cannot beat those california 914s

Drivers side floorboard area. pedal box are looks good.

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One piece of carpet needs to be re-glued behind pedals.

john

Interior cleaned up.

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Ended up partially re-upholstering drivers seat with 914 rubber kit.

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Vintage Alpine still works.

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Trying to decide If I should replace dash before listing for sale. Has some cracks but is the original.

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Getting close to being ready to sell.

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john

Looks amazing, but find a dash as I expect that it will help you bring more money quickly

Open to suggestions ?
Paint the wheels silver and remove the window tint.
It's a great car and you've done great work.

currently on BAT if anyone is interested.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1973-porsche-914-66/

john

@targa72e

the car looks very good on BAT.
lots of photos.

can i ask a favour of you if you have time to spare?
noticed the car has full glovebox package of manual and emissions warranty booklet.
we have been tracking some data on those emissions warranties either side of nov 73 in the 74 model year and were trying to get info from 73 and 75 owners.

would it be too much trouble to ask you to post an image of the page inside that emissions booklet that shows the diagram layout of the evaporative emissions system.
and a shot of the back page, its got some numbers and letters etc down the bottom usually of the back page.

good luck with the sale.
it should go well.

I 100% agree re tint and wheel. But it is a nice car and will get bought up. GLWTS.

Terrific results after all that work. You should get an endorsement deal with Zep!

Agreed with removing the tint and painting the wheels. Such a great looking car, GLWTA.

Nice work on the car John,

looks great!

I love reading this thread, I bought the call from John and I am in love with it! Such a great little car and I just adore it. One reason I bought it was to have my dad come out to Colorado from NJ and do a big road trip in it. He is 80 and a Porsche nut, I grew up around Porsches and I thought it would be cool to do some work on the car with my dad and then maybe road trip to Utah for the meetup. Will see.

I have not done a ton of work to the car but a few things.
- painted wheels silver
- removed the tint
- new tires

Next:
- I have SS fuel lines that I want to install
- possibly move the fuel pump to the front
- lower front just a little bit
- repaint or replace the muffler ( maybe SS )
- heater box paint or replace.
- maybe fix dash, maybe not... is what it is.


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That is one sweet car. I also enjoy the thread. You got a great deal. Enjoy!

@targa72e I see you mentioned Ospho. Do you like it, have you used it much? I'm looking for a treatment not a sealer and this might work. I was also looking at Rust Mort, ever work with that?

Awesome car! Nice to see this thread. I'm so glad the tires got switched — the tiny profile ones were so wrong for me. Also the tint I'm glad was removed.

Interesting the targa trim turned black at some point, and the chrome bumpers stayed on. I think black bumpers were better with the no-sail-vinyl look, and chrome targa trim to match the windshield trim but still a nice car as-is.

@nathanxnathan I am not sure I follow, the bumpers were painted white at some point and the previous owner swapped out for the chrome. I did not think there were black bumper available in early 73' but I am a noob so don't kill me

you are saying the bumpers and trim are not correct?

Nice find and restoration !

@shredtherad It looks like it's a base model standard equipment car, the no sail vinyl and perlon carpet, no bin type center console, and horn grills. Probably it had a plastic unwrapped wheel.

I haven't seen many 72-73 standard equipment cars. I think they are rarer than 70-71, definitely more rare than the 74+ black bumper cars. I was thinking that 73's had black bumpers as it looks like it was as such in the first few pics on the thread.

The original owner had a paint-it-black thing going on with the wheels at least, so the bumper may have been a similar story.

There are a few pics in the first page here were it looks like the targa trim is chrome — it definitely would have been unless it was white. I'm not sure how 72—73 Standard Equipment cars were, body colored or chrome, but I think only 74 LE cars had black.

You've hit the important corrections.
The tint, the wheels...... and the tires (good catch)
I know its seems a step backwards but maybe go back to body color bumpers ?
Too few of us respect the inate purity of the early 'no option' cars.
I had a plain Jane '72 way back and miss it.
Too bad about the luggage rack, another 'ditch' item for me.
Great work, looking good !

A no option car just is mostly cosmetic and interior? In my mind there is not much of a difference. I like purity… also, I do not like the luggage rack and would repair the trunk or replace if I found one. Is there really that big of difference between a no option and optioned car? I scored a second set of bumpers for free thst are black already. I would be open to trying it… thx!

Less options = lighter, more raw and more utilitarian.

targa bar trim in 73 is correct in black when it didn't have vinyl.
standard non appearance group had black bumpers in 73 same as 74s did later.
but you could order it optioned with chrome bumpers.
original owner probably did, who knows. car seems to very original and unmolested.

only the earlier cars than 73 had the raw minimalism look with body painted bumpers and horn grilles. its your call but i wouldn't mess too much with the car you have. its a real period piece thats survived all the way to here and very cool.

changing the wheels back to silver was a good call however. looks right now.

EDIT
nathanxnathan is right. looks like it did have black bumpers when targa72 got hold of it.
i see back at start of thread he says they were repainted in some bad black paint, not original paint. looks like he removed them and replaced with chrome.

ah nice, I didn't know that 73's had gone to black bumpers, the standard equipment cars.

I always thought that when they went to black bumpers that the targa trim was just chrome across the model range? It does look in the pics like it had chrome targa trim at the beginning of the thread anyway.

I saw in the comments of the bring a trailer page that targa72 said he'd offer the original black bumpers as an option to the buyer.

