Black with Black interior 1974 1.7 US import

[evo914]

Hi there

Found this site by pure chance and after reading LMR's post thought I'd add mine. I've imported my 1974 914 from California last year. Its taken me six months to sort out my garage with electrics and lighting but now I'm ready to start getting my 914 on the road.



I spent this weekend working out what I need to get the bodywork right. My list so far is:

Drivers door as mines got a bad dent and rust at the bottom.
Front and rear bumper
A rear passenger side quarter as mines dented and rusted.

I've seen a few parts on ebay especially in the US but as soon as someone puts a part up in the UK the price more than doubles. So if anyone knows of any parts in the UK or where to find them I'm all ears.

Don't expect fast work as I only get every other weekend to spend some time on the car.

First job I'm going to do is drop the engine and gearbox out so that they can be stripped cleaned and rebuilt. I'm going to upgrade the engine, to what extent I'm not sure yet. Its a matching numbers car and I want to keep it that way.

Cheers
Chris

[LMR]

Welcome Chris

Good to see another 914 in the Midlands area. I look forward to updates. It is alway good to read someone else's progress rather than reading my own ramblings!

[evo914]

Welcome Chris

Good to see another 914 in the Midlands area. I look forward to updates. It is alway good to read someone else's progress rather than reading my own ramblings!

Thanks yours is looking awesome I hope I can get mine close are there any other 914's in the Midlands?

[LMR]

Canarydelia will be along shortly to give the full, exhaustive list of midlands based owners, but I can think of 6 immediately. I saw three other owners yesterday.

Canarydelia often organises a curry night around the NEC restoration show, so you might be able to catch up with other owners there.

[Canarydelia]

Welcome Chris! There are indeed a few of us in the Midlands. I think up your way you also have Helen with her white 914 and Green Ernie with his (green?!) 914 nearing completion. Others also around but less active on DDK although on Facebook. LMR not quite correct - I normally organise a curry around the Classic Car Show at NEC in November. Many of us will be at Stanford Hall - are you planning to attend?

[evo914]

Wow you have surprised me I that there are so many as you never see any on the road. I'd be well up for a curry night and meeting some other owners.

I'll be going to Stanford Hall do you mean the show on the 30th April?

LMR where did you get the purple/pink heads you used to strip the paint? On the last car I worked on a MK1 VW Polo I used wire brush heads.

[LMR]

Curry night - I am only 5 months out.....

3M clean and strip wheels - I get mine from my local paint supplier. Or you can get them from that well known auction website....

[evo914]

Thanks I'll get some!

Either of you got any tips for finding parts? I know i didnt have to pay import tax on the car but do you have to pay import tax on used car parts?

[Canarydelia]

Evo, yes, April 30 Stanford Hall VW Show. There will be a few 914 folk entering the concours plus I guess around a dozen or so on the 914 display. I'll be on that - I have a fridge white (!) car with large Porsche signage along the sides. 914Kev on this forum is the man to talk to about...well, anything and everything re parts and fixing etc. He is also the 914 register secretary with Porsche Club. I kid you not, he does indeed know,everything about the car - he has several himself, from concours winning to his 914 daily driver. And he is a good person too.

[LMR]

Parts - asking around is key.

Don't rule out going to the Porsche dealer. They are not as expensive as you might imagine - and sometimes it is cheaper than other sources. MIttle motors in Germany, Rose Passion in France, Roger Bray in UK are also good sources.

Download the PDF with parts numbers on from Porsche website, that gives a good guide for parts numbers. Parts that are common with other models are generally available.

Before you look at buying parts, assess what you already have. Does it need replacing, and if so, is it for function or appearance? I've been pleasantly surprised by the results of plating or coating parts. Read Darren C thread, he showed how to rebuild a lot of items.

[evo914]

Thanks for the tips LMR I think I'm best going down the same route as you stripping the car and buying parts as and when I need them.

I've a good friend who built a VW show car and had a lot of his original parts plated and powder coated so will get his contacts as I know he didn't pay a lot for them to be done.

I'll be at Stanford Hall on the 30th Canarydelia I'll defiantly come over and say hello as I'll be wanting a good look round everyone's cars.

I'll try and keep this tread up to date as I work on the car.

[Green Ernie]

Hello Evo914, nice to see another midlands 914 about to be restored. I'm not far from you (Tamworth) so pm me if you want to come round for a 914 chat and check out my 914. I came back off my hols yesterday so I am just going to dig the car out the garage and continue the restoration (and continue blowing the budget.)

Cheers

[KS]

Looking at your original photo, did you buy it from Beverley Hills Car Club? Looks like their usual flooring.

[Darren C]

Looking at your original photo, did you buy it from Beverley Hills Car Club? Looks like their usual flooring.

Doh. There's the elephant in the room

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyIxdOctioo

[evo914]

Looking at your original photo, did you buy it from Beverley Hills Car Club? Looks like their usual flooring.

Yes I brought from Beverly Hills Car Club it was up for $5000 I knocked them down to $3000 and at the exchange rate at the time (pre Brexit) that worked out at £2050 which I didn't think was bad then it cost me £1200 to have it shipped to my door.

Not sure if I did well or not...