Hi, my name is Jim and I am a....

I probably need a recovery group or professional help.

I talked with a guy yesterday that has 3 914's plus spare parts he wants to sell as a package deal. I have no room and no time but feel compelled to go look because this could be "the deal of a lifetime" (yea right). I have bought a few "deals of the lifetime" but never actually got one.

I only know what he told me about these.
914 #1 72 1.7L His original project, Disassembled for restoration 10 + years ago, stored inside, minor rust in hell hole and battery tray. No body damage, has all the parts plus many extras.
914 #2 73 2.0L Bought as parts car for #1. Complete car w/ engine out and disassembled. Mostly straight, just minor dings but needs paint. Less rust than #1. Bought with engine out so function of all else unknown.
914 #3 70 1.7L He wanted to drive a 914 and project #1 was not getting anywhere fast so he bought a runner. Fixed brakes, steering, replaced carpeting, tires and some other stuff that has slipped from my brain (hey I talked to he yesterday). Was a driver until recently when there was a load bang from the tranny and he lost 1st & reverse. He says it smoke a little on start up but it's big issue is rust. Words to the effect of "Kind of ugly underneath".

Now I have not seen these cars so I am only going on what I was told but it seems like there is some potential here.

914 #3 Tranny could be fixed or swapped with tranny from #1 (both tail shifters). Would be a rusty runner, could be sold to recoup some of investment. Sound like the cars is decent except the rust. How much rust does it really have? What could it be sold for?

914 #1 could be sold as a restoration project to someone. If the body is as straight and has as little rust as described it could be a nice car to restore or reassemble. How far down has it been stripped?

914 #2 These is the car I am most interested in. Engine for #2 could be fixed or replaced (I have a running engine), should/could be a runner, a better starting point for me compared to my current car. Swap my suspension (5 bolt) on to this one and sell mine as a parts car.

I am going try to go look at these over the weekend and I will share what I learn about them with the world.

Anyone in N CA want to store a 914 or two?
Anyone on N CA looking for a resto project?

Is there a treatment for this sickness I have?

Thanks for listening.

Jim

By the time you get two of them sold off you'll have enough sicko's for your own chapter.

Repeat after me: "I can stop whenever I want, I just don't want to"

Teeners are like jello - there's always room for more.

Please collect the usual data while you are checking them over.
VIN
paint code & body # from the Karmann badge
date code from compliance decal
engine & tranny #'s if you can.

First & reverse are in the end housing of the tranny.
Your ideas seem pretty reasonable.
Hey, there is NO cure, 32 years and counting. The first ten are the worst. It becomes much easier after that.

you'll know when you see them. you get to a point where they are too far gone, too much, and you don't want heaps laying in the driveway. if you get them and go with #2, put your engine in, leave the suspension alone, and enjoy it. figure what you can sell. rent storage for the parts.

k

recovery groups are for quitters

I am going Saturday to pick up 2 of my 3 new 914's (#2 & #3).


Here are the basics.

#3 1970 914 1,7L 4702912193
This one has some rust in some of the usual places, battery tray mostly gone, hell hole (1"x2" hole), rear of pass floor pan and rear trunk. The longs still look OK and no sage to the chasis (yet). A fair blue metallic repaint over an orange. It has no body tag so I don't have a paint code. This will make a decent driver when the tranny is fixed. I probably have this one sold already. If I were keeping this I would patch the hell hole and do what I could to prevent the other rust from spreading and drive it until it died a natural death. It should last several more years.

#2 1973 914 2.0L 4732925707
This is a complete 73 w/ appearance group, (chrome bumpers, center console, factory sway bars). Over all appearance is not great. some surface rust from poor paint work, possibly some previous minor body work, dash cracked, door handle broken, rear lid replaced, left rear tire blew out and damage the fender. Repainted silver over the Original Ravenna Green (L65K). Engine is out and disassembled, needs P&Cs, heads don't show any cracks that I can see, cranks and cam look good, all the injection seems to be there.
Rust! battery tray is mostly gone, hell hole has ONLY surface rust, NO penetration. I could not find any other chasis rust. Checked the usual, floor pan, frt & rear trunks, longs, jack points, etc.
Overall this chasis is straight and solid. With some work to the rear fender and few other dings, paint work and of course all those mechanical things that a car that has been sitting will need to taken care of, this will make a nice car.

