Porsche Restored an LE put it on BAT with No Reserve, Porsche Restored an LE in a Build Off Challenge. It's now on BAT no Reserve Options

[DRPHIL914]

That chassis was in bad shape.
They should have cleaned the engine compartment before the listing pics.

i am not hear to try and point out any mistakes or changes vs OEM or original, i am not a LE expert, BUT tell me you cant take the time to have someone detail this out and get rid of the water stains etc in the engine compartment and so on? WOW thats just lazy. The wrapped dash and how the coverd the lower dash pad kind of bothers me a bit,........ but it is a very nice car.....

[flipb]

Kind of interesting that all at the same time on BaT there's a BB, a CS, and a '74 2.0 (mechanically identical to the LE cars). Although the non-LE is much less original and had a color change, it's still D-jet.

Small sample but could be interesting to see the premium that the market places on LE cars and BB vs. CS.

Porsche Classic restored Bumblebee (Current high bid $25,000 with 5 days remaining)
Professionally maintained/restored Creamsicle (Current high bid $30,000 with 4 days remaining)
1974 2.0 (Saturn Yellow) (Current high bid $7,500 with 6 days remaining)

[TJB/914]

That chassis was in bad shape.
They should have cleaned the engine compartment before the listing pics.

i am not hear to try and point out any mistakes or changes vs OEM or original, i am not a LE expert, BUT tell me you cant take the time to have someone detail this out and get rid of the water stains etc in the engine compartment and so on? WOW thats just lazy. The wrapped dash and how the coverd the lower dash pad kind of bothers me a bit,........ but it is a very nice car.....

Flip.
Good report on these LE 914's.
Question:
They mention a total of 1,000 LE's factory produced (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)
My memory thinks it was 500 LE's total?
What is the real total breakdown of BB & LE colors?

[flipb]

Flip.
Good report on these LE 914's.
Question:
They mention a total of 1,000 LE's factory produced (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)
My memory thinks it was 500 LE's total?
What is the real total breakdown of BB & LE colors?

There seems to be consensus on 1,000 total LE cars, split evenly between the two paint schemes. Of those, 300+ are documented in the registry.

https://bowlsby.net/914/CanAm/914LEAuthentication.htm

[914werke]

Kind of interesting that all at the same time on BaT there's a BB, a CS, and a '74 2.0 (mechanically identical to the LE cars). Although the non-LE is much less original and had a color change, but is still fuel injected.
Small sample but could be interesting to see the premium that the market places on LE cars and BB vs. CS.

Would be more interesting to track valuation if there was an OG /6 in the mix!!

[JeffBowlsby]

Question:
They mention a total of 1,000 LE's factory produced (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)
My memory thinks it was 500 LE's total?
What is the real total breakdown of BB & LE colors?

The 500/500 (based on the 1000 cars early marketing hype for just the USA LE cars) was just convenient default speculation for decades, and is now ancient history. The Euro and Japan market cars were either not known or not considered and the Canadian LE cars will also become separately recognized. This is all based on research that 000 Magazine did for their recent, excellent article (Issue 036) about these 914 'Sondermodelle' cars, leveraging their connections to access the information buried deep in factory archives. Thanks to 000 Magazone (Alex P Pete S(!)), we now know the actual production numbers, for all three markets, and for all BB and CS cars worldwide. I will be updating the website and Registry to recognize the distinctions, which is also in the process of becoming renamed "The 1974 Porsche 914 Sondermodelle" website and Registry:

[StarBear]

Question:
They mention a total of 1,000 LE's factory produced (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)
My memory thinks it was 500 LE's total?
What is the real total breakdown of BB & LE colors?

The 500/500 (based on the 1000 cars early marketing hype for just the USA LE cars) was just convenient default speculation for decades, and is now ancient history. The Euro and Japan market cars were either not known or not considered and the Canadian LE cars will also become separately recognized. This is all based on research that 000 Magazine did for their recent, excellent article (Issue 036) about these 914 'Sondermodelle' cars, leveraging their connections to access the information buried deep in factory archives. Thanks to 000 Magazone (Alex P Pete S(!)), we now know the actual production numbers, for all three markets, and for all BB and CS cars worldwide. I will be updating the website and Registry to recognize the distinctions, which is also in the process of becoming renamed "The 1974 Porsche 914 Sondermodelle" website and Registry:

Super awesome, Jeff. Most excellent!! Thanks!!

[JeffBowlsby]

Doing the math, there were 1040 North American 914 LE's, 20 Japan 914 SL's, and 94 Germany/Austria 914 GT's produced. 57% BB's, 43% CS's, 1154 total cars.

Near as we can figure, about 30% still survive.

[JamesM]

Interesting they added a cam--and other stuff?

It is the nicest example of an LE I have ever seen. And by far the most expensive restoration. This was a passion project (like most 914 resorations) Gauden invested more than $230,000 into this restoration as part of the Porsche Classic Restoration. It won the Regional Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge Championship and they have gone on to win 3 national titles. Steve Thiel and Dan Sheridan are 914 guys and got the opportunity to do everything right. The amazing part was how fast they did it in while still doing everything right.

As someone who has overseen nicer and more accurate restorations, this one is far from the best, but its a nice effort and fairly intriguing. If anything at the least it shows people what a mostly correct full restoration actually costs.

Wrapping the dash is an interesting choice but on this car, probably not the route I would have gone. Not using a frame jig when doing the front pan and longitudinals is playing with fire.


Its a nice student effort, they are fairly new to 914 restorations. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[JamesM]

there were no expenses spared.

Its a decent example, but I could point out quite a few expenses spared.

[Craigers17]

Kinda interesting that over 20% of the LE's were designated for the California market. I'd like to hear more if anyone has details. Did that mirror the overall Porsche market at the time?

