[quote name='Ansbacher' date='Feb 15 2018, 12:02 PM' post='2579389']
[quote name='SKL1' date='Feb 14 2018, 05:20 PM' post='2579107']
Had the '73 HAD the rear tits and were removed for 1974, everyone would be saying here that it was part of the cheapening down of the '74 model year. I am glad to be a '74 owner, as it rarer than the '73 and somewhat of a one-off model year. Go 1974!
Ansbacher
'74 2.0L
[/quote]
Nothing against the 74's - I was just pointing out the changes made to production by Porsche to keep the car price competitive with their Japanese, Brit & Italian sports car competition. Going + $2000 from $5299 to $7299 in about 6-8 months was killing their sales, so they made some adjustments. It's just part of the History of the 914s.
Also, 73 & 74 MYs were the peak 914 production number years, with something like 40-60% being 2.0s (maybe - just a SWAG estimate by me), so production of 73 & 74 was about the same, with 74 only slightly less (by about 15%+/- IIRC). Note that the production number at the chart in the 914info on here is by ""Calendar Year," so it mixes the 2 MYs in each calendar year. Ergo, part of the 73 production were 74 MYs & only part of 74 were 74 MY (ther rest were 75 MY), & part of 72 were 73 MYs (but all 2.0's were 73 MY, & the part of the 1.7s were 72 MY) & only part of 73 were 73 MY.
The F & R Tits & BUBs were phased in by USA law under US-DOT for their phase-in of the mandated crash protection, with the "Tits" being 3 mph crash protection (or 5 mph?), with F mandated for 73 MY cars, & F + R for 74 MY cars; then the BUBs were 7 mph crash protection F & R mandated for the 75> MY.
So they couldn't have reversed the F+R tits for F only tits in 74 & 73 as a cost savings step.
Porsche did Tits & BUBs on the 914s, & Tits & according bumpers on the 911/912E/930's. However, the 914 BUBs were actually the test bed for the later body fared bumper covers of the later 964> era 914s - although body color painted in the latter case. So our 914s actually helped out the future bumper design of the 911, 924/944/968 & 928 etc. model lines!
IMHO the BUBs look great on the darker colored 914s & good on lighter colored ones (too bad they hadn't tried the body color paint, rather than all in flat black). Also IMHO, I'm okay with the look of F &/or F+R tits, but think that the early plain chrome bumpers looked better - even if less functional.
And - yes - I have benefited on several occasions with the front tits on my 73 saving the need for a new front bumper, but only in very low speed collisions.
While many feel that the 75-76 BUBs is a polarizing look & many hate them, the more critical change from 73-74 MYs was the introduction of more stringent smog controls starting in 73 MY & increased in 75> MY - wherein for CA it required the fateful "Crapalytic Converter" - making CA 914 even more gutless than its 49 State siblings. On top of that, the new stronger 7 mph BUBs added 200-300 lbs. to an already detuned car - exacerbating the power loss perception when driving them.
To illustrate this power comparison for the USA engines - the 70-72 1.7s put out 80 HP & dropped to 72 HP in 73 with the 1st stage of smog controls added, while the 1.8 improved that to 76 HP; while the 73-74 2.0 put out 95 HP, then the 2L's dropped to 88 HP for 75-76 - which is not much more than a nice 72 1.7 benefiting from all the updates of adjustable passenger seat, added dash vents, better tuned tail-shifter trans, etc. Add 200-300 lbs. more weight from the BUBs, & the power-to-weight ratio of a 75-76 2L is nearly the same as a 70-72 1.7L 914.
IMHO & for my own personal choice when I got my 914 in late 1975 - I test drove a couple of dozen 914s from every MY 70-76 - including a 71 914-6 which a buddy owned which was way out of my budget. While I loved the looks of the 75-76 in the Anacona Blue Metallic & Laguna Blue with White interior - I was nonplussed by the lack of power (& power-to-weight) making them more sluggish than the used 73-74 2L's which I'd test driven then. And my monthly payment would've been nearly the same with the used car at 3 year 80% financing at a higher interest rate, as would the new 75-76 at 5 year 100% loan at a lower rate - so price really wasn't a factor.
I'm just sharing some of the 914 history here - not making judgements on any particular MY or model, & only was pointing out that there were other mitigating factors which - at present - do not make the pricing of a 74 2.0 higher than a similarly equipped, optioned, miles & condition 73 2L.
Bottom line is that we all make/made our 914 decision(s) based on what fits us best. So yes Ansbacher, be proud of your 74!
Cheers!
Tom
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