PMB restoration, Resto so far…guys doing a great job.. Options

[frankieshooz]

Just another Resto thread!

[frankieshooz]

Hiya 914 folk, so decided to take the plunge last year and get my car restored. This is as most of you know not an endeavor for folks with a lot of common sense. I’m going to be upside down and having to explain to my friends for years to come why I would spend so much money on an old car that..well pretty much looks just like it did before I did the project. This is out of love, and passion for my teener.
Back story is I had always wanted one of these. After years of fooling around with the Italians (primarily Alfas),rotary engined weirdos Mazdas (still have my FD), 911’s, various sporting British makes I took the plunge and went for the more pedestrian, or so I thought at the time, the peoples Porsche, the 914. I knew I wanted a 73 2.0 preferably a blue color of some sort. (sixes were out of my comfort zone price wise and I wasn’t convinced it was that much of a better driver than the 2.0..sorry six owners) I waited patiently and eventually this Alaskan blue beauty popped up. It was more than I originally wanted to pay, but I don’t have kids, didn’t have a girlfriend, and my lifestyle is a fairly simple one. I negotiated for a better price, and the owner didn’t budge! Ouch! Oh well, It was too late. Once I saw the car I was smitten and had to have it. Some of you may remember this car or even know it. I really bought it with the intention of having fun with it for a year and then moving on. The day I drove it home I was completely surprised at how well this little car behaved. It handled beautifully, felt faster than it was, and made me (and others) smile. It’s fair to say It was love at first drive. Of course this is an old car, and as all things that age (myself included!) we start to fall apart. First it was the suspension, then it was the FI, valves went out of adjustment quickly, then the door locks stopped working..etc..Still I drove the thing daily and for the most part it never let me down (except on the first day of the California Melee..OUCH..that was embarrassing and another story for another time). I decided it was time to jump into the deep of the pool. Inspired by so many of the builds on here (Cairo…nice car Mike…thanks for lunch too!) I did some research and even though there were many reputable builders out there I went with Eric and his crew out at PMB in Utah. I was swayed in part by Eric’s car as presented on Jay Leno’s website. His car was stunning. I contacted Eric and after an initial waiting period (they were very busy) I finally saw my car off! Woo hoo. It was very exciting. Then the sh*#t hit the fan. Pandemic. Things got weird. PMB moved to a different location, there was some difficulty for them getting help. Still they were great and kept in touch even if we were a little behind schedule. Now the guys are going at it with the fervor of religious TV minister! Here are some updates for you to enjoy. Comments suggestions please welcome

[Shivers]

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[frankieshooz]

So here is some of the work being done…and less talky talky from me! pic 1) to remove or not to remove? That is the question.
Pic 2) just when you think you have no rust..pic3) Voila! Rust gone) 4) Yikes!

[frankieshooz]

More pics..happy freaking Christmas you purveyors of carnage, mayhem and total destruction..

[frankieshooz]

More good stuff!

[frankieshooz]

Let’s keep the party going! goodies from 914 Rubber!
what the heck are all these holes! Looks like a kitchen colander! what do my car and Jesus have in common? They are both holy.

[frankieshooz]

Hang in there readers almost done..for today! More holes! Wait till you see the trunk..some bozo thought it was a good idea to put an air conditioner in this car and cut a giant hole in the trunk in the process. Just take the top off for goodness sake.

[dstudeba]

Those are the before shots of your car?!?

[frankieshooz]

ahhhh..shiny new metal..

[Montreal914]

This will be a very good looking car when it gets out of PMB! Congratulations! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

As for pictures, I typically upload my phone pictures on my laptop, then open them with Paint. I rotate, crop to the interesting zone, and rescale if too large, then save. When I upload to the forum they are perfect. I typically target around 300mb size file. This allow for decent size pictures and putting up to about 10 of them per post.

Keep the pictures coming of the progress! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)


Edit: and... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

[frankieshooz]

I know this is kind of like binge watching the entire series of the office but hey is that so bad? Ok need some feedback. Saw a car recently on BAT (twin plug 2.9 powered 1972 Gold 914) with a very cool stripped out interior. No back pad, carpets, just clean. What’s your opinion on this look? Votes on keeping the vinyl sail panels or not? Any other positive helpful suggestions welcome. Trolls not. BTW here is a pic of Larry's bad ass car (he’s the one doing the work on my car) so sweet. Shout out to guys at PMB

[frankieshooz]

Thanks for the picture editing suggestions will do! I just realized I double posted initial post…can I delete that…sorry I’m old don’t know how these dang computer things work! Somebody give me an abacus, slide rule, and a Brownie camera!

[JamesM]

I know this is kind of like binge watching the entire series of the office but hey is that so bad? Ok need some feedback. Saw a car recently on BAT (twin plug 2.9 powered 1972 Gold 914) with a very cool stripped out interior. No back pad, carpets, just clean. What’s your opinion on this look? Votes on keeping the vinyl sail panels or not? Any other positive helpful suggestions welcome. Trolls not. BTW here is a pic of Trent’s bad ass car (he’s the one doing the work on my car) so sweet. Shout out to guys at PMB

If you are going this deep into it, build the car you want. If you like something, no matter if it is popular or not, do it. Its going to come out beautiful either way.

