Why a 914?, and not some other sporty car Options

[ninefourteener]

That is SUCH an easy question for me.......

When I was 20, I saw an ad in a newspaper for a "Porsche" for $800. Being the curious, yet un-educated car nut that I was, I HAD to go take a look.

So I find this rusty piece of shit laying out in someone's yard that hadn't been started in God knows how many years. In fact, the only thing that DID work on the car was the windshield wipers....... so I played with them scraping across the windshield (because the rubber had long since rotted off). Nevertheless, I sat and stared at the car for nearly 2 hours, fell in love with the lines, the way it looked, and it's rarity.

For 6 long years (and countless GM muscle cars), I BEGGED my wife to get a 914. She thought it was the ugliest car in the world and wouldn't let me buy one.

I left my wife in January of 2002, Sold my 34K original mile 1977 Trans Am, paid my lawyer, and bought a rust-free Tangerine 1972 914 two months later, SIGHT UNSEEN (except pictures) from an elderly man in Arizona.

The first time I ever drove a 914 was the day it was delivered to my house off the shipping truck.

Sold it 6 months later to cover some financial difficulties. For a year, I didn't have one. Then, the DAY AFTER MY DIVORCE WAS FINALIZED, I flew up to Chicago, bought my current 914 from a collector (that ironically was liquidating all his assets due to a divorce), and bought it as a "divorce/child custody victory" present to myself.

My license plates read "Dads 914"

The 914 is the Ultimate low-cost head turner. Maybe not so much in Cali, but where I've lived, they are virtually unheard of. I love the questions, the comments, the thumbs ups, and the attention it gets.

Oh yea...... and untill you've screamed around a long curve at full throttle without breaking traction in a 914.... you just haven't lived.

My advice? GET ONE!!!

[Rand]

QUOTE

Try putting a V8 in an MR2

That's been done... http://www.v8mr2.com/

I'd rather have a 914 though. Just fell in love with the super low, light, great handling, targa-topped, and unique 914. The Miata isn't mid-engine. I wanted something less common than an MR2.

[ArtechnikA]

i had a 912. Stoddard had a sale on Fuchs wheels. discovered the 912 had Terminal Rust and wouldn't support any of the activities i wanted to participate in. looked around for another car i could afford that i could mount the wheels on. 914.6's were cheaper than 911's.

but i have never looked back...

[ematulac]

914's have a lot more character than the others. I've driven my brother's Miata, and it just doesn't compare. I'd take my 914 over the others any day.

Someone (DD?) called them "go-karts with bad brakes." That's really what it feels like to drive around in one. Try it and you'll be hooked. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)

[mikerose]

QUOTE (Ferg @ May 20 2005, 10:47 AM)

Bought my first one 4 years ago from a picture, had never even sat in one, and had only seen a few in my lifetime...

me to (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) and I am on my last one I hope . Green 76 then a black 75 now a Red 74.

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

[Root_Werks]

I like rust. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif)

[merrill]

When I was 16 my brother in-law had a Ravenna green 73'. He let me drive it around the block, go fast turn left, do not touch brakes. I bought my first 73' 2.0 when I was 18, way too much fun living on mt roads. I am now just as giddy with my 4th 73' (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif) These cars just make me smile when I see them (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)
How many other cars can you look out of and see what kind of brakes and rotors the car next to you is running (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif)

[BMartin914]

It takes a special kind of person to own a 914. Don't like to get your hands dirty - don't buy one. Can't handle being stranded once in a while (or stopped on the side of the road) - don't buy one. Need A/C, P/S, a nice cushy ride for you and the Mrs. - don't buy one.

If you want a unique, classic German sportscar that handles as good (or probably better) than most new(er) cars out there and has an almost unlimited ability to be modified to fit YOU - buy a 914.

I love my car and don't regret buying it for 1 second. So it left me stranded last weekend - with friends like you have here, it really doesn't matter. A few days later I'm running around in the sun with the top off and having a blast. I couldn't ever imagine NOT owning this car. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[mharrison]

anyone who asks that "apparently doesn't understand the intricacies of Porsche's German engineering."

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif) Just had to borrow that line from the comedian Ron White (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif)

Because every grown man is still a little boy and this is one hell of a go-Kart!!!

and it is a PORSCHE........you know, there is no substitute..................

[AlexO]

I own a Miata, and it's not the same. The feeling isn't teh same as the teeners. I've stripped all the power stuff from mine, still doesnt have the level of feeling. Nothing else I've driven comunicates with the driver as well.

That's what it is for me. The 914 talks to me, tells me whats going on. Nothing Like it.

The community is great too. I check the Miata board, but I *read* this one.

--Alex

[SirAndy]

QUOTE (Jaiden @ May 20 2005, 11:15 AM)

So why did you chose a teener over another car?

i wasn't even looking for one. or a car in general for that matter ...

on the drive up to my storage unit, i always passed by this porsche garage in san rafael.
then one day, they had this red 914 sitting outside that didn't look like any 914 i had ever seen before.
had a for sale sign on it too. so on the way back from the SU, i stopped by and talked to the guy.
turned out a guy had traded it in to buy a new (1 year old) 911 from them.

so i test drove it, ran like crap, shifter was more than sloppy, pass. window didn't roll up anymore, floor had water standing on it ...

i get back from the test drive and get out of the car with a BIG grin and bought it right then and there. $3500.
didn't even haggle for the price.

