I am a newbie to the 914. I am a former 75 911S owner. I do not work on cars (just basics). I have an opportinity to purchase a 75 914 1.8 with orginal 56K miles on it from a client. I drove it today and it seems like it runs well...it certainly looks great... the only rust I could see was in the rear boot where water collected and not dried after car washes.
Questions from experts I have:
- is it hard to find parts for this car if I need them?
- with my 911S, I brought it to my mechanic in
Seattle and he had all the parts... is a 914 harder to get what he generally needs?
- my driving would be only summer time and weekends- is this enough for this car at this age?
- I intend to have it worked on by mechanics, if I can find one... do I look for a VW specialist or a Porsche specialist?
- can anyone point me to a 914 - 101 Course on the internet or a book?
Thank you for any and all replies.[/i]
914 Newbie looking for info on buying 75 914 1.8
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IYFCalvin
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 5:04 pm
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Twystd1
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2004 8:42 pm
I suggest you go here and ask the same question.
Just join the club and post your questions.
http://www.914club.com
In fact. Just cut and paste the same question you posed on this forum.
The folks at the club will help you immediatly.
My guess is that someone from the club will offer to go with you and check out the car.
And many of the members know there stuff around these great cars.
Respectfully,
Twystd1
Just join the club and post your questions.
http://www.914club.com
In fact. Just cut and paste the same question you posed on this forum.
The folks at the club will help you immediatly.
My guess is that someone from the club will offer to go with you and check out the car.
And many of the members know there stuff around these great cars.
Respectfully,
Twystd1
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Dave_Darling
- Posts: 2534
- Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2000 12:01 am
Be prepared for a whole lot of BS on the "club" board--bring a thick skin, they can play a little rough. But they're good people and have a lot of knowledge.
914 parts are, for the most part, still available. Some aftermarket companies have started to maufacture a few of the easier parts that are NLA, but in some cases used is your only real alternative. There are still quite a few places with used parts available, though.
Pelican Parts (see my sig below for the URL) has a "How to Buy a 914" article in the 914 section. Also, in the "Tech Articles" section you will find "Dave Darling's 914 FAQ". It's a wee bit out of date, but most of the info in there is still pretty valid.
A good Porsche place will still know something about 914s. Some Porsche places won't touch them, though. If you can't find one that will, then a VW shop is usually a reasonable second-best alternative. If they have Type IV experience, at least!
Triple-check the car for rust, especially everywhere below the battery. Rust in that area can be expensive to fix correctly, and can result in a whole lot of bad things happening.
--DD
914 parts are, for the most part, still available. Some aftermarket companies have started to maufacture a few of the easier parts that are NLA, but in some cases used is your only real alternative. There are still quite a few places with used parts available, though.
Pelican Parts (see my sig below for the URL) has a "How to Buy a 914" article in the 914 section. Also, in the "Tech Articles" section you will find "Dave Darling's 914 FAQ". It's a wee bit out of date, but most of the info in there is still pretty valid.
A good Porsche place will still know something about 914s. Some Porsche places won't touch them, though. If you can't find one that will, then a VW shop is usually a reasonable second-best alternative. If they have Type IV experience, at least!
Triple-check the car for rust, especially everywhere below the battery. Rust in that area can be expensive to fix correctly, and can result in a whole lot of bad things happening.
--DD
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IYFCalvin
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 5:04 pm
Registering for the 914Club
Thanks Dave...I appreciate the tips in regards to the club and the articles that you pointed me to (which I will definitely read!)
I am having problems registering for the 914Club site as I suspect it requires the vin numbver of the car (which I have not purchased yet).
I am fortunate to be able to have a shot at this car. It has original 56K miles on it. The paint and the interior are nearly immaculate (with exception of a small tear on the drivers seat.) It is owned by a client of mine, she is 60 years old and never drove it...she says it has been stored for 7 years in her garage. The car has always been garaged and is nearly all stock (I suspect the wheels are not)
My main concern is getting to know what the car will need to run perfectly (it seems to drive very nicely aside from needing a tune up). As I mentioned before, I owned a 75 911S Targa which I lost in divorce. This 914, I don't even know how to open the motor cover (nor does the owner) or even where the battery is.... that's why I need a crash 101 Course on the 914. This is indeed embarrassing.
If you have a tip on how to register for the 914Club without the vin number, let me know.
Thank you
Calvin
I am having problems registering for the 914Club site as I suspect it requires the vin numbver of the car (which I have not purchased yet).
I am fortunate to be able to have a shot at this car. It has original 56K miles on it. The paint and the interior are nearly immaculate (with exception of a small tear on the drivers seat.) It is owned by a client of mine, she is 60 years old and never drove it...she says it has been stored for 7 years in her garage. The car has always been garaged and is nearly all stock (I suspect the wheels are not)
My main concern is getting to know what the car will need to run perfectly (it seems to drive very nicely aside from needing a tune up). As I mentioned before, I owned a 75 911S Targa which I lost in divorce. This 914, I don't even know how to open the motor cover (nor does the owner) or even where the battery is.... that's why I need a crash 101 Course on the 914. This is indeed embarrassing.
