How about a small dose of sanity?

add 2k to whatever I posted before... and I still need a paint job.

One day someone asked me about what such and such I had on Papa Smurf. I couldn't remember off the top of my head, so I grabbed the folder of receipts and started looking. I specifically DID NOT look at any of the totals at the bottom, but my peripheral vision picked up every one, and my brain became a supercomputer adding machine and quickly added everything up. Luckily, halfway through the pile, and $45,000 later...I found what I was looking for...

Dont you dare give that car to your granddaughter before you fix that sail panel lol.....you dont want her whopp`n all the ricers look`n like that do ya

I bought my race car from the owner who built and raced the car since it was a puppy about 15 years ago.

He sent me this box a couple months back, EVERY reciept for the car.

The car was raced, and constantly changed and improved, the box just reflects what the PO/builder put into the car over time.

I haven't added the reciepts up, but I'm guessing North of 250G's

Love to see some pics of your car Puff

I must admit I get a little queezy feeling in my stomach everytime I see this thread come up and think about how much I have in mine At least I get to enjoy every dollar spent on this car

I just got wondering... and I'm in to my car for ~$3600 so far. It sure doesn't look like it

I have to guesstimate about $4ooo. total so far just in parts. I should say that Conedodger saved me some $$ on a straight front deck that kept me out of trouble with the wife! Close to $5oo. in tools, and so far about 100 hours of work. Long way to go!!

...Well, as I look through my build sheet...
I have invested about...holy crap !

I have spent about 8200 in parts, and expect to spend another 900.00 on up and coming parts, and I can only estimate my labor at standard rate, (which is not added in).
I have some welding left and preparation for the paint and body, which I haven't started yet. I estimate another 2k there and another 2k on the engine and wiring.
I guess that will place me at 14k total at the turn of the new year, and it is still on jack stands. I am waiting for the cooler weather to finish my welding and sanding.
Hopefully by mid-January, it will finally be on it's wheels, and I can take some photos of it. My daughter was 9 when I started this trek, and now she's 18 and graduating this year. When she was 12, she stated that I would finished it just in time for her to drive it...as it turns out, she was correct.

That's just scratching the surface

I know for a fact that I am well north of 80K on just my car alone. 26 years of 914 ownership means that the $500.00 I paid for the car was the cheapest thing I ever bought for a 914.

The paint and body work alone was 12K, not including the cost of the flares and the replacement panels.


Frankly, I really don't WANT to know how much. It's like eating a steak. I love steak, but I don't want to know how it gets from the cow to my table.

My whole reason for not wanting to purchase a car for an investment. You have to keep track of this stuff and all I want to do is enjoy the car.

If you purchase a 914 as an investment, you are a Forest Gump level fool.

Remember, a 914 is a black hole in your garage that you become obsessed with trying to fill up with dollar bills.

All In 1994-95 dollars so seems a bit skewed by todays values:

74- 2.0 litre with the Engine requiring work: 700.00
-- Engine rebuild and reinstall at local Porsche dealer: 2800.00
-- Four Fuchs refinished at Al Reed : 600.00
--New windshield NOS Porsche 900.00 installed after repaint
--Factory duplicate repaint on rust free body...no Hell Hole issues. 3,000.00
-- Four NOS Campagnolo rims found on Ebay : 900.00
-- Eight new tires : 1,000.00

Total:
9900.00

Total of smiles and Reward of self worth : Priceless
especially after winning the first 5 car shows in my class and bringing home the trophies. Even more for my first People's choice and combined First place at the very first show......5
months after completion.

Have owned Papa Smurf for 18 years now.
If I look at the BIG chunks off the top of my head (not looking at the 3 inch thick receipt folder:
Car: $2000
2.4/4 engine: $8000
2.4/4 rebuild: $4000
Body kit/damage repair:$20,000
2.2/6 engine: $10,000
Suspension upgrade: $10,000
2.2/6 rebuild: $3000
2.2/6 rebuild: $5000
and who knows how many more times.....
3.4 engine, install, limited slip, etc: $19,000

This does not include roll cage, seats, 2 sets of wheels, brake upgrades, paint work, 3 transmissions and all the thousands and thousands we've spent on all the little stuff, general maintenance, etc.

THEN, there's Huey...

Yeah, but your special order booster seat was a large chunk of that!

Between the two of them somewhere around $90 grand. Plus $83.68 in Dave's car.

Whats the exchange rate on that?

Dave's car? Would be $82.11 USD - why, are you interested?

Nary.

I've flushed better looking things.

I can't believe I didn't respond to this thread when it started...

