QUOTE(eric9144 @ Dec 17 2019, 01:43 PM)
Well that escalated quickly, going to be exciting to watch
It was at once both interesting and disappointing at the same time. There’s always hope against hope that the body and chassis were as good as you think it might be but the cold reality is it’s a 50 year old 914 which spent its first 22 years in Arkansas, the first year with a Doctor’s son, given for graduation, then sold when the son went to medical school in Ohio. It was then bought in almost new condition (so he thought) by another Doctor who said he kept it garaged, never drove it in rain or bad weather and never had any body damage that he was aware of. He had it from 1971-1992.
It was then purchased by a VW mechanic from SoCal who flew out to AK and drove it back to join another Six he also had. My understanding is sometime in the mid90’s the chassis went to an Upland, Ca. Paint shop for the repaint you saw in the first photos. What I have not determined was whether or not it sustained damage and repair with the third owner before going to paint or the paint shop did the repair and paint together. The mechanic supposedly rebuilt the engine and transmission (which appear to be numbers matching and correct Six pieces) but then became ill with cancer and died in 1998. I was shown the shop and car during the shop sale process. A number of people including restoration guys had viewed the car before me but none purchased because it was in pieces and most wanted a complete turnkey car. I negotiated with the widow who gave me a favorable 4 figure price. However, I was not able to retrieve all of the specific parts because the guys buying the shop had gotten there before me and had probably loaded some of the Six parts into their truck. I gathered what I could find and brought it home where it sat from 1998 to 2019. Luckily, I do have the rear brake calipers, NOS wiring harness, extra NOS wiper motor and wiper system, relay panel, etc. so probably about 80% of what’s needed.
Sadly, this is the fourth 914-6 I’ve owned but the only one to get fully restored, time, money, family and job had to come first. (Most of you know that drill.) I never should have given up any that preceded this one, especially #3. But that’s another story for another time.