Hi from the new guy!
My background, I am originally from Miami Florida, but now live north of Tulsa, OK. I had a '70 Cal Look Bug as my first car (I built it). Later owned a '74 Ghia conv. Air cooled rules!!
I thought I'd shoot a line to all you "manic 914 mechanics." Been readin' the BBS, you guys are nuts!
So, after years of dreamin' about it, I have finally begun the "rustoration" of a '72 914 that I bought for $825 in 1995.
After opening up the car for a complete evaluation, I have determined it is very salvageable. Other than the usual rot (i.e. bat tray, sails) it has a rusted driver floor under the pedal cluster. A qtr floor panel should fix that. Next, both left and right jack boxes are gone. The left inner rocker is okay, some fab parts should fix the wheel house under the "box". The right side is another matter though, the inner rocker is swiss cheese on the inside up to the fwd triangle. The lower wheel house is rusty around the remaining jack box parts. The biggie is the Long', it has serious surface rust from the inside of the J-box area where the inner reinforcement doubler is along the bottom. This is from the firewall fwd about 10". Mostly the bottom, but some below the heat tube hole.There is Long' interior surface rust (causing holes when pricked with an awl) up to just foward of the seat recline channel with less severity (mud was packed inside). This is all below the mounting rivets for the heat tube spring clamps. I have already removed the right rear qtr panel and the inner rocker panel, heat tube and spring clamps.
I am up for suggestions on how to shore up the chassis to maintain proper fit and alignment. I will only need to cut the lower half of the long away for the repair. I plan on fabing long' repair parts and MIG weld in. Then repair the j-box area and install a new inner rocker.
The car is on jack stands has no interior, bumpers, doors, hood & trunk lids, and no engine & trans installed.
I am trying to do this car the right way for as much of a training tool as a repair job. I have an all original Adriatic Blue '70 914-6 (bought in Seattle in 2000) and a very clean Zambezi Green '74 914 1.8, both with 90% original paint that will need some similar, but much, much less severe repairs in the future. My '76 914 has similar long' rot, as well as, bad sails and fenders rusted where the fiberglass flares were bonded on. Okay, I admit it. I am a 914 Junkie! Oh well, at least this habit is legal!
Any suggestions that you dudes could make would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, George.

Welcome new guy, this will be the beginning of a great relationship.

this might help you with keeping it straight!

right out of out 914info section:

http://www.914world.com/specs/bodydims.php

http://www.914world.com/specs/underdims.php

good luck with your rust-o-ration.

i have seen some amazing results from club-members.
it CAN be done ...
Andy

PS.: oh, and welcome to the club ...