Hi Fourteeners,

I'm Chris.

I just bought this gold 72 1.7 from the second owner who owned it for 40 years! It is in really amazingly well preserved *almost* rust free, *almost* original condition. It has about 70k miles on it. It lived most all of its life in the high desert of so cal, owned by an engineer who maintained it himself (with a log!).

Unfortunately I didn't do a compression test on it before I bought it, and now I see that it has two cylinders at 130 and two at 165. And the 130 cylinders are not on the same side....

Anyway, I just thought I'd introduce myself.

Here's a question; I think I'm going to keep driving the original, 1.7 matching numbers mill for a while. But, I'd like to put a reasonably fresh 2.0 motor in there. Any advice on my options? Long block? Used rebuild? FI v. carbs?

Best,
Chris

Click to view attachment

Damn....pretty car...oh yea..Welcome!

So jealous!

Congrats

That car looks familiar. Is the previous owner a member here?

Mark from Original Customs in Sonoma can build you a screaming 2056 (2.1L) engine, but whatever you do, don't sell the original engine.
Numbers matching cars are getting rare ...



PS:

Nice car Chris and best of luck. Post more pictures when you get a chance.

Have you checked to see if all the valves are properly adjusted on the 2 with 130#? It could just be out of adjustment enough to cause that due to disuse by the PO or a long time since last adjustment.

If it were me, I'd keep the matching nos. 1.7 in it with a car this original, & maybe punch it out to 1911 or something to get more power - & so long as it all looks stock from the outside, it will look OE, but with more power.

Being the `72 1.7, even in fully stock form it will have more power than any of the later CA 1.7/1.8's & almost as much as the heavily detuned 75-76 GC 2.0's.

So in the interim you may be able to just do a top-end on it or valve job - if the valves are burned.

Otherwise if you go the GA 2.0, 2056 or bigger route, do save that 1.7 & store it properly.

Thanks, everybody.

The 130 is, unfortunately, after the valve adjustment. *sigh*

I don't know if there previous owner was on here--he's 88 and had a friend help him with the listing online. But maybe. The blue CA license plate reads "72 IXXIV".

Does anyone know the car?

I'm definitely keeping the numbers matching engine! I'm thinking that maybe the best thing to do for resale is just do the top end and keep it stock.

But in the mean time I wouldn't mind 20 or so more horses...

My mechanic is quoting big numbers for the top end. What should that cost--done right?

Here's a pic of the car with her biggest fan...

If you're ever up in Sonoma, stop by. I would love to see the gold in person. Mine is supposed to be that color and I can't wait to go back. Mine's also the 1.7, but with the turbo on it it's a ton of fun.

Rebuilding the heads and connecting rods, and installing new pistons and cylinders can be somewhere around $2000. Depends a lot on what's discovered inside.

But a 2056 is a great engine. 2270 is even better. And then it goes up from there, depending on how much you want to spend and how fast you want to go.

That license plate is bad ass...

A good 4->1 header will really wake up that 1.7
Who needs heat?

Just build the engine with a 96MM "big bore "kit. Better not to use the stock heads as the 96's are too big and get very thin where they fit into the head. My recomendation is to go to "www.HAMHEADS.com" and get a set of big valve new heads with the stock spark plug locations from Len Hoffman. I have a 1911 with len's heads ,mine has a cam and 40 MM carbs and gets about 100HP. Use a stock cam if you are keeping the FI.

I really dig the gold paint job ... respray or original? I also like the way "PORSCHE" has been compressed to accommodate some grill badges. You probably already know this, but your rear view mirror is upside down.

Very nice car. I would take your time and evaluate your engine options for the best fit for your needs. Tons of information on this site and some very talented people who will advise you how best to proceed. Terrific car to start with.

I always say a 70's car should have a nice 70's color, but I'm a bit biased. I am also the 3rd owner of a gold 72 1.7!! owned it almost 5 years. no regrets about the purchase.

I'd recommend driving it for awhile before committing much additional money. I've wasted money on projects I thought I wanted only to figure out later I wished I'd done something else. but maybe that's half the fun?

oh, and

Congratulations! That car just looks......pure.

We'd like to see a few more pictures…….?

Chris, make sure you insure your car with a proper valuation and not what you paid for it. If a surviver and a part time car (?), I'd call Hagerty and insure it for no less than $15K. It will probably cost around $250 per year, more or less.

I like your car, Chris. If mine wasn't blue, I think I would want it gold.

Thanks again for the warm welcome. I'm looking forward to learning a lot more here from you all.

The gold is a respray that is pretty good quality, but old an not an exact match. It feels a little yellow, and maybe a touch metal-flakey compared to the paint in the trunks and door jams. But it is fine for now. It suits the 70s time machine theme. I need to take better pix of the stickers in the back window but they are from porsche parades in (I think) 75, 77 and 78. The "aspen 78" has an appropriately groovy font.

The big bore top end is a very appealing option. This car really wants to have a super stock appearance (I'm keeping the steelies) and that would fit perfectly with that aesthetic, cost less and give me a small power boost and be totally reversible for originality purposes, with he stock heads, barrels, pistons (rods?) in a box in case the next owner wants to win concours.

How do you know if the bottom end is strong enough to warrant a rebuild?

That said...a 2056 is exciting to think about. Then I'd switch to carbs, but I do want heat and a stock looking muffler.

I'm not nuts about the compressed porsche script on the back. The badges (old PCA ones) are sun damaged and I prefer the cleaner look.

Has somebody quantified the correct spacing for the letters? I'd like to switch that back.

I appreciate the tip about Haggerty. I got GREAT quotes from them, half of the Allstate I use for my other cars. But I was concerned about driving restrictions. I had two conversations with folks at Haggerty asking what would constitute a violation of the restrictions and they said that running errands, driving to work or picking up my kid at school. It is NOT a daily driver. I want to preserve it and use it for fun drives. But I also want to use it however I want whenever I want.

Maybe I just had two bad phone calls, but that put me off.

What experiences have other people had with haggerty?

Congrats, sweet looking ride. from the UK contingent. Considering all the other potential issues thes cars can have, the engine is about a 2 on the 1-10 scale

Sorry forgot to add in the answer to your Porsche letter spacing question, the search function is really useful tool

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...letter++spacing

BTW your rear view mirror looks as if it's spun 180?

Surprised about the bad phones calls as Hagerty is typically very well run.

I typically run my car 2500-3500 miles a year (being stored in the winter here in salt ladened NJ). If that's about what you're guessing you'll do, Hgaerty should work much better than Allstate.

Nobody from Hagerty is going to check your odometer and there's no better excuse for driving than taking the care to your mechanic, wink wink, nod nod.

I use american family for my classic car insurance. $120/year for full coverage and I can drive it how i want. I don't remember how many miles they give me, maybe 3k a year but if i want more its only $5.00/thousand miles. PA also has lenient restrictions for driving an antique car so I have no problem driving to work or play. Neither the police or my insurance company ever ask anything about my driving but I want to play by the rules in case there's ever an incident.

There ya go. Insurance is the first order of business on your agenda.

Looks like American Family insurance isn't offered in the SF area.

... or in So Cal either


My first 914 (a '71 that I purchased in '73) was gold too, including the sails and a smoothed targa-top.

It had been rebuilt into a 1.8L and had Dan Gurney/McAffe 'clone' wheels.

Goalie just got back from Bill Eason shop in Oakland. While it was there it got new Bilstien struts/shocks a new steering rack, turbo tie rods, alignment and a thorough going over.

Check the new stance!

Wow