Hello,

Craig here from Southern California, good to meet you all!
I'm pretty excited about looking into buying a childhood dream car as a weekly driver for my short commute 1000' down the hill and up the canyon, Sunday drive, autocross, etc. and could use some advice.

My only other real sports car was one of the first 2006 Cayman S, which I had as my daily driver company car up to 115k miles. Loved it but maintenance / depreciation were costly and our first son in 2010 and second in 2016 led to a Volt and now my 2019 Cherokee Trailhawk which I'll keep as my daily driver.

I love watching all the beauties and reading the comments on BringaTrailer. Frankly, I should have bought a classic and a commuter rather than the Cayman in '06. My other 70's childhood dream cars Pantera, Ferrari's, Countach are all out of my budget and just as well because I think a 914 will suit me perfectly...but I've never even ridden in one, let alone driven one, so that's first on my list to do this week!

I'm not too concerned that I'll love driving one so the next big question is, for a budget of low $20's what should I get;
A) Best 2.0 I can find, hopefully black, with some smart mechanical and cosmetic modifications. Merry Christmas to me in 2020 possibly!
B) Can I build a 914 6 driver from a roller for that $? I would get the body work done, stick to a Porsche motor, any necessary suspension work, etc to start. I realize 6 restomods sell way above my budget but could I have a solid 6 driver built from a roller within my budget and then improve on it from there? I wouldn't want to wait years to get rolling either. Merry Christmas to me in 21? 22?? ok either way but the budget doesn't double;).

BTW, I don't have the experience, tools, time, space to do the work myself, as much as I like the idea just not realistic, so would have to find pros to do it. I lean towards B but if it's a stupid idea I'm ok, even appreciate, if you tell me so. If its unanimously a genius idea I'm ok with that too!

Hope this is the appropriate forum for this question.

Thanks for your time and expertise. Look forward to any comments...

Cheers,
Craig

For 20k forget about the -6 unless you luck out on a cheap (10k) running engine with all the ancillaries as the oil tank/ etc. Then you could spend the other half on a working car and ditch the engine. It would still need alot of DIY work to make it a running car tho.

If you only want to drive, then spend all of it on a running car, the best possible. Put out a WTB add but dont show your budget and be patient. Give it a year and if no score by then, reevaluate. The people on this board knows what to look for and what to walk away from, use their wisdom, we have done most of the mistakes already.

Option A it is, since Option B is no option, seriously.
Especially since you mention you don't have the experience, tools, time, space to do the work yourself. your 20K will be spend on the experts you need alone.
Buy a 20K driver, like Matts says through here is a good option, and the wife will still be happy you are not in a moneypit that does not drive.
She will love the driving 914 , romance will be back in an instant and from there you have credits again and plan to buy a real 6 :-)

x2 on buy. Plenty of nice cars out there for sale. Given a busy family, I would picture a "build" spending most of the time unbuilt in a bay of your garage. I can't imagine there aren't other our here local to you to offer up a ride (even during a pandemic?) as these cars are infectious!

But, even the "best" one will have some niddling things that need attention and the worst bought ones will need a LOT of attending too. And you will need to learn about "old school maintenance" vs just plugging a scanner into an OBDII port.

Drool over samples that have sold on BAT and here and spend some time researching these cars.

Wipe those dreams of a $20K 914/6 (or -6 project) unless you do ALL body/mechanical/paint yourself AND you don't keep track of any receipts, physically or mentally

You can't touch engine and the parts needed for conversion for $20K. I'm in the process myself and have the tools, space, and can do almost all work myself

Currently in for about $10k in 2.4L machine work for case, heads, crank. OEM bearings alone are $1200. I'm building motor myself and I'm no where near done yet. Still need Pistons & cylinder, induction, new cam chains, chain ramps, rebuild hydraulic tensioners, misc.

914/6 Exhaust headers $1400 - $2300 (w/heat exchangers)
914/6 Muffler - $600-800
Oil Lines hard & soft lines - $300-500
Engine Mount $350
Oil Tank & filler - $500 - 900
914/6 Flywheel - $500
5 Lug conversion - $500 - $1K not counting the actual wheels.
Still a ton of other miscellaneous bits I've not even mentioned.

You get the picture. Unless you're crazy like me and enjoy building stuff as therapy, you're far better off to buy a conversion that is already done.

