PMB Performance - Mike Krieger Build, Sorting out a -6 conversion and going 3.6 Options

[Eric_Shea]

Hey Gang,

We've been working on this one for a while now and I thought you'd like to follow along. It has a lot of "914" issues to sort through and can be a good piece to show how and why to fix things properly, especially with the value of these cars climbing and the money invested in a car of this quality.

Mike came to us last year after finding us here for a PPI. In this case it was a "Post Purchase Inspection". The car was sold as a rust free (yes, enter your comments here) 3.2 six conversion. It turns out it was anything but. Regardless, Mike was in for the long haul and, he was determined to do things properly. He expressed interest in making the car a wide-body and fixing what needed to be fixed at the time.

Off the tub went to be stripped and prepped for flares and paint work. Here you can see the "after" shot with the flares on and glass panels being fitted:

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386435699.1.jpg)

There was a lot of metal work needed as indeed... the rust was free on this one. Before flares could go on, a new quarter panel was needed and various stiffening kits (factory and 914LTD) added to ensure minimal twist with an impending 3.6 install. The car was then painted "Signal Orange" and given back to Mike for some detail installments.

Fast forward to present day. We picked the car up from Mike and began ticking off items on his wish list. Install driving lights, front turn signal buckets, hood lights, hood pins, sway bar, get turn signals working, various trim pieces etc.

Here's how it it sat when we got'er in the shop:

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386435700.2.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386435701.3.jpg)

Then the "inevitable" happened. It began to act like any other DAPO 914. She began to show some of her true colors. I actually think the car was talking to us and letting us know about the problems before she burned to the ground in a heap of smoke and flames.

Let's start with wiring because we basically had to re-wire the car. What started as a simple request to "get the rear light buckets working" brought us to a few swapped wires on the install post paint and then... funny smells and blown fuses. When we looked at the fuse block we saw this:

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386435702.4.jpg)

Yes, the blown fuse was also a 16a!! Needless to say, this was one of the first things we did...

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386435702.5.jpg)

We also found some previous melted wires that could have been catastrophic:

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386435703.6.jpg)

This caused us to start at the front and completely go over all of the wiring. Fix and replace with proper factory colored wires from a donor harness and wrap everything back up with the early cloth tape loom.

The factory driving light harness was cut and crimp on ends were all that existed in the apron. We went into the harness and soldiered in new leads and used factory sheathing to bring them through the grommets in the front apron. Mike wanted these PIAA lights so we then soldiered the PIAA ends on the factory wires and inserted them back into the connectors for a clean, clip-on installation:

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386435704.7.jpg)

Next we did the same thing while repairing the horn leads. Removed the crappy blue crimp on connectors and went full factory with the protective sheath. We also ran a second lead over for dual tone horns.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386435704.8.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386435705.9.jpg)

Here's a shot of Mike's new harness:

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386435786.1.jpg)

[Eric_Shea]

Thanks guys.

PM not received Dave.

3.2 is probably sold already.

James, it is indeed your quarter panel. If that car hs good longs you can always put a complete QRS kit on it! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (more on that in our next build thread). Thanks for the good metal!!

We seriously had to dig into the wiring on this. Front and rear harness and most of the dash. We even did all of the harness behind the fuel tank and fresh air box. Anywhere we found "crimp-ons".

Here's David "assuming the 914 position".

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386462714.1.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386462716.2.jpg)

Making progress...

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386462717.3.jpg)

David checking the lights.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386462718.4.jpg)

The rear harness was so brittle it was falling apart in our hands. Here's one of those 914 "tips". Do the wiring right and... to do that, one of the best things to get is an old harness out of a sawzall project. We pulled the rear harness apart from the engine compartment to the light housings. We then found the license plate leads were seriously so hard they were breaking like a twig. A few things can do this, heat and elements. We pulled the proper color and gauge wires from our donor harness and "soldiered" the factory ends on them and heat shrinked the ends. Do it right... IT ONLY TAKES A FEW MINUTES! And, wiring is one of those things that can come back to bite you time and time again.

We installed the lights in the fiberglass bumper and hooked it up!

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386462718.5.jpg)

Guess what? Turn signals are still goofy. Switch! Guess what? More crimp-ons! We're pretty sure the melted wire came from a bad switch. We found the turn signal switch all metled. Time for a new switch but... NO MORE CRIMPS!!

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386462719.6.jpg)

The hot lead pulled off in our hands and the horn ground was broken and frayed.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386462910.1.jpg)

We pulled the switch and tore into the 12-pin connector. Unsoldiered the factory pins and soldiered them on to the new switch. The worst part will be getting the cover back on.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net-1110-1386462720.8.jpg)

[JamesM]

James, it is indeed your quarter panel. If that car hs good longs you can always put a complete QRS kit on it! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (more on that in our next build thread). Thanks for the good metal!!

Longs were solid front to rear, cut them out in one piece and they went to Guy to patch up his -6 project. The problem with that car was the floor pan (and shoddy PO repair of it along with a lot of other hidden gems) More work then it was worth it to me and I came across that donor chassis that is now the purple car to replace it.

Original windshield was cleanly removed and then broken a month later by me when I forgot I stored it under my autox car *DOH*

The 1.7 and side shift got cleaned up and went in the purple car for my wife.





Wish I had known about your wiring issues, I managed to pull the entire harness out of that car in one piece. This is all that was left when I threw it on the back of someones pickup truck for scrap.





You better get started on another project soon, I only have one more car left to get rid of!