Hello Group...

I am looking for a 914....So Cal....with calif regis....

Want to spend no more than 4k....

What do I look for.......What are the diamonds in the rough.....Colors.....models etc.......

Is one Engine better than the other.......

Thanks

Jim

I can't answer your question directly but you can to the right place. There are many here who can. Welcome. If you can get a car quick be sure to attend the West Coast 914 Classic! It's in June! Check the classifieds here on this site. Post a WTB: ad there too.

Hi Jim!

You're already part of the group! (You've been bitten!) Welcome!

For 4k, you should be able to find a solid car. It might not be the prettiest, unless you catch a desperate seller, but a solid one should be easy. In my opinion, the inherent value of a 914 comes from the condition of the chassis. Rust is a common problem, and some of the repairs can be very frustrating/expensive.

First question: What do you want to *do* with the car? Daily driver, weekend driver, project car to restore, autocross car, race car?

-Rusty

Hi Jim and welcome to the board. There are a lot of them out there you just need to look for them. If you want to come down to Orange County I can help you find one down here in your price range and check the car out for you. The ideal car would be a 73 or 74 with the 2 liter engine. Unless you can afford a 6 which by your 4k budget, that wont happen. I prefer yellow but others like other colors. If you are serious and are ready to buy, send me a PM and we can get together and find you a car. Simi Valley is about an hour and a half from here. There are tons of them out there in the valley as I bought one from there about 5 years ago. There is one I just saw listed that is local to me and it didnt sound bad at all. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...2474838193&rd=1
This one is not fuel injected but I would inspect it before buying.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...2475732706&rd=1
This one is just over your 4k for the buy it now and is up in Novato, you could have Brad or someone check it out for you.
There are a few listed locally too. Good luck

The green one looks nice but the dent in the door makes it more like a $2500 car, IMO.

Its far better to figure out what you want and be patient and find it, rather than buying what's available and sinking all your time and efforts into a fixer. Then again, that may be you thing too.

Patrick Paternie's "How to Restore and Modify Your Porsche 914 & 914/6" is a good book to look at, but its not complete.

Keep hanging around here. Its all been talked about here and your questions can get answered by smart people.

Good luck!

Welcome to the club!

A couple of articles can answer a lot of your questions--even the ones you didn't know you had, yet!

http://www.pelicanparts.com/914/How_to_buy_a_914.htm

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/9...Darling_FAQ.htm

--DD

Thanks for the replys.......

I want a daily driver.........I have an 85 rx7 gsl-se.....
I have played with this for about two years......and cant get the suspension the way I want

And its killing me...too harsh.....killing my neck...

But everyday I am looking at 914's so I decided to sell my 7 and get a 914....

I would be driving every other day.......unless its 100 plus.....It will be garaged...but I want a liitle comfort on the open road.....Like to Vegas or up the coast to Santa Barbara.......

Can these cars hold a set of golf clubs?

What type of millage do these cars get?

Looks like the 73 2.0 is the gem in the rough...

golf clubs are fine unless you have one of those big huge pro-type bags. I get about 20 mpg maybe, but my car is setup to run rich. As far as comfort goes, it's subjective. If you find a car with KYB shocks, they will be harsh. I have only slightly stiffer springs with Koni yellows. On full soft it's ok, but our rough midwest roads can be harsh. On the other hand, at the track on full hard it's pretty damn smooth.

I remember getting really good mileage in both FI cars (1.8 and 2.0), over 25 mpg in fact. My 914/6 is significantly less, but I think that's a matter of tuning and adjustment that I haven't mastered.

Yes, Pam drives the Bumblebee to the golf course. I remember reading that that used to be one of the criteria that Dr. Porsche required in a car - the ability to carry a set of clubs.

It's cheaper (long run) to find a car with all the goodies already bolted on. Alloy wheels, upgrade to later style transmission, center console, sway bars, etc.

You're on a budget, so don't get wrapped up in that "73 2.0 is the best car ever" BS. First and foremost, the chassis should be free of rust. A 2.0 is nice, but not necessary for a groovy daily driver. Even the stock suspension, if taken care of, is a very comfortable ride. You don't need adjustable Koni or Bilstein sport shocks.

If you think you even might be tempted to go autocross or rally, then lean towards a 2.0 car (regardless of year, the engines are all basically plug-n-play) with sway bars and Fuchs wheels. You'll be happier later.

Patience (or calling Brad/Rich @ HPH or Mike Z ) will find you a nice solid car, mechanically strong.

-Rusty

"I" have been known to find a few....

Personally I don't think these cars make great daily drivers. Just from a practical point of view, they are 30 years old and there is always something that needs attention. You can drive a 914 daily but you need something to back it up with.

Sure if you find a car that has been completely gone through, it can be pretty reliable but on these cars there's always something that has been neglected. Stuff like engines and transmissions can be expensive to get fixed. The cost of an engine can easily exceed the value of the car.

yup, not advised for a daily driver.

'course, i do it

I drive mine every day as well. It does require some attention now and again, but all the work I did previously has made it a solid platform to drive every day. Chasing an oil leak at the moment. Back-up is always on stand-by. It never ends...lol

I also use mine as a daily driver. Mind, it's also the newest car I own by several years, so I'm used to old car syndrome. If you're mechanically adept and don't mind keeping a parts horde in the garage, they're fine as daily use cars. The key is to not try to use a worn-out rustbucket as a daily driver. Far too many people (and I'm one of them) just fix a few things as they go wrong, and don't do enough stuff preventatively, so they find they're always having to fix something.

Welcome Jim,
I know of a couple where I am at. One is a 75 Copper Metalic in real good shape, I think the guy is asking around 4K. The other is a 75 Olympic Blue (I think) and they are asking 2500 or best offer. They replaced the engine with a 2.0 and cant get it to run right. PM for more info and I can get you some pics and take a look at the cars for you if your interested.

Hey,

I'm going to buck the convention here. If you're on a budget, and want a really nice 914 that gets decent mileage, find a nice cherry well maintained early 1.7 914 with D-Jet intact. They are the cheapest 914 you can buy (especially in CA.), they get great mileage (40MPG cross country), and have reasonable power for a DD at sea level.

There's a VERY nice 70, 1.7 here in Santa Barbara....green repaint over a stock green. $3200....minimal rust in the rear trunk and second owner....

Lemme know, I have his number someplace....

-

Roger, who has been working on your 914? Kevin said it still isn't right....
2.0l FI cars get good mileage in the high 20's...I did get 29 mpg when I drove to JRusts meet going 80mph too.


Geoff

I use mine as a daily driver, I also have a back up . My commute is approx.45mi one way and I'll tell you It's the most fun commuter car I ever had! I also get around 30mpg. and welcome to the club! AL