Another 914-6 GT Tribute Project Options

[Tom1394racing]

After having enjoyed several 911’s over the past 40 years, I decided about a year ago that my next project would be a 914-6 GT Tribute car. I had been thinking for some time about a mid-engine open car but the Boxster is just not my cup of tea. I am more of a 70’s air cooled hot rod type and I love my ’73 Signal Orange 911 RSR tribute car. So a 914-6 GT seemed like an obvious choice. It ticked all my boxes and I have always admired the ‘70’s GT race cars.

My friends at Auto Associates in Canton, CT knew I was considering a 914-6 GT project so when a customer’s ’73 914 2.0 became available there last fall we put it up on their lift, took a close look and deemed it an acceptable starting point. The project plan is to follow the same process I have used on my RSR and my ‘70E restoration projects. I strip the car in my home shop, send the shell to Auto Associates for the metal work, chassis stiffening and paint. The painted shell comes back to me and I do the mechanical work and reassembly.

My plan is not to do a 100% accurate GT tribute but rather to build a car that looks, sounds and drives like a street friendly GT. I am not planning on any serious track or autocross but more of a fun spirited street hot rod. I know there is a ton of expertise and experience on this forum so I will be looking for some sage advice as I document the build in this thread. So here are my thoughts:

Exterior
GT flares front and rear. I will likely leave the decision of metal vs FG to Auto Associates. I would like the car to be as light as is practical. I have FG flares on my RSR and they have held up very well over the 15 years since the original restoration. I am also planning to do the lightweight, balsa reinforced front and rear trunk lids. I also would like to do the GT style double grill engine cover. Not sure if anyone makes these or if I will have Auto Associates fabricate one from my existing cover. I will go with the hood pins front and bungees rear for lid closure. Not sure whether to go with the motor operated headlights or if the cable operated system is reliable enough. I do not plan to do a lot of night driving. For wheels, I am thinking Minilites on the rear and Fuchs on the front. I also want to keep the removable top as open air driving is one of my key objectives. I am liking Mexico Blue for the color.

Interior
I plan to go with a 911 steering column and LHS 911 ignition switch as well as 911 turn signal, wiper switches and clamshell. I am also thinking of a reproduction 911 style hockey puck steering wheel. Door panels would be the GT style with strap operated pulls for door opening. I am also thinking of a pair of GTS Classic vintage seats perhaps the LeMans series. Gauges will mimic the GT type.

Drivetrain
I have a 3.0 L SC long block that I plan to use as a basis for power. I am thinking 9.5 CR with ModS type cams and a twin plug distributor. I am also toying with the idea of EFI. I am thinking 200-225 HP. I will stick with the 901 gearbox and the special 215 mm 9 bolt flywheel. I would use 911 output stubs, Sway Away free floating axles, and 911 stubs axles & hubs. I will use a front cooler and oil plumbing similar to the GT. Not sure which option to take with regard to the motor mounts.

Suspension
Other than 911 3.5” caliper spaced front struts, and 911 front hubs, I have not given the suspension much thought as yet. I do not want the car to be so stiff and jarring that it knocks my fillings out on the pothole strewn roads here in CT. That said, I also do not want the car to roll and lean like my stock ‘70E. I like the stock type of front and rear roll bars, maybe a little bigger than the stock size. I am thinking early 911S Aluminum calipers in the front. No sure about the rear calipers. I like the 15” Michelin TB’s for tires.

Chassis Stiffening
Like all 914’s this one is not rust free. After the rust repairs, I am planning to have Auto Associates install the chassis stiffening kits for the front torsion bar area, sills and rear suspension including the rear trailing arms. I am also planning on a weld-in roll bar with diagonals tied into the door sills that will allow for reasonably easy entry and exit. I want the chassis to be as stiff as possible yet still allow for the removable Targa roof.

Well…That is the current plan. I am very interested in suggestions and input from those of you who have been down this road before me. I plan to post progress with photos as I go forward and I look forward to all your comments.

[Tom1394racing]

Time for an update on my GT project. After a long delay while waiting to clear garage space, I sold my 1970 911E restoration and moved the 914 from the basement to the garage and onto my lift. The car is now stripped to a bare shell. After consulting with Ken (body shop manager & co-owner) at Auto Associates, we have decided to send the shell out to be dipped, stripped and E-coated prior to starting the chassis restoration at Auto Associates.

