Let's talk about "being stock" vs "having the car you want" Options

[ScoopLV]

When I was a kid I had a 914. I wanted 5-lug Fuchs, the Porsche rear reflector, the front badge. And quite frankly, if I could have done one of those ridiculous Beach Boys body kits (the kind that makes a 914 look like a Ferrari) I probably would have.

I was on a parts website, buying some side lenses, when I saw a sale on the rear reflector and put one in my cart. Then I took it out of the cart.

Why? I have a basically unmodified teener -- 99% stock. It's almost like I feel I have a responsibility to keep it stock. I'm going to upgrade the fuel lines, and the shift linkage. One's a safety issue and the other is an invisible upgrade. But I'm going to keep all the old parts so that I could "put it back to stock" if I ever wanted.

I never really liked the look of the vinyl sail. I prefer the B column to be the same color as the rest of the body. My car doesn't have sails. Obviously a previous owner agreed with me on that point. But I'm seriously thinking about putting sails back on, because, hey, that's the only thing that isn't stock on the car.

I always liked the look of having a front badge. To me, the car looks nude without a badge on the front. But that would require drilling two holes into a perfectly good hood. Sure, I could fill the holes if I ever wanted. But that's one less hood out there that's never been mucked with.

I don't really know where I'm going with this post, or even if there's a point to it. But I'd like to hear from people about the validity of "turning your car into YOUR car" vs. "there aren't many unmodified cars out there anymore, so keep it stock."

Where do you fall in that spectrum?

[Jeffs9146]

I have purchased at least 3 cars with the intent to put a 3.0L in (which I had), and decided they were too nice to put the 3.0L in! I finaly sold them all and got a chassis that had a blown motor and messed trans! I pulled the trigger and I think I am happier than if I had modified a good stock car! Now I don't have to worry about what I want to do to it....it's my toy!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[mharrison]

If I felt like I couldn't do what I wanted with my car, I'd sell it and buy one that had already been "molested".

Although honestly, unless it was just a cherry, stock, numbers matching, 914, I'd make it the car I wanted.

My 2 cents.....

[ScoopLV]

Although honestly, unless it was just a cherry, stock, numbers matching, 914, I'd make it the car I wanted.

That's what I've got -- cherry, stock, matching numbers. It just doesn't feel right to muck around with it.

[Mike Bellis]

Keep all the original parts to put it back to stock...

Do what you want. I'm not even sure what stock is... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[damesandhotrods]

Well for me it’s more of matter of getting “having the car you want” out of my system in my teens and twenties. And now that I’m a little older I see the wisdom and appreciate “being stock”.

[moparrob]

It is your car. Do what you please as you answer to no one.

One day we shall each depart from this earth and it will matter not how you chose to indulge your whims while you graced the planet with your presence.

Carpe diem!

[speed metal army]

Aww heck,Its all reversible.I have a V8 in my car.If I feel he need to bring it back to stock( (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) )I could.So could you!Its your car,and not the only bone stock one out there!Enjoy it man.

[ScoopLV]

Well, eventually the engine is going to quit. Then I may "upgrade" to something a little less messy. But even then I'd keep the old engine. Hell, I'd probably have the old one rebuilt, and put in a crate. And then zip around town with a Suby or similar.

But how about some numbers. Around 120K of these cars were made. How many are still on the road? Forty thousand? Less? And how many of them are basically rust-free stock? Twenty thousand? Probably more like ten. I'm just pulling numbers out of my ass. But there can't be a whole lot left. Or maybe there are. I don't know.

I like the look of the GT. When you get down to it, who doesn't? But it doesn't feel right to me to have flares welded on and drop a big engine into it just because I can. If I want a faster car, I can always just buy a 911 and go to town with that. To put things in perspective, I live in Las Vegas. It's a rare day when I DON'T see a Lamborghini zipping down Tropicana Ave. But I've only seen two 914s in five years. And one of them was because I was considering buying it. The other I saw in a parking lot, rusty as hell, with a for sale sign on it.

