https://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/ctd/d/mck...7490794703.html

This car is for sale. I found out about all kinds of things needing replacement or repairing. The body is really not perfect. He was offering to me for $18,500.
Does that sound good considering it could use paint, there's rust bubbles here and there. But it has great mechanicals. Motor is rebuit and brakes, etc.

What's a price that would make you move?

Hard to say. What final quality are you looking for?

A "decent" paint job will likely coast more than $10,000. A bit of body work and a few minor rust repairs can double that.

What kind of mechanical things need work?

[quote name='bkrantz' date='Jun 18 2022, 09:55 PM' post='3009890']
Hard to say. What final quality are you looking for?

A "decent" paint job will likely coast more than $10,000. A bit of body work and a few minor rust repairs can double that.

What kind of mechanical things need work?
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Engine, trans, suspension brakes...all excellent and upgrades.

Love the color, but I would run the other way unless it was crazy cheap.

Not sure what the impact of the rust proofing is, but it did not stop the rust in the drivers side door opening where the VIN is missing. That rust looks serious as it is coming from the inside out, and suspect that under the battery tray fix is the same. Looks like some engine tin and the two air deflector flaps are missing, which is worrisome as any good 914 mechanic knows they are critical to cooling. Engine wiring looks dubious. FI system, rain-tray, fan, and engine insulation are missing.

Is it worth $18K.......i think not

you are lusting after this car.
you got two threads going.

just get mr. @ClayPerrine to go look at it for you.
and if its any good................you know what to do.

Great looking L96M Marathon Blue example, but how much lipstick is there. My vote would be to find a local 914 enthusiast and offer them $100. or so for an actual inspection. Probably be the best $100 you ever spent. Claims "Hell Hole" professionally repaired many years ago. How professional was this repair?

Best of luck with your search

The hellhole repair does look a bit suspect, it's hard to tell but if that's rust bubbling up from under the patch I'd probably run away.

Click to view attachment

I can't tell what's going on with the throttle cable, where it's coming from — looks like it comes from the ignition box or it has a right angle in it. The bracket seems a bit much. I'm not sure what's been done to the fan shroud to have a mount there.. Looks like the cooling flaps are removed for one thing. Just the 1 bolt to some added on ear to the fanshroud, and leaning on the breather ... actually it looks different in the other pic, not sure..

Click to view attachment

The linkage in general looks funky, the angle of the arms by the carbs seems problematic. I'd mount the fuel filter to something or get it out of the engine compartment. That wiring looks pretty rigged.

Beautiful-looking car though.

The color is great and there is a lot of good, but for us it would take $35K on the low end to address, but experience tells me $50K. If you got the car for $10K, you could just drive it

Yeah, sadly the collector market has even turned "just drive it" 914s into an expensive prospect.

Sounds like a lot of rust repair for a CA car.

A nice stock74 1.8 just sold on BaT for $18,500. This car has a few mods like painted top, rockers and rear valence. Bumper tits removed front and rear. Five lug conversion and nice Fuchs. This would only be a plus for someone who likes the direction of this build imo. Most cars will have some rust/cosmetic issues to deal with. Interior looks pretty good except driver seat. Console has added gauges. If you want to go back to stock it will be a loss at $18,500. If you like the color and mods, then the car is what you are willing to pay..

It does have some eyeball. Guessing that is why you are excited about it. As others have said, hellhole repair looks pretty suspect. Most things look better in pictures than in real life. These cars can be expensive to fix. The general rule is buy the best one you can find. Normally it takes some time to find a nice car.
Most mechanical items are easier and cheaper to repair than rust and body work. As another member said, some of the “upgrades” can have some value if YOU like and want them.
Recommend having another 914 enthusiast go look at it with you.
At the end of the day, it’s your money, it would be your car. You are the one that has to be comfortable with the purchase price, and the possibility of future repair costs that will surely come with whatever car you buy. They all need something! Some need more than others.
Good luck!

well spotted on the odd throttle cable bracket.
its bolted on where the cooling flap "axle" rod is usually fixed.
which takes your eye to immediately nearby.
where there is something a bit strange going on with the oil filler cap and pcv valve.
its a 1.8 L jet oil cap but it isn't a 1.8 pcv valve. the fume line is coming out of the wrong place. not sure where that oil cap and pcv valve is from. a bus? a 412?

Not saying it changes much but I would have reservations about any type 4 where they removed the flaps. The smallest amount of understanding about this engine and oil in general would tell you that's a bad idea. I wonder what other bad ideas might be in there.

^^^THIS^^^