Starting a 1971 IMSA 914 Restoration, A privateer run 914 with Sebring and Daytona history Options

[FourBlades]

I am finally starting on the build thread for the IMSA 914. This is a 1971 914-4
that was bought in 1975 or 6 as a used car and turned into an IMSA GTU car.
It is a well crafted but not big budget car with a lot of clever touches that helped
it to beat a lot of more famous and undoubtedly better financed teams.

My wife and I plan to restore the car to racing condition and then enjoy the
heck out of it without abusing it any further (its clearly had a hard life).

Our priorities are (1) make it safe and legal for current vintage rules (2) keep
it original as practical (3) keep it period correct, in that order. We also want to
avoid over restoring it too much, but it is easy to understand the temptation
to cad plate, power coat, and perfectly repaint everything. I think this last issue
will be the biggest, other than going broke or insane first (either one would
be a short trip at this point).

I plan to post way too many photos, the best quality I can, until people flame
me big time to stop. I also expect you, yes YOU!, to help me figure out what
to do and give me ideas and comments. I may not always do everything people
want, but I will consider all ideas. I'm really just a novice restorer and I know
I can't do this without your help.

OK, so screw the BS, lets see some pictures. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

Competing at Sebring as a 4-cylinder (changed to a six soon after).



T.C., who found the car in a barn, passes it on to me (what luck!).



I had to turn to a close friend for the financing, but it worked out.



Huge ATL 500A fuel cell. The hood just closes over this.



TC, URY914, SMG914, and I working on my Explorer flat six conversion.



Fiberglass flares and paintwork need a little bit of work.



Wife: Are you sure we are buying the right car? Why don't we just buy this one
from T.C., it actually has an engine inside the car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)



I have started to dissassemble the car so it can be soda blasted and I have tons
of pictures to post.

So what do you all think?

John

[FourBlades]

Paul,

You have really put your finger on the problem. Just vacumming the sand out
of the car was over restoring it. I have convinced myself it did not start its
racing career this rusted out and patched together. With that rationalization
in place I am shooting for restoring it more to the early part of its career,
when it actually had a more complete set of 914 sheetmetal. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I am also trying to make it a working and safe race car, so all the paper thin
rusted stuff has got to go. They did not use braided covered hose in most
places but I will in the interest of safety. It is basically was a non-functional
wreck when I got it so leaving it as it was did not have much point.

I am sure the car will end up nicer than it ever was, but not as blatantly over
restored as some cars end up. I read recently that a 70s Corvette right off the
factory floor would only score about 77 in a concours today.

If people have advice or opinions then please post away.

John

[ChrisFoley]

If people have advice or opinions then please post away.

This is a cool project.

IMO it would be appropriate to make the car appear like it did when it was campaigned in IMSA. However, updating with the best available components, as though the car had been well maintained and continually improved during its tenure, would also be correct.

The first 914 race car I ever saw was an SCCA E Production car, at a Lime Rock EMRA time trial in the mid eighties. That was enough to put me on the path I took to racing my own car in SCCA.
By the time I saw an IMSA 914 on TV (I never saw one in person), their era was past but if I were into vintage racing I think this is what I would like to play with.