914 Restoration Advice, Anyone used Classic Porsche Restoration review Options

[bartd]

Has anyone had experience with Classic Porsche Restoration in Easton, MD? My 914 has been sitting in my garage for 20+ years with frame damage from a leaking battery. Looks like where the strut(?) attaches to the frame is rusted and the car looks like it has a broken leg.
I am considering Classic Porsche Restoration to do the work.
If you have other suggestions for restoration garages near eastern Virginia, please let me know. Thanks!

[Dave_Darling]

If CT is in range, talk to Chris at Tangerine Racing.

Sadly, this type of damage is relatively common in 914s, and in the past has made them not worth repairing. So be prepared for a lot of expense!! The cars are worth more now, so it will probably be worth the repair, but it will not be cheap.

--DD

[bartd]

If CT is in range, talk to Chris at Tangerine Racing.

Sadly, this type of damage is relatively common in 914s, and in the past has made them not worth repairing. So be prepared for a lot of expense!! The cars are worth more now, so it will probably be worth the repair, but it will not be cheap.

--DD

Thanks for the advice, DD. I'm hoping to save her and am hoping a restoration expert can tell me the cost to restore so I can make the decision if it's worth it.

[mepstein]

We will soon have 914 fixtures for our Cellette benches and be up and running in a new building. Our metal guy can easily handle that sort of repair. You won't get a good estimate until it's in front of the metal guy. Everyone's version of "needs repair" is different and often expands as you peel back the layers. If you want to talk, pm me your number. mark

After straightening the car, a bunch of metal was cut out and replaced.

[Montreal914]

What Mark said here:

Everyone's version of "needs repair" is different and often expands as you peel back the layers.

As a quick example, this is on my driver's side longitudinal just in front of the rear suspension point.

At first glance, that outer metal looks solid.




Once I removed this section of the outer layer, this is what I found in between. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) Remenber, this is the driver's side not the battery side and this car was a California car its whole life.






Find the right 914 place for your restoration.

Good luck! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[mepstein]

The 914 longs are made up of layers of metal. Rain used to come down over the battery, mix with battery acid, flow into the hell hole and pool in the longs and suspension consoles. The little drain holes were often clogged and acidic water would sit for days. That’s one of the reasons these cars rust from the inside out. Another is the foam that Porsche used in many of the corners and sail panels. It would crack and water would wick into the foam and sit against the metal. Even the driver side has its own hell hole. These cars are over 50 years old.
It just takes a really good assessment both before and during repair to know where you stand and how deep you need to go. The metal is mostly available and reasonably priced. The labor cost can escalate quickly and can not always be nailed down prior to digging in.

[bartd]

What Mark said here:

Everyone's version of "needs repair" is different and often expands as you peel back the layers.

As a quick example, this is on my driver's side longitudinal just in front of the rear suspension point.

At first glance, that outer metal looks solid.




Once I removed this section of the outer layer, this is what I found in between. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) Remenber, this is the driver's side not the battery side and this car was a California car its whole life.






Find the right 914 place for your restoration.

Good luck! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Thanks for the encouragement! I'm sure my quest to get it restored will be successful

[bartd]

The 914 longs are made up of layers of metal. Rain used to come down over the battery, mix with battery acid, flow into the hell hole and pool in the longs and suspension consoles. The little drain holes were often clogged and acidic water would sit for days. That’s one of the reasons these cars rust from the inside out. Another is the foam that Porsche used in many of the corners and sail panels. It would crack and water would wick into the foam and sit against the metal. Even the driver side has its own hell hole. These cars are over 50 years old.
It just takes a really good assessment both before and during repair to know where you stand and how deep you need to go. The metal is mostly available and reasonably priced. The labor cost can escalate quickly and can not always be nailed down prior to digging in.

Yup, sounds like exactly what happened to mine. I lived in Milwaukee for a few years and thought I was doing a good think to have it undercoated by Ziebart with a lifetime warranty against rust. I'd have to take it back to where I had it undercoated in Milwaukee in order for them to evaluate and honor the warranty.

If I can't find a place closer than Wilmington I'll be in contact with you. You've been very helpful.

[mepstein]

I bought my first 914 in the early 80’s when I was 16. The rear passenger wheel was leaning into the body. The seller told me it was an alignment issue. That’s when I started to learn learn about rear suspension consoles and how these cars rust.

I wonder how a shop would honor a rust warranty. Zeibart is long gone.

[flipb]

I'm a fellow resident of the Commonwealth but have no experience with that particular shop. My unsolicited advice is that unless you have a strong sentimental connection to your 914, you'll come out WAY ahead financially to buy one that's had the hellhole addressed and is ready to drive, rather than undertake a long and expensive restoration. You'd probably still be ahead to buy from the West Coast (where low-rust 914s are plentiful) and have it shipped.

[mepstein]

I'm a fellow resident of the Commonwealth but have no experience with that particular shop. My unsolicited advice is that unless you have a strong sentimental connection to your 914, you'll come out WAY ahead financially to buy one that's had the hellhole addressed and is ready to drive, rather than undertake a long and expensive restoration. You'd probably still be ahead to buy from the West Coast (where low-rust 914s are plentiful) and have it shipped.

Sometimes that works, sometimes not.
We had a customer buy a ‘72-911. It came back from the chemical dip looking like Swiss cheese. The customer bought another 72 that was supposed to be really nice. It looked great. Came back from chemical dip and it was 3 different cars, spliced together. Sometimes the devil you know is better than the one you don’t - or something like that.
10-15 years ago you could find a rust free chassis in California for a grand and spend $500 shipping it to the east coast. Those days are long gone.