To Do List for Bumblebee that needs to be bulletproof, What would you do? Options

[jhynesrockmtn]

So I bought this Bumblebee on BAT that was extensively restored around 2000 and has seen little use since. My plan is to drive it, including to Rennsport in 2023 and other 914 events in the future like Octeenerfest.

So the car runs and drives and is in overall excellent condition. It does "hunt" at idle and has a slight miss under acceleration. However, 20+ years of sitting and having original plastic fuel lines has me planning a winter "refresh" geared toward proactively making the car as reliable as possible. Still running the Djet FI which I want to keep.

Please add to my list to help with projects I will do over the winter. I will drop the engine as part of this process.

Here is what I have so far:

SS fuel line kit from Tangerine Racing
New rubber fuel lines
New vacuum lines
New fuel filter
Take fuel injectors to Mr. Injector for testing - he is local to me
Inspect fuel tank, replace tank screen
Replace TPS board
New spark plugs and ignition wires
Install 123ignition distributor
Valve adjustment
New fan belt
Oil and trans fluid change
Send fuel injection harness to Jeff Bowlsby for inspection
Brakes seem good, will flush and replace soft brake lines
Seat belts re webbed
Inspect shifter bushings, replace as necessary
Install turbo tie rod kit
Install engine firewall pad - was left out of restoration
Clock is inop, send to get converted to quartz
Replace clutch and throttle cables, keep current for spares
Inspect clutch components with engine/trans out
Inspect wheel bearings - repack/replace as necessary
New tires, set ride height (front is a bit proud to my eye) and align
Inspect all suspension bushings
Replace side graphic with new from 914Rubber

What am I missing?

[jhynesrockmtn]

Thanks all. Excellent suggestions. As to originality vs. improve, I lean toward improve as long as any changes are reversible and hard to detect. I'll keep any removed parts like the distributor that gets replaced.

I'll update this as I go through the car this winter. I hope to meet as many of you as possible over the next several years at events.

[jhynesrockmtn]

So I bought this Bumblebee on BAT that was extensively restored around 2000 and has seen little use since. My plan is to drive it, including to Rennsport in 2023 and other 914 events in the future like Octeenerfest.

So the car runs and drives and is in overall excellent condition. It does "hunt" at idle and has a slight miss under acceleration. However, 20+ years of sitting and having original plastic fuel lines has me planning a winter "refresh" geared toward proactively making the car as reliable as possible. Still running the Djet FI which I want to keep.

Please add to my list to help with projects I will do over the winter. I will drop the engine as part of this process.

Here is what I have so far:

SS fuel line kit from Tangerine Racing
New rubber fuel lines
New vacuum lines
New fuel filter
Take fuel injectors to Mr. Injector for testing - he is local to me
Inspect fuel tank, replace tank screen
Replace TPS board
New spark plugs and ignition wires
Install 123ignition distributor
Valve adjustment
New fan belt
Oil and trans fluid change
Send fuel injection harness to Jeff Bowlsby for inspection
Brakes seem good, will flush and replace soft brake lines
Seat belts re webbed
Inspect shifter bushings, replace as necessary
Install turbo tie rod kit
Install engine firewall pad - was left out of restoration
Clock is inop, send to get converted to quartz
Replace clutch and throttle cables, keep current for spares
Inspect clutch components with engine/trans out
Inspect wheel bearings - repack/replace as necessary
New tires, set ride height (front is a bit proud to my eye) and align
Inspect all suspension bushings
Replace side graphic with new from 914Rubber

What am I missing?

Great looking car! IIRC this is now the fifth bee in the neighborhood… soon we will have a swarm. Ours needs some love but could be ready for next summer… we should all meet up? We can start a thread early next year (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Swarm, excellent! My kids, Grandkids and many friends are on the westside. I moved from West Seattle to Spokane in 2013. I'd love to connect in person. We have quite a few Teeners in the Spokane area.

[Jett]

So I bought this Bumblebee on BAT that was extensively restored around 2000 and has seen little use since. My plan is to drive it, including to Rennsport in 2023 and other 914 events in the future like Octeenerfest.

So the car runs and drives and is in overall excellent condition. It does "hunt" at idle and has a slight miss under acceleration. However, 20+ years of sitting and having original plastic fuel lines has me planning a winter "refresh" geared toward proactively making the car as reliable as possible. Still running the Djet FI which I want to keep.

Please add to my list to help with projects I will do over the winter. I will drop the engine as part of this process.

