After the consequential dust of my 2008 fiscal year has begun to settle, it looks like the Blue Bomber (1976 2.0) will need to be my daily driver for the forseeable future. So here's my question:

Assuming that it is factory stock (it is) and that I've done nothing to it (close enough to true), what mods would you make to it (sort of sticking a Subie in it, which I've considered) to make her a dependdable, safe daily driver?

BB needs to be reliable enough for daily driving to/from appointments (I'm in sales) and safe enough for me to feel fine about having my two-year old riding shotgun (i.e., I want her to start when I say so and stop when I need to). She won't do in the summer (no A/C) but other than that, what am I missing now?

Thanks, Mike

for reliability, just keep up on basic maintenance, and make sure your fi system is in good shape. Once everything is in order, it will be a pretty reliable car (at least, that has been my experience)

Add AC or you will sweat and smell.
along with a tool kit, bring a box of rubber gloves and a coverall to enable you to get under the car while you are in your nice clothes.

Get a 12vdc aftermarket windshield washer pump for the squirters.

Rich

pertronix electronic ignition -$100

I drove my daily for about 10 yrs as a commuter. What I found most helpful were mostly disassembly and lube of things that get used every day. Take apart the doors and clean and lube all the locking mechanisms, clean the contacts for the defroster and fresh air blower. Make sure the booster fan for the heater is working. Lube the seat rails. Replace and lube all the shifter bushings...etc. Also, when fixing something, take the opportunity to fix/replace/lube everything around it...

I really enjoyed having the 914 as a commuter...it was fun and reliable and cheap to run compared to a new car. Also remember that you are pretty much invisible on the road. Practice extreme defensive driving...

I've driven my 914 as a DD for about three years now. That means M-F about 30 miles each way and usually some entertaining trips on the weekend of around 125 miles.

#1. Make sure everything is as watertight as a 914 should be.
#2. Install a CHT. You can get a good probe, meter and extension wire for about $100, and it will really tell you what your engine is doing.
#3. I like the Pertronix unit.
#4. Religiously change your oil, oil filter and air filter.
#5. Make sure your suspension and brakes are in excellent working order.
#6. Plan to spend at least one weekend day per month looking for problems:
Check the alternator belt
Look for and correct oil leaks.
Make sure sure all your engine tin is in place and properly bolted down.
Inspect and lube your suspension (if appropriate).
Check the accelerator and clutch cables for tightness and wear.
Check your distributor parts for wear.
Check your pugs for gap/wear and color. Along with the CHT, they will tell you an awful lot about what your engine's doing.
Check your wheel bearings for excessive play.
Check your tire pressure.

On a quarterly basis check your CV joints and check the level of your transmission fluid. No need to change it, just check the levels.

My teener never lets me down (knock on wood). But I tend to spend the time necessary to see problems developing, rather than spending time reacting to problems .

Eric Read

Thanks -- just the kind of list I was looking for! As for the CHT, do you recommend a particular unit? Will it bolt into an existing hole or am I going to have to drill into the head to thread a new hole? Mike

http://aircraftspruce.com/catalog/inpages/CHT_gauges2.php

The Micro-1000 CHT is from Aircraft Spruce, a company that provides aircooled aircraft engine parts. It comes as a circular gauge (which fits into an existing center console hole if you have one) or you can order it with the square aircraft meter face. They're local to SoCal (Corona) so I drove over and picked one up. The probe goes aroung the spark plug on cylinder-3, so no drilling/cutting is necessary. You'll need the probe, the meter and the extension wire.

Let me know if you need part numbers. spent just about $100 adn it installed in minutes. The biggest PIA is getting the wire through the center tunnel.

Eric

Some things to include along with basic tools are: extra fuses & relays, road flairs(min.of four)and/or a pair of good warning strobe lights, a large can of 'Fix a Flat' (even if you have a spare there are many places every additional minute stopped on or near the road increases the likelihood You or your car will be hit), and perhaps the best single addition in any emergency/repair kit for saftey, security, and peace of mind... a 'AAA ' membership card. This isn't to imply 914s are especially troublesome, but any 30-40 year old cars are going to have occational problems and in dealing with them when they occur the #1 priority
is the safety of You and Your passenger, so if forced to choose just two items they'd be the AAA* card and good strobe lights** (you need a lot of flares burning at the same time to get noticed and they don't usually last until repairs are completed or help arrives).

(*)aprox. $75.Yr. or $100. for 'Plus'
(**) aprox. $50.-$150.+ ea. for effective, as defined by brightness and measured in 'joules' output and LEDs to reduce power drain on batt. and long life.the prices are just some found on a quick Google search, if it's bright enough one could do the job.

Sorry for the long reply, but have spent my share of time on the side of the road, avoiding brain dead drivers.
May your engine never fail but if it does may the road be down hill all the way home. Best wishes.

