Hell hole, where do I start?, Hell hole from u no where. Options

[Jwjwjw]

I’m getting ready to start this project. What is the first few steps?

Build a jig? Any recommendations?
Remove the engine?
?
?
?

Need advice from the wealth of intelligence from this forum please.

Thanks Jeff

[Superhawk996]

From other post.



What is missing form all this discussion is what is the condition of the rest of the car.

I've undertaken complete passenger side long replacement, nearly complete replacement of this very area, and complete floor pan replacement. Not a show stopper as @bbrock mentioned.

BUT . . . . in my case the upper body is very solid. Even then, I'm doubting my own sanity for having undertaken my own project which appears to have been a better starting point than this car based on the craziness done to the trailing arm. I just didn't want to cut up a nice /4 to do a /6 conversion so I have my own flawed logic of why I did what I did.

I'd honestly suggest that before @jwjwjw undertakes this, that the rest of the car be honestly assessed in terms of what it will take to repair it properly. We don't have enough infomation with the limited photos posted thus far.

[bbrock]

From other post.

Ah. Thank you. I was fearsome confused there. This pic also reveals another DAPO repair adjacent to the DAPO repair shown in the earlier pic. So we have established this car has suffered a DAPO and there are likely many other areas with bad repairs. My car had a DAPO too only that DAPO was me 30 years younger and interested in just cobbling together the fastest and cheapest patch that would allow me to make it to work the next day. It happens. Nope, no show stoppers here, but yes an assessment of the whole car is need to be realistic of what is needed and if it fit the owner's abilities and motivations.

Philosophically, there is a huge difference in motivation for buying a car for a project vs. wanting one to drive. Of course anyone who just wants a nice 914 to hop in and drive should run away from this car, but as a project it doesn't look bad so far. Most people would have scrapped the car I'm driving now, but that isn't what it is about for me. If I didn't want the challenge of bringing my car back from the dead, I would not be driving a 914 now, period. It isn't a practical car where I live. The reward of learning how to bring a pile of rust back to a nice example of the make has been worth every penny already. It's the difference between buying a Tonka toy, or a Revell model kit.

Lastly, not that profit was a motivation for me, but the idea that extensive rust repair projects cost more than the car will be worth is outdated. The value of the cars is increasing as has availability of inexpensive repair panels. Paying for labor is what puts projects upside down. If you aren't paying for that, you absolutely can break even, or even profit. It is true that you can usually buy a solid car for cheaper than to fix up a rust bucket, but again, whether that is good or bad depends on what the owner wants to gain from the experience.