Why a 914?, and not some other sporty car Options

[Jaiden]

I've been dreaming about getting a teener for months now and my fiance has asked me.... Why do you want a 30 year old car instead of some other sporty car like a MR2 or a miata. For a second I didn't know how to answer and was thinking that the later would be alot easier to get parts for and cheaper as well but would not have the same CG and polar moment as the teener.

hell I've never even been in a 914 so I can't say it's how it drives. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/driving.gif)

So why did you chose a teener over another car?

[LukeD]

My fever for a sports car came at a young age. My dad had an MG convert when I was about 7-8 and I remeber riding in it. One day I remeber comming home from school and I walked around the corner by my house and there was the orange MG recked inthe driveway. A few years later he bought what I know now was a 912. It was red and had factory bug eyes on the hood in line with the headlights(eurpean?). I was about 10 at the time. He didn't have the car very long but one day I come home from school and there is a 1958 356 convertable. Tan top and interior, the car was the coolest in my eyes at now 13-14. My dad took me everywhere in that car, I remeber him driving that car more than anything he had prevously. I look back now and know that the car wasn't perfect and things I didn't think i noticed I do now even though he sold it. I used to take the car out when my mom and him would go out of town. I learned to drive stick in that car!! Fortunately it came natural and the car didn't blow up but one day I came home and the car was gone. My dad got an offer he couldn't refuse from some guy he knew or something. Skip 6 months down the road, I am 15 1/2 have my permit, still steaming about not being able to legitimatly take the 356 out and we go for a ride in his Camry to some city outside of Fresno, seemed like about an hour drive at the time. Pull up to a house and there in the drive way is a type of car I had never seen before but instantly I thought it was bad a$$ looking. I remeber getting in the passenger seat and my dad starting the car. It didn't sound like the 356 did this thing had a 2 liter WOW! We pull out of the drive way and get on the freeway on ramp. It's about 9 at night and my dad opens it up and swings onto the freeway. I remeber the smell and the sound of teh car and I couldn't stop smiling and telling my dad to slow down. About a week later I come home from school and there in the drivway is the same 75 white 2.0 clean as hell, just looks awsome now that it's sunny out. It had painted wheels like the LE cars but white, perfect interior, Bursch exhaust, sway bars, lowered. I didn't kniow any of this at the time but I do now! I run in side and my dad is home and he hands me the keys. Tells me I bought it for $3500 and it's mine if I pass by Highschool profiecency test. 6 months later I am a high school graduate and off to college (in town) in my bad A 914. First thing I do is ditch class and head for Bass Lake, driving up the hills was at the time , the most awsome experience of my life, that is until I made my way back down the hill at 90 MPH. That was the moment that it was injected into my veins. I drove my car for about 4 years and I got married. I was of course still in college but now I was marries, had a 6 daya week job, school 5 nights a week, broke as hell so I did what was best for me and my pregannat wife(no shotgun People LOL). I have done some really stupid shite in my life but the only sigle decision I ever made that I regreted was selling my 914. After I graduated and was divorced, my sone(who I have custody over) move in with my parents. I buy a pair of 914 up above sacramento on runner one roller. I paint the runner Ford Chrome Yellow, since I have also been into mustanges for a while (another long, fun story), but it just wasn't the same. Had I lost the one and only car that could bring that rush back? Keep in mind I have had 6 cars inbetween the first and the one I have now.

About 2-3 months ago I see an ad in the local paper for (2) 914's. I call the guy and he explains cars that sound very similar to my 2 liter and a 1.7 parts car I sold 7-8 years ago to some guys in Valencia. I drive over and what do I see.....my 75 2 liter looking at me!! As I get closer I realize that there is something seriously wrong with her. I park and walk up and the engine is out, the car is trashed, dented sratched broken glass, ripped seats, open the front hood and there is the 2 liter block with no heads laying in there. Boxes of parts everywhere and the damn 1.7 is running and driving. I walked around the car for what apeared to be an hour sort of talking with the guy but not much. I see all the little things I did to the car, like a cig burn in the carpet, wires for the stereo that are gone, Ernie Ball sticker in the back window. I almost bought the car onthe spot. It took every last bit of will power I had to not buy the car. I am married again and almost at the 2 year mark. My wife is not as receptive as I had hoped but there is no way in hell she is going to let me rebuild this car. $500 plus about $15k to make it right again is not in her budget LOL. Needless to say I walked away and was depressed for about 2 days. I finally got another 1.7 liter ( always get those), pull the enngine, clean, scrap, replace, lines, etc, car runs great. Then a guy named Bob has his beautiful 71 for sale on the Club about a month ago. I drive up and buy it. On the way home from San Jose every single feeling I had with my first car comes back like a tital wave. It had Corbeau seats that I didn't fit into, had to fold a blanket up and my head was sticking about 2 inches above the windshield. It didn't matter, I didn't notice. It had the smell that all 914 have, and the sound only a 2 liter can make. I have owned and driven some very fast and expensive cars, for me it's like an indian spirit calling to me, I have never had any emmotional experince when driving a car like a 914. I might have to rebuild this engine in the car I have now but I don't care, it sucks but I will do everything in my power to keep and drive a 914 even if it ends up killing me LOL.

Should you buy one? Yes, it's only money that can be replaced. You'll know farely quickly if it's for you or not.

Don't like it sell it and get a miata or what ever those other craps are.

Thanks for listening. My wife just walked in to me typing and I've been alittle emmotional about talking about my first car. Gota go get a grip on my self LOL


Luke D