Introducing "Dirty Penny" - Former $2010[$2012] GRM Project, Running. Driving. Boosting. FUN! Options

[jpnovak]

I wanted to introduce myself as a new member to the World. I am new to the 914 but not new to air-cooled. I have two 1971 911s; a T - soft-window targa and an ST-replica track car. I am sure I have seen many of you on Pelican. With the 911 I have done it all, rust repair, paint, engines, transmissions and chassis setup. I felt it was time for something new.

Introducing my new project. "Dirty Penny"

Penny is a 1975 Porsche 914. She has been sitting unattended for a while. I found her at a friends house under the old oak tree. Penny is wearing copper metallic paint and had a white interior. Penny arrived without a heart. I am going to give her new life.

Penny will be built as a Grassroots Motorsports $2010 Challenge car. For those not familiar that means you have $2010 to build a car where it competes in a concours, drag race and autocross. The prize? Notoriety in GRM and ridicule from those who already think you are nuts and cheap. My wife doesn't affectionately call me Fred Sanford for nothing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Here are a few pictures of Penny being unearthed from her previous home. The TX sun has not been kind to the paint, nor the interior. However, the dry climate has left her remarkably rust free. There is rust in the Hell Hole that has been previously cut out yet never welded back in. Rot is almost non-existent.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/forums.pelicanparts.com-179-1309889178.1.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/forums.pelicanparts.com-179-1309889179.2.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/forums.pelicanparts.com-179-1309889179.3.jpg)

How much money I have left to spend on the project.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/forums.pelicanparts.com-179-1309889180.4.jpg)

The plan is simple to do well at the Challenge. Get a car that handles well. Strip the weight out of it. give it some extra HP. Let's see... A 914 handles well. they are already pretty light. but the Type IV doesn't lend itself to high HP without major $$$.

A bit of late night ebay browsing and I came across a JDM Subaru EJ20G drivetrain. Yes, that's what I need. ITs still a flat-4 - yet has to be water cooled and makes 140+ HP/L in stock trim. I like it. The vendor was in Dallas which means reduced shipping costs. Yep, that's the rule. you must account for ALL purchases.

The new heart and soul... Oh yeah it will have soul!

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/forums.pelicanparts.com-179-1309889180.5.jpg)

to be honest, work has been crazy and I have 13 months to build the car. Progress won't be fast. I am excited to make this go forward. The challenge of swapping the entire drivetrain begins with connections. The engine mounts are easy. Trying to get the shift linkage, clutch linkage and throttle cable done on the cheap is not so easy. I know there is a wealth of information on this site. Thanks to all those who have traveled this road before me.

Until the next update...

Now I have to figure out how to post images on this site rather than link external.

[jpnovak]

last night I was trying to get the car ready for the trip. It fought me all the way.

The car is running but needs to be tuned. At least it will take throttle now. And then it started... The outside nut fell off the transmission cable. I no longer had access to 1-2 shift plane. Of course, its a 12-24 nut that I did not have a spare. I was half way around the block with this happened. I limped home in third gear and put the car away.

After work I stopped and picked up parts and made repairs. I think taped up the wiring harness and closed up the ECU. then the car would not start. It was not firing. I took off the ECU cover and connected the laptop. Everything was working fine from an electronics point of view. After trouble shooting for an hour or so I took a break and ate dinner. Came back out and found the car was out of gas. A trip to the store brought home 2 gallons and the car fired up. Now the car would not idle at all. I adjusted the idle and then all of a sudden the idle jumped to 2200 rpm. HMM Does not idle when cold. Idles high when hot. I think the Idle control valve is wired backwards. No time to fix let's put it on the trailer. Its after 10 and I have a loud car idling in the street.

Trailer was already hooked up and ready to go. I lined up the ramps and started up the trailer. halfway up the left ramp gives way and the car veers right. I ran over the right fender (yes the one that is very broken) and almost put the car off the trailer sideways. I manageed to stop it and drive it off backwards. What saved me was that the left rear dropped down and the right front was in the air. The car was crooked but still on the trailer. it was like one of those movie scenes where the car is teetering on the edge of a cliff. All I could think of was the car high-sided on the trailer with a big hole in the floor and me having no way to get it off.

Once the car was off I found the problem. A weld broke on the hing point of the ramp. The cross bar broke free on one side. I propped it up with a stack of 2x10s and easily drove the car up onto the trailer. At that point I hooked up a front and rear strap and backed the trailer into the driveway. It was parked and I was done for the moment.

I then spent an hour packing up tools and getting as many spares as I could think of.

Then I fired up the TIG and welded the ramp. The cross bar on the hinge had a cold weld. One side popped off completely and the other side was about 70% cracked. Let's just say I fixed it.

So... The car is sitting on the trailer, strapped down ready to go. the ramps slid easily between the wheelbase under the car. I just bought some more straps this morning to lash down the trailer ramps and have a spare set in case there is a problem on the road. These will just go into the tow bag.

All that is left is to load up the car and check the tire pressure on the trailer. We are planning to leave about 1pm this afternoon. I am hoping I can get through Houston by 3 in hopes that the traffic will be less. If we are late leaving I will leave about 330 from Austin.

And so... The trip begins.