I may have totaled my six today. The body shop is going to let me know next week. Not the best day I've had recently. I was making a left turn, and the backend came loose. I'm wondering if I hit some black ice. I have to work hard to make the ass end of a 914 come loose. I fishtailed like crazy before spinning out, jumping a curb and taking out a tree. Bad day for me. I wonder if I stomped the gas instead of the brake.

That sucks! I hope you faired well.

Yikes....good luck. Hope you are insured....

Sorry to hear. I have always had fears of something like that happening to my six, But good shells of real six's are out there so if the parts are still good its transfer time. May even come out better than the one you had. Lets hope yours can be fixed first.

Good luck Ma brother

Damn that sux! It could have been a rusty suspension console ear that finally let go?

Never occurred to me. The six, which I've only had since July, was supposed to not have those kinds of problems, but, it is a 914, and that stuff is not always obvious. The body guy should be able to tell me once he gets it up on a lift to look at the underside.

So far, none of my body parts hurt that didn't hurt before, so I guess thats the good news. I am insured, so if it can be repaired, the insurance should pay a good part of it.

Anybody who has access to Excellence magazine and recent 914 six 'for sale' ads, if you were inclined to scan them and email to me, I would appreciate it.

Anybody else who has seen for sale ad's, if you could point me to them I would appreciate it. I'd like to gather some evidence of value in case I need to show the insurance company something.

My condolences on your six Dennis Hopefully from the wreckage may come a better handling, faster /6.

bummer...hope it's fixable....

any chance the rear suspension is too stiff compared to the front??

on my 1st 914, I had 205's on 7s up front and bone stock torsions with Boge shocks...the rear had 225's on 8's with 180# springs and KYB's...

due to a combination of the 180's and the KYB's the rear was way, way too stiff for the front combo and I came close to looping the car a few times when the rear tires hit the white crossing lines in some intersections in the wet...

Talk to Andy about what can be repaired. These are too valuable to give up on easily.

Hi Dennis,

who did you take it too? I know Yeaman is pretty close to you. He has a Cellete bench. Dont let this car be totalled. We cant afford to lose another one.



b

Lets see some Pic, so we can hold hands and cry with you.

What is going on??? I just got a call from a fellow 914-6 owner in SoCal who got rearended by a goofus rubbernecking an accident.
Fortunately the Police saw the whole thing take place and are on the 914-6 drivers side.
Smashed the back of the car into the trunk area and engine lid, targa top was in the rear trunk so it snapped.
Poor guy recently aquired the car. He is ready to get it back on the road and enjoy before winter sets in, oh wait I forgot it already has in SoCal.
CCLINDIMINISHEDVALUE

scott yeaman can work wonders on those cars ...

this is really sad news. glad you are OK ...

Andy

Sorry to hear about your car. I had a similar spin-out in the late '70's with my 914. At that time, I found that because of an improper rear brake adjustment, the rear-end came around.

If you were on a slippery surface, and you hit the brakes while turning, and one rear caliper grabbed harder than the other; you could get a spin out.

If nothing else, it's worth checking the rear caliper adjustment (if you can save the car).

Anyway, that's my $.02

Man that is terrible. The roads have been cold and slick this week. Even in my AWD monster I have had a couple times when stablility control has flashed me. Its been in mid thirties in the Santa Cruz Mountains in early AM this entire week.

Where did it happen? Glad youre ok.

If it's an original 6er do all you can to save it! These things are the Speedsters of the future!

Well, I have a brighter attitude this morning. I hope my shocked reaction from Thursday was overly dramatic and the car is really not that bad. The front and rear suspension of the drivers side are toast. The front wheel was nearly torn off the car. As I said, I expect to know something next week.


"any chance the rear suspension is too stiff compared to the front??"

Hey Mike, those kids are really looking cute. I think the suspension was stock or near stock. The car had 7x16 wheels around, and i think 205 dumflops. I personally don't like dumflops and that was one of the first things I was going to change. The car had a stock front sway bar and nothing in the rear, I had not gotten around to finding out what shocks are on it. I was having too much fun driving it and deciding what I wanted to change. Now I get to change a whole bunch of stuff, but not exaclty on my schedule.