Ken recommended a shop in Livonia, MI that does a multi step process consisting of:

1. Hot tank cleaning dip
2. Pressure wash to remove all dirt, gunk and paint
3. Acid dip to dissolve all rust
4. Neutralizing dip to stop the acid process
5. Epoxy primer for rust protection

The hot tank cleaning dip will dissolve anything that is not steel on the shell. This would include the longitudinal heater tubes. So we have decided to cut out the inner longs prior to the dipping and then replace the heater tubes and the longs as part of the chassis restoration. This should give us a chassis that is completely devoid of any rust and is also protected against any further rusting.

This will require an 11 hour one way drive from my home in CT to the shop in MI. I have searched and tried to locate a shop closer to my home that offers the cleaning, de-rusting and E-coating but have not located one. If anyone knows of a shop within a 6 hour radius of Hartford, CT that offers this process, I would be interested in checking them out.

[-JR-]

Time for an update on my GT project. After a long delay while waiting to clear garage space, I sold my 1970 911E restoration and moved the 914 from the basement to the garage and onto my lift. The car is now stripped to a bare shell. After consulting with Ken (body shop manager & co-owner) at Auto Associates, we have decided to send the shell out to be dipped, stripped and E-coated prior to starting the chassis restoration at Auto Associates.

Ken recommended a shop in Livonia, MI that does a multi step process consisting of:

1. Hot tank cleaning dip
2. Pressure wash to remove all dirt, gunk and paint
3. Acid dip to dissolve all rust
4. Neutralizing dip to stop the acid process
5. Epoxy primer for rust protection

The hot tank cleaning dip will dissolve anything that is not steel on the shell. This would include the longitudinal heater tubes. So we have decided to cut out the inner longs prior to the dipping and then replace the heater tubes and the longs as part of the chassis restoration. This should give us a chassis that is completely devoid of any rust and is also protected against any further rusting.

It's too bad I can't get service like that around Vancouver BC. I was quoted $17,000 for the strip job alone. There doesn't even seem to be any shops left doing chassis sized media blasting here either. Getting a chassis across the US boarder is a whole-nother issue too and don't need to get black listed as I have a lot of work states side.

I'm doing the next best, I figure. I'm going to muriatic acid treat it at home. Setting up sprayers and wands to get into those tough spots between panel and through the longs. After that's done I'll bust out my water blaster system to strip the exterior panels to uncover any other creative body work that might be lurking. Still need to figure out a spray system to get epoxy primer back into those places once done.

[Alain V.]

Time for an update on my GT project. After a long delay while waiting to clear garage space, I sold my 1970 911E restoration and moved the 914 from the basement to the garage and onto my lift. The car is now stripped to a bare shell. After consulting with Ken (body shop manager & co-owner) at Auto Associates, we have decided to send the shell out to be dipped, stripped and E-coated prior to starting the chassis restoration at Auto Associates.

Ken recommended a shop in Livonia, MI that does a multi step process consisting of:

1. Hot tank cleaning dip
2. Pressure wash to remove all dirt, gunk and paint
3. Acid dip to dissolve all rust
4. Neutralizing dip to stop the acid process
5. Epoxy primer for rust protection

The hot tank cleaning dip will dissolve anything that is not steel on the shell. This would include the longitudinal heater tubes. So we have decided to cut out the inner longs prior to the dipping and then replace the heater tubes and the longs as part of the chassis restoration. This should give us a chassis that is completely devoid of any rust and is also protected against any further rusting.

It's too bad I can't get service like that around Vancouver BC. I was quoted $17,000 for the strip job alone. There doesn't even seem to be any shops left doing chassis sized media blasting here either. Getting a chassis across the US boarder is a whole-nother issue too and don't need to get black listed as I have a lot of work states side.

I'm doing the next best, I figure. I'm going to muriatic acid treat it at home. Setting up sprayers and wands to get into those tough spots between panel and through the longs. After that's done I'll bust out my water blaster system to strip the exterior panels to uncover any other creative body work that might be lurking. Still need to figure out a spray system to get epoxy primer back into those places once done.

You might want to look into a product called "Rust 911". I used it on my project. I hung a cheap tarp under the car and fed a submersible pump in a plastic tote to pump the fluid in varius spots on my tub.
It worked pretty good, but it is time consuming. see post #44 on my link
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