In Search of …, Does the Grasshopper exist? Options

[Part Pricer]

First off, let me state my position. After some research, I have become extremely skeptical that the 914 Limited Edition Grasshopper ever really existed. Believe me, I would like its existence to be true, but I’ve uncovered no evidence that it is anything other than a 914 myth. Yes, many have recollections of witnessing a Grasshopper, but nobody can provide irrefutable proof.

Here are some of the items that may indicate the existence of the elusive Grasshopper. (Many of them lifted from Jeff’s site. Thanks Jeff, we’ll get to the bottom of this.) However, most of them are apocryphal.

…there may be a Porsche 914 advertisement, displaying all three 914 Porsche Limited Edition car color schemes, or possibly a 914 Limited Edition Grasshopper poster.

This may be perhaps the greatest manufactured memory in popular 914 culture. There are a lot of people that will tell you that they “kinda remember that”, but no one is able to present a copy of the ad or poster. I have had the opportunity to have an in-person discussion with Prescott Kelly regarding the items in question. Prescott is one of the leading authorities and collectors of Porsche memorabilia. He has no recollection of any advertisement showing all three or just a white and green car.

The IAA was followed in October 1973 by the Paris Salon where the company Karmann showed two particularly striking 914s. From these emerged the custom version 914 GT which was marketed in the USA as a limited edition. The striking paintwork was black with yellow bumpers, sills, side stripes, wheels, lower rear panel closure and front spoiler. An alternative version combined light ivory with green or orange.

This is taken directly from the Porsche website. This is the closest we have to actual confirmation that the Grasshopper even existed. I’ve contacted people at Porsche, PCNA, and even Osnabrück. No one has been able to confirm the production of a green/white LE.

Rich Bontempi, the highly-regarded Northern California 914 enthusiast with 30 years of 914 experience, only recalls seeing two.

Rich, I know you are here. Can you provide any specifics on these cars?

The 700 Tips book specifies that the green accent paint color on the Grasshopper cars is Lime Green (6710 or 226)

I don’t have this book, so I am unsure of the context in which this phrase is presented. I’ve tried to contact AA with no luck. Is George stating that he knows for a fact that there are Grasshoppers?

Without further evidence, I’m ready to chalk up the Grasshopper as 914 mythology. Kind of like our own little urban legend. However, I am willing to be swayed from my position. Things that would help to change my mind include:

• A car
• A copy of the advertisement(s)
• A COA showing an LE with a unique color code
• A green Mahle wheel (if there was a Grasshopper, there has to be one of these around somewhere)

Does anyone have some tangible evidence?