When I was a kid and had my first 914, there were a lot more of them out there. Hell, there were three in my neighborhood. I suppose that's why I wanted a slant-nose, badged, 3.0 liter Carrera 914. Just to separate myself from the "herd" of 914 owners. But today I'm older and wiser. And even though I could just open the checkbook and make the slant-nose 914 a reality, I don't see any good reason to do so.

[Krank]

Funny you should post this. I also have one of those "numbers" relatively speaking and I have a slightly rusty body (car, not me). My intent was, and still is to leave one well enough alone and chop, cut, rebuild the spare body into the powerhouse toy each of us thinks about.

I also look at the time left to do this....

Some say we are only caretakers of our cars until the next owner. I think this is true to a point as the next owner will take care of whatever you pass on to them that is worth caring for.

BTW, here in central Canada, there are actually quite a few running, driving 914s especially considering our salt laden, car killer winters we have here. Probably not many (if any) are original purchases but...

Back to topic, the debate rages on. Personally I will probably just leave the one as a survivor and build up the other one.

[speed metal army]

Funny you should post this. I also have one of those "numbers" relatively speaking and I have a slightly rusty body (car, not me). My intent was, and still is to leave one well enough alone and chop, cut, rebuild the spare body into the powerhouse toy each of us thinks about.

I also look at the time left to do this....

Some say we are only caretakers of our cars until the next owner. I think this is true to a point as the next owner will take care of whatever you pass on to them that is worth caring for.

BTW, here in central Canada, there are actually quite a few running, driving 914s especially considering our salt laden, car killer winters we have here. Probably not many (if any) are original purchases but...

Back to topic, the debate rages on. Personally I will probably just leave the one as a survivor and build up the other one.

Im actually amazed there are any in Winnipeg.Its hostile there weather wise.Last time I was there it was salty,dirty and Fu%$*ng COLD.
Again,almost nothing is irreversible.Do watcha like. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) (Ya Humpty dance reference)
Doot rrrr doot rrrr!

[oldschool]

I'm the 2nd owner of my white car, And my Red car is for toying around.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

[ConeDodger]

Say! You guys haven't been modifying your cars have you? 'Cause if Garvey finds out! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

[Rand]

Say! You guys haven't been modifying your cars have you? 'Cause if Garvey finds out! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

My '70 has a perfect rain tray, but everything else is modified.

[JawjaPorsche]

There is no right or wrong to this discussion. Just like some of us like redheads, or brunettes, or blondes........or all of them......... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[rick 918-S]

Have one of each. It's not like they are rare. Well not yet anyway. We do have rust issues but compared to other marks not so much. You see some cars rusted in half and others with nothing. Maybe 10 or 15 years from now we will be discussing the preservation aspect of the hobby. But for me right now, I plan to own both.

[SirAndy]

Well for me it’s more of matter of getting “having the car you want” out of my system in my teens and twenties. And now that I’m a little older I see the wisdom and appreciate “being stock”.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

When i bought mine it was already way beyond the "molested" phase. I don't feel bad adding to it since it was is a total hack-job.

I'm all for keeping the nice stock ones unmolested.
No need to cut up a perfectly good car, there's plenty of hacked ones out there that you can use as a blank canvas for your customization.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[ScoopLV]

No need to cut up a perfectly good car, there's plenty of hacked ones out there that you can use as a blank canvas for your customization.

Well, unless it already looks like this:

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i292.photobucket.com-14897-1350410477.1.jpg)


Although I suppose you could take that down to the chassis and start from scratch.

[SirAndy]

No need to cut up a perfectly good car

Well, unless it already looks like this:

How exactly does that qualify as "a perfectly good car"???
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon8.gif)

[G e o r g e]

How exactly does that qualify as "a perfectly good car"???
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon8.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Nice Miata (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stirthepot.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) YMMV