Grasshopper LE proof there are none? Options

[jd74914]

QUOTE

I've found one smilie_pokal.gif

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/happy11.gif) someone might take you seriously (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[JeffBowlsby]

QUOTE

Porsche's own website has a few glaring errors, and they were referring to the GT version anyway.

It would be no surprise to find errors on their site and publications...I hope this is not one of them. But this porsche.com reference to the Grasshopper cars is also found in a couple books too. So I don't know if its a.) Real or b.) One erroneous statement repeated. It would be really great if we could get access to Klauss Parr at the Porsche classics archives and research it further. What we do know is that Rich Bontempi has seen a couple GH cars here on the West Coast, Geoff Bleyseng has seen one in Seattle, there is a poster or ad showing the three LEs together (currently MIA) and Miles owned one.

The original factory Bumblebee poster I have of the 914 GT (914 Jubillaumsmodell) only mentions the Bumblebee and Creamsicle versions as available. My poster was for the german/european market, so it would not be speaking for the USA market, which the porsche.com website language addresses. I also have photos of two known existing real 914GT european Jubillaumsmodell cars, one is a Bumblebee and one a Creamsicle...but no Grasshopper. I would not expect to find a 914GT Grasshopper, because they are not even in the literature.

QUOTE

has any one talked to George about them?

I have, and he told me a couple years ago that he had seen a few and was even on the trail of one for sale about 10 years ago.

[Bleyseng]

Hey good picture! Today it looks nice but back in the day it was considered pretty ugly even for the '70's.
Geoff (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[gregrobbins]

Anyone who has access to photo archives from the PCA regions could look at photos of gatherings in the 70s and 80s to see if any GHs show up. Seems like there should be a photo or two out there.

Pretty darn rare, but if they exist, one will show up sooner or later. Like Jeff said, they are mentioned in publications. If they were referred to only once or twice, that could be an error. But they get mentioned more than that. I am betting a few were made, but maybe a very few.

One would think that George (Dr 914) would have a good photo archive of the 914s he as owned/sold/restored/etc over the years. How about someone from AA looking for a photo and posting her for us.

Of course, once a car/photo is found, then we can't have our monthly Grasshopper thread. I guess then we can turn our attention to prototypes. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[boxsterfan]

IF someone was even able to find a Grasshopper (maybe in poor shape), would they be able to have it restored? In other words, are the green PORSCHE sidestripes even available?



Just dreaming that I had a line on one...or thinking that I could just build a replica someday for fun.

[Bleyseng]

MikeZ can have them made up, no problem.
I thought Mike Mueller found a set of NOS Green LE Decals? Its that proof?

Geoff

[gregrobbins]

Yes, you could have stripes made that matched the factory color. I believe Jeff has a source as he sells the yellow stripes.

[JeffBowlsby]

Mike Mueller gave me those NOS green stripes he found at a local swapmeet. They are VOA stripes like the NOS yellow stripes George gave me. The color should be close but probably not exact. The 914 LE side stripes were installed at the factory and were not the VOA stripes. There are more details on my 914 LE website.

The VOA stripes were available as accessories through P-car dealers, only in (Saturn) yellow, orange, green, black and gold...and not white. The yellow and orange VOA stripes are a shade off of the factory applied 914 LE color stripes, which is why I have the stripes in the correct colors (Sunflower Yellow and Phoenix Red) manufactured locally for anyone who wants the correct colors for their 914 LE car.


(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/cool.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/cool.gif)

[Gustl]

QUOTE (bowlsby @ Feb 5 2005, 04:16 PM)

..., so it would not be speaking for the USA market, which the porsche.com website language addresses.

even the german Porsche pages tells us about 3 different GT/LE cars shown at the Salon d'Automobile at Paris in Octobre '73

german Porsche page about GT/LE

I asked Porsche Classic Germany, but they can't help (what a surprise (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) )
I asked Karmann Germany, no answer till now ... but I will (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/poke.gif) them

[smg914]

I was a member of NNJR (northern new jersey region) PCA back in 1973 thru 1983 and I remember seeing plenty black/yellow and white/red LE's but I never saw a white/green LE. NNJR was a fairly large region back then (over a 1,000 members and very active) but no grasshoppers. We would hold multi region events with Metro NY and Conn. Valley Region and Jersey Shore and various Regions from Pennsylvania and still never saw a grasshopper. I understand most 914's were sold in California but quite a few were sold in the North East but I never saw a grasshoppers. Now that I live in Florida I'm always looking cuz you never know when one might show up.

[Bleyseng]

Several people have been looking to buy one but I think all of them have been painted over (like Miles) as it was considered UGLY. The one I saw years ago belonged to a friends gf who treated it like it was a beetle, meaning she was driving the piss out of it so it was pretty trashed. She didn't like the color at all but it was just a set of 4 wheels, not "Its a Porsche!". The color scheme of the LE was funky to say the least and most were painted over at the first repaint cuz who wanted those colors. The black ones were easy to do, just rattle can over the yellow.
Geoff