Moving to Arizona - Take My Car?

ddustan · 01-04-2004, 06:06 PM

Hi Everyone. On November 25th I was layed-off at my job in Bothell, WA and recently I was given the opportunity to interview for a job in Chandler, AZ. While I am excited about the move I was told that my 914 would be a three month car in Chandler because of the heat.

I may also have to part with my baby just for the money to make it through the move....

I just took the car out for a drive in the 21 degree weather and am sad to think that the car may not make the trip with me. I am looking for ideas from the only people I trust, those who also enjoy 914s.

What can or should I do? Is it true that the car can't be used on a daily basis since it has no A/C, etc...?

David

sean_V8_914 · sean_V8_914's Garage

there are many 914 owners in AZ. In the summer heat, the condition of your cooling system will be put to the test. Make sure it has ALL the tins in place!!! I have seen 120+ deg f in nearby Phoenix. I can not imagine life wihtout a 914 under my butt, KEEP YOUR CAR if you can.

scg · 01-04-2004, 06:42 PM

I agree ^^^

The withdrawl pangs are too powerfull and result in the purchase of another 914 as soon as $$$ permits (sooner in my case). Personally, I think there's nothing better than a nice drive on a warm night with the top off

mikester · 01-04-2004, 06:47 PM

AZ requires emissions inspections correct?

Might be a consideration...Don't know if WA does or not.

I vote for keeping it - I have a '74 1.8L myself.

sean_V8_914 · sean_V8_914's Garage

wait a day....the AZ 914 dudes should chime in soon

Toast · 01-04-2004, 11:07 PM

I did a move from a cold climate to a hot, and I kept my car for a few years. I just had to change the way I took care of it.

I say Keep the Car. Make sure to change from synthetic to regular motor oil!

914GT · 01-05-2004, 06:25 AM

Keep the car! They do just fine here. My first one never had cooling problems. Emissions testing is required in the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas, but you might be able to avoid it depending on where you live assuming you relocate to the Chandler area.

ddustan · 01-05-2004, 07:44 AM

My car doesn't seem to have any cooling problems, at least in the northwest! :-) I have driven the car to California in 90 degree heat with 30 weight oil (which was changed to Castrol 20/50 immediately).

I suspect that my 3 mile commute in the afternoon should be OK. What about being a driver/passenger? What suggestions do hot weather owners use to drive their cars through the hottest 9 months? I'd use tinting, a windshield and dash cover.... So waht's it like hanging the arm out to roast, or sitting in the seat when it is much higher than the 115+ degree temps... What can make creature comfort a possibility? :-)

Thanks for giving me hope!!!

David

AZ914 · 01-05-2004, 09:09 AM

KEEP THE CAR!!!

I used my 914 as a daily driver for a couple of years and it is doable (ok, Tucson is a few degrees cooler!)

It will be dang hot between May and September in the PHX area but the rest of the year is beautiful 914 weather.

Do you have another car as well? Thats the $64K question.

My suggestions:
- Park in the shade, cover the car, get tinted windows, get a sunscreen for the windshield, crack the windows slightly when parked, park facing away from the sun, etc...
- Dont wear a 3 piece suit.
- Get yourself a 1 liter sized cup holder and bring a bottle of water with you.
- Run some 20/50

You will have to get emission tested in Maricopa county.

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

Perry Keihl sells an "umbrella cover" that goes over the passenger compartment and engine bay. Should keep the worst of the heat out when the car is parked.

I used to drive around in non-AC cars all the time in IL. (IL summers are like those in much of the midwest and southeast--hot and muggy.) I've no idea how I survived them! I'm now a "weather wimp" from my years in the very mild CA climate.

One hint--when the temps are over about 100F-105F, rolling down the window will often make you hotter than keeping the window up!!

Carry lots of water with you when travelling any distance. Hopefully in a little cooler.

...I'm not exactly looking forward to my July trip to Texas...

