GT Clone/Look 914 - which model to start with - 914 or /6? Options

[mharmon]

The collection knowledge on this board is pretty impressive - so here's the question - I know that I want to build a GT clone car. It doesn't need to be a dead on replica of a real GT (I simply don't have the budget for it), but I want it to be reasonably close. The car will almost certainly have a 2.5L twin plug motor, but past that I am still putting together the list of things that I definetly want and the nice to have's (if I can find them at a reasonable price).

The first big question that I need to answer though is what base car to start with - a 914 or a 914/6? Granted, modifying a 6 is not something that one would do lightly - the car is just too cool and too rare to simply start hacking away. But if I were to find a non-operable car, would all of the 6 parts that would come with it justify the incremental cost? Just looking at the cost of real 6 heat exchangers, oil systems, brakes, suspension, etc, it almost seems to me that buying a 6 and starting the project from there is the way to go.

What do you guys think?

Thanks for your advice.

Mike

[rfuerst911sc]

I'll add my 2 cents because that's all I have left after doing my conversion (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) . I started with a 1975 rolling chassis . My vision was to create a M471 clone and I thought if I did all the work myself I could do it for around $12,000.00. To say the least I was waaaaaaaaaaay off on the estimate and I really don't think I did anything out of the ordinary. I don't have a super built engine just a stock 3.0 with Weber carbs I did not touch any motor internals. Yes I completely rebuilt the suspension with new polybronze bushings but stock torsion bars up front. I got in on the AA flared fender group buy a few years ago so saved some coin there. I bought lots of used parts off this site and others. Did all the chassis stiffening I thought was needed and did all the welding myself. I did farm out the repaint but got a great job for $2,000.00. Bottom line is if you are really going to do this as others have said double the budget you think it will take. I've been working on mine for 3 years plus and I just got it running this past week. For me this was a labor of love and never in my thought process was rate of return vs. investment because I'm not planning on selling her. I hope you go out and save another chassis from the crusher and enjoy every minute of the restoration. Good luck.