Ferdinand Piech's 914-8, Video of the car from 10/2025 Options

[wonkipop]

@wgrzesiak

all the prototype cars including the 8 do have the seam between the cowl and the end of the front mudguard. if you look closely at the photos above you can see it, just. images do not have high res. but there are other images floating around on the internet and you can see the seam.

the seam on the 68 prototypes, all the early pre production launch cars and some of the early production cars is a different line than later production. its a straight seam and not a curved seam. it also lacks the VW plastic seam filler in the early cars. its a simple groove. but its there and its not flushed. this applied whether a 6 or a 4. there is a topic on it in the originality section looking at the early 914/4 (claimed to be vin 001) held in the VW museum. all the frankfurt show cars were like that too. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

all the 68 hand built prototypes had the circular filler cap on the cowl. again whether 4s or 6s. the pre production cars for launch did not have the filler but had fully carpeted front trunks with carpet covering the fuel tank and other equipment in the top section of the front trunk.

[wonkipop]

found some pics of piech 8 i had filed.
views you normally don't see.
shows unusual gear linkage.
the cross linkage to gear shifter inside cabin ran in a covered section just in front of passenger seat. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[mepstein]

I refer to the attached pictures.
The silver car is my 914-6, #42 and the blue is my '75. The "gap" should jump out.

I noticed the 914-8 also does not have the gap which made me curious.

My friend George/Dr914 spotted this when he checked out the -6 a few years ago. He wasn't sure if this was evidence of a repair or if it was possibly a prototype and came out of the factory like this. (George, feel free to chime in if I'm remembering incorrectly).

Wondering if this has been discussed before (I didn't know what to call it to even search the site). And if anyone else has a 914 with the same feature.


This is only my 2nd post as I never really thought I had anything interesting or valuable to contribute. Hopefully this is a worthwhile question.
Regards - Bill

Someone welded up the gap before they did a respray. It was sort of common to do when these cars were a lot younger. When it was just filled with bondo it would crack but I’ve seen a couple where a weld was laid down the length of the gap. You can look inside your front trunk at the spot welded seams to see if the fender was replaced. Even if it wasn’t, this was done for “cosmetics” back in the day. The owner of the shop in NJ that “restored” my car offered to do it for me.

[mepstein]

@wgrzesiak
Hi Bill,
If your 6 is number #42 than it is one after mine down the line. I don’t know why your friend George/Dr914 was not sure if it was evidence of repair because my guess is if you run a magnet over that area, you will find body filler.

My Fuel Cal filler is completely custom done by Peter Daw in the late 70s when he worked at Troutman’s
This is the info on it in the Ebay ad when I bought it Dec 27th 2006. This is from Floyd the PO of #41
“I have had many questions about the fuel filler area. Peter Dawe of Dawe's Motorsports helped build this car at Dick Troutmans's in the late 70s. I asked Petr how this was done, below is his answer.”
“Hi Lloyd From what i can remember the hinge and the flush mount latch was aircraft surplus. I believe all those parts are offered thru Aircraft Spruce Co. Peter welded a shaped piece of steel under the body cowl for the gas door to sit on . He also welded a fill pipe on to the gas tank. (Only for pros to weld) Then because of the pipe bends he had to put a vent from the original fill to the neck so the tank could be filled up to the top. All this was 20 years ago but I think thats about it. But you have to be as talented as Peter to do it right. Thats the TRICK. Thanks and happy holidays Petr Dawe”

So now you are in the know.

Best Bob B Burton

Peter still works on some really cool 914 street and race cars at his shop.

[Steve]

Curious why they detuned the museum car. Was it so it could run on lower octane pump gas?

[mepstein]

Curious why they detuned the museum car. Was it so it could run on lower octane pump gas?

Race engines are miserable to drive on the road.

[mepstein]

Curious why they detuned the museum car. Was it so it could run on lower octane pump gas?

DP

[wgrzesiak]

@mepstein

I will look for evidence of new fender(s) and a respray. And for 48 years I assumed it was original/unrestored. Now I'm almost wishing I hadn't asked!

In any event, it will always be a blast to drive.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/silver914.jpg)

[mepstein]

@mepstein

I will look for evidence of new fender(s) and a respray. And for 48 years I assumed it was original/unrestored. Now I'm almost wishing I hadn't asked!

In any event, it will always be a blast to drive.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/silver914.jpg)

I'm not trying to disparage your car. Owning and enjoying a six for 48 years is awesome. All these things tell a story. Stories add to the value of the car. And I could be completely wrong. It's probably 50/50. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[wonkipop]

Curious why they detuned the museum car. Was it so it could run on lower octane pump gas?

i don't think the piech 8 is seriously detuned. apart from a restrictive muffler.
it runs the racing engine mechanical fuel injection and was never fully road registered.
it had some testing permit that allowed it to run on the autobahn during restricted hours.
i believe piech used it to commute late at night from the factory to his home.
there was a great article on it a few years back which was an interview with one of the race mechanics who built it. he told a story of how it was used by piech on weekends.
i tried a search to find the story but i can't seem to come up with it. i know a link to it was posted on this website about 5 years ago.

i believe the silver 8 that was given to ferry porsche was the one that was detuned.
it ran carbs for road use and possibly had an even more restrictive exhaust system.
that car was registered for unrestricted road use. german TUV noise regs were very strict so it would have been detuned for that reason and also probably to make it easier to start and be friendly to every day use.

i believe piech's red 8 has about 340 hp. and is not seriously down on the race engine for the 908. ferry porsche's was tuned down to well under 300hp. can't remember the actual number off hand but -------i think it would have been fast enough for the time. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[wonkipop]

@mepstein

I will look for evidence of new fender(s) and a respray. And for 48 years I assumed it was original/unrestored. Now I'm almost wishing I hadn't asked!

In any event, it will always be a blast to drive.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/silver914.jpg)

i wouldn't worry about it. looks great. and as @mepstein says, and he would know,
a relatively common improvement that was in period. to me that is a totally legit form of originality. its not like its some crazy custom restomod. the car seems completely still in character with its original factory intent and form. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)