Starting a 1971 IMSA 914 Restoration, A privateer run 914 with Sebring and Daytona history Options

[FourBlades]

Been ordering a lot of parts lately. I got these reinforced rear control arms with
911 e-brake set up from Eric Shea a while back. They include Chris Foley's
e-brake cable extensions. They are just beautiful to look at.

I also got a set of Koni adjustable rear shocks with coil over perches.



The front struts also contain Koni adjustables, which are pretty shot. They
compress but don't spring back. I am thinking of having them rebuilt, I saw
a thread on here from someone about it, I think it was Eric Shea.

John

[gms]

Glenn,

They are pure fiberglass. They just left 2-3 inches around the edges to glue the
fiberglass to. All the fenders had been damaged and patched with layers of glass
and bondo.

I think we have the same Gottis. Mine have center caps and are painted
differently than yours but they are the same otherwise.

I was thinking of ditching the center caps because you are not allowed to run
them in races now and I am guessing it was the same back then. I was also
going to repaint them in a frosted silver color. Maybe I should paint the centers
gold tone like yours.

What is the history of your other IMSA 914-6?

John

You can just mount new fiberglass now and save the originals
The gold centers would look nice and period correct.
The 2nd IMSA car ran in 1979 and 1980, DNF in 24 Hour of Daytona in 1980
(Photo by Jan Hettler)

[maf914]

Looking at the struts and sway bars on the car. Does anyone recognize this sway
bar arm? For some reason, RSR comes to my mind.

This looks like an aftermarket Charley Bar, it was somewhere around 22mm.

Actually those arms look exactly like the arms on the H&H bar on my car. My bar is 19mm, but they also came in 21mm. I still have the old data sheets and installation instructions. I have the H&H non-adjustable 16mm bar on the rear. These are pretty basic sway bar kits, not like the spiffy Tarret and Smart Racing bars.

[gms]

John,
I went with a smaller fuel cell even though it is not the original, I do not need 22 gallons in a race and I was able to move it back 6" and lower it 4"

first picture 22 gallon fuel cell
second picture 12 gallon fuel cell

[FourBlades]

Glenn,

I am doing the same thing, getting a 10 gallon fuel cell and adding more bracing
to the front of the car. I am sticking with dual fuel pumps in the same location
as before with dual relays controlled from switches in the cockpit.

I am keeping all the original fiberglass fenders and buying new ones.

Got new restoration design floors, including the special they are doing now on
the rear floor, reinforcing tracks, and seat mounts. A great deal, I ordered 2
sets (1 for the red car). I think it took less than a week between ordering and
having them on my front door. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)



Just gotta flip the car and weld these puppies in. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif)

John

[carr914]

I think my friend over in New Smynra still has the Gotti's that I used to have that I know came off a different IMSA 914-6

Never mind, I talked to my friend John, and he sold the wheels to someone in Australia.

Did you get a motor yet? My above friend John is now working for Brumos and can't do anything that competes, so he shut down his Porsche Parts business. He is selling everything. He wants to sell everything in one chunk, but get a hold of him, you never know. He goes by "9Werks" here on this board. Send him a pm and tell him I gave you the info. He is up in New Smyrna

T.C.

[FourBlades]

T.C.

I have a 2.5 motor in the works.

I think the Gottis I have were also used in IMSA racing. I saw a similar set
with no tires on ebay for $2000. I scored getting these for $500 with new tires.

I am thinking of an early 911 for my next project. I have a friend who wants
the red 914 and wants to restore it. We'll see because I'd like to get rid of it
and make room for a new car...

John

[FourBlades]

Flip Your 914 the CSOB - Redux

Front suspension mount points are toast so I could not rock this car on my 914
rocker. I had to flip it a different way to replace the floor pans. The car has a
solid roll cage in it which gave me an idea.



I wasn't sure the garage was wide enough to allow for a roll over. Some careful
calculations followed. Car is 150 CM high times pi (mmm pie!) um carry the two,
think about 69, oh f*ck it! Just push it over and see what happens!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)



Just to make it look dramatic. Car is actually quite stable this way.



Catch it with an ATV jack. My wife actually helped with the whole thing.

[FourBlades]

Gently lower the car down. Did not dent the side at all.



Best East Coast 914 Choppers glare.



Now the old floors can come out.

John

[FourBlades]

Let's open this tin can!



MMM, tasty!

A little cleanup, a few spot welds to drill out and I will make MUSR 2015.

John

[carr914]

You are a Mad Dog !

I mean that in a good way (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[krazykonrad]

Hope you can get it rolled back over when you're done! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Great post and great project! Best of luck! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

Konrad

[ChrisFoley]

You nutcase! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[FourBlades]

> You are a Mad Dog !

Its been mentioned before. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

Drilled out the spot welds and removed the old floors. Had some help from Sean
and his friend Mike, which saved a lot of time.

Removed all the rusty tubes. The clutch tube is still in good shape. Will put a new
accelerator cable tube back in and weld up all the holes. Will reinforce the clutch
tube while I am in here.

Started cleaning the dash area which has lots of holes, rust and damage.

Much easier to get to this with the car upside down.



After the floors, still have to fix the hell hole, front trunk, and front fascia.

John

[Hontec]

Damn, kudos for rolling the car in your garage... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Still have some work ahead I see..... but looking good!!

[FourBlades]

Thanks Randall. The whole front of the car is rusted out or I could have used a
more traditional rotisserie. This was the only way I could figure out to get access
to the floors.

I am loving following your build. You are taking it to a level we don't usually
see on here.

John

[Hontec]

Thanks Randall. The whole front of the car is rusted out or I could have used a
more traditional rotisserie. This was the only way I could figure out to get access
to the floors.

I am loving following your build. You are taking it to a level we don't usually
see on here.

John

Thank's! but I'm following this one! Can't wait to see how you're going to fix up the nose. Mine has a front plate that needs to be replaced as well...showing some evidence of previous damage....something I cannot accept.....

keep up the good work and the creative chassis rollers.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) loving it!!

[FourBlades]

Test fitting the new floors.



You can see how rotten the front of the car is.



Floors are mostly welded in!



John

[FourBlades]

Here is the replacement piece that Terry (914xprs) cut off a parts car for me. He
had it to me less than a week after I talked to him about it, including shipping.
A good guy to work with.



It had a cut out for an air conditioner, which does not matter to me because I am
putting in a front oil cooler anyway. It will be fun surgically replacing the old stuff
with this. Terry also sent me a new headlight bucket to replace one which was
shot.

I will need to build some kind of jig to preserve the suspension mounting point
positions when I remove the front floor. I wanted to replace the floors first to
have something solid to weld the jig to.

John

[trojanhorsepower]

Ask Hontec if you can borrow his. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)