Hello everyone. I am a newbie on Porsche and decided to begin with a "simple" restoration of a 1976 Porsche 914. I'm actually vying to own a 911 soon enough, but I like to hobby around car projects and so far I have finished about 6 cars in addition to working full time in my profession. Naturally I have a lot of the work done by others, but I do direct the restoration, get parts, and research and understand how things are to go in classic restorations.

I bought this 914 from a Copart auction which was an interesting place to find one. The car seems solid. If it has the hell hole issues they will be taken care of. The car doesn't come with an engine but it does come with a transmission. For the entry price I am not frightened of the task. Three years ago I fully restored a 1979 VW Campervan Westfalia with a 2.0. I am looking forward to see that 2.0 work with a 5 speed transmission and a lower stance and lighter load.

I look forward to all your comments and recommendations.

I am picking up the car on Monday and I'll post more pictures then. Meanwhile here are the auction photos.

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car would look great back in nepal orange with the plaid interior restoredClick to view attachment

My thoughts exactly! Any place where they sell repro plaid upholstery? Thanks!

and of course the madness that is owning these cars .

Congradulations

My son's 1st car that restarted my sickness was a Copart $400 special. engine fire, lots of work but fun.

Great find. It seems like you have a plan and some experience. This is the best site you will find for all things 914. Great guys who have a wealth of knowledge and experience to help you along the path. Have fun with your new project.

WELCOME!!!

Just 345 cars before my '76 at 2176........

Have fun! You're gonna love this car!

GN

A month after mine...




Mine arrived (3/17) also without an engine...plus, it was in pieces...



I took the opportunity to back date the body and update the power with lots of help from the group here. Fnished this summer...







I've done lots of cars (stock and modified) but these 914s are different from anything I'd done in the past. This group was essential in solving all the "mysteries". My project would have been impossible without 914World.

welcome

An update! I picked up the car from Copart in Louisiana with a u haul trailer. Sadly the body condition may not qualify for a rustoration. I'd like to know your opinions of finding a body with much less rust and what I should expect to pay.

Unfortunately Copart's pictures stated very little as to the actual condition. The car is complete sans engine and transmission. Interior and even working keys. The doors close and shut, I didn't try to take the targa top off but it's there. Now the bad is simply how bad the rust is at the bottom. The floor boards are basically so rusted that they gave in in the back and you can see the road from the back of the driver's seat and the gas pedal.

From the bottom the suspension holds well, there's even some spring to the shocks left. The tires do not seem out of line and I am guessing that for now the body's alignment it is still holding. Yet there is rust under the windshield's bottom sills, one door has rust, the passenger side sill is rusted and sounds like a bag of dry rice.

This is the point where maybe this specific model is not the one for restoration.

I'd appreciate your input and comments, as well as if maybe it can work as a parts car for a "rust free" body out there. I am buying an engine and a transmission for it so I could make a nicer build. I know there are metal parts sold out there. But do you guys think it's feasible to attack so many?

From what I can see it was repainted red without addressing rust issues.

I have taken cars like this to be fully restored, but it took over a year and so much work that I think it can be avoided. Here's some rust gallore for you:

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I don't want to open the rear compartment as it is taped. I believe that the prior owners dissambled it and just stuck it in. There appears to be a number of parts in the trunk, I doubt that it would be a transmission though.

Just bumping for your comments advice. TIA!

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Looks like an extreme challenge. Have you looked at the hell hole and longitudinal under the battery?

Quite the respray paint job.

What happened to the transmission it was supposed to come with? Did they change the story after you bought it? I've heard lots of complaints about Copart where people go in to pick up a car only to find out the engine, trans, or other parts had been removed after it was bought and paid for.

Hope you can recoup some if not all of your $ out of it whatever you decide to do.

Looks like that car sat with the belly in the dirt for years.


If it were me, i'd remove every part that looks even remotely usable and get another project car to build.

Unfortunately the transmission is awol. Copart folks say that they say the shift lever and that it was there but they know nothing of air cooled cars. First time a Copart car I've bought came so bad, then again I didn't see it before bidding.

I'm going to look for a better shape shell. As to engine, what's with the 6 engine? Is it that much better than the 2.0 4?

The metal work is extensive. Better to start with a more solid platform.

If you mean the 6 cyl engine that originally shipped with the early 914s, it’s not worth installing in a 914-4 given the limited HP bump. You’re better off with one of the larger 6 cyl engines that came with the various 911s, or a suby conversion.

Not to be disrespectful, but I would recommend doing a bit more research to determine exactly want you want, what you can afford, and what to look out for before purchasing another car. All the information you could want to help you in your quest for a 914 can be found on this site. Doing your homework upfront will save you time in the long run and more importantly, money.

You will get lots of repairable parts with this method. Then find another. If you can, put the VIN in the members VIN page. http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act=membervins

Good luck

Thanks for your input. Sorry for my broad questions. I want the latter 914 models with the 2.0 engine and the side shift. I like the model that doesn't have the chrome flashing. I like original year of make colors and I am a flexible purist in my restorations. I only use polyurethane paint in pre 80's cars, no clear coats.

I'm going to look for a better body shell and combine the two to make a good looking car. I may go to California later in the year and get one after I see the shape before I pull the trigger. I have the VIN registered in this site already, as soon as I start pulling parts I'll update it.

I like that term "flexible purist." That pretty well describes me also. Believe it or not, the metallic colors on these cars were base/clear coat from the factory even back then. They were just ahead of their time in so many ways.

I wasn't aware of that. Good to know! I like the orange color for it. But a nice grey or dark metallic green also look nice on them.

As for "flexible purist" means for me that upgrades to performance, safety and even comfort are ok as long as the car isn't visibly altered. In my previous restoration I'll add disc brakes with boosters and so on, but these cars already have this and it's great!

So I am still pondering restoring the metal on this body. This specially after I saw three prospective donor cars. They all seem to have same rust issues. And these are Texas cars.

I also found a source for a Porsche/VW 2.0 engine and transmission with side shift.

Here are some of the photos of my finds.

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metal restoration and chassis repair isn't for the faint of heart, but I did it on the 74 in my signature and the car is very solid. I'd go for it if you have the skills to do it

I agree that is why I am hiring an experienced metal worker for that. For some reason I'd rather have mine restored with the available metal parts available. It'll cost about the same than buying a better shape body.

depending on the extent of your car's rust, I'd venture to say it will be way less expensive to buy a nicer chassis to begin with. it's time consuming to tear apart the bad metal while leaving the good metal, then fit, prep, and weld the new stuff in

If I find a better shell I'll do that. Sadly there aren't many left as I have found out. I've seen same era Japanese cars with less rust issues. I wonder why Porsche/VW used such untreated metal in the 914s.