The latest addition: 1974 Porsche 914 1.8

As some readers will recall, the silver '74 Porsche 914 my father and I had been continuously restoring since 1999 was wrecked. After much consideration, my dad and I decided that repairing the car at this point wasn't going to happen and the search began for another 914. Earlier this March, a very nice Marathon Blue 1974 914 1.8 appeared on eBay and later that week we were the proud new owners.

The original owner, according to the original owner's manual, was a Ms. Ursula Nelson of Hyannis Massachusetts. She purchased the car from Hyannis Porsche + Audi on February 26th, 1974 with 10 miles on the odometer. On April 23rd of that year, she had it brought in for the scheduled "600 Mile Service" with 1,060 miles and finally stopped having Porsche+Audi service the car after that. Undoubtedly due to their notoriously high prices. At some point, the car was sold to an owner in Vermont, and then to another owner in New Hampshire in 1993. He recently passed away, and the car was then put up on eBay by his family. Always garaged, never driven in foul weather, and expertly maintained by Porsche specialist Blair Talbot Motors in NH, the 'new' blue 914 was even better than we had expected.

The best way to describe this example is "original" - very original. From the fully intact tool kit, to the vintage Michelin ZX spare tire mounted on a VW rim, and even the functioning Sapphire radio and VDO clock. The car is powered by its original 1.8 L fuel injected "Type 4" engine, though curiously, it sports a 2.0 badge added by a previous owner. The car only has 55,000 fully documented miles on it, and every detail including its spotless interior and engine bay as well as gleaming trim and perfect panel gaps will attest to that.

It's equipped with the "Appearance Group" options which include center console with gauges, and leatherette wrapped steering wheel. Unlike our silver 914, which was built in September of 1973, the blue car has later style instrumentation without the silver button over the gauge needles - one of many slight detail changes during the model run of the 914. This car is also equipped with optional intermittent wipers (though this function doesn't seem to work any longer) and also fog lights from the factory, passenger side rear-view mirror, and Bendix Sapphire XIX radio. Interestingly no 914 ever left the factory with a radio as they were all dealer installed but nearly every North American model had one put in before it made it to the showroom floor. A variety of examples were available, including Becker and Blaupunkt units, though the rather cheap Sapphire was most common.

What is not original however, are the wider Continental tires mounted black accented Fuchs wheels and a short-shift kit.(Eventually the wheels will be stripped and fully polished again.) Old-style Michelins are available through Coker Tires for originality's sake, though for a real driver's car the more modern rubber is preferable. It's rare to find an unmolested 914, and driving this car is a real insight into what one would have experienced in 1974.

The 1.8 L engine is not exactly what one might call 'sporty' - and rightfully so considering it was intended for the VW 411 and Bus. That's not to say it's a total slug though. It's got ample torque and in spite of it's mere 73 horsepower, the power-plant can still briskly carry the 2300 lb. car. This was also one of the earliest engines to use Bosch's L-Jetronic electronic fuel injection system, which, while rather primitive by today's standards, is really quite good when properly maintained. The 1.8 liter L-Jet engined car is naturally not as powerful as its 2.1 liter Weber carbed stable-mate. Although like all 914s, its well suited to long distance high-speed through-way runs as I more than aware of on the 630 mile drive back from New Hampshire at an average 70 mph. The engine never got hot, the heater worked brilliantly, and the old sealed beam headlights were actually pretty good.

The front of the car rides a little on the high side due to US bumper and headlight height regulations, though this is fairly easily changed by adjusting the position of the torsion bars in the 911-sourced suspension. (Note the front of the silver 914, which has had the front torsion bars turned by a few splines to lower and stiffen it.) The short shift kit, as the name would suggest, allows for shorter throws of the gear selector, though it also makes the shifter lower and a little out of reach. The gear selection is quite precise though in spite of the rather complicated mechanism required to reach the transmission at the rear of the car. As with all 914s, the steering is sharp and quick without a hint of play and if fitted with the original 165 SR 15 tires, would be even quicker. Perhaps a little too quick if you're not used to it. That being said, the current 205 / 55 R15 tires are about as wide as you can fit on a 914 without wider fenders and they perform more than adequately.

In the future, we intend to fit the car with chrome bumpers and some NPR flat-top pistons to make the engine displacement 2 liters, as well as the aforementioned suspension settings. Perhaps what the car needs most of all is the Porsche crest that 914s never came with. Of course, be sure to check back here at RWP for future updates on this, as well as all of our cars.
The 914, while often under-appreciated compared to the iconic 911, is just as true of a Porsche as the first 356 of 1948. A modest economical Volkswagen engine placed in the middle, a lightweight yet solid chassis, superlative handling, and a little radical looking.

