74 ghia type 4 project

[Tonyorlo]

Well, I figured since I'm gathering parts for the car I can start a build thread. This is my first air cooled vw, my dad has owned a few and kinda got me started on them. This will be a slow build, I'm currently building a garage and wrapping up some things on my 91 s10 build that's been a 10 year process.

This car is very clean for this area. A small spot on each heater channel, and the rear lower corner of each quarter panel has some rust. That is really about it, and I want to fit the early style lower quarters so I can run t bars or go bumperless. The car is original paint so that was a big plus.

Not much is set in stone for plans, other than I am doing a type 4 swap. I'm buying a 75 1.8 914 for the engine, seats, brakes, and maybe some other parts. Id like to part that car out as much as I can before I scrap it (its completely rotted out underneath). It will be lowered a few inches, and I would like to find some early 911 steel wheels. Id like it to resemble a stock ghia.

The interior will be stock themed as well. Ive had no luck with local upholsters for my s10, so I'm going to buy a sewing machine and learn how to do it myself. Id like for this to be my first upholstery project.

I only have a few pictures of the car, I need to take some more. It came stripped down like this, with about 4 boxes of parts and a complete interior.

Ill post some more pictures up soon, and hopefully some updates of the 914 parts car. Ive been browsing on this site for 7 years now, so I'm happy to finally contribute!

[djway3474]

Sounds like lots of fun. There is a kit, if you don't know, that allows you to put the type 4 in without cutting the car up. It is an upright conversion. Sorry I don't know where to get it but if someone does not offer up the info I am sure you can search the net.

[Tonyorlo]

Yeah I've searched all the options, your probably thinking of the down the middle (dtm) kit. They say it's the way to go, but I bought the joe Cali conversion manual and plan to go that route. I'd really like to do a horizontal 911 fan, and fiberglass a shroud.

I've been spending a lot of time on shoptalk forum. There's a lot of good info over there

[ccihon]

Sounds interesting - I'm here in OH, not that far from you - have a daughter attending WVU.

914 wheels will fit the 74 directly, not sure about 911 - sounds like you might swab hubs etc anyway. The stock "sport" steelies from a Ghia or a 914 are close to the same thing, and I think the stock slotted steel wheels and hubcaps are very similar, too. I usually think putting Fuchs or 2-litre wheels on a ghia is pretentious, but in your case maybe it makes sense.

Reasonably accurate stock upholstery can be purchased a fitted easily - so you only need to go the sewing/upholsterer route if you desire something custom.

Does the 1.8 have the factory fuel injection? Do the conversion option adapt the engine to the existing transaxle or use the 914 one? Seems like 914 seats would put you pretty low in a Ghia - maybe that's good.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Tonyorlo]

I could be wrong on the wheels, but I was these are the ones I would like to go with, I think they are 911 wheels?

Im kinda thinking they are too wide, and will have too much backspacing though. I also like these wheels, not sure if there 914, or 911 wheels?

They obviously had to do some massaging to the wheel well lip.

I didnt even think about how low the 914 seats sit, I really dont midn that as long as the driver wont have problems seeing the road. Im not a huge fan of how they dont recline, but I wont have a back seat so its not a deal breaker.Id like to do something custom for the seats and the dash pad.

Yeah that 1.8 has fuel injection, which I hope will be an advantage because I plan to fuel inject it. I have a megasquirt II ecm I will use. I dont know what type of injectors it has, and if I will be able to easliy find larger ones?

They guy I am buying the 914 off of was telling me theres a big air cooled show near columbus every year, I cant remember where it was at though?

[ccihon]

We have Volksfest here in Columbus - second weekend August I think - not many Porsches there this year.

The wheels you show may well be 911 - they are 5 bolt. Stock 74 Ghia is 4 bolt, as are most 914s, I thought.

[dsrtfox]

356C 911 912 914-6

[Tonyorlo]

Is the offset the same between all those cars?

[Tonyorlo]

Here's some more pictures of the car.

Can anyone tell me what mounted to the back wall on these tabs?

