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> BUILD-OFF CHALLENGE: New 914 owner...what have I gone and done!
Darren C
post Dec 26 2014, 09:15 AM
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Hi everyone,

I have been looking for a 914 on and off for a couple of years now and late one evening I bid on ebay for a car in Desert Hot Springs CA. A real leap of faith for me as I live in Chichester UK!
My first car was a VW Beetle and I’ve owned quite a few air cooled VWs and always wanted a 914, so now almost 25 years later I finally took the plunge and with sweat on my brow placed a last minute bid on ebay on a car I’d only seen in 4 small photo’s on line.
To my surprise I won the 914.
Problem was it lay 8000 miles away from me here in UK. I got hold of the sellers phone number and gave them a call. The car is a 1974 2.0L one owner from new sold in Palm Springs 914. The seller was the owners daughter. The gentleman passed away several years ago and she’d had it parked up on her driveway for 5 or 6 years. From the description in the listing it had a Salvage title due to sand storm damage on the paintwork. It looked reasonably solid in the few pictures I saw, but very sorry for itself with flat tires and bad paint. It was a gamble, but sometimes these things pay off.
I got the car picked up by a shipping agent and taken to Long Beach for shipping.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i265.photobucket.com-18255-1419606931.1.jpg)

2 months later it arrived in Southampton UK

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i265.photobucket.com-18255-1419606931.2.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i265.photobucket.com-18255-1419606931.3.jpg)

Last week I went down to Southampton and collected my new project just in time for Christmas.
I was recommended this site from another 914 owner and it's a great relief to find such a large active community. 914's were never sold in the UK, so all are personal imports and a rare thing to see on our roads.
I’m pleased to now join you guy’s and post my restoration progress in getting this little car back on the road.

Regards
Darren
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pilothyer
post Dec 26 2014, 09:29 AM
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(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) Congratulations
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JStroud
post Dec 26 2014, 09:37 AM
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(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

Looks like a good start to a nice car. Glad it all worked out, have fun getting it going.
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JeffBowlsby
post Dec 26 2014, 10:04 AM
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Looks like you scored a good one Darren, welcome to 914s. The funs begins!

Post more photos of the car when you get it cleaned up.
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green914
post Dec 26 2014, 10:25 AM
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Let the fun begin! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)
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shoguneagle
post Dec 26 2014, 10:28 AM
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Congratulations. Looks like a good project and there are some members from UK here on the site. NOW, for the sickness - you will catch the 914 fever and there is not any cure for it. Congratulations.

Steve Hurt
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JawjaPorsche
post Dec 26 2014, 10:33 AM
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Welcome to the Madness, Darren!

You have came to the right place!

I have received numerous help for needed repairs from members on 914World!

Terry
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EdwardBlume
post Dec 26 2014, 10:33 AM
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(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) :

Looks like a winner!
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Cuda911
post Dec 26 2014, 10:45 AM
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Great! And, Desert Hot Springs is a perfect place to score a 914 from. Lots of affluent retirees, very low humidity, very sparse rain.

Congrats!
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Gustl
post Dec 26 2014, 11:08 AM
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(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) ... from far, far away (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
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76-914
post Dec 26 2014, 11:10 AM
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(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) You shouldn't be too long with it. It likely has very little rust and should be an easy turn around. Cheers (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) Kent
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porbmw
post Dec 26 2014, 11:22 AM
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Looks like a nice car!

They are rare to see on the road here in North America....so I can't imagine the odds of seeing one on the road in England....I was in London this summer for a couple of weeks, didn't see ANY vintage/classic cars of the road.

You will have fun with the car....be patient with the resto process, but not too patient, or your car will be sitting on stands or a hoist.

Don't know if you have driven one yet....you will have fun with it, but become accustomed to it. There are a fun car to drive, but very primitive in comparison to today/s products.

And (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)
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Darren C
post Dec 26 2014, 12:09 PM
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Thanks for the kind words of encouragement. I got a look over the car last weekend and hope to work on it tomorrow. From what I have seen it’s a very solid little car. Having not run for 6 years or so the car was laid up with the presence of mind to overfill the motor with fresh oil, so once drained and set to the correct level the internals should be free from rust. That said I haven’t found anything much at all on the car. The sound proofing pad had fallen off the bulkhead onto the engine so I carefully lifted it out and had a good look in what you guy’s call the “Hell Holes” in both bottom forward corners of the engine bay. They were full of desert sand (almost 2" deep) so I gave them a good vacuum out and the rest of the bay. The good news is ZERO rust in these area’s, only a tiny amount on the corner of the battery tray about the size of a UK penny or a US dime. The metal is really solid so after a good clean I plan to repaint it before the sound proofing pad gets put back in. The paint seems really thin and white primer is showing through on the raised surfaces, bends and edges, plus it looks like they never lacquer clear coated the engine bay when built as its very matt finish. Maybe someone with more knowledge than me can confirm this?

Having a look around the motor it looks like the previous owner removed the thermostat, cable, flaps and linkages from the fan housing (possibly an attempt to give more cooling in Palm Springs?)
In UK it’s much colder so I plan to strip out the Fuel injection, remove the tin ware and re fit the flap assembly back to stock. I started to take off some rubber breather and fuel hoses and they are very brittle and snap clean in two if you try and bend them so these will all need replacing. I suppose that’s the price you pay in return for no rust in a Desert car!
The shopping list gets bigger each day, but I was prepared for it and the car was real cheap in the scheme of things.
Apart from the paint which I knew from the start needed a full respray, the rubber trims running along the top of both front and rear bumpers are completely shot, as are all the window and roof seals. What’s puzzling is the seats, console, and dash are all in real good shape compared to some I looked at on ebay that all seemed to have splits and tears? They just need a good clean. I think I’m gonna have a fair few more vacuum cleaner bags full of Desert sand to come!
No; I've never driven a 914, plenty of air cooled VW's but nothing mid engined. I expect its going to be a well balanced little go-kart.
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SixerJ
post Dec 26 2014, 12:51 PM
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QUOTE(Gustl @ Dec 26 2014, 05:08 PM) *

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) ... from far, far away (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)



(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) .....from not quite so far away

As you said, your now part of an exclusive UK club (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif)

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bandjoey
post Dec 26 2014, 12:58 PM
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Congratulation on a great looking car. Most everything you need can be found here from members and vendors. Enjoy your new Teener.
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Bleyseng
post Dec 26 2014, 01:08 PM
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Nice car and change out all of the fuel lines including the ones at the injectors.
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oldschool
post Dec 26 2014, 01:16 PM
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(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) You'll have have a ton of fun with her.
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Mblizzard
post Dec 26 2014, 01:17 PM
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You will be happier in the long run if you keep the FI.
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messix
post Dec 26 2014, 01:28 PM
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most of what you will need you can order from here http://914rubber.com/
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JRust
post Dec 26 2014, 01:30 PM
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(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) & congrats on the new ride! Look forward to hearing about your progress getting it road worthy again. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) welcome to the madness
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