two thumbs up Brian Kumamoto

[rich]

Hey everbody Check out the new European Car Magizine!! BTW Pelican is on the parts source list too.

[JP Noonan]

SWEEEEEET!!!

Finally that 10 year subscription is paying off.

Man I was ticked when they canceled the "Project 914" right after I subscribed. I e-mailed the ed and the publisher with NO response as to why, or if I could get back issues. This new artilce is EC and the one in Grassroots are great.

[Steve M]

FINALLY!!, this months E-C is here.

Its incredible how an early car can arouse the imagination and bring back memories. Memories in my case being when I first layed eyes on my car sitting behind a house in an inch of mud with a tarp over it. The rust didnt deter me and if I had to I would purchase my car again.
Imagination being how I hope to have my car someday and how back in its day a car that clean was normal. Today it merely tugs at the heart strings.
Not even my door handles look as clean and sharp as yours....but someday. Atleast my headlights are still functional.
I've mentioned before I had my engine done by FAT about 4 years ago (now I remember). They did an awesome job but I've never experienced its performance before the mods becuase the car didnt run with its original 2.0 before.

I too will never sell my 914, my 10 year old sister once asked me when I die who will get my car. She was hoping I'd say she would, had to burst the kids bubble and tell her that I'll be buried in it.

Only one little thing I noticed about the photo. Looks like someone did a hack job on the center caps on the car. I'm willing to bet it was those heathens at the tire store you went to when you put on new rubber.
The local grease monkeys did the same to me, in my case it doesnt detract from anything.

[bowlsby]

On the center caps...

I bought a used set from Wayne awhile ago and was able to gently finesse them with a rubber hammer and flat surface (an old valve in a vise) to a pretty good state of flatness in the center. They don't look too bad unless you get out a microscope. You might give it a try on yours...

[Germain]

I havn't tried this yet, but I have been told that if I want to get a good smooth flat surface to do the following.
1) Cut wooden spindle to fit exact shap desired
2) Heat cap till very hot (red)
3) Pound on to the spindle with rubber mallet

They told me that would be the best way to go. Like I said though, I havn't tried it.

[Steve M]

What would be better is get a peice of wood that the cap would fit over and with a medium sized metal working hammer, put some masking tape over the face of the hammer then just flatten it out nice and easy. After thats done and its straight, aside from some hammer marks, get some wet or dry 600 and sand until you get as many of the blemishes out as you can. Then get 1200 wet or dry and sand it until you can a better reflection from the metal then you did with the 600. Do all sanding with some warm water, soapy is even better it cleanses while at the same time adding some lubrication without detracting from the sanding properties.
Once that is done buff it and you should have a decent center cap. I've never tried this method on a center cap but it should work.

[This message has been edited by Steve M (edited 12-01-1999).]

[bowlsby]

Hey guys, I HAVE worked my center caps over, and while all this talk about red hot, sanding and polishing in theory may work, its really more work than necessary.

The caps seem to be a very thin stainless steel and will scratch if a metal hammer is used. They are so thin that you can bend them with your bare hands (same as the metal bumpers, which I have also finessed in the same way). I would be afraid that heating them, especially red hot, would permanently discolor them (blue) and warp them beyond recognition.

Just get a hard rubber faced hammer, or masking tape over a metal finish hammer and a hard surface like a valve (also taped to prevent scratches), a wood dowel end (closet clothes rod in a vise) and g-e-n-t-l-y work out the waviness and bumps. They will not be perfect but they will be convincing at a fraction of the cost of new ones.

Just my opinion and experience.