[c21darrel]

the tabs carry your wire harnes across the back fire wall. Some will go back under on passenger side to starter, others over to P side lights/turns/brake. They originally are hidden under the tarboards on firewall. Good luck that looks like more rust repair than you expect.

[djway3474]

If you were on this coast I would suggest finding a rust free donor and cutting out the parts you need or just swapping bodies. I have a rust free body I would sell you cheap, since I don't need it anymore, but that is a bit of a drive to Cali and back. Good luck with the resto. Mine has been entertaining so far

[Tonyorlo]

That's good to know. Thanks for the reply!
Trust me that rust isn't bad at all compared to most project cars in this area. The nose and pan are both solid. I don't want to run bumpers so id be changing the lower quarters anyway.

Yeah I'd like to use factory sheet metal for the repairs if possible. The PO bought patch panels to repair everything. Thanks for the offer, but yeah that's quite a drive haha.

[Tonyorlo]

Got the 914 today,

She's pretty rough lol. I plan on pulling the engine Friday.

[Tonyorlo]

Got the case tore down and cleaned up. Mic'd the cylinders, surprisingly they were 96s. I was hoping to punch them out to 94s and re use them. Now I'm going to use the 901 trans from the 914. A member on another forum can help me set it up to work with a rear engine.

Also scored some corvair cooling parts. I think that's the route I'm going to go.

Got to throw up a pic of my recently finished project.

[djway3474]

Love 75/76 914s to bad she couldn't be saved

this was the last car I restored way back in the 80s. Loved this car. Did the paint and it came out like glass, did my own interior and it was beautiful.
Super strong 2.0 FI with a Boreland exhaust if I remember correctly.
I am looking for a 2.0 for a Bay that I have

[Tonyorlo]

I love the stance on that car! Are those 15" wheels? Was it a 2.0? Laquer paint? Only thing I didn't like about that 75 was the eurothane bumpers, I'd ditch them for glass ones. I wanted to get a 2.0 but for what I wanted to do a 1.8 would work just fine.

[djway3474]

15x7 up front 15x8 in the rear I radius'd the rear fenders in a square shape to fit them in. The paint was acrylic enamel with hardener. I way over reduced and sprayed super thin and wet. Took 8 coats to cover where AE normally took 3 coats.
A friend worked at Lincoln in Detroit and sent me a bunch of velvet type fabric for the seats Navy blue and dark gray.
You should have seen the girl from Huntington Beach that bought it. I couldn't say no LOL

[nextgen]

Tony go to my site www.nextgen-usa.com then go to photos. When at Photos click on additional photo and check pn the Red Ghia. It is my friends, uses a Porsche Style Fan housing. All he did was put on 2.0 pistons, on the 1.7 engine and a mild cam, balanced the engine nice exhaust and his is pumping out 135 hp. Front and rear anti sway bars. Since that photo he lowered the car and is running low profile tires. I drove it, feels like a 356 porsche and looks as good. This is my car I did the same and am putting out 125, not bad in a 1700 lb bug, with the same suspension as his Ghia. Yes I have 4 wheel disk brakes. I use a stock T-1 fanhousing. The Corvair fanhousing is nice but the belt makes a right angle and the get thrown.. You can try it some guys have done mods that keep it in place. For T-4 into Ghia info go to the T-4 Fourm they have done it.

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[Tonyorlo]

Do you do your own sewing dj? If so what kind of machine do you have?

I'm not set on the corvair fan yet, a buddy's dad gave that stuff to me. All the tins on my 1.8 were pretty much rusted to nothing so I'll have to source all new stuff.

I like the look of the horizontal fan better, but your right the change in the direction of the belt isn't a good thing. I'm just worried the upright won't be sufficient for the engine because it will be turboed. It won't let me go through your site on my phone. I'll have to check it out. What kind of sway bars did he run? I have your conversion manual, it's been real helpful.

[djway3474]

I am currently looking for an industrial Pfaff machine. Back in the day I went to swap meets an purchased home units and used them till they broke then went a purchased another LOL.
I am going to do my LowLight.....I hope LOL