Newbie on the 914 board - just bought a '74 2.0 from my uncle (who bought the car new). It's actually in transit from Florida and supposed to arrive tomorrow. In anticipation of its arrival (and my desire to get it on the road asap) I'm looking for some guidance.

The car's been sitting. He started it monthly and let the oil come to temp but other than moving onto the transporter it's really not been run much. I'm planning to change the oil right away and probably flushing brake fluid, inspecting pads, and replacing ignition parts in the next couple weeks. Anything else I should be aware of? I'm not unfamiliar with VW engines but it's been awhile and never owned a 914 (though lusted for years!). Thanks in advance.

Aaron in Indianapolis

Top quote Cap'n Ron, "Take her out for a spin. If anything is going to happen, it's going to happen out there!" Seriously, change the fluids, you'll probably need to change out all the vacuum lines and definitely the fuel lines under the tank, in the engine compartment and the tunnel. Check brakes for functionality and that none of the calipers are frozen up. Check for rust in the longs, beneath the battery, floor behind the seats and floor beneath the pedal cluster. That will keep you busy for a few hours. Then report back.

Old fuel lines that crack and possibly leak (whoops, 76-914 mentioned that...). Be prepared for a deluge of welcome to the world and this thread is worthless w/o pix So I'll start



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have fun!

enjoy and ask a lot of questions! Just be careful of what you get in return for a answer! A lot of ass hattery around here!!!!

Welcome to the madness. We are glad you are one of us!

Wow, I'm under/overwhelmed by the welcome! Sounds like nuthin' special to be worried about other than a 41 year old car (and I've read the battery box horror stories). I promise to add pics when I can - the ones I have are of it in a garage when I went to look it over, with layers of dust - not presentable for 914 connoisseurs. Glad to be a teener... I think!?

Clean and repack your bearings as well, if the tires are quite old don't trust them. A big welcome to you, this is the very best place to be for a 914 owner!

Ian Stott
Moncton
Canada

Bet you can't wait. All my uncles had crap cars.

Best of luck

You are in for the time of your life, I just wish I could see the reaction on your face the first time you get her up to speed and enjoy the handling!! Check your TIRES!!!

Enjoy, listen to this group as they are the best in the world for support, information and education as it pertains to this great, epic sportscar.

The one thing I would say is be prepared to be patient when you shift with the Porsche 901 Transmission, most are fickle, and prefer a pause between gears, this is not a Honda gearbox!
That said the gears are set well for low horsepower momentum driving and you will love the whole experience of driving this gem!!

Again welcome to a great club

Vysoc

Welcome. The 914 is pretty much a cult car these days; and a very active cult at that! Road safety should be your first focus. So, look for leaks and condition of tires and brakes. If the tires are more than 4 years old, look at them closely for check cracking. If you see any cracking on any single tire......replace all four tires. A tire failure at speed is the last thing you want to have to deal with.

When changing fluids, do not forget to change out the transmission lube. Often overlooked and it will affect shifting..

And, as mentioned, the #1 enemy of 914's is structural rust. So, pay attention to the advice given earlier. Rust in a fender is unsightly and hard to stomach. But, rust in a longitudinal can be life threatening if the long fails catestropohically at speed.

And, lastly, since you live in Indianapolis, think about coming to the BBQ that Garold Shaffer sponsors every year. He is in northern Indiana. You'll meet a great group of 914 owners at that event. The BBQ takes place in August and Garold has an invitation in a thread on this forum. Look for it to get the specifics.

I attended for the first time last year and there were about 20 nice cars there, and an even larger group of owners who did not bring cars (I didn't). This year, I'll bring my /6 conversion car.

Have fun!

Cult!? Holy crap, what have I gotten into? More great info guys and I'm taking notes. I planned to replace the tires straight away, waiting to see what's on it. At the risk of starting a "what oil do you use thread" is there a tire or tires that are common? I know the stock size isn't readily available, thinking I'll go 195/60/15 so interested in brands/models.

Agree with fluid changes, tuneup, brake and tire check as first order of business.

Also agree that rust in the longs can be a killer, typically right side suffers thanks to the battery. Pull the rocker panels to clean out debris and for a good look at the longs.

I'd also get rid of the gas in the tank and fill her up with fresh. I know it was mentioned to examine your fuel lines including those in the tunnel, and if original they are plastic and prone to fail in their old age - plan on installing stainless tunnel lines as a needed upgrade.

Lots to do potentially, but once you start driving her you'll figure out what is good, what is in need of repair at some point, and what needs to be repaired right away.

Not only does he throw a BBQ, Garold is a good source for used parts, and Brad Mayuer of 914 Limited (and a member here) over in Illinois has a good reputation for repairs . And the list goes on and on for members who are also vendors - you'll learn them in time.

