1974 914 1.8, the mystery of the EC-A and EC-B Options

[wonkipop]

i'll be dropping the information we have gathered over Dec 2021 in with a set of posts.

the material was prompted by mr b ( @JeffBowlsby ) who observed that for the 74 MY there was an EC-A and an EC-B engine. mr b's thought was that the EC-A was a 49 states car and and EC-B was a californian car for emissions.

mr b's view was rational and reasoned. 73 EA engines are 49 states. 73 EB engines are california. 75 engines are documented in factory literature as EC-a (49 states) and EC-b (california). the logic should follow?

BUT

as per the mystery of the 914, the truth about 74 1.8s turns out stranger than fiction (or common sense?).

the material is not necessary to running a 1.8 or having fun with a 14. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

its for historical purposes and as information to 74 1.8 owners to assist with restoration if they want it.

[StarBear]

I'll be no help there as mine definitely does not have that sticker. I'm curious enough though I may look through the years of records and see if there is a service receipt though.

@Van B
@jeffbowlsby
@wonkipop
@Big Len

If you'd like me to send you a pair of stickers (one for trial, one for use), just let me know, as well as "aged" (slightly mottled tan/beige background) or "better" (slightly mottled cream/light tan background). I've printed them on standard Avery peel-back shipping labels, and cut to size.

[wonkipop]

I'll be no help there as mine definitely does not have that sticker. I'm curious enough though I may look through the years of records and see if there is a service receipt though.

i ran across the ad for your car @Van B while i was snooping around for plastic fuel tank examples. thats an amazingly good car you picked up. i saw the photo of the pile of records!

[wonkipop]

I'll be no help there as mine definitely does not have that sticker. I'm curious enough though I may look through the years of records and see if there is a service receipt though.

Van;
@jeffbowlsby
@wonkipop
@Big Len

If you'd like me to send you a pair of stickers (one for trial, one for use), just let me know, as well as "aged" (slightly mottled tan/beige background) or "better" (slightly mottled cream/light tan background). I've printed them on standard Avery peel-back shipping labels, and cut to size.

def never done to mine. looked back through all the records i have and that i got in 89.

i think i know why. if the recall was done in 77 that was after the first owners left DC and moved to the mid west. capital porsche audi would have sent a recall notice to their old address and been unable to contact them. service records after 76 show the owners took the car to an independent import shop. car's annual miles dropped dramatically from 77 on. no miles from 86-89. so the sticker is not a legit part of my car history.
i'd be reasonably certain that the original factory installed injectors and fuel lines back to the tunnel were what i had removed in 89 to get the car going again. though we left the plastic fuel lines in the engine bay. back then they were still juicy and flexible.

however i would offer those stickers to folks doing restorations @StarBear .
def a worthwhile asset for perfectionists out there. have noticed that a few of the 1.8s on the files i collected for ECA/B research had the sticker.

[Van B]

I'll be no help there as mine definitely does not have that sticker. I'm curious enough though I may look through the years of records and see if there is a service receipt though.

Van;
@jeffbowlsby
@wonkipop
@Big Len

If you'd like me to send you a pair of stickers (one for trial, one for use), just let me know, as well as "aged" (slightly mottled tan/beige background) or "better" (slightly mottled cream/light tan background). I've printed them on standard Avery peel-back shipping labels, and cut to size.

That sounds fun. Probably the better version for me please. I’m looking forward to installing the first gift you sent me last year when I finally get around to refinishing the engine tins!

[Van B]

I'll be no help there as mine definitely does not have that sticker. I'm curious enough though I may look through the years of records and see if there is a service receipt though.

i ran across the ad for your car @Van B while i was snooping around for plastic fuel tank examples. thats an amazingly good car you picked up. i saw the photo of the pile of records!

Yeah, it came with a life story for sure… and it was on the brink of going south when I got it. The rust in the engine bay wells was 100% caused by the piles of acorns in each well. Getting the FI sorted saved me an engine rebuild too. Prior to that, the car gave the same feeling that the engine was tired and low on compression… the compression was actually from spark plugs that wouldn’t seat if you recall lol!

[wonkipop]

I'll be no help there as mine definitely does not have that sticker. I'm curious enough though I may look through the years of records and see if there is a service receipt though.

Van;
@jeffbowlsby
@wonkipop
@Big Len

If you'd like me to send you a pair of stickers (one for trial, one for use), just let me know, as well as "aged" (slightly mottled tan/beige background) or "better" (slightly mottled cream/light tan background). I've printed them on standard Avery peel-back shipping labels, and cut to size.

