Hi guys, starting the work on an Adriatic Blue 914-6 and figured I'd Start a thread to show the work. This one was painted many years back (1993) and has been stored since. We will be removing all the paint and starting over. It will need sections of the front removed and reworked to get it right. I'll post pics as I go. I'm sure the owner will chime in now and then commenting on the cars history etc.
Thanks,
Kent S.

I am so looking forward to seeing more of Kent's outstanding work. That is a lucky Six. Cheers.

The restoration of these little gems can be very tricky. Have you ever done one. Do you have any satisfied customers

Yay!!!

front trunk panel.? or it a shadow..... @bluesix Is this yours ??

It will be another beautiful work like with the other 3 914-6 of Andy, Jim and Michael.

When is Kent going to start his own 914-6 that Andy towed from east coast after the 914 Experience drive from West to East coast by Eric Shea with his beautiful 914 along with Jaime and with Andy on his suv.

I wish... I’m just razzing Kent, he’s a magician... I need to change my screen name to Blue6conversion to be more correct...

Little did you know this Six was just one street away from where yours was being reassembled. It had sat next to Jim’s White Six for almost 16 years.

Actually, I did know. We just were not sure it would come out of hibernation. I am glad it did. I look forward to seeing it the next time I am down in LA.

Did a few things to get it ready then sent it out for media blasting. It's going to be revealing. Outer long on right side has been replaced and also the fender as well as the nose section and buckets.

This will be fun to watch...

Alright Kent. Quit bumpin’ yur nuts and let’s get moving on this!

Kent did me real good. Almost left my wife.

I like that blue. Looking forward to seeing this one progress.

I was over at Callas to see Andy today. I tried to find your shop, but the only address I could find was in a residential neighborhood and I got tired of maps running me around in circles.

yaya

If you keep this up Kent I will be too busy looking over all of your threads to do any work on my 6. Seriously, I can't wait to see this one getting done too. I study Kent's threads as if I'm getting ready to take my finals all over again.

Got the car back from media blasting. Lots of areas that need attention. Braze everywhere on this one.

Sorry for the multiple posts, I need to figure out how to resize my photos.

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Brazing was standard practice back when Mig welders were not made for the shops yet. Or at least no common. We also stick welded panels on with arc welders.

I have a 6 here with the same brazing issues. It complicates the repair X10!

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Outer long, right fender, nose and heading buckets were previously replaced.

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The Easy step is done...

I love seeing them once they have been blasted- it's like counting the rings on a tree that was cut down to check age. This Six is going to be stunning now that it is in the hands of the Justice League.

Pretty paint sure does hide a lot of sins.

That damage to the gas tank bulkhead is very curious.
What could cause that ? pretty deep.

The car was hit in the front and damaged that area. The fender, nose and buckets were replaced but it still shows a lot of damage that will need to be fixed.

Very true.

Lol...yep, now the hard work begins.

Hard work for a mere mortal, not Kent.

Progress pics.

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Removed the nose headlight buckets and right frender. Still needs a lot of trimming, straightening and rust repair.

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.

wow..thank you for update,,, reality is 90% of 914s need to a tug here and there,...not just new pieces...
gonna be Nice to see rectified..

Hi Kent,

Is the owner planning on having you replace both of the front wheel housings?

Hi Luke, good to hear from you.

No it won't be necessary to replace either of them. We deferment don't want to replace the right side one due to the VIN. Unfortunately someone had removed the headlight buckets and torn them in that area and also they still show a lot of damage from a previous accident but I'll be able to repair them back to 100%.

Word.

Progress pic.

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custom factory light weight drilling?

Trimming away the bad.

Fixing the rust and damage along the inner fender skirt lip. The fender had been replaced once before.