Are we dinos?, Been watching Pano Options

[Pat Garvey]

A little concerned about recent issue of Pano & the early cars for sale!

Most recent issue had 3-4 356's & no 912's! 914s were sparse too & most were DE or track cars.

What's the thought? Are we becoming dinos too, just like the 356/912 people?

Or, do we just not go to PCA these days? Like to hear your commennts.
Pat

[IronHillRestorations]

Not dinos for sure, good cars are just getting scarce!

[Tom_T]

A little concerned about recent issue of Pano & the early cars for sale! Most recent issue had 3-4 356's & no 912's! 914s were sparse too & most were DE or track cars.

IMHO - you advertise where you get the most coverage in your market, & I'd guess that here, 914club, ClubNARP, etc.are more focused to buyers/sellers of 914s, than is Pano. Hemmings is the same way, sparse.

What's the thought? Are we becoming dinos too, just like the 356/912 people?

Yup - just a little younger dinos! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Or, do we just not go to PCA these days?

We get many more of the newer Porsches at the Porsches & Doughnuts, PCA OCR monthly Breakfast, and Porsches & Pancakes; but a fair amount at the CW & AX/DE/TT/Rally events. I think it's a matter of wanting to drive them, having fewer of the old school Porsches around (many in states of resto like mine), etc.

I think it varies by region & event. Parade had what 4 or so 914s this year, & they fares reasonably well in their respective events.

I see a split of 914s - those in original condition (preserved, restored, nice DDs, restorable, etc.), and those which are modded into various forms (AX monsters, racers, 6-converts, V8's, Suby's, Clones of 914s & other cars, etc.). Then there are the 3rd category of ones going to parts donors, or the slow rust back to mother earth! I have one each of the 1st & 3rd category.

One way to look at this process is that the slow attrition makes the surviving ones more valuable, as happened with the 356s, which at one time were attainable under $2k before their popularity grew.

Another factor is the holdover by some PCA members & other self-proclaimed Porsche experts, that the 914 is NARP (like a water-boxer, SUV or 4-door is!!?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) ) &/or was a failure.

In fact, during the 73 - 74 MYs they sold 27k+ & 25k+, which is roughly 1/3 of their current 75k sales level today. It would be a huge success today at that level, even if it were another joint project, as is the Cayenne SUV which makes up most of those 75k sales now.

... that's my 2 cents FWIW!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Cupomeat]

Well, My experience with PCA is that 914s are respected these days and no longer the red-haired step child they once were, BUT, we are becoming very rare. I find the PCA here in NJ loves the 914s as they embrace any of the older cars. 997s and GT3 are commonplace so any car with real character is a standout (in a postiive way).

At the DE at Watkins Glen this august, I saw the largest 914 numbers I had seen in years and that was 6 (with 2 being race prep cars).

At the concours events, you are likely to see more 914s than 944s/968s and 928s combined sometimes, but the 356s are the dominant car in the pretty world.

Whenever I take my 914 to a PCA event someone is always telling me to notify them first when I want to sell it.

Dino, maybe, but we have some cred, finally. (sure beats my high school teacher asking if it was a fiat...)

[Tom_T]

I agree with Eric/cupomeat, most of the PCA guys at our more social events come over to (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif) anytime SoCal Andy's Yellow 72, or my buddy Jerry's pristine Red 71 showed up - they even teased Jerry for parking a row off the Porsches at Porsches & Doughnuts! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Many of them have stories of their first Porsche being a 914, and several wish they could get one again.

We get a mess of 914's at the G&R, but most don't go to PCA events, perhaps because the 914 crowd has a long standing tradition of being counter-culture.

[GeorgeRud]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)
I've been a PCA member since I bought my first 914 in 1974, and things have definitely changed as far as 914 is concerned. It's now a desired vintage vehicle or racer amongst members in the PCA, even though it started life as the bastard stepchild of Porsche.

I also think that there are only so many great cars, though people will continue resurrecting the marginal ones, and hopefully keep restoring them.

[sww914]

The PCA guys are starting to like us now. We've certainly outlived the 924's.

[KELTY360]

The PCA guys are starting to like us now.

Oh goody! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sunglasses.gif)

[carr914]

No I don't think we are Dinos, just the opposite. We are in the sweet spot where we have gained respectability & when seen bring up memories of past owners. Of course the crap economy is also a factor.

The issue with Panorama is that it is "Old School" as a way to market & sell a car. With the internet, you have a Forum like ours that is model specific, the "Bird" that gets a lot of traffic, eBay, Craigslist, etc that are Instant Gratification. Even this is evolving as the social networks gain ground.

I think that Pano falls into the same category as Hemmings & AutoTrader - slow to change

T.C.

[FourBlades]

I agree with TC. Selling anything through a paper magazine is way too slow for
most people nowadays. Look at ebay and there are 20+ 914s for sale anytime.

The 356 guys here really liked my 914 at the last event. 90% of the PCA people
here drive cars that are less than 10 years old.

John

[EdwardBlume]

"Are we dinos?"

No, they are. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

[patssle]

I recently went to my first swap meet here in Houston at a Porsche dealer. I didn't really expect much positive response to the 914 because Houston is not a 914 market and small cars are very much looked down upon in Texas. Plus when I got there, my little 914 was surrounded by mostly new expensive Porsches.

