Should I send this letter to Bruce Anderson?, 914 LE cars Options

[JeffBowlsby]

Hi Bruce,

Many of us enjoy your significant contributions to Excellence and other venues in support of the humble 914. I have reviewed the November 2004 914 Market Update and was encouraged to read about the awakened interest in the 914 model. I concur, that at this point in time, it seems that the 914 has become much more respected and sought-after in recent years. Thank you for your continued enthusiastic support of the model.

A 914 devotee, I am also curious about the lack of any mention in the article of the highly-regarded 1974 914 Can Am Limited Edition. 1000 cars were built and imported to the USA, making them more rare than the 914/6, yet much more available than the M471 cars mentioned. Documented recent resale prices for clean but not pristine examples hover in the range of $10K to $12K…for a four-cylinder 914 no less. Because it was a factory production car and not a prototype, I think it would be of service to the 914 community to mention the 914 Limited Edition cars.

All available information about the 1974 914 Can Am Limited Edition cars including a Registry of located cars can be found on my website at this link:

http://members.rennlist.com/914_canam/

May I propose the following text for your hopeful inclusion with future 914 Market Updates, for your consideration:

“The 1974 914 Can Am Limited Edition was standard equipped with most optional factory equipment including specially-designed color schemes, side stripes and front air dam. 1000 cars were built, making them three times more rare than the 914/6. Conceived to promote Porsche racing successes in the Can Am racing series, the cars are highly-prized by all 914 owners.”


Sincerely,


Jeff Bowlsby
San Jose, CA

[McMark]

Good letter, send it. I don't know about "highly prized by all" though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) SORRY!

[Bleyseng]

If you do send the letter (good idea) include a pic of a Grasshopper model!

Geoff

[SirAndy]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) send it!

oh, and while you're at it, also ask him about the value of a certain stolen prototype car ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) Andy

[i love porsche]

definetly send it. it cant hurt, it could only help =]

[nebreitling]

Hi Jeff

Definitely send it. LE's need some advocacy, and you're the man to do it.

[morph]

Good letter, send it. I don't know about "highly prized by all" though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) SORRY!

i dont know about rare either.ive all ready cut up one, i know was a le.and i think i have a black one sitting here.(i havent inspected it yet)im the sanford and son of 914.
when it reaches me it means no one wanted it,or it was rusted out pretty bad (i havent got a six in my yard yet)
dont take me wrong i think le,s are pretty kool
looking.if you like em who cares what other people think.back in the late 80's and early 90's,i dont know how many times someone called my 914 a "volkswagen"or a "poor mans porsche" i like it so screw you was usally my awnser. now i get calls from all over the world from people looking for parts for this car.it definatly has grown alot in popularity.great little car.it allways was to me even when it wasnt a very popular car

[davep]

That is well thought out. I'd go ahead with it.

DaveP

[lapuwali]

i dont know about rare either

If only 1000 were made, and 3x as many 914/6s were made (both documented facts), then it's rarer than the 914/6 by definition. The point of dispute isn't rarity, but rather desirability. The Sixes cost more and are rising in price faster than any of the Fours because of desirability, not rarity. The two often go hand in hand, but not always. As another example, I used to have an Alfa Romeo Berlina, a car as nearly as rare in the US as the 914 LE (roughly 1500 imported). However, they were basically $500 cars you couldn't give away sometimes, because they were so undesirable in the US.

This isn't to say the 914 LE isn't desirable, only that rarity does not always equal desirability.

[morph]

i dont know about rare either

This isn't to say the 914 LE isn't desirable, only that rarity does not always equal desirability.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) um yeah what he said (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)
with all that aside send the letter is what i shoulda said.wrote very well .

[914werke]

Good Letter, Id suggest editing it to alternatly suggest a Small artical profileing the LE and the contraversey surrounding the mysterious Green beastie (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)
You can offer up your car for the Photo op. But Youd have to find a equally nice Creamsicle.

[horizontally-opposed]

Better yet, just send him a link to this thread. Bruce is an old 914-6 guy, and he loved the cars. He still has a 914-6, in fact. Oh wait, it's a 9-EIGHT-6... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

His public email is Bruce1485@aol.com

[maf914]

This isn't to say the 914 LE isn't desirable, only that rarity does not always equal desirability.

That is true. How many Yugos were imported and how many are currently desired? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

But, overall, Geoff's letter is a good one and should be sent to Excellence. Along with a color picture of the elusive grasshopper. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[914werke]

if you send a link to this thread heres another image.

[smg914]

I think it's a great idea to send Bruce the information on the LE. It certainly needs to be mentioned in his 914 market update. The thing I like most about the LE is what it represents and the fact that Porsche decided to use the 914 to promote it. Winning the CanAm series in 1973 was a great achievement. It would have been nice if Porsche would have did something to the LE to improve it's performance over other 2 Liter 914's. The fact that it's mainly just a unique color combination may not convince everyone that it is worth more than a non-LE in similar condition. This theory would be the same for my Sahara Beige 914. I would assume my friend Joe's Phoenix Red '74 2 Liter with 22,000 original miles would be valued the same as my Sahara Beige '73 @Liter with 22,000 original miles.

By the way, only 1788 914-6's were imported to the United States, not counting 914114.

[Carl]

Jeff, send the letter. In the worst case he'll think you're a whacko for being an expert in a very small part of the already small 914 universe. Like the old saw, "We'll know more and more about less and less until we know all there is to know about nothing."

[SirAndy]

"We'll know more and more about less and less until we know all there is to know about nothing."

if i knew *anything* about "nothing" i would be rich & famous by now ...

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Andy

[iiibdsiil]

Are the Black/Yellow Bumble bee ones LE only cars?

If so, I know of one that isn't on the list. The owner just put it on the rotissery for a full restoration.

[smg914]

If the car came from the factory with a black body with yellow bumpers/valances/wheels, then it is an LE. This color combination was only used on the LE's.

[Gint]

Absolutely send it!

The Sixes cost more and are rising in price faster than any of the Fours because of desirability, not rarity.

I'd like to see that, but I respectfully disagree. It seems to me that the 4 cylinder cars have appreciated a good bit more over the last 12-24 months or so than the 6 cylinders cars have.