If you have a tip on how to register for the 914Club without the vin number, let me know.
Thank you
Calvin
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raygreenwood
- Posts: 11907
- Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2003 12:01 am
See...to me....thats just asinine. Needing to register via VIN number in order to get onto a board/forum. Suppose you are a factory mechanic or own your own business that works on just 914's.....but don't happen to own one yourself at the moment? Or suppose you have owned about 30 in your life....but don't happen to have one right now? I suppose opinions from those people would be less relevant. People need to get over themselves. You lose valuable input and insight into things by being too exclusive.
I quit doing business with Automobile Atlanta for the same reasons. Every time I called (when I lived in Atlanta) looking for parts for my 1.7....they would literally hang up the phone when they found out I was working on a 1.7L 412...,..as if there were a single part number different in the 1.7 914 from the 1.7L 412......not! Ray
I quit doing business with Automobile Atlanta for the same reasons. Every time I called (when I lived in Atlanta) looking for parts for my 1.7....they would literally hang up the phone when they found out I was working on a 1.7L 412...,..as if there were a single part number different in the 1.7 914 from the 1.7L 412......not! Ray
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Dave_Darling
- Posts: 2534
- Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2000 12:01 am
I had no idea they required a VIN; I thought it was an optional step in the sign-up.
There are three lids to open up on the 914: The front trunk, the rear trunk, and the engine lid. The rear trunk should have a push-button on the rear panel (unless someone has stuck a cut-down 911 rear reflector on, in which case you're looking for a cable release or a solenoid release).
The front trunk is opened by pulling the T-shaped handle above the driver's left knee, then going to the front of the trunk and squeezing the latch upward.
The engine lid is opened by pulling the knob on the back-pad that is just behind the driver's left elbow. It's a good idea to have one hand above the lid when you pull the knob, so the lid doesn't bang into the targa bar.
The battery is on the right-hand side of the engine bay. Very obvious with the lid open. Unless someone has moved it. The trunks are popular relocation points...
--DD
There are three lids to open up on the 914: The front trunk, the rear trunk, and the engine lid. The rear trunk should have a push-button on the rear panel (unless someone has stuck a cut-down 911 rear reflector on, in which case you're looking for a cable release or a solenoid release).
The front trunk is opened by pulling the T-shaped handle above the driver's left knee, then going to the front of the trunk and squeezing the latch upward.
The engine lid is opened by pulling the knob on the back-pad that is just behind the driver's left elbow. It's a good idea to have one hand above the lid when you pull the knob, so the lid doesn't bang into the targa bar.
The battery is on the right-hand side of the engine bay. Very obvious with the lid open. Unless someone has moved it. The trunks are popular relocation points...
--DD
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IYFCalvin
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 5:04 pm
Thanks Dave
Thank you for the very elementary info, specifically the motor hood. I had found the other two already. I am going to buy the car, I just want a mechanic to look at it first to make sure the engine isn't a total loss or something bad, which I highly doubt since it drove pretty well on 6 year old bad gas.
In my busy schedule, I just need to find the right mechanic here in Spokane.
I haven't had a chance to post on 914Club Forums because I was not sure which forum to post into. I did though, like the thought of getting this car and signing up for the 914 meet in Portland though!
Thanks again, Dave!
Calvin
In my busy schedule, I just need to find the right mechanic here in Spokane.
I haven't had a chance to post on 914Club Forums because I was not sure which forum to post into. I did though, like the thought of getting this car and signing up for the 914 meet in Portland though!
Thanks again, Dave!
Calvin
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Rand
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2005 3:49 pm
Wow Ray. Please give them a chance before you make any more assumptions. 914club.com is a group of over 5500 great people who love to drive and talk 914s, as well as help each other out.raygreenwood wrote:See...to me....thats just asinine. Needing to register via VIN number in order to get onto a board/forum. Suppose you are a factory mechanic or own your own business that works on just 914's.....but don't happen to own one yourself at the moment? Or suppose you have owned about 30 in your life....but don't happen to have one right now? I suppose opinions from those people would be less relevant. People need to get over themselves. You lose valuable input and insight into things by being too exclusive.
I quit doing business with Automobile Atlanta for the same reasons. Every time I called (when I lived in Atlanta) looking for parts for my 1.7....they would literally hang up the phone when they found out I was working on a 1.7L 412...,..as if there were a single part number different in the 1.7 914 from the 1.7L 412......not! Ray
You should come hang out in the forums a while. And no, you won't need a VIN. If you enter one, it helps provide some interesting stats. If you don't have or don't want to enter a VIN, just put some zeros in or something.
The members are very active, so it's an amazingly responsive resource.
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raygreenwood
- Posts: 11907
- Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2003 12:01 am
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Dave_Darling
- Posts: 2534
- Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2000 12:01 am
They're using the time off to work out the kinks.