Here is what I have so far:

SS fuel line kit from Tangerine Racing
New rubber fuel lines
New vacuum lines
New fuel filter
Take fuel injectors to Mr. Injector for testing - he is local to me
Inspect fuel tank, replace tank screen
Replace TPS board
New spark plugs and ignition wires
Install 123ignition distributor
Valve adjustment
New fan belt
Oil and trans fluid change
Send fuel injection harness to Jeff Bowlsby for inspection
Brakes seem good, will flush and replace soft brake lines
Seat belts re webbed
Inspect shifter bushings, replace as necessary
Install turbo tie rod kit
Install engine firewall pad - was left out of restoration
Clock is inop, send to get converted to quartz
Replace clutch and throttle cables, keep current for spares
Inspect clutch components with engine/trans out
Inspect wheel bearings - repack/replace as necessary
New tires, set ride height (front is a bit proud to my eye) and align
Inspect all suspension bushings
Replace side graphic with new from 914Rubber

What am I missing?

Great looking car! IIRC this is now the fifth bee in the neighborhood… soon we will have a swarm. Ours needs some love but could be ready for next summer… we should all meet up? We can start a thread early next year (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Swarm, excellent! My kids, Grandkids and many friends are on the westside. I moved from West Seattle to Spokane in 2013. I'd love to connect in person. We have quite a few Teeners in the Spokane area.

That’s great! Look forward to the progression.

[KELTY360]

Whoa! That’s a great list to work from. I’ve just bought a Bumblebee off ebay with just over 20k miles that’s been sitting since 1987. I’ll be working to resurrect it over the winter and this thread gives a great road map although mine lost it’s FI for dual Webers years ago.

I’ll start a thread once I get started. Look forward to joining the Swarm. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[JeffBowlsby]

Confirmed. USA market LEs had the standard USA red hella lenses. I recently aquired a new set from Gaudin that were made in Italy. Fit well, look great.

[jhynesrockmtn]

You've gotten great info here. And your list is perfect. I'd also test that the MPS holds vacuum, i second replacing all engine bay harnesses and agree with superhawk about checking the torsion bars. Not sure how "stock" you want to make this car, but you have euro tail light lenses, which I believe never came on LEs (@JeffBowlsby please confirm). If they're in good shape you can probably get good dough for those and find some original US spec Hellas. Great looking car...bought well. Enjoy!

Thanks Ian. The front lenses are euro as well. Another point brought up during the auction. They are in great shape. I do like the look better than the US versions but will see what I have or pick some up. I have a 72 project car with all of that stuff in boxes if they were the same as the 74.

[jhynesrockmtn]

Buy two of all the little parts so you have spares in the car for long journeys.

I'm in the process of doing just that. Recently picked up an NOS voltage regulator, spare MPS, rebuilt relay board.

I luckily have a spare GA code engine with all of its FI components including the ECU I got with another car from a buddy years back. Supposedly only 40k original miles on that motor.

[jhynesrockmtn]

You might try these guys

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[jhynesrockmtn]

Very large 914rubber.com order just placed and another one with Tangerine Racing. Thanks to the amazing vendors that support this sickness!

[Superhawk996]

Buy two of all the little parts so you have spares in the car for long journeys.

I luckily have a spare GA code engine with all of its FI components including the ECU I got with another car from a buddy years back. Supposedly only 40k original miles on that motor.

Well then, just buy a small trailer. Put spare motor on trailer - ready to road trip! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

I’m not sure I understand the bring spares of everything philosophy. My original 914 was my daily driver for over 100k miles. Driven back and forth between Michigan and Florida for spring break a couple times with only a toolbox, spare points, distributor cap, rotor. Never needed to use any of it. That was in a pre-cell phone, pre-internet, pre-Amazon, pre-overnight shipping.

If you go through the car, updating the items you’ve laid out, you’ll have a reliable ride. Then, put some shakedown mileage on it to put any infant failure parts, or initial mis-assembly concerns behind you.

After that parts failures are highly random. Would you bring a spare set of rear wheel bearings and the equipment to press them out? Front wheel bearings and grease? Maybe spare seals for the brakes? Maybe a spare ECU? Spare Injectors? Spare relay board? You see where this is going. At the logical extreme you’re flat towing a second parts car.

Take care upfront, as you are, you’ll be fine. In this day and age, you have a phone/computer in your pocket and the world at your fingertips + overnight shipping. You’ll be fine - enjoy the ride.

[worn]

As long as you are dropping the engine, I would take off the intakes, plenum, and throttle body,.... clean them thoroughly, and reinstall with new gaskets and connecting hose. In addition, I would make sure the plenum is rust free and any holes and/or seams are either welded or J.B. welded. Unless you know your throttle body is 100%, you might want to have that serviced as well. Finally, make sure your MPS and AAR valve are functioning properly. IMHO, all of these things are likely to help your FI system function better.

