Ok. Here is the engine compartment with just the beginning of the "gross" cleaning. Because it was GROSS!! It will be perfectly cleaned with no alteration to finishes, patina left in place. My understanding is it is all original with the exception of Petronix added inside the distributor. Original coil was left in place. Close ups will be shown. Please give comments on anything not original if you truly know it is. I am rapidly learning about these as much as possible. I have collected unrestored muscle cars most of my life. Had this car fall into my lap. Always wanted one. Thanks for the help!!

Close up of original distributor and coil. Is this an original factory cap? I have to figure out how to loosen the coil so I can turn it to expose the Bosch label ! Any help??

Here is the coil

More engine photos

Are these the factory plug wires? Say Bosch on them and they appear to have been on there for many years do to them being memoried big time in there position and stiffness of the boots. Thoughts???

You might want to check out the "Engine Bays" thread in the upper section of this sub-forum. One of the things you might notice on Pat Garvey's engine bay is the different colored hoses. There should be green and red colored hoses, along with the charcoal gray that you normally see. FYI, the larger red hoses are very difficult to find. If you pursue this and find a source for the larger red replacement hoses, please let us know.

I'm sorry, but I don't know the answers to your other questions on originality.

Thankfully, its not as original as you might think. Someone has done some routine maintenance like changing the fuel/vacuum hoses, I am sure that has saved the car after 140K miles.

They didn't do any favors by putting the fuel filter in the engine bay, or the serrated hose clamps and a few other things, but those are all easily corrected.

Nice car BTW.

Thanks for the info. Knew about the fuel filter. That will be fixed. Just curious, How do you know the vacuum lines were replaced? Thanks again

Because they are only grey colored. Factory originals included red and green on certain sizes.

Thank you for the info. I was under the understanding that in the 1975 and 1976 models that all the vacuum lines where gray. George from Auto Atlanta told me this and he seams to be the expert on these cars. Are you familure with this change or have you seen it. The car has basically not been touched. Just found out that the car never had the battery tray conversion and other than the fuel line with the inline fuel filter in it that the other fuel lines are the original wrapped factory ones. The car is in a shop and they told me about them. They were leaking pretty bad ( took the car in to a specialty shop as I am not yet familure with this type of car. Was advised all the the lines were original. Still learning a lot and appreciate all the help everyone gives me

As much as we respect George's experience with these cars, I do have some photos of original 1975-76 engine bays with red colored vacuum hoses on the decel valve. Highly unlikely these were not replacements but factory originals.

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/Exceptional914s.htm

Its easy to see other modifications in your engine bay, although minor. And while its very nice, saying it 'has not been touched' is overreaching. These cars, any car, needs routine maintenance and its a disservice to the car to not maintain it. Replacing vacuum and fuel hoses, spark plugs, filters, servicing the injectors, is normal and customary.

For example, your fuel hoses, at least at the cold start injector are replaced. Only an inexperienced mechanic would use that serrated hose clamp on a pressurized fuel hose. The photos do not depict it, but it looks like you have an electronic ignition? Not original.

Yes on the Petronix module in the distributor. Mentioned it in the initial post I will be removing it and going back to points so the wiring will be correct. When I mentioned untouched I ment all original components ( original coil, mufflers, shocks, distributor, untouched original spare, tool kit, original paint every possible piece of paperwork ...) is either on the car or will be back on the car. I do expect tires, spark plugs, battery to be replaced and do not considered them part of an untouched car ( very very rare cases do exist but those cars typically have minimal miles and were stored their entire life. I read my post and didn't see where I stated "untouched" so a little confused. Anyway, I specialize and collect only unrestored all original " untouched" cars. The two other ones I have and will never sell are a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 convertible, all original including every engine component ( except plugs and battery) original mufflers, top. Rare special order color combo. My other is a very rare 1970 Torino with a factory NASCAR engine in it ( only 400 made) the head quality assurance person for NASA for Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions. He was the person who saved Apollo 13. I have his car. It is the best condition true survivor car I have ever seen that has been driven and the only thing change is the battery, plugs and running tires. The 914 is pretty amazing in that it is an unusual color and is that original and driven over 140,000 miles. Thank you again for your help. Lots to learn. Hopefully that clarifies " untouched". I will be making the necessary little changes to make it correct and put back the original parts that are not currently on the car. It drives like a dream

Your story comes at a time when the original vs restored discussion is everywhere.