That sounds fun. Probably the better version for me please. I’m looking forward to installing the first gift you sent me last year when I finally get around to refinishing the engine tins!

@StarBear is doing a re-issue of those stickers to do the one with the two hoses. wait for that one - correct for EC-B.
he has got it all covered when he does that and can offer a full service to the classic L jet owner. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)

[wonkipop]

i have hoovered up all the 74 2.0L off BAT and have just started to go through them looking to see if data closes up on some of those changes.

snagged a reasonably original restored 2.0 that looks pretty trustworthy.
plastic expansion tank dated a tiny bit earlier to build date monday 27 may 74.
narrows down change by one day.

also pulled up a first day of production 74 2.0.
vin # -00046.
K = 3319553
= mon 13 aug 73. looks like the date they fired up production after summer break.

also found a very high vin number 2.0, have to check it out yet, but might be close to end.

after i go through it all will see if the data closes up on any of progressive changes.

[L-Jet914]

@wonkipop For your data to correct the information you have on my 914 regarding the headlight motor covers, rear trunk pad and blower motor tubing. 4/74 production date. I saw you posted non-original rigid pad with what I think is a question mark? Unless it's for a different VIN. I have grey headlight motor covers, black plastic corrugated tubing for the blower motor and the lightweight foam pad for the rear trunk pad. I know my 914 never had the recall performed due to no sticker placed in the specific location next to the build plate in the front trunk.

hey thanks L Jet. i'll include the info in your section of spread sheet. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

and yes, those details i squeezed in across your entry in the spreadsheet were for a different car which i marked up with a vin #. it was one i found in between your car and next entry.

as it is you have the last car in our data with the grey head light motor covers.
nice handy bit of data to have.

out of interest does your car still have its orig tool kit.
if so what is the screwdriver. white or black. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Found the original tool kit. The black bar is currently stored under the driver seat where my father left it in case he had to use it as a self defense item which is what he told me lol. White screw driver. I will always wonder why Porsche added the center cap removal tool when the center caps on the 914's did not have the two little holes in them to remove them like the 911s did.

[wonkipop]

@wonkipop For your data to correct the information you have on my 914 regarding the headlight motor covers, rear trunk pad and blower motor tubing. 4/74 production date. I saw you posted non-original rigid pad with what I think is a question mark? Unless it's for a different VIN. I have grey headlight motor covers, black plastic corrugated tubing for the blower motor and the lightweight foam pad for the rear trunk pad. I know my 914 never had the recall performed due to no sticker placed in the specific location next to the build plate in the front trunk.

hey thanks L Jet. i'll include the info in your section of spread sheet. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

and yes, those details i squeezed in across your entry in the spreadsheet were for a different car which i marked up with a vin #. it was one i found in between your car and next entry.

as it is you have the last car in our data with the grey head light motor covers.
nice handy bit of data to have.

out of interest does your car still have its orig tool kit.
if so what is the screwdriver. white or black. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Found the original tool kit. The black bar is currently stored under the driver seat where my father left it in case he had to use it as a self defense item which is what he told me lol. White screw driver. I will always wonder why Porsche added the center cap removal tool when the center caps on the 914's did not have the two little holes in them to remove them like the 911s did.

great - another white screw driver.

the hub cap puller is there because its just a standard VW tool kit across all models.
the k g and the 412 still had hub cabs. most beetles and things as well. not sure about the beetle cabs, a lot of them seemed to get the star steelie similar to 914. never the less standard army rations when it came to tool kit so hence the hub cap puller.

i used to know a girl kept an tomahawk axe under the front seat of her car for the same reason your dad kept the black bar there. she knew how to use it too, her grandfather trained her in the "weaponisation". you don't want to know where she intended to aim it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[L-Jet914]

You seem so enthused to see another white screw driver. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) The worker at the factory, today you get a black screw driver. Oh next car in line you get a white screw driver haha.

[JeffBowlsby]

I'll be no help there as mine definitely does not have that sticker. I'm curious enough though I may look through the years of records and see if there is a service receipt though.

Van;
@jeffbowlsby
@wonkipop
@Big Len

If you'd like me to send you a pair of stickers (one for trial, one for use), just let me know, as well as "aged" (slightly mottled tan/beige background) or "better" (slightly mottled cream/light tan background). I've printed them on standard Avery peel-back shipping labels, and cut to size.

Count me in on this! Will send PM with address. Thanks!

