Hello all! I am new here, in fact I don't even have my new toy to post pics of, hopefully in the next couple days. I need to get a friend with a trailer.

I came across a good deal online, and so I went for it. It's a 74 that had an engine fire. The fire didn't do total damage that I can see, but the engine is toast and I am going to need some interior parts.

I am here to ask you all one question... restore or part it.

I am a veteran parts seller, but I have until recently only dealt with Chrysler products. You can find me most often on DodgeIntrepid.net. This car..... is different.

I bought it mainly for the parts. It has a replacement 1.7, stock Fuchs in great shape and a pretty decent body with lots of spare parts I will take pics of later. Once I really started looking at it, I am sooooo tempted to restore her.

I expect no decisions yet, I'm just letting you all know I'm lurking around now and once I get some pics up I will be asking for a little help making the big decision...

and some then hopefully


ooooor

not


I will be looking to find some local guys that might be able to help on parts, so if you are near the Akron, Ohio area and have parts for sale, please chime in.

welcome!

post pics soon, we like pictures here

yes, welcome!

we do like pictures!

We don't know how to read. So we need pictures.

Welcome to the madness.

Base your decision on rust and body condition. If it's going to take a bunch of rust repair you might be better off parting it out and buying a better restoration candidate.

Thank you all for the welcomes, I hope to join in the madness soon

Well, here are some pics, let me know what you all think.

and more

and more

and more

more

more

we need to see into the depths of hell... under the battery tray... don't worry, we got yo back... way back

more... got a bunch, be patient

Whew..... That was a lot of posting. Well, you guys asked for pics, sorry for the quality of some of them, I took them with my phone (funny thing, I'm a photographer by trade, I never have a camera on me).

So what do you think? I can get some pics of the depths later once I get into the engine area, but that's after I get it home, it's sitting at a buddy's house right now. (no, those wrecked cars all around in the back are not mine).

I am looking at it as, fix the engine up, replace the seats and seat back, replace the driver's fender, replace the passenger targa post area, do some rust repais in the trunks, and a paint job....... so far. You guys know these things better than me, what am I not seeing?

Let me have it... I'm ready

Hey Gigamight,

It's nothing that a bunch of money and time cant fix

914's are sometimes a money pit, just trying to prepare you

my 2 cents

Westgl

really depends on how bad the rust is on the longs and the hell hole... if those are ok enough to be repaired, then you can bring it back...

if those are bad, then you have a decent parts car for when you find a better one.

ANYTHING can be done... all depends on how far you are willing to go

my $.02

Don't spend the $$$ to "restore" it instead strip out parts that don't have any function when it comes to going forward, backwards, left, right, or stopping, and use it as a track toy.

Have fun!!!

Looks like a lot of good parts. Take a better pick of the gauges, something up with those.

Remove the rockers so we can see what's underneath. There's enough rust in other places to suspect the rockers are covering a nest of tin worms.

here's some great info:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=16748

Those custom rockers have to be removed before you spend the first cent ...

and

Part it... If you spend the time taking the parts off it will give you a great idea of how these cars were built. I wouldn't recommend a restoration....

-- Rob

That's *not* gonna rub out.

You guys are making me nervous. I'm getting the impression that the unanimous vote may be "let er die".

Well, I got into the area under the battery tray... didn't take pics... was too scary. Startin to look bad boys. I will get the rockers off today and see what's under there.

I spent a while figuring out how to replace the passenger side window so it can be stored outside until it gets to my garage, but I got it. In the meantime I discovered the passenger side outside door handle is broken too... sigh.....

I found a couple part cars nearby, I am afraid I am already getting sucked into this 914 world

Well, can anybody tell me what parts there are on this thing that might be worth parting out if I decide to go that route?

there are quite a few salvagable parts...

again, you COULD bring this car back from the depths... but from personal experience... you might be happier if you didn't.

I bought my first 914 about 7 years ago. it ran and seemed ok... but I didn't know DICK about the cars, and as I started digging in, I found my engine needed work, and my car was falling apart, and I didn't have the knowledge, means or time to fix it... it was too far gone... I also WAY over paid for it.

then I got the tub I have now, but I only paid "tub" price, so that was ok, that was 5 years ago, I've put an engine into it, transmission, all the interior all new brakes, suspension, etc. and it's still not on the road.

if I had it to do all over again, the $ I put into the 2 914s I've had... would have bought me someone elses /6 conversion that was finished, and been driving it for the last 5 years... even if I had to make lein payments fr those years, with interest I would have still came out cheaper...

5 years ago I wanted a project, but as time past, I wanted to drive the project... I mean hell, these cars are NEVER really finished, anyway. there's always a little project here or there.

I'm not saying you should go buy a finished car, if you want a project, I'm just telling you what I went through. if you want to bring this car back, I wish you all the best and ANYTHING I (or any club members, I'm sure) will be happy to help.... more power to you. but I've seen project cars start from much better starting points.

with time and money almost everything is possible
but why not start from a better platform?
there are some neat cars out here on the west coast that are being wrecked in far better condition
and getting the oxidization out of fired metal might be a lot more trouble than it is worth

any update giga?

Holy Jeezus! You certainly have your work cut out for you.