Welcome to the madness!

Check the tank for surface rust also. It will clog the fuel line screen in the bottom of the tank. and get some pictures! We like pictures!

Another 914 running in Indiana.

welcome to the madness.

Lots of great people and help here on the world.



I host a BBQ every year. This year will be August 15th. I'm right up I65 in Portage.
Click HERE for more info.

Welcome.

My uncle was a hot rodder in the 50's. That's where I got my interest in cars and taking things apart. It was a stretch for my dad to change the oil.
R.I.P. both of them.

On the calendar Garold, thanks! That gives me a target date to get everything sorted out enough for that long of a drive!!

arsprod,
I've been lurking here for MANY years. I am REPAIRING a 1972 1.7 and have used a lot of good information from the posters hers. There are some EXPERTS and some very experienced teeners here. My only advice is to Listen to them, you won't be sorry.
I'm in INDY too, so PM me and we can talk about my experience. Remember, mine is a repair, not a restoration. I am not one of the experts.

Indydad

Beer will usually buy you lots of help. I'm not offing my welcome until I see a photo of the car to prove your actually joining the brotherhood

How about a photo of his jack stands??

--DD

OK gents, she's finally here and so are the pics. I won't show the pictures with 10+ years of dust though all I did was a quick wash and vacuum.












Second top, looks like lexan or some other kind of plastic,

Battery box looks like it's been worked on


Weber conversion


This is the original invoice, pretty expensive for 41 years ago!


I took it out (I know, impatient) and it runs pretty darn good! The only thing I can tell that doesn't work is the temp gauge (or it runs really cold). The tires are in great shape - really surprised. Tomorrow, fluids change

Zambezi green, great color. Looks nice. That is a "saratoga" top and very much sought after. Good score on the car. You will find it drives much better with a different carb setup. Either dual carbs or back to fuel injection.

Nice! Interior looks good. Good score!

I thought original injection was crap (on 74's)?

No jackstands!!!

Very nice, congrats.

Also concur that a single carb setup is not good. Caution, dual carbs and a stock cam aren't a good mix either.

Very nice and looking like it wants to go driving RIGHT NOW! Love the color combination and the steel wheels, very retro and definitely cool! Anxious to see what you've really got once you're into it but looks like you've got a great start. Nice to know there's more of us out there with a sense of humor for these little gems!

Looks good, beautiful interior. I'm about 40min north of indy if you need any parts I might be able to assist. Or just to pick eachothers brains I'm working on an engine for mine at the moment so feel free and welcome!

Your 'new' car appears to have been pretty well kept. I agree on the progressive carb … you're leaving HP on the table. Did you get the original FI parts with the car? If not, there are plenty of guys out here that will have parts you'll need to convert back to FI stashed away.

Pretty much all the initial things to check have been covered, but if you experience problems with shifting (be aware, like was said, it isn't a Honda or Toyota), the shift rod bushings may need to be replaced (There are 2 of them - one at the firewall and one at the shift console on the transaxle). They are really cheap too.

Good fortune to you and your new toy - take care of her …

… and …

A lot of folks didn't understand the FI so when the had problems the simplest thing was to replace it with a carb(s). A working stock FI is a great setup and preferred by many.

Concerning your original question, dont be in a hurry to start replacing everything. Treat it like any other car.... Change the oil and drain the gas and check everything else and replace as needed. Tires can look good but old tires are not safe. Fuel lines don't need to be replaced but many, including me, replace them just to be safe.

Nice car! Like the color.

Terrific color and decent looking car. I would encourage you to find a stock FI set-up and a mechanic (look here for one) who knows the stock set-up intimately so if/when you make that change it is done correctly and runs perfectly, as it should.

Take your time and assess the entire car: structure, safety, electrical, mechanical and cosmetic. Come up with a plan and tackle one project at a time so as not to end up with permanent jack stands rooted under the car.

And again,

Way to go! If you've lusted after 914s in the past, you're going to find out why in the future. A well sorted 914 is a blast!

Have you posted the VIN in the forum database? I'm curious about the history of your car because of the bill of sale and your gauges. The bill of sale is dated 12/74 which actually falls in the MY 1975 period, and yet the silver buttons in the center of the gauges indicate it was produced quite early in MY 1974. Apparently it sat around the dealership for quite awhile. Also, with the lack of a center console and steel wheels on a 2.0L, I wonder if the dealer may have scavenged parts from it to go on other cars. I'm sure there's also a story about the Saratoga top in your trunk. There's always a mystery of some sort with these cars.