$8,600 from the excellent PO for a mostly finished 2.7L conversion. When I picked it up in San Francisco he told me I had to take the "other stuff" too. Turns out there was another 1970 2L-T engine with carbs, the original 6 stub axles to complete the rear suspension, a spare FG rear trunk lid with a spoiler already built into it and painted, and a cornucopia of other 914 parts. There was a party in my garage in Pacifica. I have to mention that when you come home with a Porsche and the wife's 300ZX gets relegated to the driveway there is a price. But who knew that after 33 years of bachelorhood, buying a car is one of those things you're supposed to "run by the wife".

Then a 993 engine in 1998 because a good friend had it and he REALLY wanted the 2.7 for his track car.

We (my car Penelope and I) have a ritual...

When I just have to improve something I take a sketchpad, a glass of wine or a wee dram, and I park myself in front of whatever 914 real-estate needs some attention. Then I sits and sips and thinks.. there is occasionally a time limit on this phase but usually not. Eventually work happens.

My Cabernet-colored glasses tell me that surely I haven't spent too much money on her yet...

You can't put a price on love!

My 76 finished at $4200, My 73 (rebuilt & running) is at $2400 but still needs brakes, shocks, upper/lower dash pad, carpet, rear trunk pan and re-keyed.

Initial 914 purchase price = $$$.$$
Upgrades and improvements = $$$$$$$


The WTF look on the face of the driver of the brand new GT3 as you turn inside
of him in the corner -

PRICELESS!!!!!

And that folks, says it all!

Here I am today with everything apart, again, moaning because I just found cracks in the crank journals & feeling like it's going to cost a lot to get another one, then I came across this thread & it makes me feel sooo GOOD! Like, I'm just at the very beginning of this money pit....It's great!

It has come a long way since its original car payment of $89.00 a month, but I've lost track of materials and labor!

After adding up the receipts, how many have increased the value of their cars with their insurance? With the 3.0 upgrade, 5 lug upgrade, big brakes,. Front oil cooler, body work to roll the rears for 7s, along with purchase, and 100 little things, we are talking $32k. got an offer of $30k on it in Dec, so i'm not feeling too bad about the moola spent. Have agreed value classic car insurance of $30k

I'm still new to this 914 world and included the purchase price, 5-7k for me

pretty sure i got a good deal.

I would venture to guess around $3500 if you count both times I bought the car. Maybe $5000 if you count the 3 years of storage.

Oh man, you just don't know. The 914 is downright CHEAP compared to the 911 or the (dare I say it) 928! I know! I had a 928, and my wife still has her 911. My 914 is CHEAP - CHEAP I say!

Ok, ok, so I've gone and modified it just a bit. Not that much really, but .... well.... there's no engine anymore, just batteries and a huge electric motor. Now if I could only get it off the jackstands.

Just getting started...$7k for the car. $2k at AA, $2k at recycler, $1K labor (so far), $2,500 for paint labor, $1k for paint/supplies, $2k engine rebuild (est.), $1k media blast, $1k misc.

about $20k for a $10k car.

I actually kept virtually every receipt since the day I purchased the $900.00 roller. I'm right at 30K but it's the last project car for me so I'm OK with that.

Into 914's in general 35 years, whats that worth

I'm not real good at keeping receipts or records, but after almost two years of ownership, my $6,500 car has now over 10k into it,...probably closer to 12. Replacing the engine sure jacks up the number.

But it's the most fun car I've ever owned, including an E type and a 911

And you can't beat the community

$1500 for both cars. One already pro body shop rust removed and painted as part of initial $1500 purchase price. $365 clutch kit. $40 for new pair of halogen Headlamps. Just under $2k and no big dollar items left to purchase. I might pick up a cylinder/piston kit for the 72's original 1.7l while I try out the 76's 2.0l in the 72 for now. Then when I get into restoring the 76...the price will start to jump a bit.

An arm and both legs....whoops--another arm and now it's up to my MMMMUUMPHHH...

looking at the pole, the 20 people that said 0-1000 are either lying, kidding themselves, or they just got started.

It'll rub out
Click to view attachment

Would be tough to figure that out since I've had the same car for nearly 42 years!! My other 914 which I've known of for almost 40 years I've owned for about 10, and as I trying to finish up its restoration, I definitely don't want to add that up!!!

I've got two grown "boys" and with two of them, they won't have to fight over one car, only who gets which one. And I hope they're not in a hurry, because I don't plan on surrending them anytime soon!!

Considering the three rust bubbles on the driver's targa bar and the recently found rust bubbles below the windshield frame and a bad repaint by the PO on the rear trunk, I believe will now be about $1500 more than the previous ridiculous amount. After that I will get to 'rust free' until the next bubble appears.

I have no idea since I have owned it 33 years as of tomorrow. I am not sure I really want to know? It is one of the oldest things I own besides some old guns and baseball gloves. If I had to guess I would say 14 to 20K about half of where it will be when I am satified with it.