Hello,

First off im 17 years old, my dad is a very avid antique car collector (he likes muscle cars and stuff)...we both love old cars, and my dad is very competent with car repairs/maintainence. My dad's fried bought a nonrunning 74 2.0 914 from a guy who was moving, and he bought several hundred dollars of parts for it, including a clutch, new park lights, batt tray i think, etc, and recently had $1200 worth of labor put into it (brake/fuel lines, gas tank, getting it running, etc). He even has the window sticker for it! Since he is a family friend (and he is too big for the car) he will sell it to me for $1000. I checked out the car and this is what is has:

-amber/clear park lights-i think this is euro style
-porsche hood emblem (is this stock?)
-black minilite wheels (we think)---how to tell?
-doesn't have small side lights (why not?)
-porsche side lettering
-porsche-lettered plastic trim under door sills and under lettering
-quad weber carbs/ k&n filters
-fog lights
-leather steering wheel/shift boot
-3-guage cluster (appearance group)
-original red paint and 80K mi on it
-minimal rust other than noted below
-has about $10 worth of change in center console

and here are the problems:
-windshield wipers don't work (unknown reason)
-pass door doesn't open from outside (mech issue)
-has carbs not orig FI
-paint is bubbling up due to rust on upper quarterpanels by door handle
-doesn't shift into first (prob needs new bushings)
-trunk hinges shot (but not rusted. has previously been welded)
-considerable amount of metal missing under pass side floor panel where meets rocker panel. driver side isnt TOO bad.
-batt support pillar is rusted, but not rusted through.
-targa top is difficult to put back on. I fear body sagging, but im not sure.
-tires (185's) need replacing.
-pass window crank is damaged (where to get a new one?)
-he lost the key (cheapest way to get replacement?)

What do you think? I am buying this as a fun car until i go to college (of course i won't destroy it-see way to much of that). I can't pour much money into rustoration, but my dad and I can perform all maintainance repairs that aren't too $$$. A question i have is why it doesn't have the side markers? It also has a porsche hood emblem that i suspect is someone's mod (although i like it). I'm wondering whether this car will fall apart on me in the next year or so (rust wise), and whether it would cost me a fortune to run and maintain it.

Thanks for reading this,
Brent

Do you know how to weld?

I am close by, as are several others...we would be happy to come look.

These cars typically rust under the passenger side longitudinal, and under the batter tray...We refer to it as the hell hole.

Do a search here for hell hole (type in "hell and hole")

You should see alot of pictures of the issue, and how to fix it.

If you are up for the challenge, it can be done.
My son and I are finishing up his 914 which had severe damage in that area, and its all painted and we are putting the interior in...took a few months at night, but it can be done...

If you can weld and have time, figure about 20-40 hrs of metal work.

Rich

You have to check out the rust issues very carefully. If there is body sag then the car may not be safe to drive. The rust on the passenger side sounds bad. you have to get under the car and see just how extensive the problem is. there is a ton of info on this site that deals with rust and the hell hole.

the side marker lights were on US models, but it is not uncommon for poeple to remove them.

If the car has real minilites buy it right now


On a second note, I'm 17 and have been putting together a teener which didn't run when I got it. It had quite a bit of rust and I have made replacement panels for all of the patches. If you have a welder and can learn how to weld go for it (as said in the last post). As long as you have the time and determination, 914s really are not that cost prohibitive to restore. I'll have mine on the road with very little invested into it as I have hunted for deals and done everything myself.


BTW: the car below has minilites

I was too slow!

Here's an empi (which are very common on 914s). This would be my guess as to what your mystery wheels are.

hey they look like those empies (he said they were minilites) but they look like the empies but the "spokes" are rough-textured and black. the outside rim is corroded but should shine up. The rims had plastic centercaps w/out logos.

how do you know if they are real minilites or empis?

The hellhole definately wasn't rusted through, but there seemed to be dirt and stuff so i couldn't see how bad the rust was. There is some missing metal around that round thing sticking down (what is that?) which is at the rear of the pass side floorboard and elsewhere. I will be removing the rocker trim to examine the longitudinals. This car has rubber bumpers without the forward-aiming bumperettes, and the vertical metal sheets behind the windows are painted red, not the black like most cars. the side marker locations do not seem to have ever had side markers because there is no evidence of body work in the area.

Question- do the door locks use the same key as the ignition? the dude lost the key, and would give the door lock tumbler to the locksmith to make a new key.

my dad has an acetyline torch-will this do the job?

under the batt tray there is bad corrosion-is this structural?

can someone post a pic of the fuel pump...i couldn't find it.

