I purchased this Porsche 914/4 a little over three years ago when I saw a fellow member's car and the light went on about 914s. I hadn't planned on slipping down the rabbit hole, as the car was very clean already and mechanically quite sound aside from the fact that it had the notorious tail shift transmission. On it's best day the 901 box had a 50/50 chance of getting the gear you wanted, so I decided to build a side shift transmission instead and do a 5 lug conversion.

So before the pictures, a quick breakdown of the specs:

Jack Raby spec Type IV motor; 160hp / 155lb-ft
Front oil cooler
Side Shift transmission with Tangerine Racing parts and Short Shift kit
Full front 911 SC suspension with Bilsteins all around
Custom 911 rear brakes, drive shafts, hubs, and flanges
15 x 7 Factory Fuchs in RSR finish
Triad exhaust
Custom half roll bar
Driver Scheel sport seat with heat, factory passenger seat with heat
Extra Scheel passenger seat and factory driver seat in matching tartan with heat (so they can be mixed and matched)
380mm Factory wheel double-wrapped by Dallas Custom
My personal favorite custom 901 shift knob
Factory Targa roof and Saratoga Targa top as well.

I stole liberally from different years of 914 production. The center console and tartan fabric were not available until after 1972, but I wanted a chrome bumper car without overriders. This particular '72 914/4 popped up and I couldn't resist making it my own. I did however resist the urge to make it a GT clone or install a 911 engine. The Type IV has great power/weight specs and the car has plenty of power for what it is.

Here's how it was at the start of the project:



And now that it's finally finished:

Congratulations beautiful car! That front bumper

What size wheels and tires, and did you play with the rear fenders to fit them?

That’s real nice. Our first 914 was a silver 1971. A beautiful color on the 914 but a heartache to own.

Charlie

Beautiful! Congratulations!

Thanks everyone, it was definitely a labor of love. I never could have built the car this way hoping to get my money back if I ever sold it.



Thanks. They are 15 x 7 Fuchs running 195/65/15 Goodyear Eagle all seasons. We rolled the fender lips but so far there has been no need to massage the fenders. The rear Bilsteins are on the highest setting too though.

Fantastic looking car, but then I’m a bit biased

same colour ,after that my next would be white,sharp looking car well done
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Beautiful car. Well done.

From a fellow LI’er, wow...


Narrow body, big 4, 5 lug. Well done

You need to post a video so I can hear that engine

Beautiful car...nice way to make it your own.

I can't stop looking...need more photos please.

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Oscar

You did it your way!

Love the car. i couldn't fit the 7" wheels on my car without (too much) modification, but looks great on yours.

I like the new NY plates too. BTW... Is that a new avitar??

Future C.O.T.M.

You're going to love that Raby 4....my 2316 has been soo great--really makes the car come to life. That said, I did calm down the induction sound on the ITB's with the Honda Goldwing air cleaners....not that there's anything wrong with that beautiful sound, just something to do to mute the high tones....

Love the blue tartan

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Would be curious to see how you routed the oil lines to the front cooler and what size line you have used. Also, it looks like you might not have cut the front of the car for the cooler installation. Finally how are the cooler lines connected to the engine; donut at filter, takeoff from pump cover, or removed stock oil cooler and lines takeoff from there? Thank you for sharing

Ok! I’ll try and get some pics of the oil system to show you how we did it. I’m also waiting for one of Oscar’s reduced diameter steering wheels. Here are a few more pictures I already had on my computer. Please excuse the unfinished driveway!

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What a great build! Congrats, and looks fabulous—and like a lot of fun.

Very close in some ways to where I planned to go before my plans shifted to a six conversion—and I still question my decision from time to time in terms of weight & handling. Dig your interior, and really like the braces on the roll hoop. Very appealing from both a safety and performance standpoint. Have thought about doing something like that but without the hoop—possibly with removable bars gusseted into the longitudinals and firewall.

Hi everyone, I couldn't find a Cocoa Mat that I liked so I ended up with Llyods Mats, which are quite nice if not period correct. All I'm waiting on now is one of Oscar's smaller steering wheels.