#1 1972 914 1.7L 4722916454
This car is mostly taken apart and many parts are boxed up or on shelves. It is as straight as I have seen, I could not find any dents or dings. It has ONLY surface rust in the hell hole and has some rust on the engine shelf, other than that I did not find any other rust. Battery tray has been removed. It is a green (poss. Delphi Green Metallic) repaint over an original silver, I could not read the body tag because of some over spray so I don' know the original paint code. Engine condition is unknown and has no FI, it came with manifolds on it with the studs spaced to fit Solex carbs. I am not sure if I am up to doing a "restoration back to original" but finishing the repaint and reassemble is do-able.
There were too many parts for me to go thru all of them but there are many extras included.

My tentative plan is to sell the 70 and my 71 and some spare parts to recoup some $$.
Fix the surface rust in the hell hole on the 73, And since I have the parts sitting here already I would put my 2.0L engine and trans and 5 lug suspension in it. That would make it a driver needing some body and paint work but a driver. There will of course be parts I need but I have most everything to set this up for auto-x or DE. Not sure if I would repaint to original Ravenna green or not (probably need to see one in person).

If I can pull it off I will keep the 72 and return it to mostly stock with the original silver paint. I would build a 2.0L from the parts that came with the 73. I think it would make it a very nice street car with a 2.0L, side shifter, 2.0L Fuchs or my other 5 lug set up. My wife may have a difference in opinion on whether 1 or 2 914's is the correct number for our household. I did manage to pull of going and looking at these on Mothers day! and buying them so maybe I am on a roll or else I got away with all I am going to.

I added VINs to the database.
I will add some pics when I can.

Jim

I had my camera set wrong and most of the pics are useless but here are a couple.

1970 1.7L

Click to view attachment

1973 2.0L


Click to view attachment

The 72 1.7L

Click to view attachment

any euro rear tail light lens 4 sale?

mike

None that I have seen as of yet but it will take me awhile to sort thru all the extras that come with these 3. I plan to sell off as much as I can determine I don't need.

Jim

Jim,

I am interested in a fairly rust free roller. No engine or transmission needed. No interior needed. I have some outside storage available.

Rob,
I don't know what I want to keep yet. I am trying to go get the 70 & 73 on Saturday and some of the parts from the 72 & 73. I am waiting to here back from Ron on using the trailer, Ethan may be using it Saturday. Once I have these where I can spend some time going over them a little closer maybe I can decide what I want. I maybe interested in a spot to sit one of these for a little while but the 72 really needs to go inside something.

Jim

Teener's Anonymous:

Hi, I'm Eric and I'm a teenerholic.
I buy way too much in parts every month.
People stare at my Teener on a daily basis.
I spend time daily with my support group(914world.com) but no one there will admit that they have an addiction...

Jim,

I have a trailer too... I am suprised Ron didn't tell you that. Oh wait, he might not even know that I know you! Oh well,
I have a trailer if you want to use it. It has fairly short ramps so you have to jack up the tongue to get the right angle for most teeners. It sits next to my house most of the time. You are welcome to it.

He does know we have met, He called me shortly after I joined the 914world or the Palm Street gathering to say the he heard I made an 'appearance'. I gathered you had said something to him about me.

Using your trailer would be great.
I have some other things I need to do (Honey do list) and not knowing when I can go get these cars is getting in the way of my planning.

What wiring connector does your trailer have?
I have to add wiring to my truck and planned on using the flat four connector. Ron's trailer (actually it is Bob's) has the round 7 pin connector to match his Dodge but I made an adapter one of the times I used it.