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Project Update: Saab

I've recently acquired a set of front fenders for my 1993 Saab 900. A great E-bay find for $40. No rust, though they're cut off in the middle of the inner wheel well and re-fitting them may be tricky. Currently, they're laying in my apartment while I'm working on my never-ending college education, but some day (hopefully soon) they will be on my car and save me from the never-ending Bondo job on the current front fenders.

GTVs.

To partly explain the lack of new content on this site, here is what I've been up to:

I purchased this 1973 GTV last May. It was parked decades ago; at some point or time somebody needed a spark plug and pulled it from this car, not bothering to put anything in its place. Year after year of being left open seized the engine. Winter after winter of Utah snow left an amazing amount of rust everywhere on the car. Summer after summer of Utah heat destroyed the interior. And year after year of being left untouched in the corner of a lot turned the car into a rolling beehive. Still, it has some valuable parts on it and I'm slowly stripping it.

Second is the car that's benefitting from the above, my long-term project 1966 GTV. It's slowly coming together and looking and more like a real car as opposed to a nicely-shaped piece of metal.

2000cc engine from a 1978 Spider I used to have, it will be carbureted once I get around to installing everything:

Three fours.

To demonstrate that one can't have too many cars, here is the latest addition to my fleet, a 1985 Renault 4.

It sat on the side of a neighbor's house for about six years but he never got around to doing anything with it. He is moving and I ended up with the car. It runs and drives, has a very strong motor and everything electric works. Previous owners include the French military police (Gendarmerie) which explains the dark blue and the little plugged hole on the roof where a siren used to be.

And the fleet grows.

My latest acquisition: A 1971 BMW 1600.

This BMW was built in January of 1971 before being delivered to the BMW dealership in Fort Worth, Texas. It was acquired by a gentleman named "Mr. Johnson" of Lubbock, Texas, and it made its way through a handful of other North Texas owners before I bought it a few weeks ago. It has somewhere around 120,000 miles on the body, but the real kicker is under the hood.

In place of the standard 85-horse 1.6-liter four-cylinder, it received in 1992 a bored and stroked Metric Mechanic 155-horsepower 2.2-liter four cylinder with a Weber downdraft carb. Its suspension has been lowered about half an inch (standard practice for these cars) and it rides on upgraded shocks and keeps its wheels planted via increased diameter sway bars. To deliver the power to the rear axle, it uses a four-speed short-shifter transmission. The engine has about 40,000 miles on it.

The car was originally painted Nevada, a brownish gray (Google "BMW 2002 nevada" and you'll find a few pictures) and it featured a brown interior. A recent repaint gave it a color closer to BMW's common Sahara shade and it has a brand new black vinyl interior from World Upholstery. It also features dealer-installed Frigiking air conditioning.


When I bought it, it had sat under a car port almost unused for three years. I've since given it a thorough scrub (shown in some of the photos), removed the fading window tint and I swapped out the pitted BMW 320i alloy wheels for a set of correct hubcaps and steel wheels (I like the look).

The car is a driver, but the body is straight and essentially rust free. Only a few surface dots under some of the chrome trim reveal that it was stored under a carport for three years. It's unlikely that it has ever seen salt. To top it all off, this BMW came with a whole complement of parts, including brand new turn signals, a hood, a trunk and more.



Today:



Before the first wash:

On the test drive with the 320i alloy wheels (I like the look and lighter steering feel, but I really like the steelies, plus these were pitted).

Project update: Saab

Unfortunately, my internet back home in Erie isn't functioning very well and I havn't been able to sort it out yet. Therefore, I can't seem to upload any photos to Blogger at the moment, but for some reason or another, I'm able to upload to Facebook. So, without further ado, here's a link to the album:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2857035&id=9370809&l=be8654f777

So as you can see, I've been bussy grinding away at the rust in my 1993 Saab 900. Nearly all of the corrosion in the car is in sections of the body that have been replaced at some point or another due to accident damage. Since I'm a poor college student, I'm trying to do this project as cheaply as possibly. Bondo will most likely be heavily involved where ever possible, though I'm going to have to get real creative with the gaping holes in the front fenders. After the body work is complete, I intend to get a gallon of mineral spirits and some Rustolium "Saftey Red" paint and try my hand and the infamous "$50 paint job" based on these links, though with my own improvisations along the way:

http://rollyourcar.com/aboutus.aspx

http://www.stylusscustoms.com/poormanspaintjob.html

Stay tuned for more! (hopefully without photos via Facebook)

Gray market 300D.

Contrary to what its apperance may suggest, this one actually ran when parked. The problem is that it was parked a very, very long time ago.

I pulled this gray market 1983 Mercedes-Benz 300D from some guy's backyard south of here where it apparently sat for about fifteen years. I mostly got it because being a gray market car it has all the Euro goodies like the bumpers and the lights that have already and will find their way to my own 300D. I will be parting this out over the next couple of weeks.

