Did a search and didn't find what I was looking for so am posting a new topic. If it's already been discussed and I missed it in my search, just point me in that direction.

Potential new owner looking at a '73 2.0L. It's listed as having new brakes and clutch. Brakes I can check, I'm not going to tear the tranny apart to check the clutch. Also listed as 'solid body' but needing paint. I'll take a magnet along if I go to look at it. No mileage listed and asking is $4800 certified. In the single photo on the listing, there are no obvious problems along the driver side. The paint does look pretty dull; however. It's a lovely , light blue.

In general what, if any, problems are there to look out for with a 914? I've done some Googling and it doesn't appear that there are any serious flaws with the car generally. Nothing like the Lucas electrics with British cars or the overheating problems with Fiat Spyders, for example, that I've found so far.

Thanks.

Other than buying the Chriopractors' book, "How to buy a 914", go to www.pelicanparts.com and look up their 914 tech articles.

Major concern is rust..... tools needed .... ice pick, magnet

1. Hell hole .... below battery tray at the interface of the engine compartment firewall and longitudnal. If you can't see daylight ... poke it with an ice pick ... water, metal and battery acid mix well. One key is whether the battery tray is still there.

2. Front and rear trunks .... look for holes in the pans (water intrusion)

3. Around windshield ... rust bubbles or holes in cowling

4. Sail panels and door posts ... rust bubble or holes

5. Pick up carpet behind seats and look at interface of floor and firewall ... if you see daylight ...

6. Pick up carpet in front of seats and try to look behind pedal board to see if you see daylight.

7. The owner would get excited if you pulled the rocker panels ... depends on how adventerous you are.

8. Tell us where you are. Maybe one of us can assist you in the evaluation (not that we know anything).

9. From the ass end of the car .... look at the way the rear wheels sit (camber). If one has serious negative camber ...

10. On a '73 2.0L ... look for the optional equipment, Fog lights , chrome bumpers, Center Console w/ gauges, Sway Bars (front and rear), Vinyl convered sail panels ...

Ok, someone elses' turn .........................

look for the amount of rust.... there are "no" rust free 914's. do a search here for "hell hole", rocker panels,.....

These guys have nailed it down pretty well. And

Rust. Do a search on here for "Hell Hole", and "Longs". The location of the battery lets acid run down into the corner where the passenger side firewall meets the Rear suspension and the longitudinal. You need to look behind the rocker panel that runs along the side of the car under the doors, and have a REALLY good look forward and down from the battery.

Good luck!

See if the owner can remove the rocker covers before you get there, at least the passenger side. It will allow you to get the best look at any potential rust. I had the PO of my car remove the battery and the ECU so I could get a good look at the hellhole area. I believe a '73 2.0 should have the foglights, chrome bumpers and center console as standard equipment.

Bring a large person with you and have them sit in the seats while you open and close the doors! Check to see if the door gap changes or the doors become stiff or wont open in any way. If they do stick or the gaps change then there may be rust in the "Longs"

Thanks guys. Fast replies. I had my preferences set up to receive emails when replies were posted but I didn't get any.

Here's a link to the listing, only a single photo. Rocker panel covers are body coloured. My thought is they should either be black or chrome. Rust is a problem with most imports that are more than about 10 years old. Most of the places that have you've outlined where rust would be are standard. The battery box is interesting though. Don't think the current owner would be too thrilled if I started poking around with an ice pick but as I said, I will take a magnet if I go to see it. I'll ask if he's willing to take the panel covers off.

Hard to see anything in that photo but I would bet that it is a very rough ride being that low! I would raise it about 2"-3" and check the front suspension torsion points to see if it has been hit or bottomed out!

That looks perfectly low to me

Western Wheel aftermarket wheels .... don't lose the lug bolts ... standard alloy bolts won't work. Tires are lo profile ... prolly 50 / 55 series.

If it has a leather interior, he installed it ... they were primarily vinyl with some receiving cloth inserts in the seats.

Now, I am a CASOB, but for $4800 it would have to be in good shape for me to touch it.

Take the top off while doing this test, windows up and down both, and your human ballast in the passenger seat.

Come on now, let's be reasonable. This guy wants to sell you a $4,800 car based on one picture? Ask for lots of pics, including pics of the hell hole, underside, engine (top and bottom) and floors without the carpets (passenger area, front and rear trunk).

With eBay I had some recourse if the seller misrepresented the auto. I don't believe you have any recourse whatsoever. So make sure you are willing to fix anything the seller hasn't disclosed.

If you can, get someone from this Forum to join you in making an "in-person" inspection. A couple of hundred dollars in air tickets is sure going to be less of a liability than a $4,800 car that is not in drivable condition.

