It is with humble sentiment that I am listing my 1973 Porsche 914 2.0 for sale. While I enjoy this car, I just can’t seem to find the time to drive her, so I am starting the search for a good new home. I purchased the car in January of 2011 and have been her owner for the past two years. The reason for sale is limited usage and I am planning to order a new 2013 Porsche Cayenne S direct from Germany as my daily driver, so the extra money would be used as a down payment on my new Porsche, scheduled to arrive in the spring of 2013.
History of the Car:
This Porsche is the real deal, an original and very desirable 1973 914 2.0, complete with appearance group options including chrome bumpers and bumperettes, fog lights, center console with factory VDO gauges, sway bars, and a complete set of Fuchs forged alloy wheels, including the spare. The VIN number is: 4732917902 and the current mileage is: 115,816 (believed to be original). The car was delivered on June 26, 1973 by Rusnak Porsche Audi in South Pasadena California to Tim and Jill Mills, and remained on the West coast until the early 2000’s. I have the original owner’s manual and service log book, along with substantial registration cards to document the ownership and location history. To the best of my knowledge, I am the fourth owner of this particular 914. The car was shipped East in 2002 and underwent an extensive restoration between the years of 2007 – 2010. The original color was Delphi Green Metallic (code L99A), and for a short time the car was repainted white. After a professional media blasting and some body prep the car was skillfully repainted the correct period color Nepal Orange (code L20C). While not the original color (or an actual ’73 shade for that matter), it is an appropriate factory color for 1975 914’s, and frankly looks outstanding on the car, always drawing significant amounts of attention when uncovered or out of the garage. The interior is Saddle Tan and looks very pronounced with the targa top removed. As an added bonus the seating surfaces remain cooler on hot/sunny days as compared to the very common black interior. The seats and carpets are all in excellent shape with a just a slight seam separation and some negligible wear on the driver’s seat visible as you enter the car. The door panels are meticulous and have never been cut or modified with aftermarket stereo speakers. The original dash was cracked and is now covered with an overlay which looks and fits outstanding. The floor pans and pedal board are rock solid. Upon inspection, when you remove the seats and carpets you can still see the original Delphi Green Metallic paint, as this area remains in excellent shape and was not re-sprayed during the restoration process.
If you’re searching for a factory correct ‘concours’ level restoration, this may not be the right car for you. However, if you’re searching for a restored, truly rust free, fully sorted, dependable and outstanding driver quality 1973 914 2.0 which will provide hours of pleasure behind the wheel, and will win lots of trophies at local shows and cruise nights, continue reading. While not 100% OEM the car embodies the factory 914 look and feel very nicely. Some subtle modifications include: Fuchs forged alloy wheels with black painted inserts and colored Porsche crest center caps, LE spoiler, painted sail panels (vinyl delete), blacked out trim around the rear window area, ABS Porsche rocker panel covers, and an awesome aftermarket Pioneer stereo (complete with custom Infinity 914 speaker boxes in the factory locations, remote control, in-dash CD player with MP3 support, Sirius satellite radio and a jump drive port for your digital music hidden discretely in the glove compartment). The car is sporting a much deserved Porsche badge in the proper location on the front bonnet, and factory correct chrome mirrors are installed on both the driver and passenger doors. The paint work, bright work, rubber, glass and bumpers are all in very good to excellent condition. From a drivetrain standpoint the car has the stock 5-speed side-shifter transmission with an overhaul completed a few years back including new 1st and 2nd synchros and a complete new clutch assembly. The engine is an original 1973 Porsche 914 2.0 with the engine code number: GA004103. The top end was rebuilt by the previous owner and the bottom end is strong as confirmed during compression and leak down testing performed during my ownership. While I do not have a Certificate of Authenticity from Porsche to verify, we believe this engine to be the original based on previous owner history. The engine has been professionally setup and tuned running dual Weber 40 IDF carburetors, which are plumbed to a brand new fuel system, complete with an SVDA vacuum advance distributor with a points elimination model from John at Aircooled.net. The car has been driven by a several 914 owners and I have been told that she runs as good as or better than a factory fuel injected car. And the dual carbs sound great right behind your ears!
