I've got a guy ready to sell me this 914 (he's asking $1000). I don't currently know much more than it is a 1976 with a 2.0L engine. Assuming that I can turn the motor over, and there is no serious rust (I know to look at the battery tray, and to try and open the doors while sitting in it to see if the car flexes) what other questions should I ask?

Anyone know what that thing on the front side is?

Thanks!
Terry

QUOTE (terrymason @ Nov 24 2005, 02:07 PM)

I've got a guy ready to sell me this 914 (he's asking $1000). I don't currently know much more than it is a 1976 with a 2.0L engine. Assuming that I can turn the motor over, and there is no serious rust (I know to look at the battery tray, and to try and open the doors while sitting in it to see if the car flexes) what other questions should I ask? Anyone know what that thing on the front side is? Thanks! Terry

Do you mean the side marker indicating light near the nose?

John

looks like a project car and look for rust in the battery tray/ longs/rockers. Check the engine for being all there and if it turns over.
How is the interior?

QUOTE (terrymason @ Nov 24 2005, 03:07 PM)

I know to look at the battery tray, and to try and open the doors while sitting in it to see if the car flexes

looks like it's already sagging without you sitting in it.
look at the (non-existing) door gap on the rear of the pass. door!

you'll have to pull off the black rocker panel and inspect the longitudenal on the pass. side.

my bet is that it'll look like swiss cheese ...
Andy

If you have a few weeks and Centerville isn't TOO far from Richmond (actually Powhatan) I could come look at it with you if you wish. PM me if interested. Can't do it this weekend though

Aren't those wheels worth something?

$200.00 but that doesn't make a $400.00 car wurth $1000.00

Might be interested in the wheels if he or you end up parting it out.

Thanks for the replies guys!

He said $1000 obo, so I'll probably be able to talk him down alittle. Looks like it's in a storage place, probably costing him money every month. He also said that the inside is in excellent shape. The whole car does look alittle beat (I only see one windshield wiper..). I'm good with cars in general (I'm really a Jeep guy, but looking to branch out), and can do the easy bondo style body work - I don't want to get into any frame stuff though.

scotty b - Thanks for the offer! This car is actually up in Maryland, so it may be a bit of a hike for you. Do you know if there are many of these in VA in general? I haven't been looking long (a week maybe), and I've got the itch to buy something. I'd say my budget is around $1500 or so - would you think that's enough to get a driveable 914 around here?

Yet another question - in VA, will this thing need to get inspected (in my county we also need emissions tests), or can I just slap antique plates on there and drive it around reguardless of condition? I live in one of those townhouse places and the neighborhood association nazis aren't going to tolerate a car with no plates.

Shop hard....look at qquite a few.....and read here to understand what to look for.

Also look at Pelican Parts BBS system.

You really need to be educated before you buy one of these cars...

You might be able to find a car that does not need frame work...but it is highly unlikey in your price range...you might get lucky though...

The frame member (not really because its a unibody design...) but it looks like a frame member....it runs from the front shock tower to the rear shock tower...it is a sheet metal box that needs to be intact....

Take off the outer rocker cover...and look at both sides very carefully from above and underneath...there will be rust....the question is how much...

You will need to learn how to weld, or hire someone to weld...

You could take a car that is considered a gonner and fix it up for short money if you are willing to weld...

Rich

looks like the door gap is closed at the top and miss aligned above the handle. If that's the case it will need extensive rust repair to restore the structure. check this carefully. bring a hammer or a screw driver and bang or poke around under the jack post on the passanger side mostly.

The wheels are Pedrinis...they would have to be the late style to fit on a '76 (part # ends in 01).

In looking at the image, the engine is the least of the worries. There seems to be quite a bit of rust....check it carefully.

The 2.0 will be the "smog" engine with air injection into the exhaust ports and a smog pump mounted on top of the fan housing. It will also have the "less than desireable" exhaust system.

Since it doesn't run, you have no way of checking the transmission.

$500 and part it out if the rust is bad.

$1500.00 for a driver is going to be kinda hard to find. There are several I know of and most are pretty bad. I have been needing to go look at few for another member, and I'll take pics when I do. I know 2 of them are pretty nice but that obviously means $$$. As for the antique plates I believe Va is 25 years or older so you should be ok on any 914. I keep an eye out for you. Which Centerville are you in? My state atlas shows 5 or 6 different ones We have a pretty good collection of Nova and Maryland members here, as well as a few mid and western Va guys. We need to have a meet some time

Man you guys are helpful!