[wonkipop]

You seem so enthused to see another white screw driver. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) The worker at the factory, today you get a black screw driver. Oh next car in line you get a white screw driver haha.

i've happened to notice that all the repro tool kits that various vendors have are black screwdriver jobs. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

and a few years back looking into various threads on websites, here and elsewhere all the images were of black as well.

so i almost began to doubt mine, even though its been there since 89 and i had no reason to believe it was not the one that came with the car. car had everything else, all books, docs etc.

so its great to see it was just a reach in and grab a bag out of the bin job on the assembly line. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) and white was in there and legit. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

[StarBear]

I'll be no help there as mine definitely does not have that sticker. I'm curious enough though I may look through the years of records and see if there is a service receipt though.

@Van B
@jeffbowlsby
@wonkipop
@Big Len

If you'd like me to send you a pair of stickers (one for trial, one for use), just let me know, as well as "aged" (slightly mottled tan/beige background) or "better" (slightly mottled cream/light tan background). I've printed them on standard Avery peel-back shipping labels, and cut to size.

[wonkipop]

here is another HO recall sticker from the files for you @StarBear .

interesting - this dealer used some kind of sticky tape with typed details pasted on top of recall sticker. not all handwritten. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[StarBear]

here is another HO recall sticker from the files for you @StarBear .

interesting - this dealer used some kind of sticky tape with typed details pasted on top of recall sticker. not all handwritten. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Thanks. Interesting. Most seem to be affixed to the wheel well in that spot. The recall instructions on Jeff’s website are confusing - “next to vehicle ID plate” (down by headlight) yet also “on wheel well”.

[wonkipop]

here is another HO recall sticker from the files for you @StarBear .

interesting - this dealer used some kind of sticky tape with typed details pasted on top of recall sticker. not all handwritten. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Thanks. Interesting. Most seem to be affixed to the wheel well in that spot. The recall instructions on Jeff’s website are confusing - “next to vehicle ID plate” (down by headlight) yet also “on wheel well”.

vehicle I D plate is the one on the headlight bucket.

as an aside i have seen a non USA, UK delivered 73 914 and can recall all the differences with the cars. that plate down by the headlight bucket is the one on non USA cars and was used by authorities to identify cars for registration. no vin sticker like usa cars. non usa cars also still had the chassis no. stamped on top of wheel arch.
but the I D plate is the affixed plate.

so if jeff has the accurate factory instructions the correct place is in fact down on the headlight bucket not on the wheel arch.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[wonkipop]

some more esoteric trivia for you guys. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
@Van B @JeffBowlsby @StarBear @L-Jet914
purely as a result of trawling back through all the images collected for various 74 1.8s - but now with some added 74 914 2.0 stuff.

OWNERS MANUALS. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

we knew from earlier emissions warranty materials provided by Van B and L-Jet that there was an X/73 (oct 73) em w that was the first version for 1.8s and then XI/73 (Nov/73) a second version was introduced. i have that one (jan 74 car) and L-Jet (april.74) has it. and there was a VIII/73 (aug 73) version first and this was for the first batch of 2.0L cars made in late 73 before 1.8s came into production.

now i am able to look at the owners manual with it in the satchel.

seems to get interesting.
all these manuals are trustworthy as coming with the cars originally.
sales images showed open pages with correct chassis details and original dealer service stamps.

1. OWNERS MANUAL + EMISSIONS WARRANTY. 08/73 914 2.0 Vin -03827

as previously worked out the emissions warranty only applies to 2.0 L car variant.
this image shows there was also a full owners manual - cover marked only 914.
different to some later manuals after 1.8 start production.
seems to be a first batch of o mans + em w that are specifically only for 2.0L -
further evidence only 2.0 L was in production from 08/74 to late 10/74.
at least for USA.
satchel is burgundy. can't determine interior color. maybe dark blue from sliver visible in image.





2. OM + EM W. 12/73 914 1.8 Vin -10487

second version of owners manual and emissions warranty.
(or could be third ems and ? on the om as identifying pages with edition details not available).
cover now has 914 2.0 1.8 printed on it. same with em w.
burgundy satchel. can't determine interior color. maybe light grey from sliver visible.




3. O M + EM W 12/73 914 1.8 Vin -10723

starts to get interesting compared to 10487 (less than 300 cars later).

first version of owners manual (at least for cover - or is a second version).
same cover as earlier 2.0 L cars - nothing printed there except 914.
emissions warranty is either second or third version. has 2.0 1.8 printed on it.
satchel is burgundy with a grey color interior.



4. O M + EM W 01/74 914 1.8 Vin -12472

this is the car that is virtually identical to mine, phoenix red etc that is built 2 weeks earlier.
no emissions warranty images.
owners manual has cover with only 914 written on it.
satchel is burgundy with light grey interior.





