My redone Fuchs Wheels and new tires!!!
Here’s the backyard, home done, custom color (out of a spray can) re-done Porsche Fuchs! I love ’em!
Days 4 through 14 (three weeks into the 914 project). Am I totally CRAZY? I am going to refinnish the 5-lug Porsche Fuchs myself?
July 3, 2009Ok, Ok, I have researched the beautiful job that the experts do when refinishing Porsche Fuchs wheels (I love the RSR ‘look’). However, I have decided to do them myself…I have 4 Fuchs, 6 x 15.
I took the wheels and tires to my local tire shop to have them removes the tires. I had researched tire sizes, and there isn’t nearly the tire selection for 15″ wheels as there used to be! I decided to go with BFG G-force 205/55R-15′ tires. I picked up the wheels on Thursday and hoped to clean, repaint and get the new tires mounted on Saturday- but I was wrong! I cleaned the rims with soap and water, then with oven cleaner (after all, I had ‘studied’ many stories and articles on the internet, and I knew I could do it). First BIG problem- one of the Fuchs is cracked! After looking into it, I decide to buy one used rim. I check craigslist, and somebody has a whole bunch of Porsche rims- only 1 hour from my house! I jump in the car and drive to Salinas. It turns out that he has every rim (and sets of Fuchs rims), besides what I need…oh well, I keep looking, and fingd a good condition wheel at Partsheaven in Hayward. WooHoo!
Ok, now I am back to working on the wheels…they are washed, used oven cleaner on them, and I sanded the wheels with 220, 600, 1000 and 1500 grit wet/dry sandpaper. Now for the fun part! Painting! I masked the cracked wheel, and tried five different colors (one on each spoke, or petal), five times- for a total of25 different colors- until I picked the color I liked!
So after I pained the backs of the rim black, I painted the ‘Silver’ on the front, had the new tires installed, and put the new tire and rims on the car. Now it’s on to the bumpers…
It helps having twin 15 year olds when sanding!
Trying different paint colors and types!
Finally ready for paint!
Taped off, ready to spray the back and rim edge in semi-gloss black!
Day 3. I couldn’t sleep, wondering if it REALLY was a 2.0 (two-liter), or was it a lowly 1.8L?
July 3, 2009Now I started thinking. If this is not a REAL 914 2.0, then I have problems…I have already mentioned the really-ugly-someone-paid-extra-for (!) Sepia Brown that I don’t like. And another BIG problem, those what-the-heck-was-Porsche-thinking really ugly bumpers. Big Black Bumpers (BBB). The 914 looks so elegant and lightweight with the 1975 and earlier chrome bumpers. Or chrome style bumpers painted black. But these big, heavy, shock absorber monstrosities really suck!
If this didn’t have Fuch rims and no rust and isn’t really a 2.0 liter motor, than I would have to consider selling this car! So back to the internet to find out where the engine serial number is, as well as what should it be…OK, so a ’75 914 2.0 liter has an engine number starting with ‘GC’. I am thinking to myself that must stand for ‘Good Call’ or ‘Good Car’… and maybe since a lot of people prefer the 1973 914 2.0 (less smog stuff on the engine, therefore more horsepower and no UGLY BBB), and the engine number starts with ‘EC’ on those cars, it must stand for “Excellent Car”.
My goal is starting to become “Make my 1975 BBB, Ugly Sepia Brown, an ‘EC’ (Excellent Car) as well!
So I find out where the engine serial number is located…sort of. I can’t see in there, and it’s a little dirty. Finally, some carb cleaner and elbow grease allow me to get my camera in there and take a picture…and the verdict is: YES, my car is an official 2.00 liter engined 914!
Now, I gotta deal with that UGLY Sepia brown (ok, I am starting to like it a little more, after all, how many Sepia Brown 914’s have you seen?) and look into what it takes to get rid of those Bumpers (BBB), as they are heavy and ugly….
It's alive! It's a 2.0!!!
Day 2. The more I check out the 914 2.0- the more I like it!
July 3, 2009
Nice, original condition front truck!
OK, here we go…Taking a closer look at the 914 2.0
This is a really nice car (once you can get past that ugly sepia Brown!). Both trunks have no rust, and only the battery box itself has some evidence of rust. Most unusual, as these cars attract rust like bees to honey! So it’s passed the first test; never wrecked, no rust…hmmm, now for the big question….what about the conversion a previous owner (PO) did from stock 914 4-lug to those beautiful, awesome, can’t-say-Porsche-enough Fuchs 5-lug wheels? Did they do it ‘the correct’ method, or not? A little background, please…
There are three (well, actually four) methods to get those beautiful 5-lug Fuchs on your 914 Porsche:
- Least desirable: wheels adapters
- Better: Re-drill your existing wheels hubs to 5-lug
- Best: Convert the front suspension to 911, and convert the rear to 914/6
- VERY Best: Buy a 914/6 (already has Porsche suspension from the Porsche factory (this would be a great option, if they weren’t so rare and expensive! Oh, and the ‘fixed’ passenger seat in 1970-’71 914’s and 914/6’s looks really cheap)
Guess what? The previous owner did it the ‘best’ way, utilizing option #3, convert to Porsche suspension. WooHoo!!!
So, as I started out saying, the more I check out my 914, the more I like it!
Converted to 5-lug 911 front suspension. WooHoo!
This could be the start of something great…or not. Day 1…
June 27, 2009
Day 1, this car needs some work!!!
OK, I am kidding- this IS going to be something GREAT! I have a new project car, my 1975 Porsche 914 2.0. Original fuel injection, original interior, original UGLY brown exterior color…
Well, actually, I have researched the UGLY brown color and it is now identified as an option (Porsche Sepia Brown) somebody paid EXTRA for this color…can you believe that? About $185 or $190 extra or so…
My Porsche 914 Project 