So a couple weeks back a car came up on the Samba and was linked over here in the classifieds. Whole thing looked really fishy, ad was a single picture that was lifted from the Patrick Motorsports site, the wording was broken and the seller had only signed up to the Samba the day of the listing (thread here)
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=343405

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Patrick Motorsports build link:
https://patrickmotorsports.com/blogs/news/9...-915-big-laguna

I'd been looking for the right car for quite a while and finding that there are a lot of scammers out on the internet, but I figured I'd try and contact the seller anyway because, hey, you never know.

Sent off an email, days go by, maybe even a week, no reply, definitely seems like a scam. Started chalking it up to "when things are too good to be true..."
Finally, I get an email from the seller, brief, didn't really say much, didn't try to answer questions from my initial email or anything, seemed like an odd generic response but hey at least there's a response, still seems like a scam. Still figuring I'd try to at least have fun with the scammer, I asked about the history etc on the car and why they'd be selling as surely this was a very special car to someone at one point. A few more days go by...now I"ve mentally moved on, it's fake.

Five days after the 1st email and nearly two week in, I get a big long response from the seller, wow, this might be real. The original owner and guy who had the car commissioned to be built by Patrick Motorsports, had passed away about 5-6yrs ago and this is his brother, whom he left the car to. I get a dialog going with him via email and try to pin down a viewing of the car. I'm in San Diego so if it's in Victorville CA, I'm all in After two weeks I finally get him to agree to let me see the car on a Saturday morning. Still thinking it could be a big fake or bait and switch, at this point I'm out of my mind that it could also be the real deal and holy crap the guy finally sent me an address and phone number Thursday night before the Saturday viewing

I got a buddy to agree to ride shotgun in my daily driver so we could drive up to VIctorville to see this thing, we're both still 50/50 on whether or not we're going to get clubbed over the heads when we get there by someone who thinks we're carrying cash or something. Oh great, forcast is RAIN after a solid week of sunny soCal weather, rain, you've got to be kidding me.

We get to the house meet the guy and he leads us into the garage

There it is, just like on the Patrick Motorsports website, holy crap it's REAL

I'm a little, well, a LOT awestruck now, he pops the front and rear hoods and opens it up, OH YEAH, its the Big Laguna car, holy cow! I take a peek outside, weather is still holding, at this point I just want to hear it run because I have already made up my mind Can't believe it's real, peek into the engine bay, whoa! twin plug 993 motor, underneath the car, it's clean enough to eat off of, see the ceramic coated big headers and the stainless exhaust boxed trailing arms, 10/10ths, everything.

He grabs the keys and I ask him to drive me around the neighborhood, it runs like a Swiss watch, everything is as it should be. He lets me drive, I can't believe it still.

He had all the paperwork, build docs and the history of the car, we made a deal and went to the bank, it was a bit overcast but the weather seemed to be holding out, I'm operating in a temporary state of shock, holy crap this car is about to be mine

We come back to the house, load up some spares, weather is holding out, it took us just over 2 hours to get up there, lets hope it's an easy trip back, first off, gas! Its getting darker outside, clouds are getting pretty thick...deal is done and now it's just the ride home I have to get through, oh yeah, the car has no seat belts in it

Fill up and hit the freeway, trying hard to learn the car as I go. We get down Cajon pass and the rain starts. Not terrible rain, just the kind that makes the roads super slick and here I am driving a big 6 I've never driven before...the roads were a total mess. The wipers worked but the blade on the drivers side was crap so my visibility sucked. Stop and go traffic through Riverside county, accidents all the way, dumping rain through the next hour of driving as I tailed my buddy in my SUV, it took us 3 1/2 hours to get back...with no seat belts

Here are some of the pictures so far, I"m still going through things but this is the 1st picture I took when we arrived after the drive back
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The car is crazy, they did everything, Chassis stiffening, boxed arms, roll cage, bracing between the suspension pick ups, the level and quality of work are pretty impressive:
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PMS data plate:
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Absolutely awesome 914! Congrats!

I've started to check the little detail things that need to be sorted, like the left and right wipers were on backwards, there's a couple of small rubber trim items that could be swapped out and it needs lighting upgrades for sure.

