Sportomatic transmission, Has anyone seen one? Options

[sarivers2001]

I just read that a very small number of 914s were fitted with an optional Sportomatic semi-automatic transmission.

Has anyone ever seen one? Pictures?

Thanks!

[Dave_Darling]

I've seen several 914-6 Sportos. (I believe that 25 of them were made, not counting prototypes.) Never seen a four-cylinder one, and I'm not at all convinced that there was ever one made in series production.

--DD

[burton73]

I think George at AA has a car with one in it. I think Road Race in the LA area the SF Valley had one for sale a while ago. Ck Ebay

Bob B

[Steve]

I saw the one that George has for sale way before he bought it at the Parts Heaven swap meet. Should have bought it. It was under $20k at the time, but I thought a 4 speed auto how lame. Should of known it would be worth a fortune some day.

[jagalyn]

I used to own the 1971 914/6 sportomatic that George Hussey owns. I sold it to him in 1998 for $25,000. There were 4 of them made. One is in Sweden, 2 in the USA and the other one is unaccounted for.

[rgalla9146]

I've driven both VW Autosticks and 911Sportomatics.
They must be shifted up through the gears to perform adequately.
AND...dont let your right knee touch that knob !

[burton73]

I think George at AA has a car with one in it. I think Road Race in the LA area the SF Valley had one for sale a while ago. Ck Ebay

Bob B

I was trying to say they had a trans for sale not a car

Bob B

[burton73]

My first wife of 30 years had a VW auto stick shift. Being a stupid High School kid, I would touch the shifter and rev it up and let go. It never broke on us. By the way her parents got her a 914 first but she could not drive it. Kept staling it so they just sold the 1970 914 with no miles on it. Cannery Yellow same as my 6

Bob B


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[930cabman]

We had one in the early '70's in a bug, called it a touch clutch. Was kinda cool

[Jim C]

Had a 1970 AutoStick Beetle. My daughter used it for a while to drive to school. Had to stress over and over do not drive with your hand on the gearshift knob unless you were going to shift.

[jhynesrockmtn]

I had a sportomatic 911 project car that I had great plans for. I had bought most of the bits to switch it to a 901. I have the 4 speed sporto the previous owner mated to a 3.2 if anyone wants to build a sporto car :-) I'll donate it. The rest is long gone.

[ClayPerrine]

I've seen several 914-6 Sportos. (I believe that 25 of them were made, not counting prototypes.) Never seen a four-cylinder one, and I'm not at all convinced that there was ever one made in series production.

--DD

If you look in PET, there are part numbers listed for a 4 cylinder sportomatic 914. But They never made it into production.

Same for the Webaso heater. There are part numbers in PET, but no 914 ever had one.

Clay

[SirAndy]

@gustl

Do you still have yours?
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[SirAndy]

Same for the Webaso heater. There are part numbers in PET, but no 914 ever had one.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=8825
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[ClayPerrine]

Same for the Webaso heater. There are part numbers in PET, but no 914 ever had one.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=8825
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I remember that thread, but I didn't remember that you actually had pictures of one.

My father had a corvair when we moved to Ohio. He found a webaso heater from a wrecked VW bus and installed it in the corvair. It made life easier in the Ohio winter.

[sarivers2001]

Anybody have any pictures of what the gearshifter inside the cockpit looked like?
Maybe George took some?

[SirAndy]

Anybody have any pictures of what the gearshifter inside the cockpit looked like?
Maybe George took some?

@sarivers2001

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=86472
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[burton73]

http://www.autoatlanta.com/life/showcase/

Some pictures of George's Sporto. It was a nice orange one

Bob B

[sarivers2001]

http://www.autoatlanta.com/life/showcase/

Some pictures of George's Sporto. It was a nice orange one

Bob B

Wow, that is really cool. How did it perform?

[burton73]

This info was in our database:
Bob B

Found online: Frank Pohl's 914-6 Sporto
Thank you very much for your interest and thank you also for your great work with the Sportomatic-platform!

http://www.sportomatic.org/sportowners/frank.htm

Concerning the numbers of cars built, I did some research a several years ago. The result was, that I found about 10 body numbers. Unfortunately, my notices are lost. but I remember details of some cars: one Sportomatic belongs to Mr. Spicka in Germany. The car runs with a 2.4 S engine. A second car was featured in the French Magazine "Flat Six" a few years ago. A third had been wrecked in Stuttgart. It was a car with many prototype features. I saved the rear bumper for my 914. I was also offered a 914/4 Sporto in 1993. This car came from Wolfsburg, where the VW factory is. From the 914/4 Sporto probably 2 have been built, making this to one of the rarest Porsche. The 914/6-version has been built in a quantity of at least 25. The Porsche statements indicating 5 been built stem from Jürgen Barth and are not correct.

My car (914 143 0120 went through about 10 pre-owners. The first was a WWII-veteran with just one leg - reason why he bought the car. The fourth owner did not like Sportomatic and built in a mechanical 5-speed-gearbox. In the late Seventies and early Eighties, the car underwent a career of an unliked child. After some further stations of not-caring possessors, there was not too much left from the car´s substance, apart from 4 layers of painting (originally tangerine 2310, then black, green and purple!!!), when I bought it and the rest was in miserable condition. Axles have been packed just on top of the interior, instruments stolen, the body sand blasted without covering glass nor cables nor plates. When we cut out the body, we removed nearly the complete chassis: no floor, no fenders, no doors, no longitudinal inner nor outer frame, no lids remaining. It was a desaster. And so was the interior, electricity, mechanics. You imagine the need for a 13-year-ground-up-restauration........ Fortunately, over the years, I could get a new interior, instruments, electric cables, a factory-new 911 T-Sportomatic -engine and a brand new gear box and so on. Somebody gave me a new converter in exchange for original 959 calipers. Strange ways to a new 914/6 Sportomatic....

Then, in 2002, the car was finally completed and drove for the first time after a 23-years rest. Unfortunately, after some kilometers, a piston burned out destroying the new (and last factory-sold 911 T) engine. Currently, I am enjoying a 2.2 E machine. Makes a lot fun. I am happy to answer all questions or sending you more photos. As soon as I have more time, I will be searching again for other 914 Sportos and sending you information.
Best wishes Frank