You mention "It will be perfectly cleaned with no alteration to finishes, patina left in place." and "I read my post and didn't see where I stated "untouched" so a little confused."

I had thought "patina" was the surface something exhibits after the passage of time and or use, so I checked Webster's

Full Definition of patina
1. 1 a : a usually green film formed naturally on copper and bronze by long exposure or artificially (as by acids) and often valued aesthetically for its color b : a surface appearance of something grown beautiful especially with age or use
2. 2 : an appearance or aura that is derived from association, habit, or established character
3. 3 : a superficial covering or exterior

By definition "perfectly cleaning" it will change/kill the patina, so yes a bit confusing.

They say it is only original once, given the recent sale of the Shelby GT 350 that was in the family since it was 2 years old, said to be "one of the most original examples in existence" even as it sat with all the race dings and 45 years of storage dust on it.

So it seems you can have original or patina. "Correct" of course is relative. NOS could be correct and original. Built to original OEM specs could be correct but not original. Choose your poison as this and your other cars seem to be "dead guy cars", so you only have to answer to your own tastes. (as you will never sell them the next owner will have bought them from a "dead guy"!

Good luck with it. Would love to see a pick of the Torino. One of may favorite muscle cars!

Thank you for your thoughts. Let me express my views on this ( you can read my other post on concours preservation judging which dives into this ). Patina by definition in the collector car world is the natural aging of a surface from exposure to the elements including human skin or cloths. That surface gets a discoloration on it. Detailed cleaning gets the grease and road grime off but leaves the actual tarnished finish in place. Leaving chips in original paint, fading in carpet, worn areas on a seat, light discoloration on a plated piece where the plating is starting to loose its luster. That is what patina is. As aposed to cleaning and repaint ing the surface. Leaving a car filthy dirty with bird crap on it and mice nest everywhere is not my thing as that, in my opinion, is not preservation, rather a disrespect to that automobile ( the car may or may not be original) At least clean the car. Just my opinion there. So from those of us who are into unrestored original cars, cleaning them to show the patina and what that original part actually looks like and what shade of gray they used on the factory shock is a good thing and an invaluable resource. Look at it this way. If it weren't for these cars, you would never know what all the components actual looked like from the factory and how they were actually put together. So in essence they are the holly grails of the hobby ( again mine and many others opinion ). I will see if I can load up a picture of the Torino. You really had me going on " dead man cars" for a minute. As far as NOS items being original unrestored. They are not. They may be a factory piece but where not on there when the car was built. They are close, a used good condition, untouched factory piece would be a closer fit as it has aged like the rest of the vehicle. If that makes sense

Ok. Here are a couple of shots of the car. One is the car in the LeMay Automotive Museum ( largest car collection in the USA housed here. They had a show. " American Muscle". My 1970 Torino was a feature car. Has a very rare factory NASCAR version of the 351 C-4V. Only 400 of these engines were built. The car is 99.99% untouched factory original. The others photo is the car winning first in class at the Pacific Northwest Concours d' Elegance last year. It has been invited to Amelia Island Concoyrs next year. A Pebble Beach judge who was at the show and was one of the judges said he has never seen an unrestored original car in that condition that was driven ( has 93,000 miles on it. Only not original to the car when made is the battery, oil filter, running tires and spark plugs. Everything else has never been touched

Btw. NOS can be correct BUT is not original. Original is what was on the car when it was built. NOS is a factory part that was on a shelf. Now it may or may not be correct as suppliers change for the same part at times and slight changes happen during production so you have to be careful as just because it is NOS does not by definition mean it is 100% correct for a said year of car. Hope that helps