How did you first meet a 914 in person - any tips for someone who never has Options

[914lover17]

Hey Ya'll. Recently fell in love with this car, total obsession. I've never been a car guy, and have only learned manual for a summer job over 7 years ago. I'm very serious about getting one myself. I'm lucky because my dad has "enough knowledge to be dangerous" and is more than willing to help me on my journey. The "problem" I'm having is that I've never actually seen one in person, let alone ridden or driven one. I was prepared to re-learn manual after purchase, relying on a test ride along, or letting my dad test drive it. However, there's so little available (I think 3-4 in canada) and most of them are on the coasts. I've reached out to a few ads nearby and they prefer not to indulge much in terms of driving/seeing the car in action unless a deal is in place (Which is totally reasonable)...

As much as I can youtube and research this car online all day long, I guess I was just wondering how all of you fell for the 914, maybe the first time you met one in person, how you got to drive one, and if you had any tips for someone like me to experience one in a low commitment way that's fair for all parties? (I wouldn't even be looking to drive it myself) I would really like to experience the old school feeling of real driving car though!

I personally found the 914 when I was autotrader'ing for fun, searched porsches and thought it was a nicer 911 LOL!

[wonkipop]

walked past one on the street in central melbourne aus.
think it was christmas 72/73. would have been 12 or 13.
with my mother on christmas shopping trip down from country.
my mother had to drag me away from it.
never had seen a picture of one, nor knew about them prior.
(later found out it was probably 1 of the 2 in aus at that time and a 6, not that i knew).

after that started to find out bits and pieces of info on them through high school.
realised it was a car that was never going to come to aus. lhd only.
no internet in those days. would just be some random article in a foreign car mag.

got through university, learned more about them along the way.
met a bloke who had one.
by then there were more here, maybe 10.
4 in my city.

a few years after that ended up living and studying in chicago.
bought one. still got it.

still remember my first few hours in the USA.
cab ride down the expressway from San Francisco airport to downtown.
late afternoon. cali fall going into winter.
what cruised past on the expressway and gave me a good long look at it on the move.
914. think it was green, hard to remember.
there were still lots of them on the roads in the USA back then, esp in cali,


make sure you look at one in the flesh.
maybe you will like it still, or maybe you won't.
there is no in between.
but at least you won't be a pariah if you like it - how it used to be. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)