Tobacco Road

Tim
Update by Tim Suddard to the Porsche 914 project car
Feb 7, 2000

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old port

new port

Scheduled to appear in GRM late this year or early next year, our 2.0-liter Porsche 914 was bought in North Carolina, where it had been stored in a tobacco barn for ages. The Porsche changed hands for the princely sum of $1200. Deficiencies included a lack of clear title, which was quickly solved, and a bad exhaust leak.

Once the engine was removed and disassembled, it became clear what the problem was: the number-three cylinder had developed a head gasket leak which had gotten much worse, thus ruining the head. Fortunately, the engine is now in the very capable hands of Shine Racing Services (http://www.srsvw.com), where it will be completely rebuilt with the addition of a Web Cam, Euro pistons and some other neat tricks.

Our 914 also received some serious port enhancement. That’s the old port on top—the reworked port is on the bottom.

The body on the car is virtually rust free—a major bonus. At this point we are stripping, prepping and painting the engine compartment. Next, we will tackle the suspension and brakes.

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Comments
snailmont5oh
snailmont5oh Dork
11/6/18 11:34 a.m.

I just decided, for no discernible reason, to create the mother of all zombie threads. 

nderwater
nderwater UltimaDork
11/6/18 11:38 a.m.

I don't even remember this project car. 

It blows my mind to think that I've been reading GRM for nearly 20 years.  I just wore my '20 years of GRM' t-shirt this weekend... I think that GRM is coming up on their 35th anniversary soon.

Dr. Hess
Dr. Hess MegaDork
11/6/18 12:19 p.m.

I think I started reading Teh Mag in '98 or '99, after seeing an issue in the car mag section of what used to be called "a book store" at this place they called "the mall."  

DeadSkunk
DeadSkunk PowerDork
11/6/18 12:24 p.m.

I made a T-shirt up for the Challenge in 2017 that had a January 1987 cover on it. I still have every issue since then, too.

Tyler H
Tyler H GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
11/6/18 12:26 p.m.

You know this is an old article when the subject is a 914 and rust isn't in the top 2 list of major deficiencies.

mazdeuce - Seth
mazdeuce - Seth Mod Squad
11/6/18 12:29 p.m.

This series of articles gave me one of my most pondered project thoughts. Tim was tallying up hours on the car to give a realistic idea of what it takes to finish a project. When he was done he said something along the lines of "if you don't have time to put it back together, don't take it apart". I think about that a lot when I look at various disassembled things. 

Duke
Duke MegaDork
11/6/18 12:30 p.m.
Tyler H said:

You know this is an old article when the subject is a 914 and rust isn't in the top 2 list of major deficiencies.

And it was $1200, even for a 914.

Marjorie Suddard
Marjorie Suddard General Manager
11/6/18 1:22 p.m.
Tyler H said:

You know this is an old article when the subject is a 914 and rust isn't in the top 2 list of major deficiencies.

Not that old—we hauled home a parts car for this project that we found in the woods of NC, and it was so rusty, I distinctly remember it folding in half when it hit the bottom of the ramps coming off the trailer. As in, the targa bar hit the windshield.

Margie

914Driver
914Driver MegaDork
11/6/18 2:04 p.m.

That was a nice car when complete, I learned a lot; swapping BMW parts to a 914?

spitfirebill
spitfirebill MegaDork
11/6/18 2:54 p.m.

I still cannot believe y'all sold that car. 

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