Full Version: 1974 914 Rust Repair Project
Made a bracket for the D-jet brain. Battery holder is something from amazon:
I just happened on this thread, and what great progress even if life gets in the way sometimes. When will she be running?
Nice work!
QUOTE(930cabman @ Jun 5 2023, 05:59 AM) 
When will she be running?
I wish I knew. Pretty close to just pulling the plug on the D-jet project. There's no real reason to mess with it on this car since it's not even an original D-jet car (other than saving money, and the experiencing 1970's FI tech) . Apparently I lost the intake/filter assembly in the last move, so more parts/expense if I want to keep the D-jet.
Dub Shop has a crank trigger/megasquirt package for 4k, might just bite the bullet and do that. That would be useful for the 2270 motor I intend to install at some point...
Just read through your whole project! 
Very nice work!! Thank you for documenting. I am going through this hell myself and really appreciate the fact that you were able to do all of these repairs on the passenger side long without removing the rear fender.
Loving the headers too.
Very nice work!! Thank you for documenting. I am going through this hell myself and really appreciate the fact that you were able to do all of these repairs on the passenger side long without removing the rear fender.
Loving the headers too.
QUOTE(Montreal914 @ Jun 10 2023, 11:12 AM)
Just read through your whole project!
Very nice work!! Thank you for documenting. I am going through this hell myself and really appreciate the fact that you were able to do all of these repairs on the passenger side long without removing the rear fender.
Loving the headers too.
Yes, although if I do another I'm going to cut the fender for sure. Very hard to weld under there. Sometimes working around a thing is much more difficult than repairing it!
Going to drop a WTB for the missing D-jet parts intake parts. Would be great to replace everything all at once, but you have to draw the line somewhere...
Love your battery and box combo. Share details please?
QUOTE(BillJ @ Jun 12 2023, 12:14 PM)
Love your battery and box combo. Share details please?
It's just an Odyssey PC680 with an aluminum tray. Supposed to work well, but I have not tried it yet.
https://www.amazon.com/ODYSSEY-PC680-Odysse...y/dp/B0002ILK6I
https://www.odysseybatteries.com/odyssey/hd680.html
Unfortunately, some less good news. Since taking it off the rotisserie, the passenger door has rubbed when closing. I had attributed this to the door sill shrinking when I welded it back in, but it appears that the body is "twisted" (distance between the windshield and targa frame remains ok on both sides). Now the targa top overhangs on the passenger side and is flush on the driver's side. The door fit on both sides seems to indicate that the front of the car is slightly rotated (driver's front up, passenger side down).
I don't know if this happened during the restoration process, or if it's from the driver's side front hit that required the driver's front corner to be replaced many years ago. I used a laser level to keep the two longitudinal pinch welds flat while it was on the rotisserie, but was not actively measuring for "twist" in the body (next time!). The passenger longitudinal was very weakened by the prior owner drilling holes in it, and I remember the doors fitting better before. Its entirely possible I caused this issue by not cross-bracing the car (an "X" between my two braces would have been perfect).
Dr 914's videos were very helpful in diagnosing this issue, and it sounds like his frame guy can fix this given enough time and money. It would be very inconvenient to bring the car all the way to Atlanta from Texas, if he even had time to work on it. A guy at work recommended a local shop with a frame rack that did a good job on his daughter's vintage Mustang. I don't want to trade expediency for results, but given the less-than-concours nature of my 914 maybe this would be an option?
On the brighter side, I finally saw a 914 at our local cars and coffee. Great looking car, but closer inspection revealed lots of the rust issues I've spent so much time addressing! I ordered the rest of the 1.7L D-jet parts I needed, as well as a replacement ignition harness (figured I might as well replaced all the old wires). This year has me working out of town about half the time so I won't get a chance to install anything for several weeks!