I know $1500 isn't alot, I assumed that anything I get would probably cost me another $1000 or so in repairs. I think I just need to slow down and take my time. I'll go check this car out and post some photos here, maybe someone else could pick it up if I decide to pass on it.

scotty b - here's a map for ya. I'd love to get together with some 914 owners - it's been a long time since I've been in one. I just decided I'd like one on a whim, and have been researching for a couple of days.

SLITS - are those desireable wheels? I thought they were kind of dull.

Thanks again for all the input everyone!

AAAHhhhhh the Fairfax Centerville!! Seriously there are like 6 of them listed with closest main county as an identifier We should plan something for the LATE spring. I had wanted to start a run on the Blue Ridge this year but couldn't get anything of mine going in time so I dropped it Can't really show up to a 914 get together in a Volvo 944 is the best hope right now

Terry,

Contact me via PM. I am right in Ashburn and used to live in Centreville. Would be more than happy to come over and look at the car with you.

Bill

do a search here for "hell and hole"

It will show you the good the bad and the ugly of rust damage and repair work...

It is not impossible to do this work...

Rich

QUOTE (scotty b @ Nov 24 2005, 04:13 PM)

$200.00 but that doesn't make a $400.00 car wurth $1000.00

ScottyB about nailed it there. Bead blasted clean and shot with Wurth's Silver Laquer and Clear Coat...a few more dollars.

They are somewhat popular with the VW crowd (or were ).

Similiar to a Mahle, but not as popular. Italian made.

Run
Run the other way!
"run away! Run away!"
Run like your head's on fire and your asses were catching!
IMHO

Look around some more
do you have a motor head cousin in FLA who can do a PPI for ya?
Try not to get a "75 or '76 or a '71 or '72
check craigs listChalon in Fla $3000

another in NC

'Nuther a '72 in Lincoln, VA

these guys seem willing to Negotiate

We found this one for $1300 (girl friend *not included*

QUOTE (Dead Air @ Nov 24 2005, 09:15 PM)

Try not to get a "75 or '76 or a '71 or '72

I know that the earlier ones had the tail shifter, but why are 75 &76's bad? Is it just because of the smog requirements?

QUOTE (terrymason @ Nov 24 2005, 11:26 PM)

QUOTE (Dead Air @ Nov 24 2005, 09:15 PM) Try not to get a "75 or '76 or a '71 or '72 I know that the earlier ones had the tail shifter, but why are 75 &76's bad? Is it just because of the smog requirements?

Smog requirements and they're at least 200lbs heavier (closer to 2400lbs stock). Think about it... you go from bumpers that wiegh at most 20lbs to bumpers that weight about 98lbs each, plus 5lbs per bumper shock, and the doors are heavier.

there are about 20 914ers in the NOVA area so someone should be available to look at the car with you. 1973914 took his car apart and built it up so he would be an excellent resource. root and jimkelly are in the ashburne/sterling area, also 914ers with alot of experience. i do, however, agree that it's more of a parts car and for the work required to bring it up to snuff would be monumental. i also encourage saving "all" 914s as they are very hard to find on the east coast. welcome to the area and when next DE season comes around, come to the tech sessions to meet a bunch of p-car crazies!

oh yea.... put hershey on your calendar (late april in PA)

I will say this - you can easily spend $5000 on a beater car and parts alone (not including any labor) - only to have a car that has a market value of maybe $3000

I paid $1500 for mine that came with a parts car. Mine needed an engine ($900 1976 2.0L), clutch, pressure plate, flywheel, speedo, brake cables, some floor board metal welded in, ecu, mps, tranny ... I can go on and on - AND mine was not in that bad of shape

Bottom line is buy the best you can afford - ($4000-$6000) - some real good deals show up from time to time and with shipping from even CA is about $1500 still makes some a real good deal.

Otherwise you better have a large heated garage, lots of tools, time, talent, and/or talented friends

If you see mine - you'll understand what I mean - It's got a face only a mother ould love - kinda like paying $3000 for a heart transplant on a $5 parakett

Jim

Unless the guy has no idea what he has and that rust is only superficial (which would be a mircale looking a that tub) then $1000 is getting you $5k at least worth of additional expense. Honestly - the chance of that car being that cheap and only having another $1k of work left to do is very slight. That said, would still be willing to look at the car with you if you like. Let us know what you would like to do.

Bill

QUOTE (terrymason @ Nov 24 2005, 03:30 PM)

I'm good with cars in general (I'm really a Jeep guy, but looking to branch out), and can do the easy bondo style body work - I don't want to get into any frame stuff though.

bondo style body work??? you dont mean patching rust holes with it do you??

QUOTE

I assumed that anything I get would probably cost me another $1000 or so in repairs.

