Much Nicer! That fiberglass bumper just didn't get it

Looks great.. My plan for my car is red and chrome bumpers.. Gotta love it.

Mark Kinnaman went to town making a new bushing for the firewall and the side shift support console.
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Old next to new
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That bumper looks great on your car Always glad to help with the part to bring these cars back to life.

Mark has some mad skills (and a very cool shop).

Carpet set arrived yesterday from 914rubber
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That looks nice.
Can't wait to see what it looks like in your car.

race car and #12 together, 2 very early 914s
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I was cleaning some boxes out and ran across these pictures from when I bought #12
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and the story:

In 1992 I decided it was time for me to buy a real 914/6, I had several 914/4s over the years and thought I would rather have a factory six over a conversion. My search began locally and I soon learned most 914/6s in the Midwest had corrosion issues.

I was reading the winter 1994 issue of Mid-Engine View when an advertisement caught my eye it was a very early car with flares! I contacted the owner in Connecticut and scheduled a time to inspect the car, I would drive up there after the Hershey swap meet. I arrived 15 minutes late and found a note on the door explaining how he got tired of waiting for me and had left for the Hamptons. The deal was off, I could not bring myself to dealing with this owner so I continued my search for a six.

In the summer of 1994 I found a euro spec six in New Jersey, it was a beautiful tangerine car with a corduroy and leatherette interior I drove all the way out to Cape May and I bought it . The car was a nice driver and I enjoyed it all summer but it did not have flares.

I couldn’t get the early six off my mind and one day while reading Hemmings I noticed that the car was being sold by F-40 Motorsports so I called and it turned out he was selling on consignment for the guy in Connecticut. I decided that he did not deserve the car and made plans to inspect the car in the F-40 Motorsports showroom, I told him to make sure the owner was not present when I inspected the car.

Upon arrival I saw a beautiful flared red 914/6 with 916 bumpers front and rear. As I got closer I notice the paint was not that great, it was a guards red repaint over the original silver. As I entered the cabin I noticed the speaker grill, then windshield washer bottle. I realized the owner had not noticed the prototype parts. I took the car out for a drive and it ran reasonable well so I struck a deal on the spot.

Back in the early days of the internet I created a web page about 914/6s and posted this picture of #12

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Soon someone created stamps using the image, I think they are fake but interesting none the less

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It sure is a nice looking car Glenn. It has been put away too long. I sure hope to see it on the road this summer.

Great story Glenn! The picture below is making you look like a borderline hoarder...not that there is anything wrong with that, of course.

Tony

Lets just say I have a fondness for 914s

Unless they get on your bad side! Even I feared for my life that day.

I was just trying to make a 904 that day
FAIL!!!!

Everytime I open that thread I feel a disturbance in the force

Glenn is OK with being a hoarder, believe me.

Please tell us how you got it, how long ago, where, etc. etc. etc.

and I am always happy to help him with his sickness

Garold has cause a whole lot of this clutter
but he was here to get it sorted
and I thank him

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I know what you mean!

go back a page and the whole story is right there

Hans Lapine (who worked at Werks I) told me that they put extra spot welds in this area on the production based race cars, he found the same thing on #11 while doing the restoration. there is also no seam sealer anywhere on the car.
This is where the bulkhead meets the inner wheel house in the front of the car.

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I also found this plug in the front under the fuel tank. Notice the blast media from when the car was restored in the early '90s, that stuff just keeps coming out.
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it appears to be a VW in origin.
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Here is the for sale ad from 1974
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for sale ad from 1978
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panorama article from 1994 (25th anniversary of the 914)
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So is it believed that the flares and 916 bumpers were installed at the factory, post production? What history can you share regarding your research? Amazing find Glenn.

PS: The pic with a stuffed garage and a 914 chassis on its side against the back wall is classic - you DO have an illness. I believe my garage is over-stuffed at times - you made my day (I'm now considering myself a minimalist)!



T

I personally sat in Glenn's living room and heard this amazing story and got to see his collection.. It is not a hoard it is a collection.. What's wrong with all you.

Those cap/plugs were used on later Beetle door hinges on the cowl side. IIRC

The car has had fender flares at least since 1972 and probably longer. The earliest owner I could find was told that the car was flared by the factory. I don't believe the 916 bumpers to be original but they are very nicely constructed.

When I first bought the car I spoke with Howard Adams from PCNA, he used to do all the research in the states. He told me the car was sent to Porsche development but said there was nothing he could send me.

I went to the factory, I visited the archives they said all the 914 records were stolen, so there you have it nothing but hearsay.

BTW that picture of my garage was AFTER Garold and I spent 8+ hours moving things around. At one point everything was in my driveway, you should seen my neighbors driving by slack jawed!

I think Ben got a look in the garage when it was really full

I just spent a week up in Chicago back in December...the next time in town I'm going to look you up - see it for myself! I'd really like to see #12 and the race car. Inviting myself over...

PS: You are always welcome at my house when in Atlanta...you wouldn't be the first "World" member paying me a visit!

Tony

That is to bad i missed you but yes next time you are in Chicago please let me know, we can also get the Chicago gang together for a visit.

I am going on a mission to FL soon, you will want to see what I found so I will try and stop by on the way back.