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 . . . .

[injunmort]

brake piston

[Superhawk996]

brake piston

Good guess . . . but it would have to be off a Smart Car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif) Hard to see scale from the photo but it is 1" diameter and about 0.75" in height. Made of steel.

Maybe from Motorcycle caliper . . . . ?

I have a feeling this is going to be one of those mysteries that I just end up chalking up to "what were they thinking".

Even if it were a home brew PVC block off, that doesn't even seem to fit in my engine's history since they had a EMPI type breather box hooked up to one of the heads and the other off the oil fill / breather box. Both of those lines were then fed into the top of one of the carbs.