And the engine tin to get the mice off of the cylinders...

But, really you are getting a combination of the "sum of all fears", or perhaps the sum of all fails. Problems that have stranded many before. My experience driving the way you plan to is that most of the problems are from something I didn't expect. You can replace 10% of the parts and still have a 50 year old car. Therefore, my advice is to:
Trust the car to do the drive, but listen if and when it sends you signs that it is struggling with something. Find a safe place and stop.
Be able to get under the car safely. A floor jack and some form of jack stands weigh a lot, but go a long way.
Plan extra time so that you can hole up somewhere while overnight parts arrive.
Plan extra money so that you can hole up somewhere while extra parts arrive.
The 914 events generally have a bunch of spare parts collectively, just don't scratch my car harvesting donor parts. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

If I lived in Spokane I would probably be so much wrapped up in mountain drives I would never go anywhere far. And in a bumblebee!

[jhynesrockmtn]

Buy two of all the little parts so you have spares in the car for long journeys.

I luckily have a spare GA code engine with all of its FI components including the ECU I got with another car from a buddy years back. Supposedly only 40k original miles on that motor.

Well then, just buy a small trailer. Put spare motor on trailer - ready to road trip! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

I’m not sure I understand the bring spares of everything philosophy. My original 914 was my daily driver for over 100k miles. Driven back and forth between Michigan and Florida for spring break a couple times with only a toolbox, spare points, distributor cap, rotor. Never needed to use any of it. That was in a pre-cell phone, pre-internet, pre-Amazon, pre-overnight shipping.

If you go through the car, updating the items you’ve laid out, you’ll have a reliable ride. Then, put some shakedown mileage on it to put any infant failure parts, or initial mis-assembly concerns behind you.

After that parts failures are highly random. Would you bring a spare set of rear wheel bearings and the equipment to press them out? Front wheel bearings and grease? Maybe spare seals for the brakes? Maybe a spare ECU? Spare Injectors? Spare relay board? You see where this is going. At the logical extreme you’re flat towing a second parts car.

Take care upfront, as you are, you’ll be fine. In this day and age, you have a phone/computer in your pocket and the world at your fingertips + overnight shipping. You’ll be fine - enjoy the ride.

Point taken, I'll try not to get too carried away and pack a whole car full of spares on a road trip :-)

[kerensky]

I’m not sure I understand the bring spares of everything philosophy. ... You’ll be fine - enjoy the ride.

Point taken, I'll try not to get too carried away and pack a whole car full of spares on a road trip :-)

Most cars have a few known weak spots that are good to carry spares for. My experience with 80s/90s watercooled VWs leads me to carry a spare fuel pump relay. That's a good example of a small, inexpensive part that fails somewhat frequently, is easy to carry as a spare, easy to replace, and whose failure means you're not going anywhere. I mean, there's a reason we carry spare tires, right? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Besides, in my experience the best way to keep any part from breaking is to have a spare handy! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[worn]

I’m not sure I understand the bring spares of everything philosophy. ... You’ll be fine - enjoy the ride.

Point taken, I'll try not to get too carried away and pack a whole car full of spares on a road trip :-)

Most cars have a few known weak spots that are good to carry spares for. My experience with 80s/90s watercooled VWs leads me to carry a spare fuel pump relay. That's a good example of a small, inexpensive part that fails somewhat frequently, is easy to carry as a spare, easy to replace, and whose failure means you're not going anywhere. I mean, there's a reason we carry spare tires, right? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Besides, in my experience the best way to keep any part from breaking is to have a spare handy! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I should have added things that will help you stand conditions. For example, a knit hat is the lightest effective protection from the cold. Water. Etc.

[DBF]

Remember Number 10 of You might own a classic porsche if:

You buy up used spare parts "just in case"...oddly enough, every time something goes wrong on the car, you don't have a spare.

[jhynesrockmtn]

I thought I would update this thread with a post mortem of my work on the car and my trip to Rennsport and back.

When the car arrived after my BAT purchase I put a few hundred miles on it. It started and ran ok. Hesitated under acceleration. The fuel lines near the pump were leaking. The front end felt "loose".

I ended up making contact through the Bird site with two previous owners and got a better history of the car. Most of what had been done was rust repair and paint and an engine rebuild to euro specs. He also indicated the transmission was rebuilt. More on that later.

In anticipation of driving this to Rennsport in 2023 I spent some time over the winter, spring and summer on a much longer list of things than I originally anticipated.

This was the original list.

