It took 12 years to start making headway with this project, but the past 18 months have progressed well. I bought this car in June 2010 and it sat in the shop for a long time, but parts accumulation continued, even while I completed two other restorations.
Anyway, thanks to some skilled people and plenty of ransom payments, it's closer than it has been in nearly 30 years to being a car again.

This 1970 914/6 #914 043 1396 (Prod Nr. 130 1505, Engine Nr. 640 4878) was sold in California on April 15, 1970. Somewhere in it's early life it was given correct flares and some GT mods; old ads for the car specified remote oil cooler, lightweight lids, etc.
It was suggested by it's last two sellers (one in Autoweek circa 1984, the other in 2007 on eBay) that it has some race history. It's clear the old girl was rode hard and put away wet, but aside from maybe autocross, I think competition claims were dubious.

A few posts here for clarification: http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...74301&st=80

Thanks to Gustl for reinforcing the abbreviated history I got from KJ, who sold the car to me after scavenging what he could from it. No complaints, it was a very cheap roller AND it's a real 6. So why not get the right stuff and build a GT?

Here's what it looked like forever........... and when I got it. Photo is from the eBay ad 15 years ago (!)

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So like I said, nothing happened except parts buying, which was another adventure. But last year, the ugly began. Doesn't look too bad prior to stripping...

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It's the early '70s... braze that shit! The patchwork repairs really makes you wonder what happened to this thing?

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A hidden surprise and angle iron repair.

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Given the amount of weathering and stress these little cars undertake over decades, doesn't look that bad to me.

It'll suck to redo all that brazing. Gotta admit, back in the 70's, probably nobody that "built" this 914 thought it was going to be around in 2022.

Hope to see lots of pictures of this project, looks cool!

Thanks for the moral support. Didn't look that bad to me either, but it was... right side was rotten.

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So odd. Rust in places that made sense, in others that you'd think were dry.

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Pans looked decent before stripping, but were perforated all the way around. Restoration Design to the rescue.

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Same with the trunk floor... and it along with the taillight panel had apparently already been replaced at some point, the number was missing.

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Sweet!

So happy to see a build of this stature going on in FLA. Progress looks amazing.
Where in Florida are you? Hope to see your GT in the future.

Best of luck with the project!

Cheers,
Sean

Great project, will follow it !
Keep us updated !
Antoine

Pans, inner and outer longs, LS targa bar base, vents, pedal box, frunk & trunk floors... a LOT of steel. But that was the worst of it, and by January 2022 it started to look like a car again.

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Chassis reinforcements...

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Cockpit floor completed, seat perches for the Scheels and handbrake relocation up soon.

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The shop's fabrication skills are exceptional... asked for a simple cover similar to factory GT's and they produced this Satanic detail:

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Engine mount and suspension reinforcements...

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GT Fuel tank and oil cooler mods were straightforward...

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Test fitment: like buttah! Yes, that is a real-deal NOS GT tank. I sold a kidney.

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Wow! Ask for pics and wish granted! Very awesome progress!

I sometimes wonder if some rust in odd places is due to a lot of car-washing? Spraying to clear off soap at angles normal driving doesn't produce?

As of yesterday, determined seat locations with the bar installed. Some adjustments to do... also fitted the manual headlight kit from Mittlemotor. Cables are too short! Grrrr.

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On the kit I saw, the cables were bicycle cables and housing. If so, go to a bike shop and get some high quality teflon lined housing. It's worth the money over the cheap replacement stuff.

I know you have a couple really nice cars so I'll be sure to follow this build.

It keeps getting better

Antoine

Thanks Antoine... to answer an earlier question, I'm in WPB.

Cheers Mark, but the buttons on the ends of the cables are really small. Have asked the kind folks at 914 Rubber to check with the supplier and hope they can solve it.

The cables are nearly a foot short, kinda hard to imagine that sort of quality control fuck up.

EDIT: Just looked at a half-dozen cable makes and MAYBE Shimano ends will fit. Fingers crossed for a simple solution.