Thanks guys!

Brent

on a 74 the fuel pump should be under the hellhole. You have to look from under the car to see it.
sounds like the typical Empi wheels, not my favorite as they don't fit bigger tires than stock.

I don't understand what round things you are talking about.

Oh, forget welding with a torch!!! you need a wire feed Mig with shieldiing gas to weld sheet metal and not make a mess of it.

There are two keys for these cars. Black and Red. Don't remember which is which but one opens everything and the other is the Valet key - won't open the trunk or glove box. If a locksmith can match the door it should work on the ignition.

Way back when, Porsche had a service where they would sell you a replacement key. They had records of the key codes by VIN. I remember having to replace a key and being given the choice of a blank or factory cut one. Weird thing was that the cut key cost less than the blank. You might try a dealership and see if the service is still available for a car this old. There are also lots of carcasses out there - someone can probably set you up with a complete set.

hmmm what was the original tire size, 155 165?
it has 185's on the rims now (which need to be replaced)

I think my dad has a friend w/ a mig welder, i'll ask him.

is the antenna on these things just pull up push down jobbers?

I'd post a pic of the rust if i could figure out how. i think you need an image hosting website...what should i do?


brent

there is a FAQ at the top of the page - it has instructions on posting pictures.

Antenna is just a push pull. There may have been an option for something else but I haven't noticed anyone with anything fancy.

I think the original tires where 165. Maybe 165/80?

QUOTE

There is some missing metal around that round thing sticking down (what is that?) which is at the rear of the pass side floorboard and elsewhere.

You might be talking about the floor jack point. There are four, one at each corner of the floor pan.

QUOTE

The hellhole definately wasn't rusted through, but there seemed to be dirt and stuff so i couldn't see how bad the rust was. There is some missing metal around that round thing sticking down (what is that?) which is at the rear of the pass side floorboard and elsewhere. I will be removing the rocker trim to examine the longitudinals. This car has rubber bumpers without the forward-aiming bumperettes, and the vertical metal sheets behind the windows are painted red, not the black like most cars. the side marker locations do not seem to have ever had side markers because there is no evidence of body work in the area.

You say it has rubber bumpers then it might not be a 74'. I'm 17 also and I got my car running this summer. It wasn't expensive just alot of trouble shooting and time. Mine has some rust but nothing threatening to structural integrity so i drive it all the time. Good luck.

someone else's pic but it is rusted through around that round nublet thing near the center of the pic...this is prob. the jack point......is this repairable?

brent

Hey Brent welcome to the club. I also live south of Boston. Let me know if you need a hand looking over the car.

-Rob

hey rob where you live? I'm in norfolk and the car is near dedham..forget the town.

brent

I'm in Whitman. Dedham is about 25 minutes from me.

-R

QUOTE

someone else's pic but it is rusted through around that round nublet thing near the center of the pic...this is prob. the jack point......is this repairable?

Yes, there are parts availible to fix that area. You have to really poke around the jack points and uncover all the rust. there is always more then you think.

Can the repair peices be bought at pelican parts, and if so what is it called?


also what are the identifiers on minilite and/or empi rims?


brent

You can try Pelican. also try tweeks.com and restoration design. restoration design makes very good parts and has good prices, but they have a reputaion for being hard to get in touch with. Tweeks has a limited supply of sheet metal parts but also good prices. automobile atlanta has sheet metal parts too, but they are almost always the most expensive and they have a bad reputation as far as service goes. ( I have had good and bad dealings with them).

QUOTE (wertygrog @ Nov 14 2005, 01:49 PM)

hey rob where you live? I'm in norfolk and the car is near dedham..forget the town. brent

Brent,

If you can talk Rob in to going with you, if you haven't already, do so. Sounds like he is willling to help out. Exactly what I should have done, I might have been convinced to buy another car. Mine is fair, but I went I could have ogtten screwed, since I went in blind...
Welcome and good luck..

QUOTE (wertygrog @ Nov 14 2005, 04:02 PM)

Can the repair peices be bought at pelican parts, and if so what is it called? also what are the identifiers on minilite and/or empi rims? brent

for the repair parts....

Restoration Design...look in the catalog for names and descritions..

minilite or Empi??...look at the pictures posted above....the spokes continue further into the hub on the cheaper Empis

the white car has real minilites...most people don't know the difference and the owner more than likely wishes he had the real deal.....also, real minilites should have the size or name on the outside of the rim (at least some do such as the Panasport copies, which are minilite copies, but 100 times better than the Empis)