I have one of those 73s with black bumpers and targa trim. Interesting car. Mine is a 2L with what was called the Sport Package that gave you the performance goodies (Fuchs wheels, sway bars, and center console) but not appearance group items. In addition to the bumpers, the rear targa trim was black but the rest of the trim was bright aluminum (a.k.a. chrome, but not really chrome).

when I purchased the car it had black bumpers and trim. Both looked to have been repainted as there was black over spray on the paint. They were not chrome, backside was painted black as well so assume that was original color. In researching it looked like some of the early cars came this way from the factory. I had a set of chrome bumpers and like the look better so swapped. When I sold the car I offered either Chrome or original painted bumpers (I needed one set for my project car).

I did not like the luggage rack either. I did not want to replace the trunk lid as it had the original inspection stickers and fit well.

Car looks awesome Chad. Debated painting the wheels and removing the tint but figured as soon as I did the new owner would want black wheels and tint . Figured it was better to let new owner decide. I am doing RRC as well and hope to take my blue car (-6 conversion). Desperately working on getting new engine in finished (on the test stand now, hopefully running tomorrow).

john

@targa72 Hey John, thanks for chiming in... FYI, this POST from the start is so good, I look back on it often and just amazed at the work you did and where the car started. So cool. Thanks for offering up options on the bumpers, I like the CHROME, might not have left the factory that way but that is ok. I wonder if the luggage rack could be removed and the holes filled and matched.

Good luck getting the car done, either way we should hook up sometime!

Cheers - Chad

Very cool — learn something new every day!

Yup, John is a cool. He gave me the option on the bumpers. I choose the Chrome. I like them, I would love to find a black set.

I wish they all could be California GIRLS, wish they all could be California….


Yes, this is cleaning up very nice

Bob B

SInce I own this car now I absolutely love this thread from start to when John passed the car off to me. I hung out with John this past weekend and we chatted about the car and others as well. I thought I could do an update to keep this thread alive a bit.

I scored some 914 Fuchs for a good price and they are lovely, not perfect but the car is not perfect so it is fitting.

Some new tires and mounted them up, looks awesome. I have a bit of wheel addiction and have 3 sets to choose from now.

Anyhow, shared a photo.

Should I continue this thread with what I do with the car?

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Sure. Continue the thread. This is 914 world.

+1 great car and story.

Absolutely keep this thread going. We love to see these cars as they evolve.

Keep it going. I love this thread. it's my favorite.

Love this thread, partially because I'm *hoping* mine turns out as nicely. Hmmm, same year, mine has only a few thousand more miles, black with appearance group vs white base trim. Does that make him "Good Chad" and me "Ebil Chad"?

Keep it going !
Now you've gone and made the best use of a luggage rack ever ! Excellent.
The wheels may not be correct for how the car was built but they sure bring the
whole package together.
Great evolution on a car that wears it so well. Beautiful.

Its so cool the car ended up locally. It was really nice talking last weekend about what Chad is doing and what he would like to do. Many of his plans are things I struggled with decision wise in bringing this car back.
I also did not like the luggage rack and looked at replacing the rear deck lid but it had the original inspection stickers and thought it would be better to let the new owner decide. Also thought about changing the wheels but did not for same reason. I have seen the pictures with the Panosports and now the Fuchs in person and they both look much better than the black steel wheels (and more appropriately sized tires).
I also like the look better with the tint removed, but you never know the next owners preferences. I Purchase a VW GTI many years ago and was waiting on the dealer to get the car ready and they informed me "it should be done soon, they are just pulling all the tint" informed them to stop as I wanted the windows tinted and lucky only had to redo one windows.
I am looking forward and feel lucky to seeing how this car evolves.

john

It was nice chatting with you too John, the car is awesome. I really don't have to do anything to to it, but finding little projects is fun and I do have the option for the original wheels and also the original trunk lid.

I opted to leave the trunk lid as it is to preserve it, I sourced another lid and had it refinished. It looks really good, very happy with the result.




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Looks perfect!

Chad, looks so good, Looks like they matched the color very well. love the Fuchs as well

john

@shredtherad - You have taken the car to new heights- it looks terrific.

Thanks a ton, the hood project was the first time I ever had to do any body work or outsource it, etc... was pretty fun.

Thanks mate! I love it.

question: the steering wheel is much off center.

possible issues:

1. is it just a steering wheel that is not centered?

2. Alignmen?

3. Bigger issue?


It bugs me and wanted to try and work it out.

Figure out when the last alignment was and get that sorted. Have it done as part of the alignment if needed. Make sure the steering knuckle hardware is tight at the firewall just above the pedal assembly. I had asked about centering the steering wheel not too long ago, I'll find that and paste it here in a few minutes.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...=361445&hl=

Super! thanks mate.

Crazy thing is I cannot find anyone to do an alignment! Ha.

Plus 1 tire in Littleton will. A bit of a drive for you though.

Nothing new to report except I scored a MOHN ski rack and installed it with some vintage skis, looks rad. Will get some shots.

I did get out for a light cruise the other week and shot some new photos.


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Chad

I have the deep socket to fit that steering wheel if you want to move it a notch sat or Sunday morning

It takes 10 minutes.
May still need an alignment but surely we can get it closer

Should probably get the alignment first as that may change the steering wheel position and it will have to be done again anyway. Unless you think it is ok and will not get an alignment for a while. Good Luck