But everybody I spoke to said nothing but great things about the 914. One guy standing in front of his 70s 911 said he wished he owned a 914.

I wished I had put a mic on my car to see what people were saying without me around, not that their opinion has any influence on me, but just curious.

So if it's possible in Houston, it's possible anywhere!

[EdwardBlume]

I used to go to PCA events beyond AXing, you know, the "social" events. Ultimately people always ask "so what do you drive?". I'd look them straight in the face and say, a 914. Based on their reaction, I'd either make a new friend or not. The funny part was my DD was a 993. Its all about the people.

[RFoulds]

Dinos? Yes we are. as in Ferrari Dino 246. When the Dino 246 debuted, badges as a Dino, wiht no prancing horse anywhere, the little Pinanfirina sports car was scorned by the Ferrari crowd. "Not a real Ferrari."

Now its an extremely desirable collector Ferrari, one of my favorites. A good example is worth $150k, way more than the Real Ferrari 308 of just a few years later, with similar coachwork.

So, yes. the 914 is a Dino. Meant as a low price entry level sports car with solid engineering, now valued as a collector car, worth more than the later Porsches meant to replace it, such as 924 and 944.

[Spoke]

The only way we are becoming dinos are that an entire generation of car loving guys are growing up without the experience of actually working on their cars.

Where we grew up changing our own oil, changing plugs, adjusting carbs, timing, working on brakes, repairing rusty vehicles, today's kids can't touch an engine with all the engine management computers plus spark plugs now last 150K miles.

Oil change: go to JiffyLube. Brakes? Take it to the shop. Today's tuners put cold intakes on; fart cans on the exhaust, chip the motor. Rust repair: almost non-exstitent these days with plastic and gavanized metal. That's about it.

Put in a new stereo? Buy it from Best Buy and they install it.

My daughter's boyfriend couldn't point out the cooling system resourvour from the battery. Never worked on a car with his dad.

So from that point of view, those of us who work on cars like we do are dwindling in numbers.

[patssle]

The only way we are becoming dinos are that an entire generation of car loving guys are growing up without the experience of actually working on their cars.

Where we grew up changing our own oil, changing plugs, adjusting carbs, timing, working on brakes, repairing rusty vehicles, today's kids can't touch an engine with all the engine management computers plus spark plugs now last 150K miles.

Oil change: go to JiffyLube. Brakes? Take it to the shop. Today's tuners put cold intakes on; fart cans on the exhaust, chip the motor. Rust repair: almost non-exstitent these days with plastic and gavanized metal. That's about it.

Put in a new stereo? Buy it from Best Buy and they install it.

My daughter's boyfriend couldn't point out the cooling system resourvour from the battery. Never worked on a car with his dad.

So from that point of view, those of us who work on cars like we do are dwindling in numbers.

Agreed. Today, working your car consists of putting on a Chinese chrome gas cap, replacing the headlights with HIDs, and MAYBE installing a subwoofer yourself. Then paying somebody to install an annoying muffler on your 1990s Honda.

As a 24 year old, I knew nothing about cars before I bought the 914. Your typical young American (I did at least install a new radio/speakers in high school on my Beretta myself). Thankfully the 914 has opened doors and allowed me to learn. Still pretty much a newbie, but learning as I go.

[sixaddict]

About two years ago I had two interesting experiences.
One at Euro Festival....Pulled in to registration area and the female attendant said, what is that a Fiat ..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)
At an SCCA AX ...a younger guy said " what the hell is that"......he could probably tell you every Honda ever made. A couple of years ago at a Club Race a (wealthy appearing ) couple were looking at my track rat body and snickering...I was standing back but clearly it wasn't admiration ....... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/KMA.gif) so I upgraded to a pretty GT (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif) At shows everyone always tells you how that was their ..( pick one); college, first, early sports car....but most still have fond memories !
Recently trying to price a really nice conversion to sell , Dr 914 reminded me my price of 17,000 (while on target) could buy a 84-88 Carerra. Newbies would probably go that way .

[dinomium]

A little concerned about recent issue of Pano & the early cars for sale!

Most recent issue had 3-4 356's & no 912's! 914s were sparse too & most were DE or track cars.

What's the thought? Are we becoming dinos too, just like the 356/912 people?

Or, do we just not go to PCA these days? Like to hear your commennts.
Pat

Oh, so this is not a thread about becoming my fanclub then? Damit

I have to say the local PCA chapter has always been very inviting to me and my ratty 914s, both PNW and OPR chapters.
As to more young people not 'working on their cars', we are just not tuned in with their car culture. Some of those fart can equipped cars are high teck hot rods from hell! There also never seems to be a shortage of kids for drag racing either.

[dflesburg]

IMO:
We owe a big thank you to all the Club Racers, Drivers Ed guys and auto crossers... over the years that beat up on everyone to help us gain repect.

I mostly get positive comments on our cars. For the rest of them (a select few that say things to my face), I must admit I rather enjoy blowing by them on the way home from the event.

(My mother drives faster than some of the snobby club guys in thier racing shoes and Porsche Leather jackets... LOL then again, my favorite show when i was a kid was Dukes of Hazzard so perhaps I am a menace on the public roads.)

[SirAndy]

Are we dinos?

Most certainly ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)