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Mon Nov 02, 2009 8:57 pm

Hi there everyone.. very excited about my new project with my 13 year old son... it's his car..We decided to take this on to spend some time together, and allow me to teach him some things along the way. I'm sure I'm gonna have some questions as we go, but I do have a little experience with the air cooled stuff... I have a '73 914 1.7, that I have had for the last 10 years, and have gone through that car from end to end a few times. Way back, I had a '68 hard top bug that got me through high school... and way way back, my parents had (at different times) a '63, a '66, and a european delivery '68..

anyway.. here's his car the day we picked it up..(yesterday)

Mon Nov 02, 2009 8:58 pm

Welcome.

And remember, the search feature is your best friend.

Mon Nov 02, 2009 9:02 pm

Here's a view of the dash.. does this steering wheel look wrong for a '71? I had a half circle horn ring on my '68, with the crest in the middle..

driver's side.. pretty clean, and most of the bodywork was done..

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Mon Nov 02, 2009 9:06 pm

on the way home...

I have had ALOT of time over the last number of years figuring out my 914 with fuel injection.. and I have it running really well now... I did the motor myself, and hope to do the same with John's engine.. but it's really been years since I messed with a carb... so please bear with me with some questions...

The time line is engine this winter, brakes and suspension next winter, and the body after that...

Mon Nov 02, 2009 9:08 pm

sounds like a fun project.

btw, that steering wheel reminds me of a late bus steering wheel.

Mon Nov 02, 2009 9:18 pm

Here's tonight's progress.. and my first question...

I ran the numbers, and I have an "AE" engine, so I know it's right for my year...

We took off the muffler and the "j" pipes..(those aren't going to work up here in the northeast!!..)
Before

After

Now, my question... am I missing something here? It looks like some kind of vacuum diaphram??

Mon Nov 02, 2009 10:02 pm

That's great. Father and son projects are always good fun. My first bit of advice would be to send your Carb to Keith aka"keifernet" and let him work his magic.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=429441

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=495640

You can not buy a new carb that performs as well as the original period.
Keith is the master of these factory carbs here so save yourself a world
of headaches and let him have it. Good luck

Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:42 pm

My 1971 Bug Std. has the same type of steering wheel - just a center horn button, no horn ring. Looks like a fun project to share.

Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:40 pm

Tonight, we took off the doghouse/alternator and the carb setup. We took off the remaining tin, and had a look:

Not as much crap as my 914 engine had when I pulled the tin off of that one... hell, that engine still had the dead mouse between the cylinders..

I guess this is the thing that really scares me... someone had the right head off at one point, and welded this crack closed..

Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:45 pm

overall, there's less oil leaks than I found on my 914... but I've NEVER heard this thing run.. so I guess my question becomes...whay to do from here..? Buy a new head? How far should I go on the tear down... I was thinking about pulling the heads and jugs, and re-ringing the pistons if they look ok.. We are looking for dependablity, and economy, with some performance..(In order of importance..)

I still think it cleaned up nice... but I think I need to at least pull the heads..