In our garage.

The 4-door GS was introduced in 1970 to fill a market segment that Citroen was absent in- midsize cars. They had the high-end DS and the economy 2CV and 2CV based cars (Ami8, Ami Super, etc) but nothing in between. The GS was a well engineered and successful remedy to that. It was awarded the European Car of The Year award in 1971, a testament to the technology (for its time) that went behind this car. Citroen introduced a wagon version in 1972, making an already versatile car more versatile. The air cooled flat four under the hood was originally a Panhard design and was available in either 1015cc, 1129cc, 1222cc or 1299cc. Worth mentioning that Citroen also experimented with a rotary powered GS that sported a Wankel engine. Production of that was very short and few remain today.

It was finally replaced in 1979 by the 5-door GSA. The styling was essentially the same with minor differences, the biggest one of them being the addition of a hatchback. The GSA was also better put together inside and better rust-proofed, though you can still hear it rust if you listen.

By 1986, this once futuristic design was seriously dated and it was replaced by the BX, a boxier looking GS that wasn't as successful as Citroen had hoped.



I got this 1983 model from the grandson of the original owner. The grandpa took great care of it and the grandson never drove it so it only has 76,000 kilometers. Except for some dings and dents that are standard on a car that's spent its whole life in Marseille, it's pretty flawless inside and out.

It has the 1129cc engine and being a base model, it has a 4-speed manual transmission. More expensive models had a 5-speed and they even offered a pointless 3-speed automatic transmission that often had a mind of its own. The best way to describe it is that it drives like a faster 2CV and rides like a smaller DS, the reason being its Hydropneumatic suspension, a system introduced by Citroen in 1955 on the original DS to create a smoother ride.

Like many cars of this segment and era, most of them have rotted into oblivion or have been junked and good examples like this one are fairly cheap but also fairly hard to find.

The interior is unmistakably Citroen and unmistakably French- the speedometer is a rotary drum, the single spoke steering wheel is inspired by the DS, the handbrake is where the radio should be and the radio is in between the front seats, right by the control for the suspension. There is no turn signal stalk and no horn on the wheel, those functions (and more) are found on the two pods visible behind the steering wheel. The tach above the instrument panel is aftermarket (not my addition), base cars didn't come with one originally. The seats feel like something you'd find at RC Willey with a triple digit price tag; add the all-absorbing Hydropneumatic suspension and it's more comfortable than a lot of new cars:




Outside, it takes some design cues from the DS including an unpronounced rear wheel arch. Compared with the GS, the GSA has less chrome on the outside. While its small engine meant acceleration wasn't brisk, its aerodynamic shape meant it could reach high speeds if you spend enough time with your foot on the gas:





Under the hood, you'll find the familiar green suspension pheres found in the DS and the SM and being a flat engine, there is room for the spare, too. Fuel finds its way into the combustion chamber via a single downdraft carburetor:

Type 2.

I've been after another air-cooled Volkswagen since I sold my 1962 Bug in 2007. I found a replacement (more or less) last week when I picked up this 1973 Bus from a shop around Provo, Utah. I don't know much about its history but it was last tagged in 1997 in Washington, plate number 315 HCP. It was brought to the shop for repair but the customer never paid and so it sat until they were able to get a title for it.

It runs and drives and it's not too rusty but it needs a lot of electrical work, very little works on it presently. I'll update this as the project progresses.

Road test: 1988 Alfa Romeo Milano Verde.

The Alfa Romeo 75 came out in 1985 as a 1986 model and was designed in-house by Alfa Romeo. It was called 75 to mark Alfa Romeo’s 75th anniversary and was available with a whole host of engines, gas and diesel, including Alfa’s venerable twin-cam. They were appreciated by the police and Carabinieri in Italy. It was imported to the U.S. from 1987 to 1989 where it was sold under the Milano moniker and was available exclusively with a V6. A vast majority of U.S. bound cars were equipped with the 2.5 found in the GTV6 and the Alfa6 but in the Milano Verde, this motor was bored out to 3.0, delivering around 183 horsepower. Alfa’s logs are notoriously unreliable and production figures are iffy but it’s estimated that no more than 900 Verdes came to the U.S. This is one of these cars.

Take a gander at it and right off the bat it’s unmistakably a product of the 1980s. Some say it’s reminiscent of a Jetta: the car is very angular, especially the trunk line which sweeps upwards. This is the kind of car that leaves onlookers with a strong impression either way. It was only available in sedan form though a wagon prototype that never saw mass production was built. On the outside, the Verde stands out from its 2.5 siblings with specific wheels, fender flares and a subtle spoiler on the trunk.

