914 stories Options

[Ace Le Count]

Edit: 6 years later...

Well, everyone, it seems like it's time for me to add my own story soon, since I now have a 914.

Also... I'm thinking about publishing an anthology (a book that's a combination of Porsche stories) maybe something categorized by Porsche model and then year within that. Think 356, 550, 911, 914, etc. If any of you are interested in doing this please let me know. I can't pay every person for their story, but could absolutely give credit to whom the story belongs.

I think this could be a cool read.

If you are interested, reply to this thread, or the other one. We want to hear your stories!

Original post:

Does anyone have some crazy 914 stories that they'd like to share? Maybe your son/daughter was born in one? Maybe you drag raced someone that was getting cocky because they thought their riced out civic was faster? Maybe you used a 914 as a getaway car after you robbed a bank? How has your 914 saved the day?

[ClayPerrine]

How I got into 914s.....

In 1985 I had a 1969 Firebird, and a friend started telling me about SCCA and road racing. He then started talking about autocross. I was a drag racer, but this road racing stuff sounds fun. So I start looking for a car to take road racing. Looked at Datsun/Nissan Z cars, old Bugeyes, MGs, etc. I didn't think I could even remotely afford a Porsche.

In the parking lot of the apartments where my friend lived, there was a 1979 924. One day a for sale sign appeared on the windshield. So I asked, and the price was actually affordable. So I bought it.

About a month later, in late October of 1985, I decided to take it to an Autocross. Two of my friends were supposed to go with me. One was the guy who later bought my 914 out of the field, the other was the one that talked about SCCA. Well, Sunday morning, both of them were so hung over they didn't want to go. I almost didn't go either. But figured I was already up and dressed, so I went alone to Dallas' Fair Park where SCCA was having an autocross. I didn't know anybody there. I signed up, and took all the stuff out of my car, taped numbers on it, and then started walking around the pits.

This little orange car was sitting there and I was intrigued. The owner was a girl who was taping numbers on the side of the car. So I started talking to her. Turns out we were in the same class. I was, at the time, a somewhat successful NHRA licensed racer, and I was winning on a regular basis. Well, to put it bluntly, I got my clock cleaned. While she didn't finish first, the girl in the 914 beat me by about 2 seconds. I put my bruised ego aside and asked her out. To my surprise, she accepted. We exchanged phone numbers.

Our first date was November 17, 1985. I drove 26 miles from Bedford, Texas to Plano, Texas. Considering I didn't know my way around Plano, she agreed to drive. I spent the whole date looking at a fogged over windshield because the heater box was disconnected on that side. She spent the whole time apologizing for it. That was the first 914 I ever rode in.

If you haven't figured it out by now, the girl in the car was @Betty . We have been together ever since. Later, while we were dating, I started working on her car. I found that the screen in one of the injectors was completely clogged up, and the car was only running on 3 cylinders. I cleaned it and it made way more power. And then the realization hit me. At that autocross, she beat me with only 3 cylinders. My ego is still bruised.

But going to that autocross was the best decision I ever made, and the bruised ego was a small price to pay for finding the two loves of my life. @Betty and 914s. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)