Time to Document my Survivor 1973 2.0L Options

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I've been thinking I should start sharing the history and pics of Sara and my 914 for quite a few months now. I've hesitated because I'm not great with pics and don't have unlimited time. Finally decided to start posting and hope you all will be patient and that this may take a while.

Some of you have heard of and been involved in my story which started last July in a search for a 914. I'm not one who can say I have been committed to this quirky car for 40+ years. I admire you original owners and those who know these cars (literally) inside out. I'm a lover of vintage cars and have owned many but not a mechanic. Over the past few years, Sara and I have really gotten into survivor/preservation cars. Love to see a car that remains unchanged other than the patina and wear that comes with 40+ years.

Long story short….after developing an interest in Porsche's over the past 7 years or so, I started thinking about that quirky 914 that I used to see driving around Fond du Lac WI in the 70's. Any Porsche in Fond du Lac was a rare thing and as a teenager this one got my attention. That thinking turned to an obsession and last July we got a bug up our butts (actually it was me, not Sara, but she fortunately loves old cars too so she accepted that another would likely be on its way to us) to look for an original 914. After looking at a few -6's and posting of my interest in an original 914 on 914World, I received a PM from a guy in Minneapolis who had, two months earlier, purchased a 45k mile 1973 Bahia red 2.0 from the original owner. Erik, the 2nd owner and his father are Porsche enthusiasts. They had heard about the car being for sale through the local Barber who happened to cut the hair of the original owner also. Erik told me that he of course knew a good thing when he saw it and originally had planned to keep it as a family summer car. After getting it home and really pouring over it, however, he realized that this car was much too pristine to use it in that way. Not needing another garage queen, Erik decided to sell, saw my post, and after several weeks of discussion and negotiation the car was in an enclosed trailer and on its way to Atlanta.

Here are a few pics that Erik took. He took some great pics (and many of them) so I'll likely use quite a few of those here in documenting the car.

Steve

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The Wheels….

The car made it out of the dealer with all five Fuchs intact. I guess the good midwest boys may have been a bit more honest back in the day and didn't make off with the original Fuch spare. All of the wheels are original and dated 4/73. They have not been polished or refinished. No curb rash but they do have some light marring and stains from years of use. The center caps are original and in great shape. Not sure why weights were used on the outside on a couple of wheels. Need to change that.

Of course you can't miss the green paint on the lugs. You saw in Jim's letter that I asked him about that and he said that he guessed it never really bothered him so he left it. I have seen green on other owners lugs but the factory or service guy went a little wild with the paint! There is green paint on every lug. I've chosen to leave it on since it is part of this cars history.

I've heard two stories on the green paint. One is that this was put on at the factory to show the wheels were torqued appropriately. The other is that as part of the BO recall on the fuchs related to a flaw with some wheels related to positive centering of the rims, the lugs were supposed to daubed with green paint after being checked for a problem. I've attached a pic of part of that recall that mentions the green paint.

I guess I believe the BO recall story over factory torquing.

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