BUILD-OFF CHALLENGE: Olympic Blue Resurrection, More Winter projects. Options

[Olympic 914]

2016 BUILD-OFF CHALLENGE Contender ... Olympic Blue Resurrection.


Purchased my 914 in 1979. It’s a 1973 base model 1.7 I’m the second owner. Original owner drove it for about 75K.
In ’80 I slid off the road and went into a hillside, taking out the driver’s side fender. While in for that repair I decided to have some minor rust issues taken care of and had the whole car repainted. Back then lacquer was the hot set-up and it looked fantastic. Later while sitting in traffic a big Lincoln didn’t quite stop and pushed in the rear panel. Another trip to the body shop.. Then another time while driving home from work in the rain I hydroplaned coming out from under a bridge and clipped a jersey barrier. Minor damage to the pass. side, but again back to the body shop. So this car has seen its share of incidents over the years.
I drove it for 10 years with only minor mechanical problems until the clutch went out 1989 and the engine had 137K on it. Then I was faced with low funds and engine that when removed will need rebuilding. So I put it in storage in a limestone mine in Bradys Bend PA. Figuring I would get it back out and get it running again one day.

Here are the earliest pictures I could find.

And the day I was taking it to the mines







It wasn't supposed to be here this long..




Fast forward to 2010 -- Coming home. First daylight in 20+ years...



I brought it home to a new 14 X20 SHED I had built just to work on the car. complete with 220V, phone and cable.




After its first bath it doesn't look too bad. But in spite of being buried over 1 mile inside a mountain AND being in a temperature and humidity controlled storage the rust worms were still at work. albeit a little slower.

Since that time I have had the extensive rust issues taken care of by Chris at Tangerine and also had the fenders flared for the 5 bolt Fuchs I will be running.
I have completed the engine rebuild myself going from 1.7 into a 2056 with heads by HAM and a Raby 9590 cam, I am keeping the D-jet FI.
I am now working on the body doing body work and paint. I AM NOT A BODY MAN. I really don’t even like body work but think I am capable.

This is the hardest part for me. I would rather build engines. Most of my experience has been with Harley engines though and there just like big lawnmowers anyway...

Along the way I am learning to weld, machine small parts and paint and acquiring many new tools.

My own self-imposed goal was to drive it to 2016 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. Not sure if it will happen but without a goal it definitely WON’T happen.

I will post more pictures of the progress I have already made on the car.

This Build off Challenge will be just a little more incentive get out in the shed and work on the car.


Wouldn't it be great to get 30 Teeners back on the road?

Good luck to all participants and I welcome any interest and questions about how or why I did something

Tom

BTW did I mention I don't like body work..

[Olympic 914]

Continuing with some mechanical work.

I installed the new bearings into the rear control arms. also installed the Elephant racing Rubber bushings.



YES it is as big a PITA as others have said. No pictures of the installation..

But a good friend had just bought a HF 20 ton press and that gave me an excuse to go visit and spend a couple hours. No problem getting your hands clean after all the liquid soap we had slathered around. eventually we got the shafts pushed in nicely.

I whipped up this tool out of plumbing supplies to support the rear of the wheel bearing when we pushed the hubs in with the press.

2" pipe with a floor flange. worked great , don't know how often I will use it again though..




Installed the Tangerine shift rod bushing into the firewall and then installed the SS fuel lines. both operations went smoothly.



needed new nuts for the rear control arms and after an exhaustive internet search came up with a BMW part that I like more than the stock original parts. they are flanged all steel locking nuts.



got the rear control arms bolted up and you can see the new flanged nuts in this pic. also the other tangerine SS lines. installed just so I don't lose them.

Yes they are KYB shocks.... I know they are not the favored shock around here but I got a good deal on the set from a friend that only had them on a little while then upgraded to Konis all the way around...
I figure they are an easily replaced item if I don't like them..





I think I will work on replacing the tunnel brake lines next and after I gather the rest of the lines up start to bend new ones. One of my first purchases when I started this project was a line set from AA, it is supposed to have all the lines precut to the correct length with ends already installed. we shall see how that works. Had I know earlier I would have gotten the prebent set from PMB and just been done with it.

So now I have suspension. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

moving along...