And OH YEAH, it needs freaking seat belts in it!! I ordered harnesses the Monday after getting the car and put them in yesterday, there were literally never belts in the car as I had to make the holes in the carpet to get the bolts in:
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Harnesses in,
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I keep finding details on it that are just mind blowing. 993 Twin turbo brakes and rotors, 7 and 9x16 turbo wheels, the 993 3.8 RS spec motor and WEVO 915 are amazing and seamless, Recaro Pole Position seats with custom brackets that leverage the factory seat rails, it just goes on and on

Outstanding. Great story, nice car. I’m about to embark on a similar journey to Wisconsin, very exciting.

Wow a story for VINwiki for sure !

I remember this car very well, but last time I saw it was at the VW Classic when it was last held down in Irvine. Sad the orig owner passed.

After getting the harnesses done yesterday including subs, I figured I'd re-embrace the original owners concourse weenie ways and give her a good washing. It was clear by the lack of ever having seatbelts that the former owner was just jumping from from PCA white glove concourse to the next

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It was an adventure for sure! Sad the original owner passed but I definitely feel that he'd be happy it ended up in the hands of a 914 die hard

The seller gave me two binders of stuff with the car one of which was a Patrick Motorsports binder full of receipts. I added up the big 4 that were easy to pick out and just those totaled out to ~$143k

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Another of the new belts:
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Totally great hunting on your part and a worthy catch ! Patrick's open-checkbook builds are amazing. Enjoy the G forces ¡!
Marty

It’s a lot of car for sure. I drove an 911T with a 964 engine and that car was a beast. Yours must be a whole ‘nother level of fast.

If it's something you want it's always worth chasing the car, I've dealt with some real bizarro's and gone to look at cars I was sure were from a fake ad, only to leave with a cool car. My rule is to go look at anything, never send money.

Glad this one worked out for you, cool car!

Car only needs some odds and ends, going to do Spokes LEDs and replace the headlights with newer LED versions. I have hoarded parts in my 30 years of 914 ownership that I hope will find there way to this car and take it to the next level.

Its actually weird to work on a car that doesn't look like its old

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Marty I now understand the crazy intoxication of the big 6 and I'm hooked


Its actually intimidating on some levels, after getting the belts in I went and did a big twisty road loop up around my area and actually managed to scare myself a couple times with that motor. Once when I was making a dog leg left and lifted and got squirrelly, once going too fast into the lead in of a tight corner because it just went too fast too quickly and probably the most surprising, when I dropped the hammer in a big straight that had some gentle up and downs and the car accelerated so fast it felt like I got air from one of the crests on the hills

Its super-bike like, you have to be on your toes!

Nice!

Thanks Andy!! Remarkably the VIN wasn't in the 914world DB so despite his passion for the car the previous owner wasn't on here that I know of, his first name was Craig.

Congrats on what looks like a great buy! Few normally-aspirated cars go like a big six.

Years ago, I was following a friend's 914-6—that looked a lot like yours—with the first 3.6 conversion I'd seen…probably around 1995 or 1996...on our way to the Carlsen swap meet. Approaching the exit from the 92 to the 101, I saw a brand-new 993 C4S (a total spaceship to a 914 driver back then...and king of the hill ahead of the 993 Turbo's debut) flying up behind us. Fast. Cut my 914-4 off with a dive bomb into the exit lane and got all over Ernie's silver 914-6 into the cloverleaf, hunting and weaving all over Ernie's bumper. I smiled, knowing what was about to happen next, given the 914 had similar power (and maybe a bit more) with about 1,000 lbs less weight. When those two hit 101, the 993 C4S guy floored it and crossed 3-4 lanes immediately to the fast lane where he thought be belonged. Trouble was, Ernie was a small silver dot by the time the 993 got all the way over. I couldn't see the 993 driver's face over there in the fast lane from my weezy seats, but his face at the swap meet was priceless when he came over to look at Ernie's car and muttered something to the effect of "what do you have in that thing?" Next time I saw him, he was driving a Ruf. I drove Ernie's 914-6 as a 3.6 and later when it was a 3.8, and it was just super quick. Even Ernie was surprised after he built a Dinan-supercharged E36 M3 and his 914-6 (with me driving) just plain smoked Dinan's newest toy.

Have fun with this—I know you will. They can be a bit intimidating with that much power, but you'll get used to it. That's when to watch out. And have fun!