Are you keeping it a narrow body? 4 cyl?

Me personally, I think the carpeted firewall works in race cars and GT clones but for street cars I like having the backpad+interior light. Just feels a little more finished/comfortable to me.

[frankieshooz]

Yes those are before shots of my car..it was pretty..but like a lot of pretty things lots of underlying unseen issues. Not much rust but lots of metal work (frickin holes everywhere!)
I am keeping this car narrow bodied. I really like the classic lines of this car. Definitely keeping the 2.0 4 cyl. with maybe some minor performance upgrades. I don’t think these were meant to be particularly fast cars, and like they say it’s more fun to drive a slow car fast..
I think I’m going for the “Euro” look hence the deletion of the warts, and considering the non vinyl sail panel look.

[Cairo94507]

Hi Frankie - I am so glad to see you moved forward and are getting the car restored by PMB. You are going to have a very beautiful car for sure. As others have said, make the car what you want it to be.

When it comes to suspension, my 2 cents worth is go with rubber bushings all around. I went with Elephant Racing and the car rides very nice and does not squeak. I also went with Bilstein shocks on all 4 corners. Your car should already have F&R sway bars and the stock later sway bars are what I added to my build. I also went with 140 pound rear springs, but the 6 motor is a bit heavier than the 4.

I am now in Auburn- we sold/bought/moved in November.

Look forward to seeing your car as it progresses along and then in person. You will be driving it before you know it.

Merry Christmas.
Michael

[horizontally-opposed]

Nice car, Frankie! And glad you made it into a 914 after a lot of other cool cars. Tested FDs for Sports Car International when they were new—dug them then, dig them now. Always happy to see one, but rarely do. Spotted a clean black one in Richmond last week, sitting on silver Enkei RPFs, and it made my afternoon.

I'm in Marin, too, and will look forward to seeing your 914 when completed. As others have said, build it the way you want to—but if my two cents are what you're after, I became a subscriber to "less is more, with an edge" when it comes to the 914 back in the 1990s and 2000s, and that approach has only had more and more appeal for me as time goes on. Michael's Irish Green six is a perfect example of the approach. Looking at your Alaska Blue car, I'd restore the Fuchs stock, put everything "right" in a stock way and focus on a few details: US sidemarker delete, front bumper guard delete, Euro lights (and maybe collect US lights for a box in the garage), low ride height/great suspension (I'd go Koni reds, were it me), and the right tires (195/65, 205/55, or maybe 185/70 Avons?). Maybe a steering wheel you like and Scheel seats inside, with a short shifter from Weltmeister or JWest.

I've been driving the same old narrow 914 for 32 years now, and as much as I love wild 914s and modified 914s, my budget limitations as a young punk led to a path that has me appreciating stock-ish (extra emphasis on the ish!) 914s more and more, whether four or six. These cars are so, so good—even when compared to some of Porsche's very best.

[frankieshooz]

….not much going on this week with the teener, although I made a decision to keep the sail panels. Hard choice to make as there are so many beautiful examples on the forum with deleted vinyl that look so good. In the end, being that my car is mostly stock (although I did delete side markers, put on euro signal lights & euro tails), I think it’s appropriate to go with the vinyl. My only concern is the possibility of rust getting into that area again..Trent had to cut a pretty big chunk out and patch it up.
Thought it would be fun to share some car porn for you enthusiasts out there. First pic is of my FD and 914 in the garage and my guard cat Shasta (“she has to” go out “she has to” come back in) Boots Jones checking the perimeter. Second pic is my car on the bottom and my friend Ari’s very cool Lancia Zagato Flamina Super Sport pictured above. Third pic (sorry can’t seem to rotate last two pics) is an actual Singer just casually parked among more pedestrian metal. Fourth pic is of an Renault/Alpine A110, the only other car I truly lust for!

[frankieshooz]

By the way, thanks Pete for your 2 cents. Yes I love Michaels car and I think you are pretty much right on with my thinking on how I want to present this car. I’ve pretty much done exactly (so far) what you have suggested. I also had the warts removed from the bumpers for a smoother look (thanks for the suggestion Trent). The interior is my only point of contention. I’m thinking factory plaid (although not available in ‘73) in the darker blue tartan, possibly match that fabric on the dash panel as well (to break up all the black) Would love some Sheels but they seem hard and $$$ to come by. I’m also thinking of deleting all the carpet and just putting down some 914 fitted mats. I’ll definitely look into the short shifter as well. I pretty much did the suspension as you suggested (lowered) Need to get the black paint off the rims and go stock there as well. Keep the suggestions coming.

[stevesc_us]

I’m no expert on Scheel seats, but these appear to be the real deal at a price that to me appears to be pretty reasonable given how rare they are. Pete, could you weigh in on what you think of these?

https://www.pcarmarket.com/auction/dealtank...e-scheel-seats/