My 914 was a daily driver for 8 months, and the upgrades I appreciated most were all from JWest Engineering. The updated fuse panel, the fog light switch and Rennshifter are all in there now. The fuses will blow, and having the updated panel means replacements are easy to find + the old ones kept getting bumped out when my knee hit the weak cover of the OEM fuse box. The fog light switch relay allows you to drive with the fog lights on, coupled with Camp 914 Pilot lights, this really helps the little 914 be more visible on the road. W/O the special relay, I think the fog lights can only be on when the headlights are on too. Rennshifter is worth its weight in gold, although the throw is a little stiff at first but a joy later.

Oh yeah - roll of duct tape on floor as cup holder

There is another I read on the board here, want to do, and can't find when i Search. There is a trick way to re-wire the front so when the turn signal flashes, it also flashes the little "side marker parking light round dude" on the side...like modern cars do. ANy help finding the link with instructions is appreciated

So, just to be clear, the side marker light DOES NOT act as a turn indicator unless modified?

If so, I would like to now how to make that mod, too. Mike

first things first. brakes.
33 year old rubber brake lines need replacing.
33 year old calipers need a through going through and/or rebuild.
if it's been stored, brake pads have hardened and next to worthless.
fresh brake fluid flush.


then,
ignition switch IMHO
battery check/load test
complete tune-up
carry spare throttle and clutch cables.
big thing of fix a flat or two.
gas can
and at least TWO fire extinguishers. ;-)

Elec. ignition will save you lots of troubles. Keep your engine/tin clean and free of dirt and debris.

Like above mentioned brake system is important. The lines and hoses can be a pain but it's a great peace of mind.

Check shift linkage too.

Part numbers would be great, as I have questions about what I've read on the website and I'd rather hear it from someone with applicational experience. Thanks, Mike

agreed on the fire extinguishers. Just in case, i mean it is an old car.


I'll also vouch, I daily drove my 914 for 2 1/2 years (my high school and part of college) and I drove it pretty hard (teenaged boy). Upkeep it, and it will be good to go. My mom also daily drove it for like 15 years before making it a weekend car (car is now at 245,000 miles*). Same lesson.


Also, all the extra parts, fuses, flares, etc, will be useful just in case.


*the motor was rebuilt though... i dont think type 4's last that long lol

Lots of good suggestions here.

In general almost any car can be made to be reliable if you fix each "issue" the car has and fix it right. No short cuts. Spend the money, buy new parts if needed and do the job right.

Don't let unusual things go like I did last year. I had to adjust my clutch cable about 3 times in one month. I should have known something was wrong but I did nothing to investigate until the clutch cable snapped. Luckily, I was about 1/2 mile from home and was able to limp home.

I personally would not have a 914 as my only car. I love driving my 914 around town and to work. However I very much dislike driving my 914 in the rain (shitty wipers, no intermittent control, no A/C to clear the windows, plus every seal leaks), in the heat (no A/C), or for long drives (no cruise, no A/C, bumpy ride).

On rainy, very hot, very cold, or snowy days, it's nice to jump in my A6, crank up the stereo, the A/C or heat, heated seats in the winter, and cruise around in comfort.

Mike;

I'm at work today and I don't have the docs on my work computer. I'll upload the part numbers tonight.

Eric

No worries -- it'll be a couple of weeks before I make that purchase, anyway. Thanks for the help, M

I had a vapor lock issue on a freeway commute home from work once. Car died until it cooled down. It was a pretty hot day almost 100°F. I have a '74 1.8, not a 2.0, but thought I would mention it to see if others think this could be an issue for you in Vegas.

Remove every ground strap and wire and clean its contact point.
Redo ANY electrical connection that looks like its on its last leg.

Learn how to use a test light if you don’t already.

Also, one other thing -- what temperature range does your CHT run in most consistently? Mike

Run by Renegade and see Steve and Toast. They'll give you some pointers. Although... Toast has never broken down before so, she may not have any useful advice.

All the above make good sense: My $0.02:

1. Be sure the horn works. Imagine youself at a stoplight behind a box truck that decides to back up to allow pediestrians to cross; you see his white lback up lights come on, you try to honk-----nothing! Wham -Bam........ I prefer the Hella air horns.

2. Third brake light. Give the soccer moms somthing to see. Many types available, and easy to wire into existing brake light wire. Could help increase you visibility to newer cars with higher chassis.

I've used my 914 for 20+ years as a DD.

Around town and in stop and go traffic it runs around 250 to 300 degrees. On the highway between 75 and 85 MPH I stabilize at about 300 to 325 degrees. Up a longer hill at speed (75 to 85 MPH) it will max out at about 350 degrees.

The outside temperature really doesn't affect these temperatures.

Eric

Here's the price and part numbers for the CHT:

Item/(part number)/price
Micro-1000 CHT Gauge (10-01425) $52.95
14mm CHT Probe (10-00823): $14.95
15-Foot CHT Probe Extension Cable (10-01443): $41.00

Flush the brake fluid NOW.

New spark plug wires (Bosch or Beru are fine).

my windsheild wiper blades like to fly loose. Check the pivot.

Keep an emegancy "defrost" towell behind the seat.

Aircraft spruce also sells cool little CO indicators, good to see if the heating system leaks.