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Your roll bar looks way too short - too close to the helmet in tech inspection.

See this: https://pbase.com/9146gt/image/113481744

This will still fit under the targa top

Check the end of a derailleur cable.

No worries. The bar is an exact reproduction of the factory piece fabricated by one of the best-known Porsche race car restorers in the world (who sold me the car in the first place).
I'm building an accurate replica, not a track car so we're not concerned with the current rule book. It will be a streetable GT for rallye use mainly.
Biggest difference from a period GT is the engine; I'm using a twin-plug 2.8 RS motor with Webbers.

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Exactly... will know when I measure one, looks promising enough that if just a little filing is required to fit, job done.

This project looks delicious. Love the details your putting in. The fuel tank is mind blowing. I remember seeing one for sale and thought …hmmm maybe. But the structural changes involved were beyond my skill set, never mind the cost of the tank!
Looks great. This will be one to see in person! Amelia?? Perhaps.

Thanks Dion, hope to bring it to Amelia sooner or later... and do a few road events. Couple of fun ones in Florida, also think this car would be great for Highlands. Taking our '67S this year.

So you'd think the bike cable sizes would work, but the smallest barrel available is 4.5mm dia x 5mm long. Some fiddly filing is in my near future: they need to be 3.8mm dia x 4mm.

A few more detail shots of the oil line cockpit routing.


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How about some brake porn? NOS vented GT rears plus calipers... lucky to get them and the 908s. Thanks Bernie!

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OMG!

Very nice.

908’s!!! LeMans here we come. Quick change time, That is sweet!

Try Comet Kart Sales for cables

Thanks but same size, 4.5mm.

We used to have to smooth out the ends sometimes if they had a bit of flashing on them. A bench grinder does it in seconds. I would see if you can enlarge the hole to 4.5 so in the future, any derailleur cable will fit. Then keep an extra pair in the toolkit.

Thanks to the fine folks at 914 Rubber for contacting Mittlemotor about the cables: longer ones are on the way. You're right Mark, filing the bike barrels to size was easy, so now we have a bunch of spares.

More progress this week: engine access cut, handbrake relocation and driver's seat rails complete, body got mud and some finish sanding, and just for fun the engine grill was dropped into place.

The next 4-6 weeks will be little stuff like harness brackets, auxiliary lighting mounts and paint prep. Moving along nicely.


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As we say in SoCal DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDE!
Amazing build and only 2 pages deep, holy cow

Don't know how I've missed your posts, but glad to see them now. Absolutely amazing work! Thanks for sharing. I've seen a few references to doing the handbrake relocation but can't remember anyone showing the tube locations where the cables exit the lower firewall. Are you using the tubes for the heater flappers or were new tubes added for the center e-brake?

Dan

Oh my….well done

Wow, I really want a bar like that for mine.

Thanks Dan, moving the handbrake was much easier than you might think, and regular 911 cables run through existing (heat flapper) tubes. At first I was unsure but since they're equal length it looks like no other mods will be needed. Update on that at assembly time.

Almost forgot: remove the old e-brake tube and handle mount to the left of the driver's seat. BTW, for windshield defrost I'm using a small inline heater... no cabin heat otherwise. At least that's the plan.

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Slower pace of work this summer, but now much closer to paint. Final fitment of all panels and mucho blocking time... color cards sprayed and approved. Next post it'll be orange again.

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Goodness gracious !
So good to see the process ......and the parts !!! WOW !
Beautiful.
The 'GT' World is watching.....and growing.
Great work
Rory

Are you planning to add a headrest? If this is display only thats fine but unless wearing a helmet or adding a headrest (or both) this is dangerous. Most any back or forward accident force will have occupants smashing skulls on the rollbars. That design is meant for a fully caged track car.

Obviously... looking for Scheel 914 headrests now, but will have something by the time it's rolling. Will also wrap the bars.

And believe it or not, the factory GTs weren't fully caged. The roll hoop plus chassis reinforcements were it... as we all know, everyone added more and more. My old car:

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