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Really nice with the Silver body

So I decided to upgrade the badging on the car. A friend of mine paid it a really nice compliment and said it reminded him of a 'poor man's 904 GTS'.

Not only is that a great looking car, you did all that in three years! Why is mine taking twenty. Best, Mark

I had a lot of help Mark, and my car was pretty decent when I got it. Your GT will be a much cooler car when done. All I can say to get you through is that for me it was well worth the wait.

Give us the downlow on the engine please!

Body and paint is nice, but I want to know more about the vroom!

Zach

That's a great looking build Mike. Have you considered adding Cibies....

Hi guys, I haven’t been here for a while because the car has been running perfectly and I’m getting a lot of use out of it! Jeff, I am thinking about some lights on the front but the hood lights are a little too aggressive. Maybe something flatter and mounted to the face of the bumper...

I know they’re not for everyone, but I’m a big fan of period looking tires on a vintage Porsche so I decided to go with a Goodyear Blue Streak lettering. Here are a few pics.

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Hi Zach, it’s a Jake Raby with flowed heads and a lot of other go fast goodies thrown at it. Approx 160hp/155ft. Converted the tranny to side shift and used all Tangerine stuff to make the gearbox nice and tight. Shifts like a rifle bolt. Full 911SC suspension and brakes and 944 rear axle conversion. I tried to do all the upgrades I thought were worthwhile. Here's the full spec:

Type 4, 2056cc, 160hp. Flowed, large valve heads, stroked crank, h-beam rods, big bore cylinders, high compression coated pistons, all precision parts balanced, long duration high lift cams, ceramic coated followers, high output oil pump, remote oil filter, front valence mounted oil cooler with thermostat, 40 IDF Webers with port matched manifolds, Mallory distributor, CDI box and rev limiter, stainless steel exchangers and ceramic coated headers.

@ibmiked wow beautiful narrow body! Nice restoration!

will you share tire size both from the black side wall and on the new tire with goodyear white lettering?

thank you!

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Thanks! They are actually the same tires. I purchased the letters from a company that specializes in retro-fitting raised white tire letters. They glue on to the tire.

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I forgot to mention the new license plate to go with the GTS badging.

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Great looking ride. Don't feel too bad, I know a few guys who have had several mid life crises'

Beautiful - if I could build one from scratch, it would look exactly like your exterior . . .perfect color - I'm liking the "goodyear" lettering at the moment as well!

Although I'm nearly a year late to this post, may I inquire @flyer86d - why is silver a "heartache to own" on a 914?

The littlest scratch, door ding or nick is impossible to match. Ours also got clear coat psoriasis at 3 years old requiring a repaint. The paint available in the 1970’s was not what we have today. I look at my 1999 Boxster and the original paint still has a wonderful shine!

Charlie

What a nice car, really love the interior !

Antoine

Just a quick update. I had these vintage Cibie’s sitting in a box waiting for the right project. Being rained in for Memorial Day weekend, I decided to try them on the car. I think I like them. I am awaiting appropriate covers so for now and since they are not hooked up I felt that the Lucas covers were a fun inside joke. (Lights that don’t work)

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@ibmiked
Hello, Any updates?
This is one of my favorite cars on the forum, so would love to see more pictures, even if nothing has changed
Thanks!!!

As an MG ownership survivor, I do find that funny, it's that broken down on the side of the road kind of funny. But funny And now I'd like to take a moment of your time to say what a nice car. All the little goodies on your car, very cool.

Any more pictures of the Cibie’s install?

What a fantastic looking car, inside and out! Great detailing and scale of all your personal touches!

I spent so long dreaming of a GT fendered car that I forgot how light and nimble the narrow bodies are… and with that Raby… WOW!

I think narrow bodies are just right with around 150 hp to the wheels. One of my track cars has a fresh FAT build waiting to be finished off so I can sell the whole thing. I’m dragging my feet on it cause I know I’m going to miss it badly….

That is one nice 914!

Great Car!

Do you know if the color is silver metallic L96D, or diamond silver metallic L97A ?

Both were optional 1975 colors. You cold find it on the drivers door jamb color tag.

Wow...beautiful car.

We have the same taste in colors!