So, after being sold a car with a blown engine, and 2 years of rebuilding an amazing 2.4, with all of the upgrades, ideas and tips from this amazing group and help from the best aircooled Porsche techs in the business, this happened today.

OUCH....what a heartbreak! Condolences...

Aww Shit Man. That is heartbreaking. My condolences. Have several drinks tonight. Tomorrow is another day. Hopefully it is covered.

I’m so sorry, that really sucks? Assuming nobody hurt? Think big picture, could have been worse! Insured?

I’m so sorry, no one hurt right. That’s awful! Insurance?

Oh crap man that sucks. Very sorry. You will have stories to tell.

Insured with Hagerty (with cherished salvage endorsement) and no one hurt, thank God. I think I’m just more devastated after so much work, and I had just started enjoying the car.

Heartbreaking
So sorry to see... These stories pop up every couple years, scares me enough that I now carry not one but two extinguishers in the car

Any ideas about the cause, most likely a fuel leak?

Sorry to see and hear of this, glad everyone is ok. You’re in the right place, good people here to help you with whatever you made need to maybe build it again, or maybe start on a different one.

Nooooooo

Wow. So sorry to see this. Please let us know what we can do to help!

I am heartbroken for you my friend. I hope everything insurance wise works out and you can get into another 914 ASAP. The saving grace is you are ok.

Now for some tough love to all 914 owners out there, take a hard look at that picture.
You are not putting that fire out with a Element extinguisher or those little small ones you keep next to the passenger seat.

Go to Amazon and buy a Purple k fire extinguisher. The bigger the better.
Practice what you would do in case of a fire.
If you have a rain tray you better unlatch the engine hood ASAP like before your even stopped. Heat with distort latching mechanisms and you may not get it open.
With no rain trays you can spray right through the grate.

Yeah yeah yeah....it cost to much......it takes up to much room.
Sorry look at that burnt 914 again and tell me why you wouldn’t put one in your car.

Sorry about your loss. I can only imagine all the hard work you put it into the car.

Good luck with the insurance.

@ejmetz so sorry for you fellow teeners! Thank God just the car and good you have a good insurance company.
Do you have any idea what went wrong that you can share for all of us to be looking so it will not happen again to our fellow members?

Take care and hoping you can find a less project car that you can enjoy it as soon as possible.

So sorry for your lost. I am glad to hear no one is hurt. I have some small stash of parts and willing to give to you if you decide to do another 914.

Stay safe everyone

Gotta give you credit .... I would have
Just rolled it into the woods and pretend it was all a dream .

This is a total nightmare.

Shit! I'm so glad your not hurt. Hang in there.

Very sorry. Really sucks

DAAAAAYUM, that hurts to just see it. I am so sorry you had to experience that. I can only imagine your pain. Glad to know you are OK and that you were insured properly.

You didn't have any way to try to stop the fire?

ALL air cooled engine(d) cars should carry a fire extinguisher.

Dang.

Very sorry for your loss, hate to see another one gone. Glad you’re ok, that’s what really matters.
Here's my fire solution(s). I have a BlazeCut system installed under the lid. I do not use a rain tray since I NEVER drive in the wet. I painted the BlazeCut tube black so that it does not show through the engine cover. If you’re not familiar with BlazeCut’s effectiveness, go to their website and watch the video of the burning VW bus engine test..
And just in case I have a cabin fire, I have a Kidde extinguisher inside my custom built center console box.....

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Sad to see this. Please remember to check your rubber fuel lines yearly or every 6 months for those that daily your 914's The ethanol content in gasoline today can deteriorate a new noname fuel hose in less than 24 months.

glad your okay and sorry about the amount of time and effort you put into that 914

Glad you are OK. I'm sorry for your loss.
Hopefully, your insurance (I have the same company also) treats you well. Let us all know how this turns out. It may be painful now, but hopefully some good comes out of it. I just hope you had enough on the declared value.

Soooooo sorry to see this ! Hang in there ...

BTDT. Sorry to hear this happened to you.

Just remember.. you can fix it. Don't give up on it.


Clay

I am so sorry to had to go through this bad experience. I hope it does not turn you away from the hobby. Take some time to get over the loss of your car, and then start again. Use the money from the insurance settlement to build the next one.
Stay safe,
Bill.

I use the same system on my 911, 914's and Corvairs. Thankfully, I have never had to use it. But, I do believe that this system will provide the additional time needed to at least get the car stopped and get you safely out of the car. Hopefully, it will even extinguish the blaze.

That really sucks. Just crappy. I know the feeling of destroyed lost work and material things - all replaceable.

No one hurt!!!!

Wow, that sucks. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

You were driving down a highway and....
When and how did you notice this?
How much time went by?
How long until the FD arrived?
Can you guess as to what the cause was?
Thank God no one was hurt.

Soul crushing

Seeing that is not the way I wanted to start my day. I am so glad no one was injured and you are fully insured for all the good that does. Hopefully you get enough to replace your car or rebuild it and just have to write the check this time. Lots of nice cars available on a regular basis.

Note to self- Buy a good 5 pound extinguisher like Greg suggested for my car!

Oh no, so sorry to see/hear about this - basically every 914 owner's nightmare. Hopefully the car can be rebuilt and will be back in action soon.

Man that sucks!!! Take the Hagerty $ and BUY a car so you can have one for the Summer. Remember, nothing gets you over that last one like the next one. Good luck and Man that sucks. This will be a big wake up to so many out there, including me!

BTW there is a nice Black car in the classifieds right now. I Love Black 914s.

This is heartbreaking! Very sorry for your loss!

So sorry, what a loss! glad you are ok

Thanks guys for all the condolences and great words of support! This is a great group of folks here, and I love being a part of something like this. I do want to either rebuild or buy once the insurance is settled - if for no other reason than to stay part of this group! Plus, I really was enjoying this car!

I don't really want to speculate on the cause yet - I'll let the insurance guys do their work first. One thing for sure is that a fire suppression system IS going in before anything else! I'll also be adding one to my '66 912.

I did have a chemical extinguisher in the car (standard household type), but the fire was too hot already and it didn't do much. I pulled over as soon as I smelled/saw the fire, and we called 911. It took what felt like forever for the firetruck to get there, although I am sure it was pretty fast. They dumped a ton of water on it, and it seemed like it took forever to put it out. Once the magnesium of the transmission started melting, it was like fireworks under the car and it just kept burning.

Either way, once insurance is settled, I will want to get this to a shop to start the deconstruction and clean-up. If not for a rebuild, I at least want to see what is salvageable from the engine. Had some beautiful heads from HamHeads on there!

Any suggestions for a shop in the Atlanta area who would be able and willing to do this?

Glad you are ok, sorry about the car.

Ouch, ouch and triple ouch! Glad to see you're ok and hopefully the rest of us will learn more from this.
Ordering a 5lb Purple K as soon as I can!

makes me sick to see.

Ugh, this hurts to see. Stay in good spirits though. There's awesome support here for ya!

Photos speak for themselves. OUCH!!!!
You're in good hands with Hagerty.
So sorry, but hope to see you in another 914 very soon.

Remain safe...

Oscar

This is why we get good insurance and it makes a huge difference. Sorry for your loss of all that time and work but you are safe. Not hurt and you can get another car.

Your insurance company is your friend


Bob B

Water will not extinguish a Mag fire as most of you know. In fact it becomes explosive.

On a type 4 the fan shroud and the trans case are Mag. Keep this in mind when you place your extingishers.

I hate seeing this and glad you plan on another car and were not hurt.

sorry this happened
hope it works out
Andy