I hope this works better that that trip. I blew a radiator hose on the way to pick up the trailer, had get a ride home so I could go get a hose and come back in the dark and fix the hose and learn the wiring on the trailer had been changed.
Wife: "Now what are you going to do?" (in testy tone of wife that had been waiting while I replaced Rad hose)
Me: "You follow me close and no one will notice the lights don't work"
Wife: "I am not following you to Long Beach!"


I'll PM you

Thanks
Jim

huh uhhh, i can quit any time i want, besides it's just a couple

I can quit anytime I want!!!
Currently have nine !
I can quit anytime!
I don't really think I can quit, but I am trying to cut back!
I have it bad!

Take care
Bill

I did sell the red, yellow, and the green one in the picture of the group!!

How far will an addict go for a fix?

Planned to go up to Grass Valley this Saturday and pick 2 of the 3 914s I bought and some of the parts. A friend of mine, Andy, was going to borrow a car trailer and I was going to borrow a car trailer, make one run get 2 cars and fill the trucks with parts. Well of course it can't be that easy! Trailer I was going to borrow was promised to someone else
Talk to Andy and the trailer he was going to borrow was not available ether

Rob offered to let me use his trailer I owe you or
I pulled the tow bar brackets off my 71 and dug the tow bar out of storage.

Plan B: Flat tow the 70 914 and put the 73 on the trailer.
Saturday morning early to avoid the heat (I don't do early well). We are about 2 hours behind schedule when we hit the highway north to Grass Valley. Andy is towing Robs trailer with his 1 ton dually Chevy and his son in law Andy is with him, yes it is Andy and Andy in the truck.
About 10 minutes on the highway and I see Andy's truck pull off onto the shoulder. Of course I see this is in my rear view mirror. Ring ring, Jim my truck just threw an belt!. I get off and go back around seemed like 10 miles between exits.
Smog pump is failing on his truck and caused the belt loss. Belt is worst for the wear but intact, after we get the tensioner un jammed we get the old belt back on the hot engine in the heat along side the freeway. Starts up and stays on but you can see the smog pump pulley wobbling. We head back and stop at an auto parts store a few block from his house, belt is still on so far. No smog pump in stock but Loomis store has one, we were almost in Loomis when we turned back.

Plan C: I head on up with the tow bar and start loading while my friend goes home and gets van to chase parts and he'll call me when he is back on his way.
I set off, this is around 11:30 and it is hot out!
Easy drive up, start loading my Explore with boxes and plastic tubs of parts, wheels, even a Bosch FI Tester. Crawl under 914 to attach tow bar brackets. A few minor issues here, car is very low, front apron is in the way and bumper covers access to apron screws, brackets (custom made for my 71) don't quit fit exactly the same and the BLACK asphalt I am laying on is HOT. I get the brackets on the tow bar attached, Explorer is about full, 914 trunks are full and still no phone call from Andy

I call Andy and he has chased down 3 different smog pumps at 3 different parts store in three different directions and they are all the wrong pump!
I throw a couple of tubs of part in the passenger seat of the 914, borrow some magnetic based towing lights from the seller (mine are in Andy's truck) and head back down the hill. When I get to Andy's house he is off chasing yet another smog pump!

I got home around 4pm on Saturday having only retrieved 1 914 and not even half the parts. Andy was not available on Sunday although he did get his truck fixed (5th pump was correct). I head back up and my wife goes with me (she offered) and I picked up the 73 and a couple more boxes of parts. So now the 70 is sitting at Andy's house and the 73 is in my side yard and I have several boxes of parts to go thru. There are some gems in this batch of parts, a NOS heater control assemble, a set of FG GT flares, new (in box from WorldPac) set of KYB rear shocks and a Bosch FI tester. I still have to go get the 72 plus parts including 2 - 1.7L engines, 3 transaxles.

All Worth It!

Jim