Any US 914-4 factory equipped with carbs?, A $100 bet rides on this!! Options

[mistro]

A coworker, who didn’t know I was into 914 until we were at the bar tonight, tells me that there were 914-4 sold in the US that were factory equipped with carbs. He thought 70 or 71. I say no, only carbed 914 was the 914-6. Whose right? A $100 rides on this. After posting this I’m headed to the books! I could double my winnings from the Texas win, or break even… Michael

[Mueller]

I've only heard of the European 1.8 to be equipped with dual carbs from the factory.....

Make sure you get that $100 in cash (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)

[DanT]

Gee,
this all sounds vaguely familiar! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wacko.gif)

See carb thread (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif)

[mistro]

But I'm not asking if carbs could be added, and what the benefit would/could be. I'm asking if any 914-4 came from the factory into the US with carbs. Michael

[Mueller]

QUOTE (mistro @ Jan 5 2006, 09:46 PM)

But I'm not asking if carbs could be added, and what the benefit would/could be. I'm asking if any 914-4 came from the factory into the US with carbs. Michael

and my post said NO (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)

[mistro]

I hear you Mueller.

[jim_hoyland]

I once talked to a guy who bought one of the first 914's that entered the US through Canada. He said his car was carbed. This may have been a grey market deal. I think you are referring to cars sold by dealers

[Aaron Cox]

QUOTE (Mueller @ Jan 5 2006, 09:39 PM)

I've only heard of the European 1.8 to be equipped with dual carbs from the factory..... Make sure you get that $100 in cash (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)

euro 1.8 had VW PN manifolds and solex carbs....

[campbellcj]

I sure have never heard of one. Excellence Was Expected would likely contain a definitive (or at least highly credible) answer...I'm out of town but maybe somebody has a copy handy.

[Bleyseng]

The 4's all had FI unless its a euro 1.8L with those bus carbs

[McMark]

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/agree.gif) Euro only is what I've heard. The carb thread does delve into this topic, but you have to read a lot to get there. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)

[Jake Raby]

I have a customer who HAS one that he claims he bought brand new with carbs in the US! truth or not- I don't know..

[Bleyseng]

I don't believe it unless it was a dealer conversion using bus carbs.

[dmenche914]

I had a US spec 914 (ealry production 1970 model) that had no US emmisions stuff (no vapour recovery system) I wrote the factory and per the VIN they told me it was a US spec car. however there never was a evap system installed (no port on fan house, now lines nor holes for lines anywhere on the body etc....)

on the phone with the porsche folks, the guy told me that ecspecially early in prodution sometimes euro cars would get stickered as US cars and shipped to the US. So my 914 was tagged as a US model, sold in the US, but was built as a euro car. Off course it was a mistake , an exception to the rule. It did have regular D-jet, so that don't answer the carb question.

[gregrobbins]

QUOTE (mistro @ Jan 5 2006, 09:46 PM)

But I'm not asking if carbs could be added, and what the benefit would/could be. I'm asking if any 914-4 came from the factory into the US with carbs. Michael

NO

Good reference is Brian Long's Book.

[SirAndy]

QUOTE (mistro @ Jan 5 2006, 08:38 PM)

A $100 rides on this. After posting this I’m headed to the books! I could double my winnings from the Texas win, or break even…

no carbed 914 for the US. ever. there were 1.8L cars sold in europe with dual carbs, but never ever for the US market. ever. nope.

have fun with your $100!
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) Andy

[davep]

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/agree.gif) with Andy

The official factory position was that all 914/4 came with D-jet FI except the 1.8L, and they had L-jet except for the Euro version which had carbs.

That said, there was at least one demonstrator that came to the USA with carbs. It was NOT street legal, was never licenced for the road, and never legally sold. Therefor, in terms of your bet, it does not count.

As far as the reference to a car coming through Canada, I find that rather hokey. First, the only 914 that Canada sold in the first two years was a single 914/6, and it was never street licenced. VW Canada did not import the 914 until the 1972 model year in any quantity. Second, all 914/4 sold in Canada had FI.

So, Jim and Jake, if we could get more definitive information from your sources, it could be interesting. Please get them to contact me if you can.

mistro, collect on your bet.

[JmuRiz]

Wasn't there a pic floating around of the euro 1.8L with the carbs. The setup was rather cool. Always wondered if you could use the airbox, replace the carbs with an FI system and run a turbo on it....hmmmmm (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/idea.gif)

[Bleyseng]

QUOTE (dmenche914 @ Jan 5 2006, 10:38 PM)

I had a US spec 914 (ealry production 1970 model) that had no US emmisions stuff (no vapour recovery system) I wrote the factory and per the VIN they told me it was a US spec car. however there never was a evap system installed (no port on fan house, now lines nor holes for lines anywhere on the body etc....) on the phone with the porsche folks, the guy told me that ecspecially early in prodution sometimes euro cars would get stickered as US cars and shipped to the US. So my 914 was tagged as a US model, sold in the US, but was built as a euro car. Off course it was a mistake , an exception to the rule. It did have regular D-jet, so that don't answer the carb question.

What was the VIN as the 70 I had (29**)also didn't any of that stuff and I still have the djet parts of it.

[ChrisFoley]

QUOTE (mistro @ Jan 5 2006, 11:46 PM)

I'm asking if any 914-4 came from the factory into the US with carbs.

I know of only one new 914-4 that came to the US with carbs, but it was not sold at any dealership. Les Handley's Production race car had a pair of Solex P-40's on it when it entered the country. I don't think the car was ever registered for use on public roads but I might be wrong about that. Les is the second owner of the car.