Add at least two zeros to that number and you have a good daily driver from that tub if you don't know how to weld.

Sorry, I would not attempt this unless you are a skilled welder and have a lot of free time on your hands.

$.02

PS: you could get this one dirt cheep and use the parts on a better tub!

QUOTE (grasshopper @ Nov 26 2005, 05:26 PM)

QUOTE (terrymason @ Nov 24 2005, 03:30 PM) I'm good with cars in general (I'm really a Jeep guy, but looking to branch out), and can do the easy bondo style body work - I don't want to get into any frame stuff though. bondo style body work??? you dont mean patching rust holes with it do you??

Absolutley that's what he means! I werk on Jeeps in addition to the Euro cars and you wouldn't beleive what Jeepers do to get past an inspection. I have seen more than my fair share of "appropriated" street signs carved up, pop-rivited to the floor and coverd with fiberglass. Do they clean the paint off of the surrounding area?? HELL NO! Gotta luvem though. Only guys more hardcore about their vehicles than VW guys

Rich took the words right out of my mouth. I personally, would not buy this car due to the extensive rust repair you will get into. I would search for a car in a much sunnier climate like Florida or So. California. You can sometimes get a low rust ( or no rust car ) for about 3-6K. If you think you can buy a rusty 914 and drop a few hundred on it and expect everything will be ok....you are in for the most expensive surprise in the world. I bough my 74 914 from Redlands, CA and had it trucked to my house in Wisconsin. It had no engine or trans...but the car was 100% rust free. I bought that car for $500 and paid more just getting it home. A lot of searching and research will pay off huge in the end! Be patient and do not buy the first 914 you see.

Take a look at my car now.

I'm going to go look at the car tomorrow night, so will post more photos. I'm pretty set that I'll pass on the car, but I'd still like to take a look.

About the bondo - It would make your hair curl to see the size holes I've patched with it. A piece of duct tape on the back, then bondo over and hit it with some rattle can spray paint. It must be a jeep thing...

If anyone else is interested, I called the VA dmv, and talked to them. An antique is 25 years old or more, and do not require emmissions inspection, but they do require an inspection. Antique plates are only 13 dollars, but have restrictions (you can only drive 150 miles from home).


scott - my first jeep had a stop sign rivited to the driver side floor. You could see through from one quarter panel, and out the side of the other. At the time I just thought it was tuff looking.

Again, thank everyone for all the comments.

QUOTE (Brando @ Nov 24 2005, 11:33 PM)

Smog requirements and they're at least 200lbs heavier (closer to 2400lbs stock). Think about it... you go from bumpers that wiegh at most 20lbs to bumpers that weight about 98lbs each, plus 5lbs per bumper shock, and the doors are heavier.

Are you able to put 73 / 74 bumpers on a 75 / 76? Having looked at both, I do like the older bumpers better. Are the older bumpers pretty expensive?

Depends on what bumpers you want, if you are tracking the car you can go f-glass, if you want a painted bumper they aren'y much $$ either. But if you want some really nice Chrome bumpers they will cost you some money.
Like Jim said, check out the Hershey meet and/or the local swap meets. There are a lot of us around the area that can look at a car with you if you need. The best thing to do is just look at cars, you learn more from looking at them than anything else. You can come look at our cars and see various stages of niceness also.

Good luck, and nice to see another interested NoVA 914 person!

Do a search on "Hell Hole" then one on "Rust". This should give you a nice idea of what to look out for.

The thing about 914's that is very unlike your Jeep is that the whole car is basically an origame of sheetmetal. Two longitudes that like to rust are the main supports, but other than that it is all twists and bends. So you really cannnot just fiberglass things in and not expect the car to fall apart on you.

That car is crap.

Hi Terry,

root here!, we are neighbors, I live in Chantilly, VA.
Just finished restoring a '72 914.
Now I'm building a 2.0L to put in the 914.

If you want someone to go along and look at a 914
your interested in I'd be more-than-happy to help you
out.

My weekly routine is work during the day, play in the
garage at night, unless Chantilly High School Ice Hockey
Team has a game, then I'm there coaching them to victory.

I'm easy to contact:
Rod Rowland
work - 703 964 0400 x24 .... rowland@matsys.com
home - 703 802 4739 .... vwporsche@cox.net

Look forward to meeting you sometime!

Oh Yea!, pretty much, if you buy any neglected or otherwise abandoned 914 make sure you have the following 7 items on hand:

1. time
2. garage space
3. tools
4. $
5. burning desire to cut and weld metal
6. lots of beer

oops!

7. jack stands