5. O M + EM W 01/74 914 1.8 Vin -13361

this is my car. two weeks after example 4.
i have the owners manual with 914 2.0 1.8 on the cover.
additionally i know the details of the edition.
4652.23 10M XI/73 Edition 74.
translates as the November Revision.
the emissions warranty also has 2.0 1.8 on the cover.
4654.23 12 400 XI/73 Edition 74
translates as November Revision.
from previous research we all worked out this is probably the third version of the emissions warranty.
whether its a second or third version of owners manual?
satchel is burgundy with dark blue interior.





there is some pretty mixed up stuff going on.
a bit like the tool kit with random white or black screw drivers.

it looks to me like things get a bit scrambled from late oct to early/mid jan 74 where they might be mixing up different versions of the owners manual with emissions warranties.
they definitely have two different versions of the satchel floating around.
there appears to be an earlier satchel that is burgundy exterior with burgundy interior flaps and light grey interior backing and a later version which has burgundy exterior and full dark blue interior (flaps and backing). looks like later version kicks in some time during jan 74?

some of the differences make you think that maybe dealers asssembled these manual/warranty packs with whatever they had in the boxes at the time and were not necessarily keeping up or getting the right combos? things got a bit hectic oct to dec 73?

be interesting to see what you guys have.
given @Van B has a 12/73 car and @StarBear has an 11/73.
@L-Jet914 has the 04/74.


as a side note - what i picked up from BAT is if they show an owners manual image but don't have additional images of dealer details/stamp page its not the manual/warranties that came with the car. often don't have satchels either.

presently looking very closely at some 12/73 cars sold more recently as 2.0 L cars.
got my doubts they were real. think some 1.8s met a fate as 2.0L fluff ups decades ago.
interesting. any 2.0L between late oct 73 and end of jan 74 ought to be very closely looked at by potential buyers. esp if the premium is being applied to the price?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[StarBear]

Here are mine. Emissions booklet is an original but not to mine; not sure what happened to mine or if I ever got one. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[Van B]

Just checked my cover and it looks just like Steve’s. I don’t have the tech spec book though.

[wonkipop]

@StarBear and @Van B .

thanks for checking those.
you both have the same OM as me. the XI/73.

i did a bit of snooping on ebay image search and discovered the X/73 OM (october) in detail.
914 only on front cover.
covered inclusion of the 1.8 with a slipped in loose sheet spec/performance chart.
by the time they do the XI/73 version which we all have that spec sheet for the 1.8 is included in the OM itself.

example i found def came with a 1.8.
model no. is marked in the back of the OM. 473534.
thanks to jeff's brilliant website i could translate this as 1974 49 states appearance group 1.8 in 2 seconds flat.
its Vin -10827 puts it in right around @Van B 's car. approx 10 Dec 1973.

so
october 73 they issued this X/73 OM with just 914 on cover along with an X/73 EM W that had 2.0,1.8 on the cover (Van B example of emission warranty frunk can version?). they did a print run of 2000 of these X/73 OM. that would be about a months worth of cars if you said they did around 100 a day at most on production line.

print run makes sense in terms of then going to the XI/73 OM in november.

a few dealers probably still had these october ones lying around suitable for 1.8s and were providing them with the cars into 1974 calendar year - esp if they were not turning over a lot of cars. explains the phoenix red car 2 weeks before mine with the 914 only cover. its likely got this X/73 OM which is legit for a 1.8 early on.

so.
there is an earlier version of this OM which must be dated VIII/73 and its for 2.0 L only from august - oct 73. it is the other 914 only cover OM.







the slipped in spec sheet for the 1.8 which had just started production.


spec sheet is incorporated into the body of the OM we have (XI/73 version).


i realise this is esoteric.
but what i like about it is it shows that VW and Porsche were really scrambling to get those 1.8s into production and into the showrooms in time.
quite a turbulent period for them.
i think they did a good job confronting emissions laws without losing too much performance from such tiny engines.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

i reckon there is only three versions of the OM for 74 MY.
VIII/73
X/73
XI/73.
i have not stumbled on anything after XI/73.


EDIT 01/AUGUST/23.

found earliest edition of the first owners manual for only the 2.0 L cars being produced in 1973 from aug to late oct. its dated V!/73. july. its the same as the german market edition date that i noted from a while back on next page of this thread. comes from a very original condition 2.0 L car recently for sale on BAT and is very trustworthy. a lot of documentation was published with the car. emission warranty dated X/73. car vin 4742907141 10/74. week 44 production plate. from very late in that run of 2.0 L cars just before production of 1.8 starts in late oct 73 and the factory appears to switch over to producing only 1.8s for at least 2-3 months from nov 73 to end of jan 74.