Lastly, what assurance do you have that this car in not "hot", and can be registered? Get the VIN and ask the police to run it for you.

I hope this is your dream car, but don't be afraid to keep looking...

Thanks for the additional replies. Most appreciated. Well, except maybe Eric.

Eric, if you think I'm stupid enough to buy a car sight unseen, based on one photo then you may be the most cynical individual I've ever come across - even more than me and that's saying something. This is not my "dream" car. My dream car would probably be a '56 or '57 300 SL Gullwing but it doesn't fit my budget at the moment. As I mentioned in my couple previous remarks if I go to see the car I'll be checking it out as thoroughly as I can, including having my mechanic look it over if I feel that might be necessary or if I want to take it to that stage. The guy lives probably within 30 to 45 minutes of me so it's not like buying something from halfway across the country on Evil Bay. What I'm looking for is a decent runner. Something I can drive in the summers and work on in the winters over a period of a few years. This also is not my first foray into small, summer runabouts but I'm not at all familiar with Porsche. If I'm not permitted to ask questions from experienced owners to help with my evaluation and buy/no buy decision please tell me so and I'll go away. As to your question about whether the car is stolen, here in Ontario every used vehicle sold privately comes with paperwork from the Ministry of Transport indicating that the seller is the registered owner and that there is nothing which would prevent the car from being registered. It also includes a lien history, safety certification and drive clean emissions certificate. Is it a case that you're that stupid so you think everyone else is or that you feel you're so superior to everyone else that no one else could possibly think of these things? So I really think it's you who's being unreasonable. A "couple hundred dollars in air tickets"? Yeah, you can fly from about Toronto to Hamilton for that here in Canada. Just as a point of reference, Canada's that big piece of land north of the Great Lakes. You might have heard of it.

As far as it looking low, yes, it does and that's a concern. Thanks for pointing that out Jeff. It appears as though it's sitting too low over the tires relative to others I've seen. That leads me to think it's been lowered (why I'm not sure) or that there may be problems with the suspension.

Do a search for "Eggplant" here or on ClubNarp.com and you will see a 914 in similar stance with 16" wheels.

Both ends are easy to "lower" with the exception of dropped spindles in the front. Front ... two bolts or adjustor screws if you wish on the torsion bar arms. Rear, heavier shorter springs or adjustable perches. Both are just as easy to bring back up to height if the struts haven't been modified.

Hell, I'll take a picture of my White '74 that's as low or lower than the one pictured w/o major modification.

I drop the front end on all my cars to help keep the front end from floating at higher speeds (hopefully) .. it's got a flat pan underneath ya.

And, not something I normally do, I don't think Eric meant to insult you ... more of giving the same advice some of us old pharts give out and misunderstanding that you are not a 13 year old without any knowledge.

Oops! That was more of a generic response. Sorry I P*ssed you off. No slight was intended.

Genericly the cars are pretty bulletproof none of the Lucas electrics or Fiat overheat quirks. Some people don't like to use the VW word but that pretty much sums up the reliability question.

Rust is the killer - particularly up north here. My thoughts on rust are here http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=79959

If it makes it through the certification then you are probably OK mechanically. Heating is through a heat exchanger wrapped over the exhaust. Someone could sneak a car through inspection without the heat exchangers being functional so have a look down there. If the heat exchangers are stainless steel then you have a very definite bonus.

The 914s were all fuel injected so if it has carbs then you are looking at either a performance mod (if coupled with an appropriate cam change) or, more likely, the response by someone who couldn't get the FI working. Carbs should be duals if present. You loose originality points for Carbs but they do make the motor sound sweeter.

There are a lot of rubber parts that are hard to find. The front seal for the targa is one such. Take off the top and have a good look there.

Cracks in the dash and the rear targa pad are common. Bonus points if they are original and intact.

Oh - there are some folks who will sell a modified 1.7 as a 2l Check under the '914 Info' button at the top of the page to find the engine number codes for 2 L and check that against the car. The true 2L have much better heads then the 1.7.

By the way - 73 2L is right in the sweet spot of the desirability curve. The bugs were worked out but it was before the polution control/safety bloat.

Thanks Steve. That's good information.

Eric, sorry to jump on you. Some other forums I've been on, the longer time members seem to think it's a bit of an initiation rite to crap on the newer members.

No problem. I've spoken with a few folks that didn't understand the issues regarding the purchasing of a 35 year old car. And there's been a few stories on the board in the past few weeks describing cars being taken away from their "owners" when they took them in for service. Seems the shop checked the VINs and found the cars had been reported stolen. Bummer.

I do see that you're way ahead of that curve. Hope you get the right car for you and continue to participate in this BBS. It's really got some incredible resources.