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]

The other work that has started in April is beginning to think about what to do with my engine.

As purchased it was setup with carbs. I've been thinking about returning to fuel injection.

As part of that I pulled the tin to see if the cylinder head temperature (CHT) sensor was still there.

As the subject of another thread, I found that the CHT is missing and even worse, the head isn't drilled and tapped for the CHT. It isn't on the cyl 1/2 side either. Apparently at some point the heads were swapped.

Turns out that they are at least the proper 2.0L cylinder head as verified by part number. In the photo you can see the start of the proper 2.0L P/N 039 101 371A



I pulled out my old broken 1.7L head from my original car just compare when I was in a panic thinking that they might not actually be a 2.0L head.

Also notice that some goober welded up the breather hole.

I guess I'll be doing some machine work!



That 1.7L head was broken when my original 914 was rear ended. It has served as a learning bed for how to remove valves, valve guides, and how to weld cylinder heads! Still got some use again as a comparison to remind myself of what the difference looks like between 1.7L and 2.0L heads. My wife calls me a pack rat and can't understand why I would still have a cylinder head around from a car that was wrecked before the turn or the century. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif) Women! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif)

I still haven't dug into the engine but fully expect that the cam has been swapped given that the heads aren't original.

My new engine yoke arrived yesterday.

@Bbrock
Thanks for the recommendation and helping me save $$ on this item! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)