Pete, totally, also one of the reasons I bought full harnesses.
The fact that its even out there in my garage is so surreal I still can't believe it.

Congratulations

Talked about this cars build with James Patrick several years ago as I wanted to clone my car to match, had to bow out at the 250K number he quoted me. Congrats, amazing this car was in my backyard and I never knew it.

Some times if you whip them (other Car) too hard, it's like they are tied to a fire-hydrant. I've even had to let up a bit and sandbag...just to keep them in the hunt

@Coondog watching your build and pricing stuff out I knew that this was a bargain in time as much as it was money. And I'm not surprised no one saw it, I don't think he had it out much around town, the car only has about 7K miles total since the build! I'd guess I saved at least 3 years and a TON of money!

Over the years I have driven stock 4s and 6s, as well as hot rods. The fellow that I bought our 6 from had a 2.9 with 906 cams in his. I’ve ridden with Doug Arneo in his with either a 2.8 or 3.2 race motor, our 911sc track car had a twin plug, short stroke, ge80 cam 3.2 and I have driven 964 and 993 cars as well as a Ruf turbo and a GT3. I cannot imagine that kind of 3.8 power in a lightweight car! You are a lucky man and it must be great to play overdog!

Charlie

Wow what a great car. Congrats

Congrats! That is a beautiful car. And I know the allure of a big six. Betty and I were out in Igor one day, and I had a modern gray 911 pass me and immediately duck in front of me. I was just cruising in 6th gear, so I decided to pass him back. Dropped it to 5th, and put my foot down hard. Igor accelerated hard enough that the 911 driver was surprised. He quickly jumped out into the left lane to catch up, but I kept looking in the rear view mirror at the receding gray dot. The whole time Betty was giggling because she could feel the seat back crowding her really hard.

I slowed down before I got to triple digits, but it was definitely a great feeling.

Take care of that car. It is a treasure.

Clay

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What a terrific purchase. I love that car and remember when it was built by PMS. I hope to see it a some events in the near future. Cheers, Michael

All I can say is wow and congrads.

Use it in good health.

Bob B

What a score!

While looking for a converted 914-6, I clicked on that link myself a hundred times. I also thought "scam".

I'd be pinching myself as well. Wow, that is just one sorted 914-6!

Fantastic, congratulations.

Early bird gets the worm

Way to execute

Oscar

Beautiful! once in a life-time deal for sure. so cool someone here grabbed it and not a flipper/scammer or collector/museum! drive, enjoy, for many years to come!

Its a dream 914 for me, its beyond anything I would have even done had I commissioned a build myself, it'll be with me to the end!

So stoked for you! Drive the shit out of it!

Better you - an enthusiastic enthusiast vs a slimy flipper.

Great score! Looking forward to the stories and antics that come with.

If you don’t mind, would you please share pics of the custom seat brackets? How is the headroom (How tall are you). I have SPGs mounted in my race car, had to bot them to a plate fabricated in place of the sliders, I dont have enough headroom, my helmet hits the inside of the top. I’m a short guy though, so it could be that seat was further forward, therefore higher.

If Wilt fits.....

Ugh fits is a relative term, top off and pretzeled in is not exactly a fit in my book...

Wow, you hit the jackpot. Supernice car, congrats.

note : think you won't drive the silver 4 anymore, sell it to me


bye
Dax

Amazing car and an great story. The only thing I would do differently is that I would like RSR finish on the wheels. Then it would be perfect.

@infraredcalvin I should have taken pics when I pulled the seats out to do the harnesses, here's a pic "in car" but admittedly it's kind of a crap picture. The recaro's have bolts to attach up on the sides, so essentially they did a massive "L" on each side cut slightly to the seat shape, it then L's under and they put the stock seat slides on the bottom:
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As far as headroom goes, I'm 5'11'' and it's no problem at all, I'll have to pop a helmet on and see if it's banging the roof. In terms of leg room I have to actually move the seat forward a bit more than I do in my other 914 with Konig's but those have a lot thicker padding in them.

Yeah I struggle a little with the monochromatic look of the car right now and the fully polished Fuchs are a bit much. In person I like it much better than in pictures. Someone posted pics of Fuchs re-done by Al Reed recently in an RSR type finish and they were pretty fuching amazing