914 "S", Data on 1973 914S Options

[PCL]

Hello! A friend recently acquired a US-market 1973 914 2.0, and found that some of the original documentation for this car refers to it as a "914S". The purchaser has a 1973 factory advertising brochure that contains a full page of what is described as the "914 S". This car appears to have all of the special 914S options listed in the brochure.

I have just done a brief Google search on the 914S, and found a British book on this specific version. So...Was there really a 2.0 914S that was only sold in the UK, but as simply the 2.0 in the US? Does anyone know why the decision was made to drop the "S" reference in the US market? Is there any history as to who made that decision and when (certainly after the advance advertising material was already printed)??

Thank you!

[Tom_T]

Well, you'll probably stir up all the nut jobs on here with that one!

.... but the 914-2.0 in the UK had the 914 SC with no problems from Porsche (as in that book (not 914S), & Japan called theirs 914S also with no kick back from Porsche ....

But in the US - Porsche+Audi started the `73 MY by marketing the then new 914 with the 2.0 H-4 Mezger redesigned T-IV engine as the 914S & did so from summer 1972 through early 1973, when Porsche got complaints from some nose-in-the-air taildraggin' 911 types that it encroached on the 911S - so Porsche in Germany had the US/Canada arm - Porsche+Audi under VW of America (VOA) - stop marketing it as the 914S sometime around Feb. or March of `73 - halfway through the model year's run.

All of the dealers had the 914 sales brochures in both the 4 pg & 12 pg. versions with 914 & 914S (for 914-1.7 & 914-2.0 respectively) up through March or April of 1973 (this is firsthand info. - because I was in college at USC then & went to several SoCal dealers to (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif) ), & some dealers were even known to add the "S" from a 911-S badge to the 914 badges for some customers buying 2.0s during that time (some may have been milled locally as one unit back then too) - just as any dealer was happy to add the Porsche crest badge to the hood/front deck lid, & Porsche script side stripe decals, etc. for a bit more profit!.

Interestingly - all 3 markets - UK, Japan & US felt the need to come up with some name for the 914 with the 2.0, because Porsche AG in their infinite wisdom initially saw no reason to badge the 2.0 nor 1.7 with the engine size numbers! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

In fact my & other early build 914s from 73 MY have the rear walls drilled for the 2 extra holes to mount the engine displacement badges, which came along as an afterthought from Porsche.

You can read yourself silly at my 914S topic here:
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=107851

So if your buddy's 914-2.0 was sold in the US or Canada from Aug. 72 up to maybe as late as March or April `73, then yes, it was a 914S as marketing here in the US.

Please post a pic of the sales docs showing 914S from that car, at the linked topic above, if you or your buddy don't mind. TIA

Cheers! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
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[PCL]

Thanks, Tom T! Well, we're all "Nut jobs", aren't we, but so far, you're the only one I've heard from. Let me see what I can do about grabbing a scan of that sales document. I'll ask the owner to eyeball the inside of his rear trunk area to see if there are any unoccupied trim holes...

More soon, I hope!

Cheers, PCL

Well, you'll probably stir up all the nut jobs on here with that one!

.... but the 914-2.0 in the UK had the 914 SC with no problems from Porsche (as in that book (not 914S), & Japan called theirs 914S also with no kick back from Porsche ....

But in the US - Porsche+Audi started the `73 MY by marketing the then new 914 with the 2.0 H-4 Mezger redesigned T-IV engine as the 914S & did so from summer 1972 through early 1973, when Porsche got complaints from some nose-in-the-air taildraggin' 911 types that it encroached on the 911S - so Porsche in Germany had the US/Canada arm - Porsche+Audi under VW of America (VOA) - stop marketing it as the 914S sometime around Feb. or March of `73 - halfway through the model year's run.

All of the dealers had the 914 sales brochures in both the 4 pg & 12 pg. versions with 914 & 914S (for 914-1.7 & 914-2.0 respectively) up through March or April of 1973 (this is firsthand info. - because I was in college at USC then & went to several SoCal dealers to :drooley: ), & some dealers were even known to add the "S" from a 911-S badge to the 914 badges for some customers buying 2.0s during that time (some may have been milled locally as one unit back then too) - just as any dealer was happy to add the Porsche crest badge to the hood/front deck lid, & Porsche script side stripe decals, etc. for a bit more profit!.

Interestingly - all 3 markets - UK, Japan & US felt the need to come up with some name for the 914 with the 2.0, because Porsche AG in their infinite wisdom initially saw no reason to badge the 2.0 nor 1.7 with the engine size numbers! :blink:

In fact my & other early build 914s from 73 MY have the rear walls drilled for the 2 extra holes to mount the engine displacement badges, which came along as an afterthought from Porsche.

You can read yourself silly at my 914S topic here:
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=107851

So if your buddy's 914-2.0 was sold in the US or Canada from Aug. 72 up to maybe as late as March or April `73, then yes, it was a 914S as marketing here in the US.

Please post a pic of the sales docs showing 914S from that car, at the linked topic above, if you or your buddy don't mind. TIA

Cheers! :beer2:
Tom
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[Cuda911]

Great info, Tom!!! There's a few items in your post that I didn't know. Thanks!

[Tom_T]

Thanks, Tom T! Well, we're all "Nut jobs", aren't we, but so far, you're the only one I've heard from. Let me see what I can do about grabbing a scan of that sales document. I'll ask the owner to eyeball the inside of his rear trunk area to see if there are any unoccupied trim holes...

More soon, I hope!

Cheers, PCL

I had a rich buddy a year ahead in college here in SoCal, who got his early graduation gift from his folks in Fall `73 - a 73 "914S" 914-2.0 from LA Porsche - which did list on the dealer invoice it as "914S" (handwritten by the salesman).

I think a fair number of other dealers also did so too, until the nomenclature was changed in Q1 '73.

If you get one from your buddy, can you please post it on my other "914S" thread I sent you to above. TIA

PS - If he looks at the rear wall where the "914" badge is located - there would be 2 holes to the right of that (towards the passenger side), where the "2.0" badge was placed. If he removes the 2 "Speednuts" on the 2.0 badge posts, then he can see if the holes were punched (flat) or drilled (push-thru lip inside from drilling).

I've heard from some `73 2L OOs, that some dealers were initially placing some modified "914" to "914-S" badges on them just using the 2 holes for the "914" badges - so no "extra hole" would show up. These were mostly the very early 73 MY sold ones in August/Sept 72, & maybe into Nov. 72 at some dealerships.

Mine was first sold on 11/6/72 here in Orange County SoCal to the OO (I'm 2nd owner), so mine had the 2.0 badge drilled & added - I presume by the dealer, since it was an 8/31/72 build with the "2 holes for the 914 only badge" 70-72 style rear wall, & the car was on their lot for some time after POE delivery - long enough time for 2 resprays to Sahara Biege & Gold, & for the fog lights/grills/switch & Fuchs alloys to be removed & replaced with the Rivieras & a steel spare - so they probably got the badges sent to them from W. Germany separate from the cars, from what I'd heard back then in the early 70's & since.

Cheers! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
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