--DD

MXMARK · 01-05-2004, 09:11 AM

David, I have a built 2.5L 4 and it survives in the 100+ days. I try not to drive it during the hottest time of the day in bumper to bumper traffic. Maybe an oil cooler will help keep engine temps down.

About the creature comforts, I park in the shade while at work even if it means walking alittle, I keep the car in my garage as much as possible during the day so if I drive it some where the inside will still be cool.

One more thing I know it is really hard to put A/C in a 914 but some on this board are doing it. I also know it is very hard on the motor. Maybe others will chime in and help with that one. I am thinking about the A/C option, But I am going to try to fab something up.

Don't sell your baby, you might never find another like her.

Good luck if you need any help I am sure someone here will help, maybe me. Mark

Amark · 01-05-2004, 10:31 AM

It's only really hot a couple of months out of the year.

If you sell it you will just be looking for another one in a few months. Buy a beater 2nd car with A/C for transportation.

Its supposed to be in the high 60's low 70's all week.

handyher · 01-05-2004, 02:54 PM

keep the teener. used to drive mine from san jose to san bernardino in the summer and had no problem with in it s.b. summer heat 110+ for what seemed like ages.

sean_V8_914 · sean_V8_914's Garage

I have an extra targa top painted white. It may be ugly but the inside temp change is dramatically lower when cruising under teh direct sunlight

CHAZZ · 01-05-2004, 03:57 PM

I would keep it! Although I live in the Chicago area I often vist friends, in the summer, in AZ. I cover everything including
The stering wheel on cars I use while out there. I also crack the
windows to keep air flowing throgh & cover the seats with a
beach towl. I also keep a pair of cheap cloth gloves on me
to open the doors. Most of as already mentioned keep it in the
shade!It seems in the Scotsdale area that beside work, most people
stay in during the hot times and go out at night. As for emmissions, I am not sure, but I thought most states do not test cars over 25 years old.

Chuck

sstine9 · sstine9's Garage

I live in south Fla. and know about the heat issues I tried for a year to buy or bid on the various a/c systems on ebay or in the classified section of Pelican..(they were always missing at least one part or needed work) then I got turned onto this site... European cooler air .com ...they make a custom twin condensor system with the modern Sanden compressor and a new underdash unit which goes from door to door and twice the cooling power of the 30 year old retro systems. $1800 for the kit and mine will be installed this week or next. Installation instructions come with it for the do yourselfers but I'm having a local shop do mine for about the same price as what the company gets at their place outside of Dallas Tx .. . $650

norustscott · norustscott's Garage

drive it at night...

3D914 · 3D914's Garage

I live in Phoenix
&
I own a 914
&
I drive it everyday - hot or cold
&
I have never had an overheating problem - not even close
&
I put original A/C back in last summer
&
It works fine with R12
&
I have a cockpit cover since car sits in sun during the day
&
I've had no problem with emissions with stock engine and FI
&
I agree with everyone else here - KEEP THE CAR!
&
I'd print this out and make who ever suggested such a thing eat every page of it.

Of course if that was your wife who suggested it, well then - have a nice day!

velomann · 01-06-2004, 04:44 PM

david,
i grew up in shoreline and have spent many summers in arizona for numerous reasons....trust me....keep the car and buy a used vw pickup for transport on really hot days. down in phoenix close to your destination is patrick motorsports, home of the 914-6 conversion......you know where I am going with this. keep the car and drive it with the protection that everyone has offered up.

CaptDon · 01-07-2004, 03:46 AM

David,

Keep the car. AS mentioned above emissions should be no problem for a stock motor in reasonalbly good operating condition. As for the heat, I also have never had an overheating problem with the car, as for the driver, well in the worst of the summer (July and August) I didn't drive it much in the day. However, on the bright side, you can drive it topless for what would equal about 11 months of the year, and rust is almost non-existant in the desert.

Don

ps. when I refer to driving it in the past tense, its not because I got rid of the teener, it has evolved from a street car, to an autocross car to a track only car.