see that I'm not. More on mine in a separate thread.

1974 914, taken off the street/track in 1990.......still in the final stages of build 914-6 GT tribute.....27 years......family, business, other Porsches (914, 928, 993, cayman) But worth the wait......Mark

Well, that was a dupe! How about a "Half-zymers Award" too!!??

I think that we who are persistent & committed to hanging onto our babies & wa t to get them back on the road, should also get credit for such! How about a 914world Persistence & Commitment Award!?


Tom
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Here is mine in 1970
Click to view attachment

it was taken out of service for reupholstery in 1980 or so, but then I found that the floors were rusted, so it sat in various shops, garages and driveways for the next 30 years.

here it is in 2013 or so, after I raised a son to be a bodyman/Painter <grin>
Click to view attachment


And here last week, the first time it was driven for pleasure since 1980.
Click to view attachment

So now the clock is stopped... but there are still odds and ends to finish up.

Jack,

You need to get with Curt in Tulsey Town near-ish to you - he goes by Cabinetmaker on here, who is an old 914er too, & is always trying to put together a Talimina Run with OK teeners!

Curt is another crusty old fart, like you & I!

Beautiful Light Ivory `70 914-6 BTW!

Oh & I just saw - a 57 Stude Transtar too! (brainfart here!)

The 3 of us will have to get together for BBQ next time I'm in Tulsa!


Tom
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Found a Rich Johnson six mount at Hershey in 2007. That started it all. Took the car off the road in June 2008. Found rust, looked for a rust free tub! Hahahaha. Started rust repair and upgraded the drivetrain. Got a bad case of "while I'm in there". 8 1/2 years later I'm assembling. Did it all myself and didn't borrow a penny. I feel like I'm not taking long enough after some of these stories. Keep at it fellas.
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
Lots of assembly required!!!

Engaging in owning and working on one of these cars is waaaay to much$$$$$$ to just let the car sit,thats no fun to me. I bought mine to drive baby!

This thread is shocking and funny and sad at the same time.

I was fortunate to get the 3.0 out for a short drive today. It really loved the cool temps.

Best of luck to all still working on their charges.

Looking good Dave!

Thanks Mark Time to get it to move under its own power. Tired of pushing it around. When you get your 3.2 going I would like a ride to see what I got myself into. Its funny, I've never even ridden in a six.

Ride in it - sure, drive it - yes.

I am sad to report that I have lost my stoke on the 914. I started the /6 conversion, but became quickly overwhelmed with finishing it. I've lost interest.

In the meantime, I started geeking out on my Toyota Tacoma, lift kit, big wheels and tires, lights. I want to do some off roading and Baja Mexico surf trips.

The Porsche just sits for now.

Hi Tom,
I've met Curt, and in fact a little bit of one of his cars is patched into the front trunk seal channel just above the driver's headlight.

The Transtar is another project, but it has only been resting since the early 90's. It was a daily driver for a few years in the 80s and 90s after being rescued from life as a chicken coop. Plans are to upgrade the suspension, but keep the drivetrain all Stude, with an 080 over 289, R2 blower and a T10 4 speed. I've had the engine in various forms and cars since the early 60's, so kind of attached. Just making sure the -6 is finished before changing focus.

Let me know if you make it up this way.

THAT is beautiful !

Just sent you a PM with my contact info.


Tom
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You'll get back to it Lawrence, so go have some Baja fun for now!

Also fitting to hava a "Taco" in Baja!

BTW - I took my 914 down to Baja a couple of times back in the 70's for a body surfing sojourn with my buddies, but it was an on-road trip, & one guy had made a adapted Piper 914 ski rack to hold their board on their 914 who went with us. So your 914 can go down to Baja too!


FYI - if you get stuck on the conversion, I'm pretty sure Bill Brewster down your way in South OC has done some 6-conversions, & can probably help you out if you don't mind outsourcing some of the work - or he may just be willing to give you advice over a lunch.

Cheers!
Tom
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sounds great!!! we'll have to set it up

Well Tom,

While buying a done project & driving it right off is certainly the route that I would recommend for a new person getting into 914s today - unless they're skilled & actually looking to do a project ....

.... most of us with long term projects sitting are long term owners unwilling to let go of our charges, & with sunk costs already in owning/maintaining/repairing/restoring, & attachment to our old gals!

Also, over that time of long term ownership stuff in life happens to waylay our projects. If you're young &/or lucky & never had anything come up in your life to interfere with your "drive baby" credo, then count yourself lucky.

I was only able to start on my car & find this website because I was laid up & bored stiff recovering from a surgery in 2009 - so sometimes the bumps in the road can actually help the quest in odd ways!

So cut a little slack to those of us committed enough to keep our 914s - & other cars - & keep them running &/or moving however slowly towards the long term goal of driving them again.


Tom
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My current 914 has been a nearly continuous project since 2002, with several extended down periods for body and mechanical work but it's always been drivable except while actively being worked-on. I don't have the time, space or fortitude to tackle an incomplete/non-running car build project at this stage..

Fortitude is key in these builds.....!

Spot on!
and it becomes harder the less mechanically minded you are !
I've been up and down the complete scale of emotions,some I haven't experienced since
early childhood when my world crumbled because my mum chopped the spaghettis so i could eat them....
anyway....I gave myself till i'm 50...4 more years.

I am in for 13 years.... 5 years of "Active" restoration. Oh well, maybe this years challenge will finish me off.