Hi Guys,

I'm looking to buy my first 914 and thought I'd say hi and see if the group has any pointers.

I've been doing lots of homework and am pretty familiar with the big things to look out for. I'm wondering if you guys could tell me the top 3 or 5 things you've learned about these cars that you didn't know when you bought your first one.

Do you guys have any thoughts about 1.8 vs. 2.0, specific model years being better than others from a reliability standpoint?

I have a 65 mustang which I've taken apart and reassembled twice. Pretty comfortable doing my own work, but I've never wrenched a german car. Any thoughts on how hard/easy it is compared to american cars from the same era?

Thanks! Looking forward to contributing to the group!

Beware... Rust, Rust, Rust
-Under Battery, known as hell hole. Battery Acid over the years destroys everything below the battery, all the way down to the suspension.
-Remove rocker panels and look for rust.
-Around front window
-Floor boards
-etc.

73-74 are the best years
-Better transmission
-window mechanisms
75-76 Have heavy big rubber bumpers and most people don't like the look
2.0 motor preferred, but the smaller motors are fine.
Biggest issue is rust, you can always upgrade the motor later

I have a 75 and backdated the bumpers to chrome. Some colors look fine with the big bumpers.. Pro's and cons.

top 5:

rust
rust
rust
rust
and more rust

it might be worth taking a guy from the world with you to PPI a car before you trade money. They always are more rusty than you think. Don't buy a car without pulling the rocker covers first and examining with your own eye's how the longitudinals are.

I would add one more to that list: RUST

Rule of thumb, multiply the rust you can see by 10x and you're in the ballpark of what to expect.

Everything else is secondary, buy the most rust free car you can afford!


PS:

If I had known i probably would have bought an injected car over dual carbs but arguments go both ways depending on what you want.

Other than rust.

I suggest looking up under the dash to see how hacked up the wiring harness is. That can cause headaches.

I suggest paying close attention to how well the car shifts through the gears ( especially if it will go into 1st at a complete stop)

I came from American hot rods. It nothing difficult, just different with a great resource here for information.

so basically look for rust where ever water or any other media (moss, mud, leaves, sand, etc.) can gather and keep moisture pooled up!

also check the door gaps (sagging could be a sign of rust/cancer under the rockers or previous frame damage) and any bubbles under the vinyl on the sails, if there is any vinyl.

Pretty much all you need to know is in this thread:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=236672

It's from when I came here with the exact same question.

Follow-up threads are here:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...%27s+914+thread

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...a+temecula+blue

Clutch tube will break at some point
Accelerator pedal pivot will break at some point
Higher lb springs are shorter
Bigger brakes are not mandatory without extra HP
All 914 owners are CSOB's so don't gouge us
Build it your way.......!!!!!
Don't ask what size tire will fit a stock 914......learn to use the search function!
Carbs are not better than FI unless you change the cams
Beer and BBQ will get you more support than you will ever need!!

All great replies. I think rust got covered; no kidding there. The hell hole on the 914 is equivalent to the fresh air front cowl on your Mustang; a PITA to repair (I had a 65 GT fastback many years ago).

It's getting more difficult every year to find a solid car on the east coast. They're around, just harder to find. I'm on Long Island, there are a couple of guys in the area besides myself who, I'm sure, would be able to assist with a PPI.

Welcome. Good luck with your search. These cars are a blast, they'll make the Mustang feel like a Burro...

For reliability, you could go with the 2.0 liter that is in the Miata. Mazda makes them reliable. They also got the rust thing under control. Of course, it helps to be a chick, but the purists would deny that last point.

Thanks everyone. All good advice. Really helpful...and entertaining. Been very active on the mustang boards for a while and it always amazes me when people ask the same question that's been answered a hundred times. (yes, an 850 CFM carb is too big for an inline 6).

Cuda / Mike - Really enjoyed reading about your journey. Kinda felt like a time machine looking into my future! I also have a cayman and you seem to be about as hands-on as I am, too. Cool!

LOL about the Miata. I like you guys already.

Let's hope I'm as lucky as Mike was and that my car finds me soon.

Ian

Always have someone who knows 914's take a look at the car. We can tell you what to look for but a trained eye will know what they are looking at.

I bought a 1.8 from California a year and a half ago. I love the car now but had to put in about as much as I paid for it to have it "sorted out." Little things will add up fast, I had Brad Mayeur do all of my work (he's fantastic 914ltd) so I paid "retail" when it came to the work. So some quick things that my car had/needed that got fixed:
Turn signal did not click off on return
Accelerator pedal stuck like crazy
Roof seal (the big one) was missing (take off the roof!)
Other missing seals
Front hood seal in pieces (pick it up and look for rust in the track)
Front hood gap with bumper not perfect (bumper bent)
Jack up each side and look around (prior rust repair on chassis, done well)
New windshield (will make you feel like a million bucks driving!)
Heat supply (passenger side out)
Windshield washer didn't work (it does now!)
And so on...

Also, I learned a lot when I drove it back to Michigan, so it's "not enough" to just drive around the block, but you won't typically have the luxury to take it for an entire weekend. But then you'll find out if the ventilation fan works and which bulbs need replacing and all the little stuff. It all adds up! Gary BSchairman introduced me to this concept and boy did I have a list of nitpicking things to fix when I drove it into Brad's 914 compound on the way home.

So right now it's my daily (sunshine) driver and I am absolutely loving it!

Also, you can't have too many pics and you need to post them here. People on the board will tell you all kinds of little things that you might not notice. Important things! My hell hole had a ton of surface rust, none of it perforated through where water could get into the longitudinals, but the original pics didn't show it well. Overall, the car had very very little rust, but I did have the engine dropped and the compartment resprayed. Like everyone here, I hate rust!!

Paul

Wanted to also mention that the 2.0 has D Jet and the 1.8 is L Jet fuel injection. Both good EFI but have there own specific kinks. 914's are fairly easy to wrench on for someone who knows their way around a set of tools. Lots of online resources and great folks to help out here! Good luck!

It helps to have small hands and flexible arms,

Get one that is drivable. They are fun to drive!

For more specific advice, let us know your goals with the car. Restoration? Custom cruiser? Racin?
Then, have fun fixing it! Time to invest in some metric tools. You can never have too many 13mm sockets, in case you can't find one
A socket extension, even better the "wobble" extension, helps reach those tight spots.

My advice is simple. Besides the rust, buy as nice and well kept and cleanest car as you can afford.

Buy the nicest and most complete car you can find. Car prices have just shot up the last couple years. Check Hagerty value estimates. Parts prices are doing the same thing. Look around 914rubber.com so you have an idea of what some things will cost to fix up a potential car. Lots of helpful gear heads on this site.

Yeah, I've learned one major thing since I got it 3 years ago.....i enjoy this car more than I thought I would. Sure, its underpowered, but it makes little difference. It's rare, its classic, and it drives better than most car guys know. It's an endearing little shit of a car and I love it.

I was in the same position earlier this year and got the same advise. In short: all advise is totally correct. Even my rust free (yes!) car had a few items that needed addressed.

It's interesting to look at the rocker panels - they are attachted with either small blind rivets or small self tapping screws. If there are screws used, take them off and inspect the metal structure behind te panels carefully! Very carefully. Poke with a screwdriver inside the jack support for rust etc.

Then, what I did: the moment I got the car in the garage, I dropped the engine. It gives you unlimited access to virtually unreachable corners of the engine, engine bay etc. I had my car's engine out in 2 hrs or so. Take the tins off, have them cleaned etc. Mine contained tons of soil. That will block the forced cooling effect!

I posted them before, but here's an idea:

Before


After - yesterday, almost ready