The driving position resembles something found in a yoga manual- the pedals are offset to the right. The clutch is where the brake normally is and so on. On that note, the whole interior is an exercise in Italian ergonomics: the handbrake is U-shaped, the window switches are up above the rearview mirror, there is a tray where the glovebox should be and the actual glovebox is a drawer below the tray, etc. It’s quite odd once you first sit in it but you eventually get used to it and after you spend enough time behind the wheel, some of it may even start to make sense. Some interior differences between the Verde and other models include orange gauges, a 160mph speedometer and comfortable Recaro seats. Instrumentation includes a tach, a temperature gauge, an oil pressure gauge and a fuel gauge.

It’s easy to live with everyday: it has ample trunk space and you can fit five adults in the car if you’re willing to sacrifice comfort. It’s unpractical to drive in the snow and tire chains are handy, as are 2nd gear starts. But, this isn't a boring family sedan. Fire it up and the exhaust note is your first hint of what’s under the hood. It’s very respectable performance-wise and road tests of the era suggest the car will do 0-60 in 7.7 seconds with a top speed of 136mph. That’s on par with a 1987 Porsche 944 S (normally aspirated model.) Granted, a Milano will never catch up to a 944 Turbo, but that’s a different story. The Porsche comparison doesn’t stop there- both cars have a transaxle.

This is my first Milano but I had a 1987 Gold (2.5 model) two years ago that I ended up parting out. When I bought the 1987, the owner told me “when you’re about to take a corner, don’t brake, give it some gas.” That’s an exaggeration but the car does handle very well courtesy of a rear-mounted transaxle that provides for near even weight distribution. The rear brakes are mounted inboard (bolted to the transaxle) to reduce unsprung weight. That gives it an edge over competition from the era (BMW E30 and the like) and it’s pure bliss to drive. It’s fun to toss around and the driver is always in control, though it’s forgiving if not. This transaxle setup has some drawbacks: the shift rods are unutterably long and the shifts aren’t as precise as they could be. Since these are now 20+ years old, new bushings in the shifter often do wonders. And, since the engine is in the front but the transmission is in the rear, the driveshaft spins at the same rpm as the engine. It’s kept stable with three driveshaft donuts (guibos in Alfa jargon) but the slightest disruption will offset the balance of it and vibrations will follow.

The steering is hydraulically assisted but it’s not overly assisted. Brakes are powerful enough to stop the car- that is, if your ABS works. The ABS is directly tied to the braking system so if the ABS doesn’t work, you get more than a warning light on the dash: half of your braking power is lost, rendering the car undriveable-- guess how I know? Since mostly Verdes came with ABS (some 2.5 Platinums did too), a way to fix a bad ABS that is to convert it to non-ABS using parts from a 2.5 Milano.

Earlier, I wrote that it’s easy to live with every day which will contradict this: I would recommend against using one as a daily driver. Why? Well, for one, fuel economy may be fine now but it won’t be when gas prices go back up-- I used to average around 16 miles per gallon in the city. Another setback with V6 Milanos of all types is that they are prima donnas when it comes to maintenance. The timing belt/tensioner/water pump unit needs to be done every 30,000 miles and it’s not a particularly enjoyable task. Servicing the inboard rear brakes isn’t enjoyable either.

Overall, the Milano Verde is a fun car and with such low production figures, I predict it will appreciate in value once it gets out of the typical worth-nothing rut that all cars go through in their lifetime. This may be a bit of a longshot but compare it to the Giulia T.I. of the 1960s- same principle, a sporty version of Alfa’s sedan built in small numbers, look at how much a T.I. is now worth. My advice would be to buy a Milano Verde and keep it as a weekend driver.

When buying one, avoid abused examples as they will most likely be money pits. Be very careful with the timing belt/tensioner unit. If you don’t know when the whole lot was last changed, change it. It’s an interference engine and bent valves are common if the timing belt service isn’t done right or in a timely manner. Other common issues include bad 2nd gear syncro, driveshaft vibration, rust, torn Recaro fabric and electrical gremlins. Milano parts are generally readily available but some Verde-specific parts can be dicey to find, especially ABS parts.

Note: I’ve owned this car for over four years and drove it daily for about two. It has 156,000 on the clock but according to the service records I have for it, the odometer has been replaced twice and I place the actual miles in the 170,000 range.

Going to Pieces

While home over break from Penn State, I snapped a few photos at the "progress" being made with our '74 Porsche 914 which some readers may recall was involved in a rather bad hit-and-run accident early this summer. 

My dad has been busy with the old angle-grider and cut some crumpled sections of the rear fender off. Also the trashed  trunk lid passenger side door is gone. We already have replacements for them which we picked up from the Stoddard Porsche swap-meed in Cleveland in June. 

So it's not a lot, but it's something. We're still in the process of a good body shell that can donate itself to the cause. The front and rear fenders are welded on, and some sections of the rear trunk floor will likely have to be cut out and welded back in. Stay tuned for future updates.