914-6/904 project begins Options

[JmuRiz]

Glenn: you don't really have an American Roadster do you?!

[garrettlee2]

last year I cut a 904 in half and put a 914 on top and no one bitched. whats the big deal its not a factory race car, plus ever car that gets cut makes mine worth more.

[Unobtanium-inc]

You started this thread to tell the world you'd be cuttin up a historic race car for your project. I'm surprised that you're surprised people actually care. I didn't have the money to save the car when it was on ebay. You keep using that as justification for your decision to cut it up.

The car hsan't been cut yet. And you haven't spent any money modifying the chassis yet. In fact you got money back out of it by selling parts. What I'm offering won't take months to accomplish. And it sounds like you have four other projects and plenty of car related work to do in the mean time.

So what it sounds like you're saying to all of us that care is simply, you don't care about the history and you're going to cut it up anyway. The rest is just justification to ease your conclscience.

And just in case it was unclear. I'm offering to pay shipping both ways, and swap the engine over. That's not costing you anything. Where do you lose thousands?

cheers,
dug

Dug-
As I explained to you over email, since buying the car I put thousands swapping the gearbox and having the car sorted, so if I shipped the car to you, someone I don't know, and have you work on it, not knowing anything about your skill set, and get the car back and there is a problem, do I ship it back to Cali for a tune-up? Your idea is way too out there to be feasible, too many chances for things to go sideways. Not to mention flushing all the money I have already spent down the toilet, only to get a car back from you that I know nothing about.
The big question I guess is why am I supposed to take the $$$ hit on this? I'm the guy who bought a car no one either wanted or wanted to spend any money on.
I haven't been active on this board since I sold my 914/6 back in 2007. But when I wanted a six conversion for this project the first place I went was here. You know what I got offered, at least a half dozen un-finished half assed six conversions that ranged in price from $20,000 to over $30,000. So obviously, no one was going to take a hit on their car, but somehow I'm supposed to take a hit when people want me to give up my car. And don't tell me what I care or don't care about, that's like me telling you if you really cared about this car and it's history you would have sold all your other cars to buy it, but I'm not inside your head or your wallet, so how about you stay out of mine.

[Cracker]

...I hate to break-it-to-you Dug but I really don't think he's going to change his mind. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[bigkensteele]

I just wanted to say, I think putting a 904 body on a 914 is a very cool idea...

I think everyone here thinks it could end up being an amazing car. Some of us just think it's a shame that another equally amazing car has to die in the process.

... There are only around 36 914s that ever ran an IMSA race...

Do we know if the car ever won an IMSA race, much less finished one? Could it be possible that the importance of this particular car may be a bit overstated in some of the pleas to save it?

As far as I know, I am the only person in history to carry my exact name. Does that mean I owe it to society to donate my body to the Smithsonian, and do they owe it to society to display it?

I get it. I really do. I love history, especially old buildings, houses and architecture in general. I cringe when a beautiful old mansion is modernized to make it livable (and safe) in today's world, and I absolutely hate it when historical buildings or homes are razed in the name of progress. However, I also believe in community and the free market. If a property (or car) is important enough to be saved, a community will form and coalesce to save it. If not, as much as it may pain some, progress will swallow history. It has been this way since the beginning, and unfortunately, it will always be so.

If it helps, this will be the first 904 replica with IMSA history. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)

[dug]

Adam-

You have never asked for my credentials, nor asked who would do the work.

I consider the door shut. It was worth a few emails, texts and phone calls and even some public forum posts to see if I could make it happen. I can now sleep at night knowing I made an effort.

To those that asked... No it did not win an IMSA race. No one ever said it did.

cheers,
dug

[Unobtanium-inc]

Do we know if the car ever won an IMSA race, much less finished one? Could it be possible that the importance of this particular car may be a bit overstated in some of the pleas to save it?


If it helps, this will be the first 904 replica with IMSA history. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)

The car did win at Mid-Ohio, and took the checker a few other times in the Ozark Region, but this was recent history.

[EdwardBlume]

FWIW - Dug is a stand up guy who is passionate about our make.

Time to move on. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif)

[gereed75]

Do we know if the car ever won an IMSA race, much less finished one? Could it be possible that the importance of this particular car may be a bit overstated in some of the pleas to save it?

If it helps, this will be the first 904 replica with IMSA history. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)

The car did win at Mid-Ohio, and took the checker a few other times in the Ozark Region, but this was recent history.

Adam, I think there is a big distinction between the car being for sale on Ebay and no one wanted it enough to buy it and now trying to save it from destruction. When the Ebay seller had it, it raced fairly recently and it was not slated for the knife. It is now.