[SKL1]

Someone explain the cam upgrade to me. I understand a Webcam if you go the carb route, but what does a cam provide if you keep the FI?

[914werke]

Someone explain the cam upgrade to me. I understand a Webcam if you go the carb route, but what does a cam provide if you keep the FI?

Note that there is no other detail other than "webcam", its possible it was simply a replacement of an OE grind due to a worn cam (& lifters), not unusual given the age of all these cars

[914werke]

Thanks to 000 Magazine (Alex P Pete S(!)), we now know the actual production numbers, for all three markets, and for all BB and CS cars worldwide. I will be updating the website and Registry to recognize the distinctions, which is also in the process of becoming renamed "The 1974 Porsche 914 Sondermodelle" website and Registry:

Awesome detail!!! Thanks all. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)

[wonkipop]

Kinda interesting that over 20% of the LE's were designated for the California market. I'd like to hear more if anyone has details. Did that mirror the overall Porsche market at the time?

i recall in the 80s it being said that half the porsches made were sold to the USA and half of those went to california. i'm not sure those fractions expressed were accurate down to the fractions, but the basic spread from jeff's numbers of 914s in the 70s is almost along those lines.

[wonkipop]

Question:
They mention a total of 1,000 LE's factory produced (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)
My memory thinks it was 500 LE's total?
What is the real total breakdown of BB & LE colors?

The 500/500 (based on the 1000 cars early marketing hype for just the USA LE cars) was just convenient default speculation for decades, and is now ancient history. The Euro and Japan market cars were either not known or not considered and the Canadian LE cars will also become separately recognized. This is all based on research that 000 Magazine did for their recent, excellent article (Issue 036) about these 914 'Sondermodelle' cars, leveraging their connections to access the information buried deep in factory archives. Thanks to 000 Magazone (Alex P Pete S(!)), we now know the actual production numbers, for all three markets, and for all BB and CS cars worldwide. I will be updating the website and Registry to recognize the distinctions, which is also in the process of becoming renamed "The 1974 Porsche 914 Sondermodelle" website and Registry:

be fascinating to know if that GT in germany on your registry with the 1.8 twin carb engine came that way from new.

i'd bet it was not out of the question for domesttic/european market

[billh1963]

Kinda interesting that over 20% of the LE's were designated for the California market. I'd like to hear more if anyone has details. Did that mirror the overall Porsche market at the time?

i recall in the 80s it being said that half the porsches made were sold to the USA and half of those went to california. i'm not sure those fractions expressed were accurate down to the fractions, but the basic spread from jeff's numbers of 914s in the 70s is almost along those lines.

I've always heard that, too. In rough numbers I would say that during the California sports car heyday that was true for many sports car marques.

[wonkipop]

That chassis was in bad shape.
They should have cleaned the engine compartment before the listing pics.

i am not hear to try and point out any mistakes or changes vs OEM or original, i am not a LE expert, BUT tell me you cant take the time to have someone detail this out and get rid of the water stains etc in the engine compartment and so on? WOW thats just lazy. The wrapped dash and how the coverd the lower dash pad kind of bothers me a bit,........ but it is a very nice car.....

don't think they are water stains.
i can only see corrosion marks on the mag fan casting and i'd rather see that mag in natural state as they have done it instead of painting it. not having a go at the guys who paint the mag case silver when they restore the cars but just saying i prefer the choice of leaving it natural. i have a feeling that originally the mag cases might have been coated with a yellowish wax when new from factory.
i see an old and probably aged charcoal canister rather than necessarily water stained.
probably the original or maybe the can was missing as they often are when folks mistakenly ripped out the evap system thinking it was an emissions evil. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
it is always a quandry when restoring a car as to whether you achieve a shiny as new appearance or live with some materials that have naturally aged and worn over a half a century. plastic can be especially difficult.

i think its a pretty good resto myself. sure you could niggle. but.......be interesting to see how much it goes for in the end.f

EDIT
ok - i went and had a look at the BAT site and all the photos.
yeah. you are right. some white spots left on the engine after a wipe down with cleaning fluid or damp rag. doesn't bother me too much. engine looks very clean apart from that minor niggle. i don't think it affects the presentation too much.
if anything it makes it look real rather than an over polished display item. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

what i did notice is some of their "mistakes" are going to get someone a full 911 914/6 tool kit. thats worth a bomb even as a repro set. way better than the old cheapo plastic bag VW beetle tool kit the LE came with. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

its also got a full set of pirelli cinturato repop tyres. worth another bomb or two.
those tyres are the IT tyres of authentic equipment these days. assuming that everything is good with the suspension etc on that car its going to drive beautifully on the twisty stuff. beautiful light steering with heaps and heaps of grip. soft compound on those repops lets you have the original skinny tall boy look with no worries about lack of grip. i almost put a set on my 1.8 5 years back but settled for the 165 michelin XAS instead. would have been overtyred with the 185 cinturatos. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) i can't believe how good those high end re-issue tyres are. they were not that good back in the day.

[Chris914n6]

Us locals got to be there for the revealing.

It's a practical resto. Some things you just can't get new(ish) like the SS HE, and it was before the proper looking dash pad repop. Also it was on a deadline unlike our projects (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

It's getting picked apart for flaws and that's fine, but try to do your own and see where you draw the line...

edit- I just went thru the receipts. You could save 2 tons of money by not going thru the dealer. $500 injector ??!!

webcam for 912E

[friethmiller]

Us locals got to be there for the revealing.

It's a practical resto. Some things you just can't get new(ish) like the SS HE, and it was before the proper looking dash pad repop. Also it was on a deadline unlike our projects (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

It's getting picked apart for flaws and that's fine, but try to do your own and see where you draw the line...

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) 100%. I wish my BB was as good as this one.