Stick with Option A. Buy the best 914/4 car you can afford & then enjoy it. Buy a conversion later on as funds permit.

Hi Craig - I agree with all of the above. Buy the best driver you can afford. Sure, shoot for a 2.0 with minimal rust in the areas of concern. I would not be worried about exterior body panels that need dents removed or paint work. That is the easy-peasy stuff. It is the structural areas that get serious quickly. Fortunately you are in CA, and in your area you should be able to find a nice 914 without a lot of drama. I think your $20K budget will get you a car that you can drive soon after buying.

However, I would still expect to do basic stuff before driving if it has not already been done: SS fuel lines, brake system overhaul, run through all of the electrical and clean every single ground connection. Tires probably even if the tread looks good if the DOT codes are outside of their lifespan. Complete tune-up including valve adjustment, plugs, wires, oil/filter, transaxle gear oil change, etc.

These cars are so much fun to drive. I have been addicted ever since I bought a brand new '73 2.0 in 1974.

Welcome, your first step is to hook up with myself, Keith, Steve, Hans and some of the other Teeners at the Crystal Cove Cars and Coffee held every Saturday morning. Any of us would be more then happy to give you your first 914 experience.

Agreed with comments above, while the 73/74 2.0 is what most people look for my thoughts are buy the best 914 you can afford with 2k left over for changes you make or the hiccups that will occur.

Add me to the list of folks saying that Option A is your ONLY option. This comes from a guy who loves a project and bringing a basket case back to the living. $20K is what you could expect to spend building a roller IF you do the work yourself. For that $ you can buy a very nice car ready for those commutes.

Restorations are almost never money making propositions. They produce their own rewards but not in the form of profit.

and

I would buy the best driver you can. Get some basic tools, you will likely need them. Is is a 50 year old car. 50 years ago cars needed much more mechanical attention. When kids are older they can help you with the conversion. Set aside enough money to have the brake hoses and soft fuel lines replaced, unless they have a recent receipt showing them replaced.

Thanks guys! I had a strong feeling that was going to be the consensus. Just needed to confirm before mentally shifting into option A. As an architect I've been able to save much money and get exactly what I want doing design, permit and the GC work myself on remodels. A car build, not being in my wheelhouse, will need to await my retirement or lottery win then.
I'll read your comments again and what I can find on rust, FI, etc. while heading over to classifieds.
Coondog, thanks for the offer! Will try to get there for sure. May still try to test drive the local one for sale on BAT as my first dog leg experience.
Thanks again and Happy Holidays!
Craig

Definitely A - B at $20K is a pipe dream. And it sounds like it is a 914 for you, not a Miata, or a BRZ or a Pontiac Solstice. If it must be, it must be.

The good news is if it turns bad, and you bought right, you should not lose money.

Buying right and finding a reliable honest shop that can get you out of the inevitable mechanical jam are probably the keys to making this work for you. Maybe the right shop can also help with the right buy. In any case, You are in the right place for getting help with those two things. People here can And will help. Take advantage. Good luck

We can always help if your BAT car is local

Great, much appreciated. I'm lurking on the 2.0 bidding in 3 days in Santa Ana currently at $11,164. Looks pretty nice to me. I'm going to register to bid and keep watching. Comments on that one appreciated.

Send us a link to the BAT
I can promise not to bid
brant

Thanks, I don't think BAT is any secret so if I lose to a fellow 914worlder, I'll chalk up to experience. Here it is.
Likes, Upgraded 2.0, color combo wouldn't be my top pick but up there on my list. Appears to be in good driver condition.
Concern, mention of accident.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1973-porsche-914-2-0-35/

Keep the big picture in mind: What do you want to do with this car?

A) Turn the key and drive like hell.

B) Build a car?

From your intro it seems you want to drive the car. Your budget seems good to buy a nice 914. Get the best one you can find and drive the wheels off of it.

If you really want a /6, you're best off buying one already converted. Doing it yourself via pros will cost big bucks, probably 50-100k (engine, ancillaries, bigger brakes, suspension upgrades, etc.)