BTW, the FI in '74 wasn't crap, but many mechanics were. It was a big mystery then, but there is vast experience here who can help you get a reliable system sorted out. I could hear groans from the peanut gallery when they saw the pic of the single carb.

Good luck, have fun, drive it like you stole it...

I'll get the vin posted shortly. The story of the top is pretty simple - this was my uncle's third 914, he'd seen them and bought one for this car. Lucky me he kept it and the car! I had to laugh at the "leaving hp on the table" statement but believe you all that the FI is better. I actually have an old motorcycle with mechanical FI and it's great, although I love carburators. I called my uncle yesterday and his counsel was "drive the shit out of it." That's the plan!

I live slightly north of Indy as well and have a '74 2.0L. Love the green and looks like a nice car to start with! Get rid of the single carb....nothing wrong with carbs but go with a good set of duals, you could always go back to EFI at some point. I still have my D Jet setup installed and although it is sometimes finicky, it's a good system. Lots of folks here have gone with aftermarket setups like Megasquirt, etc. so you have lots of options to consider. Anyway, I know about enough to be dangerous but I still have fun working on my car.....and there are many smart folks here on this forum so it all works out! Jon

Geez, what's north of indy that there are so many 914's?! This is great. I wasn't going to mess with the fuel system but have a megasquirt on my miata track car and now you've piqued my interest!

It would be a great idea to look at replacing all your rubber fuel hoses as well as the center tunnel hard lines that run through the center tunnel to the gas tank. Also, look at rust inside the fuel tank. Tangerine Racing sells nice stainless steel line sets for fuel and so does Rotary'14 (914World member). I replaced all my lines and cleaned out my tank last summer and was horrified with the condition of all the rubber lines. Ethanol fuels are not kind to rubber lines not rated for it's use....make sure to get 30R9 rubber fuel lines.
We are great at spending your money!!

I'm making a list! Is it a doomsday scenario that the right side jack point wouldn't hold the weight of the car? I was under it quite a while today and don't see much more than surface rust... he says wishfully.

The oil filter was a bitch! I know you purists will scoff but I put a k&n filter on since they have those nifty bolts molded in. I don't want to do that again!

What makes you blame the degradation of rubber fuel lines on ethanol? You may have ethanol confused with methanol, used years ago, which did attack rubber. At 40 years old I suspect that most rubber is at end of life due to ozone....not ethanol.

Change all your rubber fuel lines.
Two under the gas tank, two from the rear of the firewall, all the injector rubber lines.

Rich

Snap some pix of your right side jack post - preferably with the rocker panel removed so we can have a good look at it. It's probably the most critical area to be concerned with. Hopefully it's only the sleeve and support.

Rust develops in the 'hell-hole' in the engine compartment, it's just forward and below where the battery sits. Water mixes with the acid from the battery's venting and settles in the crevasse (hell-hole), slowly eating at the metal.

From there, the toxic mix travels down the path of least resistance, and settles along the bottom of the longitudinal structural member (affectionally known as the 'long'). This is a condition many 914s suffer from. The factory should have designed the car with a different battery location, but it is what it is.

With today's sealed batteries, the problem isn't as drastic, and some folks relocate their batteries to a front or rear trunk location (and inside a protective container).

I misspoke - it's left side (driver's) that's the problem. Right side is fine.

Where were all you indy guys when I was at Purdue! Looks like a great score! It seems a lot of nice 914s got stashed in barns for a long time. I picked this one up out of indy three years ago. Also a 74, with steelies.

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Good luck with it, they are great cars!

Gorgeous! Love that color and I really like the panel stickers. May not be period correct but I'm putting them on this one... after fixing everything else!

The Porsche negative stripes are period correct, but don't sweat it even if they weren't, make the car your car and enjoy it.

I'm pretty sure that any kind of alcohol will degrade rubber. I'm no expert but I've read this many times and heard it from lots of folks. And for what it's worth, my rubber hoses were replaced in the late 90's by a previous owner...they were not 40 years old. The hoses not rated for ethanol fuel can degrade faster than the 30R9 hoses. I'm not saying it'll happen overnight with non rated hoses but it will happen faster. I could have left my center tunnel plastic lines in place as they were in good condition but I like the peace of mind. I only mentioned it because I would think the OP would want to check the condition of his fuel lines....his may be as old as the car!

I've got this one being shipped to me from my mother's house in NY. I'm a bit further south than you in Indiana but it's a another 74 2.0 added to the state

Ross - I remember meeting you at the Carmel auto show the summer before you moved. Unfortunately, I have not driven my car as much as I'd like to....
The car has been on and off jack stands since I've had it so I've got some real excuses but mostly it's my fault for not driving more.