Of course it is your car, you can do what you want, but I think that if you really gave it some objective thought and reason prevailed and you had a bonefide alternative, that the better course is to save it.

Any tub will work for your purposes, there are only so many IMSA history cars.

Good luck with the build.

[mepstein]

It does seem like any tub would do and the owner obviously has Porsche connections for needed parts.

Personally, I would trade one of the 356's or 911's for some cash or fab work for a 904 chassis.

But Its his car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[Unobtanium-inc]

You're right guys, any tub would work, except I needed a running and driving six cylinder car. When I wasn't finding anything even remotely affordable on this board and other places I approached several known builders about bringing them a good chassis and having them build it into a six. They were all very receptive and quoted me around $30,000 for a running driving car.
So this car was my only affordable alternative. It was last raced in 2007, so it had been put out to pasture a long time ago.
When I first posted here I said I would gladly trade the car for a running six conversion, even one with horrible cosmetics, since I was going to skin the car and interior anyway. No takers.
And as to why I didn't just fab up a 904 frame or buy a Beck, it's because when I'm done building those I don't have a Porsche. When I'm done with this car, it's still a Porsche with Porsche DNA. While that might not be important to some, it is very important to me. I kind of channel Dr. Porsche when I build my cars.

[Chris914n6]

I think this whole conversation is mute. If putting a real 904 body on a 914 was feasible somebody would have done it during the past 40 years.

There is absolutely nothing difficult about welding (or bolting) a -6 engine mount to a -4 chassis. The expensive part is the 911 engine and related pieces.

The IMSA chassis, body and susp are worth more. You are going to have to swap out the susp anyways, it's going to be way too stiff for a 904.

[bandjoey]

O! Come on U guys! lets get on with the build! more pictures. cant wait to see it running.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

[Unobtanium-inc]

Rest assured guys, long before I take any blades to the yellow chassis, I am doing all the cuts on the center seat car to dry fit the body. If I cant make it work I will put the yellow car up for sale because I won't need it.

[MMW]

I can't wait to see this project move along. Adam's projects usually are pretty cool.

I never realized 914 guys could be like 356 guys. I guess it happens to any make/model as prices rise.

Adam wrote - "If I cant make it work I will put the yellow car up for sale because I won't need it." -- Should be easy to sell as several posters here will save it.

[Unobtanium-inc]

Mic-
You coming to the open house on the 5th, let me know, I'll save you a place on the front row.
If anyone else wants to come out, free food, and you can check out the whole operation.


Unobtanium Open House
Saturday, September 5th, 2015
12pm to 3pm


I want to invite everyone out to our 2nd Annual Open House at our location in scenic Ravena, NY. We have finally moved our whole operation from the old leather factory in Gloversville, NY. Cars that have not seen the light of day in over a decade are now back in the sun.

There is plenty of parking that is super safe as the Police Station is the only other building on our dead end street. We encourage everyone to bring their Porsche, but if you can't please bring yourself and a few friends. We will have food and drink on hand and the Unobtanium crew of Adam, Matt, and Big John will be there to answer any questions. We might even talk Big John into doing some feats of great strength!

The warehouse normally has 15-20 early Porsche projects to look at as well as shelf after shelf of parts for all your restoration needs. You won't be disappointed if Porsche 356's and early 9 series cars are your passion. In addition, some of our personal collection will be on hand like the 356 A Coupe that won Daytona in 1966. You can also check out the latest shop project - we are converting a 914-6 into a 904 using a real 904 body!

We are hoping Wray from Proshaper can come out with the latest metal he is shaping for our aluminum 550 Spyder project. His website is http://www.proshaper.com if you want to check out his work.

If you want to see pics from last year's open house you can check them out on our blog:

https://unobtaniuminc.wordpress.com/

Last year we lined the street in so many Porsches you would have thought you were in Germany! The shop address is:
Unobtanium
14 W Shore St.
Ravena, NY 12143
518-705-1355
Hope to see you there!




Adam Wright

[Mike Bellis]

Can we get back to building the 904 already? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

I want to see more progress pictures...

[Unobtanium-inc]

Mike-
It was a busy week last week, picked up 29 356's in one swoop, so I was out most of the week, as the song goes, "on the road again"

[KELTY360]

Mike-
It was a busy week last week, picked up 29 356's in one swoop, so I was out most of the week, as the song goes, "on the road again"

...picked up 29 356's in one swoop? Now that's what I call a feat of strength!

[Unobtanium-inc]

Marc-
I had Big John with me, he's the strong one.