1973 2.0L Rustoration, Restoration turned OT garage build Options

[Superhawk996]

I purchased my first 914 back in 1987 (1973 1.7L) and had that car for nearly a decade and I personally put over 100,000 miles on it before it ultimately fell victim to a negligent driver that drove into the back end of it at about 40 mph while the vehicle was stopped at a red light. That rear end crash totaled the vehicle but what is amazing is how well it crumpled (early crush zones!) due to the kink in the frame where the halfshafts are. Everyone walked away unharmed.

I replaced it with a 1991 Miata. Great car in its own right but I've always missed my 914.

Purchased this "replacement" in May 2018 as a known poster child for a complete right side longitudinal rustoration.

This vehicle had been put into storage inside a pole barn around 2004 as far as I can tell.

Vehicle initially purchased in non-running condition:
Engine couldn't be started.
Transmission shift linkage was disconnected
Half shafts and CV's were in pieces, and the wheel stubs were not installed therefore the vehicle couldn't even be rolled without risking having the rear wheel separate from within the bearing.
Fiberglass laid into the floorpan . . . that can't be a good sign.

Vehicle looks great . . . until I got under it.

I spent the better part of the summer putting the items above back together and trying to confirm that it would:
1) Run under its own power
2) Drive though the neighborhood and shift though all gears.



Looks pretty nice eh?

Here is what is lurking underneath once the rockers came off.



and when I started cutting back the rust. Oh my . . . .

[Superhawk996]

These are the easy ones. Just a quick dab or two of filler to weld up the sheet metal screw holes.



In just this photo, there are 3 holes! There are more on the driver side and one of them is about 0.5" diameter. I'm not sure what was run though that hole but is just the right size to be a a PITA.

1) it's behind / above the fuse block which will necessitate removal of the fuse block and wiring to access it.
2) 0.5" is just big enough that you can't easily trim a metal blank to fill the hole and therefore you just have to fill it by gradually adding filler around the perimeter of the hole until it can be closed up.

Can't wait to get to that one. I'll defer until I start working on the driver side of the car.

One point that I wanted to make as an engineer to those that might be thinking why worry about a few little holes. Don't forget that just in front of you is the gas tank. In a worst case crash / fire type accident, you don't want holes in the front cowl that could easily allow fuel and fire to enter the passenger compartment.

I know that the plastic vents and paper heater tubes won't last long in a fire but they do buy you seconds to minutes of time. a big 1" hole like one of these A/C hose pass through holes would allow fuel and/or fire access to the passenger compartment completely unimpeded.

Better safe than sorry!