Heads up, Lew's 914 update - SOLD Options

[76-914]

In the next few weeks I will be posting Lew Mengle's 914 for sale. (Lew passed away last spring). I will post pics soon but as many of you know Lew spared no expense on his baby. It's silver w/ matching top, 2.0 < 1 yr old. If one of your east coasters wants a good CA car then pay attention to the classifieds next few weeks. You can drive this car x country w/o nary a problem. So if you want a driver and not a fixer upper this car is for you. Next time I post will be with pic's, list of upgrades and a price. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/santa_smiley.gif)

EDIT: I've been receiving inquiries on Lew's car so rather than responding to each PM I thought I'd post the current price along with an explanation. I hope to post some pic's soon.
This is where we are at presently. The car is in probate and will be for appx 2 mo's. The probate court had an appraisal done which came in at $8600.00. The probate judge has said that it may be sold for 10% less than the appraised value, so long as it remains in probate. After probate Linda (Lew's sister) can sell the car for whatever she feels is a fair price. AFAIK, the car needs nothing except a new owner. I won't have any pic's or further info until after the 19th of this month. kent

[76-914]

Sold and going to a very good home. RIP Lew; it's in good hands my friend

[achman_73_2.0]

Sold and going to a very good home. RIP Lew; it's in good hands my friend

Hello everyone, allow me to introduce myself and explain why I am bringing back this dormant thread.

This past November, I was lucky enough to purchase the car being discussed in this thread. I know own Les Mengle's pride and joy, his 1973 914-2.0.

I had been looking for a quality 914 for many years. I had sold my turbo Miata and began looking seriously in the Spring of last year, and couldn't really find anything suitable. I was looking for a rust-free, original car in excellent mechanical condition.

This car showed up on Ebay, and for some reason, garnered no bids. I talked to the owner, who lived in NC, extensively about the car. He owns a '73 914 2.0 that he restored from the ground up, and 5 other cars, so he really understood 914s and also what I was looking for, and my concerns.

I was able to negotiate a purchase price for the car, and bought it sight unseen (broke my #1 rule) and had the car shipped to NYC (Queens, actually).

The car arrived 4 days later, and I have found it to be everything the seller said, and more. The car is extremely reliable, rust-free, powerful, great-handling, and just a really solid, great running car.

I have read many of Lew's old threads on 914world.com, in an effort to learn everything I can about the car. The stack of receipts were included with the car--Lew definitely spared no expense maintaining his baby, and I can certainly appreciate it. At first, I thought maybe the car was a lemon, as many of the receipts are for multiple fixes of the same problem, but I have come to the conclusion that maybe Lew was not very into the mechanics of the car, and that he would rather just drop it off and pick it up when it was finished. Lew just wanted to drive it!

Anyway, since I got it in November, chances to drive it in this horrible NYC winter have been very limited. Before it got cold, though, I drove it to CT and NJ and to the local CandC, where it was (of course) the only one, and drew great attention.

Coming from a Miata, I enjoy the wonderful mid-engine handling, and while my turbo Miata had 245whp and this car certainly does not, I find it just as fun to drive, maybe even more. Sort of like a non-turbo Miata which handles slightly better and gets way more attention. The gear shift, however, is obviously not on the same level. I have learned to be patient and now it and I are friends. I find that shifting into first right before I come to a rolling stop works best, if not, it is hard to get it into first gear at a stop--anyone have any advice on a fix?

I am quite experienced in old cars, and this 914 will have company in my garage with a fellow countryman--although, the form factor is about as different as you can get--the 914 being a two-seat, targa-topped, mid-engined, 2.0 litre air-cooled flat four, while its garage-mate is a 1973 BMW 2002Tii is a two-door, 4 seater, 2.0 litre inline four. Both are similar in spirit!

Anyway, I look forward to being the next steward of this great car. Actually, I found a snapshot of Lew and his car, in the late '70's probably, and I keep it in the car to remind me how lucky I am to have the car, and to keep the memory of Lew bombing the mountains alive. I never met Lew, but I feel I know him through this car.