The 914 was my first car!
I bought was a used-up 914 on a whim a few years after graduating from college. I don't recall the model because I was new to 914 s and on its maiden voyage with me at the helm the brakes failed. The ensuing tow to the local Porsche dealer ended in bad news - the brakes were the least of my concerns. This car had terminal rust in the longitudinals and was in imminent danger of folding in half! It was a shame because it had a very nice new paint job.Disappointed, I summarily returned it to the service station I bought it from and used my $1500 as a downpayment on a proper 914. My second rebound 914 was a '75 2.0 in Ibizia Rot set up for autocross with 50 series tires and larger front and rear roll bars purchased from a Polaroid engineer. It was concours quality and twitchy, a blast to drive. Unfortunately in the first year of ownership I introduced myself to lift-throttle oversteer showing off on a decreasing radius off-ramp at 50 mph!
That stunt bent the right rear wheel in half as the car snap spun and clipped a curb. Thank god for the full sized spare that got me home! The passenger side control arm took the hit bending its chassis mount in the process. After what seemed like an eternity at the local Porsche dealer and many $ later, I got it back as good as new. My wife and I drove that car all over the place logging another 100k miles on top of the 69k it had when I bought it.
The end for that car came by making the fatal mistake of shipping its engine to Atlanta GA for a complete rebuild. After 18 months of poor communication and stall tactics, I finally got my engine back but had nothing but trouble with it afterwards. The engine was the car's heart. I unfortunately picked the wrong doctor and their malpractice caused it to eventually die from complications.
Meanwhile I acquired an '87 Carrera and put the 914 on hold. I pulled its engine one more time with the intention of eventually fixing it myself and parked it in the driveway - you guessed it - on jackstands!
The 914 that we had so much fun with sat there for years until we sold the house. I realized I was not going fix it anytime soon so reluctantly sold it and its scattered parts to some guys in Fl who turned it into a track car. I try not to think of all the clean, original interior parts and trim that I could have pulled!
The car in the pictures below is my third 914 (all of them were red) and its the best I have owned. It started out as a '74 2.0 non-appearance group car. Found it on EBay in Michigan, where it was originally titled. The body is clean and straight and it was professionally repainted at some point in its life maintaining it's original color, Bahia Rot.
Mechanically, it was a little messed up when I got it. The engine was rebuilt with a Webcam mild "73" grind for fuel injection but many of the OEM injection parts had been replaced with aftermarket crap and the MPS had been opened. The brakes and throttle linkage were binding and it had a hand made extractor exhaust on it so the test drive was interesting.
I could tell the transmission was solid but the car was in no condition to be safely driven on the street. So much for my plan to fly one way to Grand Rapids to pick it up and drive it back to MA.
Over the course of four years I was able to hunt down all the correct, often used parts to rebuild the fuel injection system, brakes, and rear suspension and fix everything else that was broken, missing or not original. I addressed the oil leaks, rebuilt the MPS, dialed in the fuel injection system, replaced the clutch, cleaned the engine and transmission and replaced the shift bushings. Finally I added the chrome bumpers, 914 Fuchs alloys, a center console, gauges, steering wheel and roll bars from the appearance group. Part of the fun of owning these cars is the hunt.
The car is 98% restored now and not only looks great but runs and shifts very well. It's a lot of fun to drive and I imagine it now operates as new. Seems every time it's out someone asks me about it. Those in the know marvel at its condition and those that aren't ask what it is and where can they get one!
I owe my success nursing it back to health to my apprenticeship with the first two 914's and Internet forums like 914World. The best part of re acquiring my first drive is being able to enjoy driving it the way it was intended knowing I have the knowledge and experience to fix pretty much anything that goes wrong with it. The current surge in the 914's popularity and its general and financial appreciation are a bonus!
-Scott
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