Recent Work and Service:
Upon purchasing the car it was cosmetically restored but was still in need of tuning, sorting and a complete mechanical assessment. The car was running a single Weber 32/36 progressive carburetor along with an old Bosch 009 distributor, which as fellow 914 owners appreciate is not optimal as the long intake runners cause fuel to fall out of suspension, resulting in rough and inconsistent running conditions. Within the first weeks of ownership the car was taken to Dougherty Automotive in West Chester, PA, a high-end performance shop specializing in Porsche street and race cars. My technician, Paul, owns a 914-6 and understood how to properly service and tune an air-cooled Porsche engine. The first order of business was to assess the car for structure and rust. As expected, the body, pan, frame, longs, trunks and hell hole were 100% solid, with no signs of rust or structural weakness. We then conducted a compression and leak down test on the engine which passed with flying colors. We averaged ~150-155 across all four cylinders, with 3-6% leak down results. Next we debated whether to return the car to factory fuel injection or to switch to a properly configured dual carburation setup. Given the fact that I wanted to drive and enjoy the car and did not want to spend excessive amounts of time and money sourcing missing fuel injection parts (and reading many horror stories about fuel injection, high pressure leaks and the potential for fire), we proceeded with the dual-carb configuration. While purists will argue that factory fuel injection is best, when properly setup a dual-carb 914 can and will run very strong; my car is the perfect example of a well-designed configuration. Our system included 2 x Weber 40 IDF carbs complete with new intake manifolds, velocity stacks, and custom linkage and air cleaners, along with the new vacuum advance SVDA distributor and a complete tune-up. We also upgraded the car to stainless steel fuel lines, installed a new fuel pump under the tank and a fuel pressure regulator to ensure proper and consistent flow to the twin carburetors. When you open the engine compartment the bay looks clean, and the good news is that the factory rain train and drain hoses still remain in place. The car comes off idle fast, the throttle is smooth, and she pulls hard to redline with the new fuel and ignition systems installed. As expected in 914’s, the gearbox is a bit notchy, but shifts are precise and smooth.
While the car was at Dougherty Automotive we did an extensive amount of work. What started out as an assessment, tune-up and fuel-system upgrade turned into a complete mechanical overhaul. Below is a summary of what we accomplished over the several weeks that the car was under their care.
1. Engine check. The top end was completely rebuilt by the previous owner (I have the invoices). We did a compression and leak down test on the bottom end. Excellent numbers, 80-85 first puff, with 150-155 across all cylinders, with ~3-6% leak down across all four cylinders.
2. Adjusted valves to Porsche 914 specs: 0.006” for the intake valve and 0.008”.
3. Complete new fuel system, complete with carbs, manifolds, velocity stacks, custom linkage and professional carb syncing and tuning.
4. Full tune-up including new NGK plugs, ignition wires, cap, rotor, Bosch wire clips and the SVDA vacuum advance distributor. Plugs were NGK BP6ES gapped to 0.027”.
5. New blue factory Bosch coil and coil wire.
6. Oil and filter change. Running Brad Penn 20W-50 in summer and 10W-30 in winter.
7. Flush brake fluid and installed new cap and rubber gasket on master cylinder. Car has stainless steel brake lines, and new pads/rotors all around.
8. Corrected problem with oil temp sender/gauge wiring. Working 100% now.
9. Installed Bosch hot start kit. I have driven the car to work 40 miles each way in the summer and she has never failed to start, even on very hot 95 degree days.
10. Installed new voltage regulator, replacement relay panel cover and correct hold down nut/bolt hardware.
11. Complete check of electrical system, charging and battery.
12. Installed new low pressure fuel pump (under gas tank) for carbs. Installed fuel pressure regulator to ensure consistent and proper flow to both carburetors.
13. Installed stainless fuel lines through tunnel to protect against fire.
14. Fabricated custom crankcase ventilation system for dual carbs, complete with chrome breather filters elements.
15. Installed velocity stacks inside of air breathers (for optimal air flow and performance).
16. Rebuild complete pedal assembly.
17. Replaced throttle cable and fabricated custom throttle return spring.
18. Replaced positive and negative battery cables, including battery cut-off switch for storage. Car has newer battery installed by previous owner.
19. Installed new fuel filters (one under tank and one in engine bay), and all new rubber fuel line and connectors to carbs and tank (wherever stainless lines end).
20. Installed new OEM oil filler cap with new rubber gasket.
21. Adjusted ride height to level car and checked wheel alignment.
22. Repaired reverse light switch.
23. Replaced all bulbs in instrument cluster and gauges.
24. Repaired brake light switch under pedal board.
Lots of work was performed at Dougherty over the six week stay, and not cheap given their professional shop labor rate of $118.00 per hour. While the final bill was very expensive, it was worth every penny as the car has proven to be 100% reliable and a consistent and exciting driver. Below are some other repairs, updates and fun facts about my 914. I do have documentation for all of the work, service and parts throughout the restoration process.