I don't know if this happened during the restoration process, or if it's from the driver's side front hit that required the driver's front corner to be replaced many years ago. I used a laser level to keep the two longitudinal pinch welds flat while it was on the rotisserie, but was not actively measuring for "twist" in the body (next time!). The passenger longitudinal was very weakened by the prior owner drilling holes in it, and I remember the doors fitting better before. Its entirely possible I caused this issue by not cross-bracing the car (an "X" between my two braces would have been perfect).
Dr 914's videos were very helpful in diagnosing this issue, and it sounds like his frame guy can fix this given enough time and money. It would be very inconvenient to bring the car all the way to Atlanta from Texas, if he even had time to work on it. A guy at work recommended a local shop with a frame rack that did a good job on his daughter's vintage Mustang. I don't want to trade expediency for results, but given the less-than-concours nature of my 914 maybe this would be an option?
On the brighter side, I finally saw a 914 at our local cars and coffee. Great looking car, but closer inspection revealed lots of the rust issues I've spent so much time addressing! I ordered the rest of the 1.7L D-jet parts I needed, as well as a replacement ignition harness (figured I might as well replaced all the old wires). This year has me working out of town about half the time so I won't get a chance to install anything for several weeks!
QUOTE(sreyemj @ Jul 12 2023, 09:19 AM)
Unfortunately, some less good news. Since taking it off the rotisserie, the passenger door has rubbed when closing. I had attributed this to the door sill shrinking when I welded it back in, but it appears that the body is "twisted" (distance between the windshield and targa frame remains ok on both sides). Now the targa top overhangs on the passenger side and is flush on the driver's side. The door fit on both sides seems to indicate that the front of the car is slightly rotated (driver's front up, passenger side down).
I don't know if this happened during the restoration process, or if it's from the driver's side front hit that required the driver's front corner to be replaced many years ago. I used a laser level to keep the two longitudinal pinch welds flat while it was on the rotisserie, but was not actively measuring for "twist" in the body (next time!). The passenger longitudinal was very weakened by the prior owner drilling holes in it, and I remember the doors fitting better before. Its entirely possible I caused this issue by not cross-bracing the car (an "X" between my two braces would have been perfect).
Dr 914's videos were very helpful in diagnosing this issue, and it sounds like his frame guy can fix this given enough time and money. It would be very inconvenient to bring the car all the way to Atlanta from Texas, if he even had time to work on it. A guy at work recommended a local shop with a frame rack that did a good job on his daughter's vintage Mustang. I don't want to trade expediency for results, but given the less-than-concours nature of my 914 maybe this would be an option?
On the brighter side, I finally saw a 914 at our local cars and coffee. Great looking car, but closer inspection revealed lots of the rust issues I've spent so much time addressing! I ordered the rest of the 1.7L D-jet parts I needed, as well as a replacement ignition harness (figured I might as well replaced all the old wires). This year has me working out of town about half the time so I won't get a chance to install anything for several weeks!
this is not good news!! Given this is of driver quality, I might look into racking the chassis as a DIY project. I cannot provide details, but there is a way
QUOTE(930cabman @ Jul 12 2023, 02:47 PM)
this is not good news!! Given this is of driver quality, I might look into racking the chassis as a DIY project. I cannot provide details, but there is a way
I'm not sure this is a DIY type of thing. I don't think it is enough to make it undrivable, but frustrating for sure.
Can you get access to a near-flat and level floor? You might be able to measure twist, comparing front and rear.
Targa bar to windshield distance is OK on both sides, but what about cross measurement (targa driver to passenger windshield, and vice versa).
Targa top has give as far as location, I wouldn't 100% trust it.
Targa top has give as far as location, I wouldn't 100% trust it.
QUOTE(Montreal914 @ Jul 12 2023, 10:15 PM)
Targa bar to windshield distance is OK on both sides, but what about cross measurement (targa driver to passenger windshield, and vice versa).
Targa top has give as far as location, I wouldn't 100% trust it.
I'll check when I get home in a few weeks.
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