Introduction and Questions to aid my search Options

[DrinkMan]

My wife and I are getting close to pulling the trigger to buy a Porsche 914. As you can see from my signature line, I'm not scared to buy cars from that era. We love fun to drive small "value" sports cars from the late 60's-early 70's.

I'm currently studying 3 cars. 2 are local (which I strongly prefer) and 1 is not (I'm not scared to ship, after all I imported 2 of my current fleet and others have come from Arizona and New York). The car that is not local is quite frankly over our budget and I think overpriced. However, it is a color that my wife loves deeply and if it could be negotiated down a little bit and if it really is a great car, I may be willing.

I'm going to be going to look at and drive the two local cars soon.

Is it okay Forum Etiquette to post links and solicit input? I would love to see all the comments criticizing and tearing up the cars. They don't belong to me so you won't be insulting me and if I buy one of them, at least I know how bad they are. The VIN numbers don't show up in the databases here so I assume I won't be insulting members.

Our current desire (but willing to consider others)
Excellent Condition (2, may 3+) 1973 2.0
We don't care about A/C at all. None of our old (pre 2000) cars have A/C and we don't mind driving them in Atlanta summer (both my wife & I grew up in Georgia without Air Conditioning)
Color - needs to be interesting - Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Orange, prefer not Gray-scale (but again, great condition may overcome that)
My original budget was <20k but I'm considering increasing that a little bit (again, great condition can overcome that)

I thought about posting this in the WTB Classified but since I'm soliciting discussion on specific cars, thought this would get attention. (Moderators - if you want to move to that forum, fine by me)

Thanks

[Tom_T]

You're in the right forum for this post IMHO.

Print & take this form with you to check out 914s -

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zTN_Gen_914CAF.pdf

Also use these sites for all sorts of build & technical info -

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/ < also look at his other sites for 914 stuff linked there

p914.com ( .org & .net - you may have to add these at his links if some are still dead)

So what is that "magic color" your wife loves?

I see that you already have the Emma Peel Elan, Graduate Spider & Max Smart Opel GT, but my ole brain isn't coming up with a movie link for the Lancia, although I'm sure there are some. Nice little stable!

With all of those in hand, you must be experienced with looking for the tin worm, & 914s are no different, with the battery area in the engine bay being a major culprit to check, as well as the longitudenals/jack posts & underside/belly pans.

Being in the ATL area, you may want to swing by Auto Atlanta in Marrietta & have a chat with George Hussey, who's been around 914s as long as rust.

Also, the PCNA HQ & Experience Center by the airport has a reference library which may come in handy at some point.

Happy Hunting! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
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[DrinkMan]

I see that you already have the Emma Peel Elan, Graduate Spider & Max Smart Opel GT, but my ole brain isn't coming up with a movie link for the Lancia, although I'm sure there are some. Nice little stable!

Happy Hunting! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
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Good point about fun linkages of cars to movies and TV. The Lancia Fulvia Coupe like ours was featured in a British sci-fy adventure TV show called "Department S".
Department S
And like all Italian cars of the era, a brief background cameo in The Italian Job.


I looked up the 914 and while it is in the background of many TV shows (including one of my favorite car spotting shows - The Rockford Files), it wasn't a star on many:
914 in movies and tv

[Tom_T]

Good point about fun linkages of cars to movies and TV. The Lancia Fulvia Coupe like ours was featured in a British sci-fy adventure TV show called "Department S".
Department S
And like all Italian cars of the era, a brief background cameo in The Italian Job.


I looked up the 914 and while it is in the background of many TV shows (including one of my favorite car spotting shows - The Rockford Files), it wasn't a star on many:
914 in movies and tv

Thanx for the movie links.

However, unless I missed it in the 4 pages of 30 movies & TV shows with 914s, they missed leading lady Valerie Bertonelli's L80E 914 in the late 80's or early 90's movie "C.H.O.M.P.S.", where the 914 is in several scenes throughout the movie (so 4-star by IMDb key).

I only know about it since my kids watched as pre-teens & ran to tell me they saw my car in the movie (it wasn't white then, as you can see in my avatar pic), & since the TV channels playing old movies now seem to be playing every few months today.

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