914 Historian Questions, Please Help With a few easy ones for you guys! Options

[19144jt]

Hi Guys!

I have a 1975 that I am backdating the bumpers on. Now you can picture the car I have these questions on.

1. I came upon and purchased a limited edition front spoiler and it appears to use the same mounting location as the front valence. Were the spoilers put in in place of the front valence or in addition to (over the top of) the front valence? Did the spoilers all come in semi-gloss black or were they ever painted the same color as the car or some other color altogether?
2. Did all steel bumpers come in chrome or were there ever painted ones from the factory? I see several black ones but don’t know if this was stock.
3. Did all 914’s come with sail vinyl or were some painted same color as the car? I have heard that only some limited edition cars came with the vinyl on the sails and if that is true then would it be politically incorrect to have the limited edition spoiler but not the sail vinyl? I’m afraid I just don’t care for the sail vinyl that much but I am trying to make the car as stock as possible.
4. Were passenger exterior mirrors (the chrome type) ever offered? If so is it a different mirror than the driver’s side or do you simply turn it around? I am confused here because Performance Products offers drivers and passengers side (two different numbers) but Automobile Atlanta only offers drives side but I think I read some place in their catalog that it could be used for either side.

I would sure appreciate any info from you 914 historians and concurs enthusiasts.

Thanks, John
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[lapuwali]

The steel bumpers were chrome or painted BLACK (except those that were apparently body color. I hate being wrong) from the factory. The actual Can-Am LE cars, where the bumpers were painted the "trim" color (yellow or orange/red), not the main body color.

If you're trying to make the car "as stock as possible", then why are you not concerned about backdating the bumpers? Use the LE valance if you like. The LE valance only came on the LEs from the factory, but quite a few were fit to non-LE cars "in period", so it's hardly scandalous if you use it.

On the sail vinyl, if you have it now and you don't want it, be aware that removing it isn't all that trivial. The paint underneath it is likely in bad shape, and will be covered in old hardened glue that will pretty much have to be sanded off. So, you'll need to repaint the sail panels. Also, the chrome strip at the base of the sail is retained with clips that fit into holes drilled into the base of the sail panel, which will have to be welded closed and ground flush. Removing the stainless trim around the sail to do all of this work isn't all that easy without damaging the trim, which is difficult to replace.