Jump to content

Custom 914 Project


Fuel Luke
 Share

Recommended Posts

I've just kicked off a full restoration of my 914. I have owned the car since 2001. It was a California car, imported to the UK in that year, where I bought it and drove it until 2006. It was then left in storage until August last year, at which point I imported it to join me here in Melbourne. 

To keep lots of info nice and short, it's a 1975 2.0L car. It's going through a full resto, but also being modified with new front and rear bumper designs, amongst other things. 

Here's a photo of the car just before it left the UK last year. .._RAY9570.jpg?format=1000w  

 

... and a video of the teardown before Christmas:

 

Here is the current theme sketch for the front end design. I sketched up the idea myself first:  

914+Sketches+II.jpg?format=1000w

914+Sketches.jpg?format=1000w

... then my buddy Pete took the reigns with the final rendering:

Fuel+14+2+Across.jpg?format=1000w

 

That's where we're at so far. The fabrication work kicks off in a few weeks. 

L. 

http://fueltank.cc/search?q=project+porsche+914

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Luke,

There are a number of us on PFA undergoing 914 builds at the moment, each different! If yours comes out anything near the render, it will be amazing!

Mine is also a '75 about to have the flares welded on! I can't believe how heavy the US-spec market bumpers weigh... straight to the pool room in preference for the earlier variety for me :) Mine too will have a centre (well off-centre!) fill fuel tank through the front bonnet!

Cheers

Craig

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/24/2018 at 6:49 PM, Airhead said:

Will watch this with interest Luke.

PS Your forum name should be Fuel Hand Luke.

Hi Barry, I see what you did there, I like it! it was very nice to chat with you on Saturday...

On 1/24/2018 at 7:37 PM, crsedge said:

Hi Luke,

There are a number of us on PFA undergoing 914 builds at the moment, each different! If yours comes out anything near the render, it will be amazing!

Mine is also a '75 about to have the flares welded on! I can't believe how heavy the US-spec market bumpers weigh... straight to the pool room in preference for the earlier variety for me :) Mine too will have a centre (well off-centre!) fill fuel tank through the front bonnet!

Cheers

Craig

Oh, that's great to hear. I'm keen to keep up with them all for ideas and inspiration. Do you have a thread for yours? 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 months later...

_RAY9886.jpg?format=1000w

After an unforeseen setback, the bodywork on the 914 is well under way. Now sitting cosy at Rotunda Revival in the northern Melbourne suburbs, the guys at RR are cracking on with speed and skill in abundance.

The exterior metal was stripped right back to reveal some filler across all four fenders that dates way back to well before I owned it. All things considered, it's lasted well this long without cracking or showing signs of the filler through the black paint that's been on it the last 20 or so years.

171_IMG_2.jpg?format=750w

IMG_7463.JPG?format=750w

The good news is that the frunk, engine bay and interior bodywork is all looking generally really good, so we haven't had to do much cleaning up in those areas all bar a new battery tray, which is pretty standard affair when restoring 914s. But there are a handful of places where some attention has been needed... 

_RAY9849.jpg?format=750w

Some leadwork on the roll hoop. Not so much for repair, but mostly to fill in holes left behind by trim pieces that I'm deleting. I'm changing this car from having a vinyl-covered roll hoop to having a body coloured one. Taking off the vinyl and some trim leaves holes behind to be filled.

IMG_7626.JPG?format=750w

The side rocker panels had taken a beating from the elements over the years, so some love was necessary to patch them up.

?format=1000w

The biggest area to be attacked was at the back edge of the rear trunk. Over time, condensation sat between the metal and the carpet in the trunk due to heat from the exhaust. There were small early signs of rust when I first got the car in 2001, but sitting in the lockup in the UK for 12 years gave it time to grow considerably.

IMG_7453.JPG?format=500w  IMG_7455.JPG?format=500w

IMG_7456.JPG?format=500w IMG_7462.JPG?format=500w

I could have ordered a new panel from the States, but given the time and cost involved in that process, the guys just got stuck in manually instead.

As you can see, they did a great job on it. Below is a shot after the work was done and painted.

?format=1000w

As a cost save, the plan is for the interior, engine bay and both trunks to be tidied up and painted black. The final body colour will then be applied to tuck around seals and openings so that when all doors are closed, no black will be visible from the outside. Maybe one day she'll get a full rotisserie strip, but right now the body is in good shape, so there's no need.

More soon...

LR.

_RAY9846.jpg?format=1000w

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
3 minutes ago, crsedge said:

I think you need a 914 in your stable Hugh ?

I’ve always liked them, was very keen on a rep 914/6 (silver) one that was for sale some years ago..........Hanging out with Luke and watching this progress definitely isn’t helping! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, hugh said:

I’ve always liked them, was very keen on a rep 914/6 (silver) one that was for sale some years ago..

  That one was cool as f...

I'd love to own the black one here. I had a good look at it a while ago before he cleaned it up. Sounds angry as!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...