My 1974 914 1.8 sat for too long and needs someone to get it running again. I am all thumbs. I live in Washington DC, so I guess I will have the car towed to one of the better shops in Virginia or Maryland. Can anyone recommend a good shop in the DC metro area (eg, Fairfax, Rockville, etc. for 914 work?)

There are many shops in this area and a couple come to mind:

ASG - Falls Church VA - 703-876-2811 - pricey but very knowledgable as the owner races a 914 (they also support GT3 cars bascially running the gamut)

Intersport - McLean VA - They support a few 914s and i have had quite a bit of work done there. Ask for Charlie 703-242-8680

There are a ton more, but these would be a good start. Talk to them about your issues on the phone or stop by and decide who you feel comfortable with and who seems to be willing to take on your project.

Good Luck

I agree w/ Bill....but couldn't Bill, Jim and a couple others do just about anything on a 914, those guys are fearless. Unfortuantely (or perhaps fortunately) I am not that fearless. I've taken my car to ASG, they are thorough (= labor hours) but they do great work.

After around 200 hours on my car and counting .... im up for only for two things right about now and (not at the same time mind you)

Resurecting a non-running car could take very little or quite a bit, all depends on how long it has been sitting and what the issues are. A system by system review of the car would be in order as well. But then again, im jsut a glutton for punishment now.

Bill

Below is Bill's 914 the first time I saw it. The last time I saw it , it had enough tubes to be a jungle-gym .

Feel free to fill us in on what the problems are, we may be able to help, or point you in the right direction.

-Justin

HEY

I need a copy of that pic. Dont have many good ones of my car. Actually went off for paint this morning.....

Let us know how we can help!

Oh and those rocker panels are for sale now....

Oooo, are those steel? My pass side one is dented, nothing too bad, but not perfect. Think I could straighten it out or should I get a good set (granted you'll say get a new set just to get rid of yours, haha).

Glad to hear it's off to paint, where'd you get it done...much $...mine could use a resfresh I'm sure Kurt's cage turned out great.

Its actually stainless steel, and yes yours are beyond repair....

Will NOT be an expensive paint job, as its only a track car. With the flares and fuchs and cage and big brakes and new motor it should rock. Same color but stain black on the front and rear bumpers and valances.

No word from our new local friend yet...

We could offer an invite to the next NoVa meeting that got postponed due to snow the last time. If the new guy (bgilberti) shows we'll be happy to offer our 2c and he'll find out what a great crowd we are, all at the same time!

Im all for it! The driving season is quickly approaching and i think we are gathering new and old friends at a decent pace here.

Great idea John...now we have a fun car to play with, since Dezel went MIA there. If the forcast is true, this weekend could be a warm one...not sure about the rain though.

Maybe if we get all these people together it'll get as bad as the NoVA engine-drop 911 gang, haha.

This weekend isn't the ideal best for me but it might work out for a 9:14 breakfast. See my post on Pelican. Bottom line: wife's birthday is tomorrow and we're doing something she wants to do for part of the day Saturday at the Smithsonian so wrapping a breakfast meeting in there with her and daughter in tow is a possibility as long as:

a) everyone else attending is OK with it, and
b) wife and daughter are OK with it

All I gotta do is say "pancakes at the Silver Diner" and the daughter is in but it's a just a teeny bit more political with the wife ....

Anyone else bringing SO's along to help me with my problem?

john

kewl! i would like to help get another 1.8L running again, i hate running at the back of the pack ( not really, i could keep up on that richmond trip). besides, my garage is the east coast storage warehouse for all those rare and valuable L-jet parts what's the background on the car? running when parked? how long parked? etc...

jim in vienna

First, thanks to all of you for your friendly support to my post about DC area shops to get my non-running 1974 1.8 back on the road. BTW, my name is Ben Giliberti and my email is benwinery@yahoo.com. (Why the benwinery? If you have time, read the Washington Post Food Section today (2/18) or go online -- I write the wine column every other week to pay for my other money-suckage hobby.

I love my 914, which I bought new from Heishman. Couldn't afford a 2.0, but the 1.8 is plenty lively (when it ran), and I've often wondered where they hid the extra hp of the 2.0. It only has 51K miles, and the original bahia red finish still glows. I picked up a set of Fuchs from Autothority ten years ago, and with the Euro-lenses and NO chrome bumpers it's simply beautiful. You all have convinced me to keep it. No Boxster is as cool.

I'm hoping it's just bad gasoline. The front fuel tank started flaking rust inside and there could be crap in the line or in the fuel filter. It spins when I crank the starter, but there isn't even a hint of it "catching." Either no spark or no gas getting there, I guess.

Other than that, the orig rear springs have sagged (no surprise), and the right rear Bilstein has failed. (The Bilsteins are the only non-stock part, though I understand that they were stock in the European HD package.

I'm probably going to have it flatbedded to ASG on Monday for a diagnosis. If the cost is not ridiculous (what constitutes ridiculous I can't say yet) I hope to be a 914 driver once again. Wish me luck!!!

Ben///

say it isn't so.... an original owner!

i think if you have crap in the gas tank and fuel lines, that's bad and going to take alot of work. if the crap gets into the fuel pump... well, you'll get a $250 new fuel pump lesson. i'd look inside the tank (don't use a match when you do this ) to see if you have much/any rust. you could drain the gas at the connection at the fuel pump. with the weather, it'd be nicer to do all this inside of course. keep us posted.

Wow, Ben, sounds like a great car! Good luck on finding the problem and we're all here to help if you need it.

Saturday is a go for anyone wanting to meet at the usual Tyson's Location. Can we get a head count? Nate, Bill, Eric, Jim, Ben, Justin?

And I got a bunch of wine questions for Ben if he makes it, no matter what kind of car he turns up in.

john

I will try and make it on Saturday, might bring the GF if I do. Probably not be driving the 914 though :-( Tysons silver diner right? Hope to be there.

I can't make it on Saturday, but I hope you guys have fun.

Ben - I have been throught the rusted tank/fuel system flush, it's not the worst job in the world. POR-15 makes a tank sealing kit, the process isn't hard, just time consuming.

Good Luck and keep us informed.

-Justin

Well my saturday is really full as of now, but Sunday is definitely an option and i could bring the wifey too (she doesnt know this yet ;-)

Bill and Justin, sorry you can't make it on Sat, sure wish you could be there. Looks like Jim and I are avail Sat AM (got my kitchen pass last night) but I can't do Sunday. Eric sounded like he's in for Saturday as is Nathan with his GF (and I might have my daughter with me). If Ben makes it that'd be about 7 folks? That might be a record!

There's a sticky on the Pelican BBS on this topic. Do we need to post on Dorkiphus, too?

Too many BBS's, too little time...

i will be there after i go to the Dr for a blood sample (lab opens at 9 in reston). lots of projects going on in the area to visit after breakfast (kurt and rst(?) is dropping his 911 engine). weather report looks like we all should arrive in a 914.

I'll see you guys at Greg's if you come by for the engine drop. I'm providing some of the tools, so I need to be there on time.

-Justin