• Complete new clutch assembly
• Complete top end engine rebuild (bottom tested solid, no leaks heard past the valves)
• Brakes/rotors and wheel bearings all new
• Transmission bearings and synchros 1 & 2 replaced (gaskets replaced and gear oil changed)
• 911 Turbo tie rod kit installed
• Car has factory 2.0 sway bars in place (Sway bar seen while gas tank was out of the car at Dougherty)
• Push rod tubes replaced
• Correct German perlon headliner (inside of targa top)
• All squeaks and rattles fixed on targa top latches, sun visors and inside cockpit
• 5 Fuchs wheels (including colored Porsche center caps)
• Like new Goodyear Eagle 195/50-15 tires all around
• New speedometer cable and rebuilt factory VDO gauges (speedometer, tachometer, fuel, clock, volt and oil temp - all work 100%)
• Correct Porsche keys Red and Black (all door handles, locks and trunk locks work 100%)
• Gas tank removed, cleaned and coated in 2005
• Bumpers, bright work and rubber all in like new condition
• Targa top refinished in satin black (still has texture)
• New front trunk weather seal installed (from 914rubber.com)
• Correct rain tray, drain hoses and fasteners in place (and rain tray is installed, even with the carbs and air cleaners fitted)
• New carpets, Porsche mats and threshold sill plates
• New oil pump
• New starter motor
• New fuel tank sender
• Euro 914 turn signal lenses
• Replacement relay board, including correct cover and hardware
• Complete paint detail completed including (16) hours of correction with a Porter Cable 7424 random orbital buffer using Menzerna polishes to remove patina and fine swirl marks
• Eight coats of synthetic polymer sealant wax applied by hand (paint is near show quality)
• Porsche Crest installed on front hood
Vehicle Grade and Condition:
At this point the car is 99% and only needs a few minor upgrades to make her perfect. If I were keeping the car my springtime to-do list would be to replace the front and rear struts and shocks. They are getting a little tired and the car’s handling would benefit from an upgrade. The car could also use shifter bushings and rear sway bar bushings, but neither is critical. As with most air cooled engines and 914’s in particular the car does drip a little oil, nothing major other than a couple small drops per month on my garage floor. Also, while the center pad interior light works with the manual switch, it does not operate when the doors are opened and closed. And as mentioned, the driver’s seat could use a freshening up. Other than that, everything on the car is operational and restored.
If you can’t already tell by my writing style I am obsessive compulsive and am very particular about my vehicles. I have owned several Porsches and currently own two award winning show quality Corvettes. My 1964 Corvette Roadster just returning from a one year display (on loan) to The National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green Kentucky. When I rate my 914 I take condition and grading very seriously and tend to error on the conservative side. I would rate my Porsche 914 a solid #2 (an outstanding driver quality car); with paint, body and interior a 9 on a scale of 1-10. From a mechanical standpoint the car is an 8.5, given that she could benefit from new shocks, struts and bushings. While the underbody is 100% solid, it is driver quality and not show quality, so this also contributes to the overall #2 condition rating. Since the restoration was completed the car has never been driven in rain or foul weather, however I do jump in her for an occasional ride on a cold winter night, provided the roads are clean and salt free. When you’re looking for a 914 it’s very difficult to find a ‘truly’ rust free car. Given this car’s previous West coast life and a complete and total restoration, the car is likely one of the most rust free examples available for sale on the East coast today. The body, pan, hell hole, trunks, floors, frame and body are truly perfect, and the longs are 100% solid. As an example, I weight 245lbs and with the top off the car and a passenger in the seat you can open and close the doors with no issue – there is zero body sag. Bottom line, the car was done right and no expense was spared. Given the asking price, you cannot reproduce the car for anything near the cost. The cosmetic restoration alone was over $10,000.00, and the mechanical work performed by Dougherty Automotive and parts were even more expensive. This 914 is the perfect blend of show and go, nice enough to drive and enjoy but not too highly restored where she would be relegated to the status of garage queen. In the end, the car is ready to be enjoyed by her next owner; all of the work is done. All you need to add is the time and passion to get her out on the road on nice sunny days!
Photo Website and Videos:
Below is a link to a comprehensive website which contains countless high-resolution images of the car both today and during the restoration process, broken down into categories for easy viewing. When you click a link 1x you will be presented with the photo. If you click the photo 1 additional time you will get a maximum size high-resolution image for close up inspection. I have also included several YouTube video links which show the car out and about, including a nice drive along video taken this past September 2012.
WEBSITE LINK - CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS AND VIDEOS
Contact Information and Asking Price:
If you are searching for a real-deal, well done and nicely presented 1973 Porsche 914 2.0 that is restored and ready to enjoy, please feel free to contact me. The car is being offered for sale at the asking price of $18,500.00; however I will consider reasonable and serious offers, provided that she is going to a good new home. You are welcome to schedule a time to inspect and test drive the car, we are located in Deptford, NJ about 20 minutes South East of Philadelphia, PA, about 2 hours South of New York City. Also, while shipping would be at the buyer’s expense, I am happy to assist with transport coordination to ensure a safe arrival. Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at: cdavis@adaptivesolutions.com or call my cell at: 610.960.1858. I am happy to answer any questions or chat some more about the coolest Porsche even, the 1973 VW-Porsche 914 2.0.
Thank you for your interest.
-Chuck
PLEASE VISIT WEBSITE FOR A COMPLETE PHOTO AND VIDEO CATALOG
Probably take a loss after transport, tags, taxes, title, Ebay fees.