I began this restoration project in '97 and it has spent the last several years in storage. I began with a factory six and some of the following things have been done...

Steel flares added (factory)
Body dipped and de-rusted
2.7 liter motor built to RS specs w/ MFI
7 & 8" x 16" fuchs
New konis
leather interior (factory look)
brake upgrades
blah blah blah...

I know if I ever get this thing done it will have a reasonable amount of value and it will somewhat justify the pile of cash that has been dumped into it. However, lately I have been getting the urge to do some more agressive modifications like a roll cage, performance seats, and so on... How adversely would this impact the final value of the car? I am not doing this for the money of course, but it makes it much easier when the investment carries forward some residual value. I'm sure that someday I will get a hankering to do another restoration project and this would most likely provide the seed money. Anyone have thoughts on this? I'm really not in tune with the 914 market so I'd be interested to hear.

Thanks,
Bob

Nothing you are talking about sounds irreversible. So it shouldn't have too much of an effect. I'm more of the kind of person who would like to see the rare cars kept nice and race cars made out of the four cylinder cars. But do what makes you happy. It's your car.

If you're looking at this as an investment, stop now! Sell it, get the best you can get, and buy something that will increase in value with the upgrades you do. These cars are NEVER going to be sellable for what we put into them. Ask SirAndy. He's got a ton of money in a great car, and will never get his investment back. IT WON'T HAPPEN. Sorry for shouting, but I can't make this any clearer. Just my .02

really, really well-done mods might return 50 cents on the dollar; average to mediocre execution will return about a dime.

unless you are building a period-correct vintage-race car, i wouldn't weld in a cage; most buyers will look at that and instantly conclude that either the car has ben thrashed on a race track, or that it is unsuitable for the street. bolt-in cages aren't as effective and leave holes.

if you want a track car, buy a track car. you will go faster and have more fun if you don't have to be worried that it's anything but a toy car. leave the nice factory 6 home on track weekends.

seats are not a big mod, but tag & bag everything you remove so it can be returned to original or sold as spares with the car. just about anything else will subtract perceived value from the car. consider it your cost of entertainment.

An original 6 will increase in value over a modified one.

There were 2 6's for sale on ebay in the last few weeks, both fine examples. One hit $22,600 and the other $16,300, both did not make their reserve bids. While great examples of 4 cyl cars are getting between $4,000 to $9,000 (all depending on how they are marketed)

To recoup some of your investment I'd keep it as stock looking as possible. If you decide to put a race seat in it. keep the old one along with any parts in a safe place.

If you have the original engine save it also so it can be offered with the car when and if you decide to sell.

Things like roll bars upset me.


M

QUOTE (McMark @ Jun 21 2005, 01:27 AM)

Nothing you are talking about sounds irreversible. So it shouldn't have too much of an effect. I'm more of the kind of person who would like to see the rare cars kept nice and race cars made out of the four cylinder cars. But do what makes you happy. It's your car.

and

If you have a FACTORY 6, don't go the race-route. You can get a 4cyl tub for under $1000 and it'll suit that better. Heck, there is a blue tub with flares for $1000 with the trailer in the classifieds section. Put the roll-cage in that one and track it. you'll have 4K into it if you already have the motor and all, and then you can do a 'stock' restoration on your six, and have it be worth something.

Bob,
I've lived your story.

Started my project in '98.I bought my original 6 for $1000.00.
Car was completely shot.Previous owner even had it converted to a 4cyl.

I figured WTH.try a resto anyway since it was left for dead.

I've steadilly worked on it for 7yrs.now,always using my own labor,and buying parts off of other people's abandoned projects.That's how I've kept my costs down.

My original aim was a 2.4l,pair of webers,and RIDE.Yeah well,this project has taken more dips and turns than a ballet dancer,but I'm glad to see what i've ended up with after all the effort.

Thing is ya gotta determine what'll work best for you.You gotta live with the end result.

Just keep twisting the wrenches,

Ron

alright, i'll be the one ...

yes, you might lose some resale value if you go down the vintage racer route, welded in rollcage and racing seats and all, BUT, i have driven a original 914-6 that was converted into a track car (still street-legal) and is currently actively used for club-racing in nor-cal ...

this car is soooooo much fun to drive, and if it was for sale, i'd seriously consider buying it ...

IMHO, there's nothing wrong with using a original /6 the way those cars were meant to be used.
i don't think the factory ever intended them to be garage queens that only get trailered from your garage to the local PCA show & shine once a year ...
Andy

Bob, Call me at CAMP 914. I might have something of interest.
CCLINCAMPERSHIDEAWAY

I bot my 914-6 in 2000 as a mildly modified street/track car. It had full interior, but with Scheel seats, 4pt harness, rollbar, carpets, stereo, heater, etc, po welded on steel flares, front suspension & brakes from 911, reblt engine to 2.2 s spec. Fine for street use, but only OK on track. After wrestling over this same issue - I decided to make it track-specific and LESS VALUABLE. Not unlike tearing-up $100 bills while taking a cold shower. For me - the greater joy was being on track/autox while still keeping it licensed for occasional cruise or show/shine. I don't think about the co$t of cage, coilovers, race seats, close ratio, lsd, bigger motor (2.4), headers, hoosiers, f/glass hoods,etc. With your current mod's you will have an incredibly fun-fast-predictable car - the decision for you is whether you will have more fun showing it, driving it or racing it. These cars are an E ticket for fun - no matter what you do with them.

Mostly, hot rods evolve.
914s as an investment?......right, a good 6er cost 2/3s of
a new Toyoda, 1/2 of a new hog Ford/Chebbie pickup.

Do what you wanna do, fer Christ's sake. Enjoy the good parts of the 914....replace the rest with 911 parts and have fun

I'm all for enjoying the car the way you want to enjoy it. If youre looking for a car that offers return on investment, I'd suggest looking for something other than a 914. Even 914-6's dont really offer a good return when you consider the investment required to keep them nice. And yes a stock 914-6 is going to get you more returns than a slightly modified 914-6.

I may be putting words in Bob's mouth, but I think he (and others who raise this issue) have a different meaning for "investment" than the normal " x%" appreciation per year. I think it is more a question of trying to preserve as much of the money spent as reasonably possible. Hobbies cost money, green fees can be as much as a track day. The idea is to spend money wisely and not spend money on things that de-value the car.

That said: My vote is for a stock six as far as value retention is concerned. Make track cars from 4's. I am fortunate to have a stock "sunday driver" six and a track 6 conversion......best of both worlds.

Edit: Bob, would be nice to meet you sometime since you are close by. I live near St. V's hospital in Beaverton. Shoot me a PM if you're going to be in Portland and stop by. I am retired so usually close by. I'd also happily accept an invitation to come to Mac and see your project.

QUOTE (9146R @ Jun 21 2005, 09:26 AM)

... Not unlike tearing-up $100 bills while taking a cold shower...

Spoken like a true sailboat owner!!


Anyway, if you want any kind of "return on investment" at all (meaning recouping some small fraction of the immense amounts of cash poured into the car), keep it stock. A well-done Six conversion probably has the next-best "RoE" (or least loss), and a race car of any stripe the worst. To some people, race-type mods will detract from the value of the car all by themselves, even if done very very well!!

Then again, cars are such lousy investments, you might as well make the car you want and have fun in it!

--DD

I'm building mine the way I want, and when I'm done, I'm gonna drive the hell out of it. I will make it pay me back in "smiles per mile". Might as well, 'cause I'll never sell it for anything close to what I put into it..