"who did you take it too? "

Hi Brad, the car is at Bodystyle. He has all the right body jigs too. I know Cecil, although not very well. I called the guy who does some mechanical work for me. I was a bit rattled as you can imagine. Anyway he immediately said Bodystyle. Really, I don't want to total it, its a 71 and there weren't a lot of them to begin with. It depends on how much I might have to pay out of pocket. We'll see how good my insurance really is.

"Lets see some Pic"

I don't have any. My cell phone doesn't have a camera. I forgot about the company one in my briefcase, that I get the pleasure of carrying two weeks out of seven. It has a camera, but I wasn't thinking that clearly. The police took some, which they said will go to the insurance company, so maybe I can get a copy from them.

"Where did it happen? "

Hi Grant. I was in foster city, about 200 yards from my office. Almost made it. It was about 7 am.


"If it's an original 6er ..."

It is. I'm more optimistic this morning.

Shortly after gettingmy first '14, not much over a year ago, after dark,I was approaching a light in a left hand downhill lane when it turned orange. I decided to accelerate through. Bad lighting obscured how far out the curb came as I turned--I had to tweak the wheel to the left to avoid clipping it with the front wheel. The car moved about 8 inches to the right, evenly (f and r), and maintained direction-- we (13-yr old son in the car) missed the curb just fine. I assumed that was why I had bought the 914-handling. Did I luck out, or did you get unlucky and get some loose sand or something (ice seems unlikelly at this time of kyear, no?). Sorry to hear it. Is/was it an original 6? Mucho too bad if so. And too bad about all the conversion work if it wasn't, although a transfer into another -4 won't be as tough as a first one. Good luck, Chris in DC 'burbs

Dennis wrote:
I'm more optimistic this morning.

Well good to hear, and hopefully you'll get some encouraging news from BodyStyle tomorrow.

mikey: I hope they aren't really the Speedsters of the future, I don't want people harassing me for driving mine more than 50 miles a year...

Actually, I don't want to be hassled for driving mine either! I was referring more to the rarity/collectability issue.

Pictures are here.


http://picasaweb.google.com/dgwinter/PoorS...key=D6-4A8yGFWM


Play the slide show. Notice that almost everywhere two body panels meet that the gap is messed up. Made my stomach churn all over again. Damm and repeat three times!

Looks repairable to me.

but this needs to be put on a bench with the correct fixtures for sure ...
nothing you can just "eyeball" when pulling back ...

Andy

seems to be a cellette bench in the background....

Is the car at Cecil's (bodystyle)?

yepp, looks like it ... i'm just saying ...
Andy

Yes, Cecil says he can fix it. I'm waiting to hear how much the insurance thinks they will pay. His guess is less than the car is insured for.

dgw,

I don't even wanna look at those pics. Pardon my stating the obvious: a beaut 914-6 is not a commuter car. I knew that long ago with mine. Nevertheless, I once had it parked at a gas station. A zombie moron backed into the pass door, caving it in. She then tried to blame it on me! I was parked! Thats what you're up against out there. Get "agreed value" collector insurance and limit it to weekend pleasure drives - away from the masses.

AAA has their own collector car insurance. I pay ~$250/yr for 20k agreed value.

Tough day / week. Hopefully something good will come of it.

Definitely fix the car regardless of insurance, but Cecil knows how to work insurance co's like most.

Cecil took care of my 914 about 9 years ago and did a spectacular job. The 914 is not new to Bodystyle at all. Of course since you'll be doing it right, whatever time quote you get.... double it.

I'd be interested in progress picts if you can swing them.

Things happen but glad to know you'll get through it.

Sorry to see your pain...
My car was damaged similar to this pic... a touch more though and the insurance company of the other driver tried to total my car (914/4) & said my car was only worth $1,500 and thats what I should settle for.

Did you run into a similar proplem?

AAA, my insurance co. took the case over, fixed my car on there nickle and sued THE GENERAL for repair costs & court & Lawyers fees... and it only took 2 weeks... to get my car back repaired...

hope you got your ducks in a row...
Click to view attachment

WOW thats the worst most unsavable thing I have ever looked at. Ill give you $50 to get it off your hands and out of there so you dont have the pain of looking at it. Do not let them total it. Tell them you want it fixed and also want to be compensated for the deminished value of your car. Now that it was wrecked it is worth far less to potential buyers of a collectable car. I had a car wrecked once and got more compensation for the reduced value than the repairs cost. Oh hope you are over the emotional stress and your neck and back get better....