Starting a 1973 restoration, Restoring a left for dead $500 914... Options

[FourBlades]

Hello 914 World Members!

I am starting on restoring a $500 914 that was left in a field for several years with no windshield. The car belonged to the POs older brother and thus has sentimental value. The sold it to me on the condition that I not part it out. I was looking for a project so this was fine with me. This is my first restoration project so I figured I would learn a lot (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

The car is a mixture of really good sections, appears to have suffered no major accidents, is straight, never been repainted--but it has totally rusted out floors and hell hole. All the suspension mounting points are not rusted. The door gaps are all even and good. If I can replace the floors, I think it will be a good straight car. Many small parts were stolen while it was "stored" and the wiring loom is a complete loss.

Thanks for any comments...John

[FourBlades]

Flip Your 914 the CSOB Way

I got fed up with working on the ground under my 914 so I decided to do
something about it. I remembered a B&W photo showing a framework
used in the olden days to flip a car and decided to build my own. I drew
a careful scale drawing with extensive engineering analysis. Notice how
I indicated where the Center of Gravity of the flipped car would end up.
The computer enhanced drawing shows the car (to scale) in light blue.
The key joint is indicated in scribbled shading. I also did a detailed study
of the joint needed when frame members met in all three dimensions.

I decided the framework had to be 10 degrees from vertical so that it
would be stable in either position and not show any unhealthy tendency
to flip back unexpectedly. The key joint is between the flat and flipped
parts of the frame. I made it round to make it easier to roll the car from
one state to another. I briefly toyed with the idea of an octagonal frame
with the car inside, however, scrap 2x4s on hand were limited.

Here is how the key joint is made:



After making two of the key joint I got started putting it together. I leveled
the two ground frame members and then bolted them to the front and rear
suspension mounting points using equal length legs. I noticed my tub is
about 1/4 inch twisted along its length. After that, I added additional support
and frame members, bracing them with plywood triangles. This stage was
part planning, part organic growth, and part paranoia over the whole thing
collapsing.

For those wishing to build a similar structure, the dimensions are:

Length : whatever a 2x4 stud is (I think 93" because of the floor and top plates)
Width: about 53" and 3 of those really little marks
Height: 4 notches on those big ass sears jack stands on the rear, less on the front

Anyway, I got it all together and started jacking up the side.



Here is a detail shot of the framework. Not sure it is elegant or minimal but
it is surprisingly rigid and I did not run out of screws.



More frame details. Notice the 2x4 used to lever the frame higher and
higher. Levering one end off the ground did not cause the other to sag
noticebly. I don't know if that is a testament to the 914 rigidity or to my
framework. My 3 dimensional joint study pays off...