5 years, tons of hours and even more $$$ later, i still get out of the car with that same grin on my face ...

best car purchase i ever made!
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smilie_pokal.gif) Andy

[MarkG]

For me it was a normal transition/evoloution; started out with a '72 240Z, upgraded to a 911E, 'upgraded' to a Ferrari 308 GTSi and finally upgraded to my '76 914.

[Rand]

Sometimes there's just no explaining it. You need to get a car that you've fallen in love with and just gotta have. If you have to logic it out, you're not infatuated. I had to have a 914. And I love the never-ending project.

[airsix]

Why a 914? Because I need a car that meets these criteria (to be what I consider truely fun), and there are very few that do:

• Must weigh less than 2,000 pounds
  
• Must have very low polar moment of inertia (mid-engine preferred)
  
• Must have very low center of gravity
  
• Must have adjustable camber, caster, toe
  
• Must have 4-wheel independent suspension
  
• Must have big brakes or be easily upgraded to such
  
• Must have good power to weight ratio or be easily upgraded to such
  
• Must have quick steering ratio
  
• Must have manual transmission
  
• Removable top a plus
  
• Must be well built (but light)
  
• MUST NOT COME EQUIPED WITH A BUNCH OF DEAD WEIGHT JUNK (a/c, carpet, cupholders, ionic breese air filters, boot dryers, rice cookers, seat heaters, vanity mirrors, refridgerators, entertainment systems, pet beds, coffee makers, 35mph bumpers, forty-eleven airbags, etc. etc.)
  
• Must be affordable
  

The 914 is about the only car that meets ALL of these criteria.
-Ben M.

[Mueller]

now that I think of it, there "has" to be something appealing about a 914...we have plenty of owners here that also own regular 911s (myself), twin-turbo 911s and at least one 914 owner that has a brand new GT2, yet with all that power, they still own and occasionally drive a 914 (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/MDB2.gif)

[lapuwali]

QUOTE (Mueller @ May 20 2005, 01:13 PM)

now that I think of it, there "has" to be something appealing about a 914...we have plenty of owners here that also own regular 911s (myself), twin-turbo 911s and at least one 914 owner that has a brand new GT2, yet with all that power, they still own and occasionally drive a 914 (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/MDB2.gif)

The 914s are the sports cars. The tail-draggers are just grocery getters and commuters... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)

Don't have a 911, and I've never driven one. I do have a 912, which is rather like a low-powered very early 911. Totally different animal from the 914, despite about the same power and the same weight. They share front suspension (mostly). Yet the 911/912 still feels completely different from the 914. I have yet to have the confidence to slide the 912 at all, yet I'll gleefully slide both ends of the 914 on any on-ramp.

[John]

It's a good, valid question. If you have never owned, driven, or ridden in a 914, this is a very good question. The cars (as you have stated) are old. They are not inexpensive to properly maintain, and they can be more expensive to restore as parts become more and more rare. (look at a rubber seal kit for example)

For me, a 914 is an ultimate fun/track car. I have one for fun (sunday drives) and I have one for track (Friday-Saturday-Sunday drives).

I used to drive my 914 daily to and from work, but as I got older and married, I had to succumb and I obtained more reliable transportation and have grown to like things like air conditioning, power windows, automatic transmission......(for commuting in traffic to and from work).

I have another Porsche (a 930) and I will probably keep my 914 longer than I keep the newer, faster, more comfortable tail dragger. The reason being that I like the 914 that much.

I have been around 914's since my dad bought his new in 1974. I have been working on them since the early 1980's. I have grown to know intimately each and every part on those cars.

For me, owning a 914 is a passion. (some may call it a sickness).

I am a PCA driving instructor and have been driving a 914 (slightly modified) on racetracks for the past 18 years and I can honestly say that I know of no cars that I would trade for (unless I were to sell it and build another 914 and have a nice big bank account to boot). If driven properly, 914's are very tough competition even for cars 30 years newer. The biggest downside to 914 performance (even modified) is lack of horsepower, but this can be overcome with a large enough wallet.

Be advised though, there will ALWAYS be someone with a larger wallet than your own.

I guess I'll go back and read what others have written...

[jhadler]

QUOTE (Jaiden @ May 20 2005, 11:02 AM)

[QUOTE]And, oh yeah, show me another 30 year old car you can bring to the track and make other drivers nervous..... Now this is what I'm talking about!!!

Being a complete 914 fanatic myself, I do have to asnwer the question...

A Shelby Cobra...

But a 914 costs around 1% of the cost of a real Shelby... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smilie_pokal.gif)

...and handles about 5 times better to boot!! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/driving.gif)

914's are a love-hate kind of car. If you don't love 'em, chances are you've never driven one. If you hate 'em, chances are you've never even been in one...

Just don't expect it to be an appliance like a Miata. It's going to need attention. And fellow 914 owners are the best support out there...

-Josh2

[messix]

oh, one more reason.... dont tell your girl this though.

these things corner harder and more controlably than anything as far as street cars that i have driven. i must qualify this with excluding any of the so called super cars; vettes, vipers , that sort of thing. and street/ part time race cars.

and this is only based on the car that i just bought with little 195/50 15, no sway bars and shocks that are whooped, it is lowered though.

[rjkavanagh]

For me, it was simple. I've wanted one ever since I took my first ride in one when I was 16. Finally last year (29 years later) I bought my first one, wish I'd done it long before. I'm sure I paid too much (like many of us do) but don't care, this car has saved my sanity in a very stressful year. You just can't have a bad day driving one of these cars. Dead stock or modified to the max, they're just a fun car to drive.

By the way, the people on this site are great. Anything you need to know about the car is right here.