SS fuel line kit from Tangerine Racing - Done
New rubber fuel lines - Done
New vacuum lines - Done
New fuel filter - Done
Take fuel injectors to Mr. Injector for testing - he is local to me - Done and tested
Inspect fuel tank, replace tank screen- Fuel tank was rusty, bought new
Replace TPS board - Did this but the Throttle body seemed worn and I couldn't get the new board dialed in so I threw one off of a 73 I have that was in better shape. I need to get the 74 throttle body redone.
New spark plugs and ignition wires - Done
Install 123ignition distributor - Done
Valve adjustment - Done
New fan belt - Done
Oil and trans fluid change - Done
Send fuel injection harness to Jeff Bowlsby for inspection - New harnesses bought and installed
Brakes seem good, will flush and replace soft brake lines - I ended up sending the calipers to PMB and did new soft lines and a few of the hard lines.
Seat belts re webbed - bought new belts from seat belt planet, kept the old ones
Inspect shifter bushings, replace as necessary - Tangerine firewall bushing installed, new bronze bushing
Install turbo tie rod kit - Done and more
Install engine firewall pad - was left out of restoration - Done
Clock is inop, send to get converted to quartz - bought repro clock from AA, doesn't work but that is likely a wiring issue, clock quality is very questionable.
Replace clutch and throttle cables, keep current for spares - Done but throttle cable quality on new was bad, put old one back on.
Inspect clutch components with engine/trans out - took clutch from another motor I inherited from a buddy that looked brand new and used that.
Inspect wheel bearings - repack/replace as necessary - Did new bearings front and rear
New tires, set ride height (front is a bit proud to my eye) and align - Done
Inspect all suspension bushings - This lead me down a replacement rabbit hole
Replace side graphic with new from 914Rubber - Done

After inspecting the suspension bushings, I ended up taking apart the whole front and rear suspension and sent the steering rack to 914rubber to be rebuilt, installed new bushings, new bearings, ball joints, turbo tie rod kit and new koni sport shocks. Thanks to @iankarr for his great videos, Paragon Products for the Koni's and 914rubber and PMB for the bushings and other bits. I used this as an excuse to buy a shop press as well :-)

[jhynesrockmtn]

I checked the compression before removing the engine along with the trans. It was very good and consistent, 145 to 150 lbs.

The clutch was in ok shape but I had an almost brand new one that was newer in a motor I inherited from a buddy. I pulled that and installed it. Did new push rod tube seals and other gaskets. I ended up using a throttle body from that 73 that was in much better shape. The 123 was installed with new wires, new wiring harnesses from Mr. Bowlsby, rebuilt alternator and starter, re freshed injectors and new fuel and vacuum hoses. I installed new throttle, clutch and speedo cables. The old ones functioned fine but they all had electrical tape on them indicating failing outer covering. They were kept as spares. One item of note. I busted the threaded part of the new throttle cable. I didn't think I over torqued it. It just looks cheap. I'll look closer at these when buying them in the future. The old one went back in. New RMS and trans output shaft seals were installed.






With the project creep and my own procrastination, I ended up putting the car back on the road 2 weeks before some buddies and I left for Rennsport. I string aligned it in my shop.

We did 2,500 round trip miles. I loaded the car up with lots of tools and spares. Too many in the end.

We had a great trip and I have a list of to do's from this long shake down cruise.

The good - car ran great, handled sooo nice and is much more refined than my 70 1.7 car.

The bad - trans leaks pretty bad. Not sure what happened. I'm also struggling to get it in first gear. It will come back out soon to check. I also had an electrical issue and am blowing the fuse for the tach, gauges, etc. I need to track that down.

Other items - I ran out of time to install the new carpet I ended up ordering. I also have a Jwest fuse panel to install. While I have the engine out this time I'll install new motor and trans mounts. This may be part of my shifting issue. I had an occasional hot start issue. Will install the relay fix. My buddy did it ont the trip. We had to push start his 74 almost every fuel stop.

This pic was taken in front of the famous Borgs Motel in Monterey!

[scallyk9]

Great work! Coming along very nicely! Love the part about "I used this as an excuse to buy a ........". Felt like deja vu.

[dstudeba]

The bad - trans leaks pretty bad. Not sure what happened. I'm also struggling to get it in first gear. It will come back out soon to check.

Thanks for the update, I remember this thread. I will be interested in how you solve the first gear issue as I have problems with first gear also. Hoping that a Tangerine linkage kit and a RennShift will solve my problem.

[Cairo94507]

Great progress and nice to have a shake down trip under the belt. If you have not already, I would replace every vacuum line on the motor while it is out. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)