Yes A, I suspected as much on B but rather than spend weeks crunching specs and numbers thankfully I could have you guys talk sense into me overnight. I'm now looking to get into one. Hard part now will be to know when to stay patient and wait vs jump on a good one before someone else does:)

Hope you are able to purchase the BAT car but I am afraid the reserve is going to be in the range of 35k.

It does have a great license plate.

Buy a Miata

I'm guessing that the bidding won't go over $20, but the reserve price could be higher.

Thanks, sounds like I can bid with confidence up to my limit anyways...

Sound advice but I may not have the sense to listen...I just don't get the same excitement.

You might also have better luck with Craigslist. BAT prices can get ridiculous at times.
There are a bunch of us in So Cal. that would love to go with you if you want to check out a local 914. We know all the places to look for rust or bad repair jobs.

Thanks, yes I'll try that too.

Edit; Just reread and noticed the offer to go along to check out. Very generous thanks! I may take you up on that.

As has been cooperatively beaten into your head and at this point in time buying a car is 99.9% likely to be less expensive than building, plus you get to use the darn thing right away. With that said – there are occasionally drivable projects that may be mechanically fine but cosmetically weaker that honestly may be a better fit if you’re going to be bouncing autocross cones off at anyway.

Yeah, I like I suspect many on here are dreamers to some extent when it comes to cars. I've now softly landed near reality but would now of course love to find a great deal on a driver.

There was one in Seal Beach that was discussed recently, I’d keep an eye on Facebook marketplace as well because things occasionally pop up

Thanks, will do

Bite yer' tongue. Sagrilege!

As one that has been that route, I'm right back to teenerville.

Miata is awesome in it's own way but had less interior space, less cargo space, and never felt quite as nimble as a mid-engine 914. Sure a Miata has modern EFI, starts in -20F weather on the 1st try and only rarely required tune ups but, I never quite got the 914 out of my mind.

Come on in - the water's fine.

This. I was in the market over the spring and summer. I've sold 2 cars on BaT over the years, so I'm very familiar with it and I'm a big fan. But . . . , I firmly believe that there are very few good deals for buyers anymore. For sellers, it's great as you will get top dollar for your car. But, as a buyer, you can pretty much assume you'll pay top dollar, plus the 5% BaT buyer's commission. Plus, whenever the bidding didn't go high, it was a "reserve not met" no-sale. After following and bidding on several cars, I finally gave up on BaT as a source of potential cars to buy. It's great for educating yourself and to get a feel for the market, though.

My other advice is to avoid dealerships. I think the best way to buy is a private-party sale. Get to know the seller along with the car. You'll get a better value in the end from buying from an individual via a private-party sale. And you won't have the last-minute bidding frenzy you see in auctions.

Nowadays, Facebook Marketplace is a great source of cars, more so than Craigslist. Plus, you get to see the Facebook profile of the seller, which can tell you quite a bit and provide a bit of safety to the transaction.

That being said, I found my car the old-fashioned way: sheer luck. I was at The Great Car Show here in Kansas City in July. I had my 996TT, 944 Turbo and 928S4 on display. A few minutes after I got my cars parked, in rolled a Laguna Blue 1975 914 2.0 and parked right across the aisle from me. The owner hopped out and stuck a "For Sale" sign in the window and left the show. I had to catch up with him the next day. The asking price was very reasonable, and because we had mutual friends, he even came down another $1,200 off that price. It was a no-brainer. And after all of those hours spent watching BaT auctions, it was just so much better. Plus, he put the car up on a lift and went over everything with me in person - the good and the bad. He had tons of records and spare parts that he passed along. It was a fantastic start to my 914 ownership experience.

I agree with Greg, @coondog , the '73 on BAT should sell for about $35K. It appears to be a solid example. That would look good parked next to mine in the garage.

Thanks, hope luck is on my side!
Sweet Laguna Blue!

Yea, looks clean. We'll see where it lands.
Thanks

Steve,
Seller on BAT said he can show it late tomorrow afternoon or this Wed afternoon. Bid date is Thur. Any chance you might be available. I believe it's in Santa Ana. If not I totally understand.
Thanks!
Craig
949-266-4684
craigw@GAAarchitects.com

Buy the best you can, the 6 is probably off the table, but you should be in the right ballpark.
Mark

Sounds to me like you have a great game plan. That said, I would plan on buying a low-profile floor jack, jack-stands, a set of metric box wrenches, a set of metric sockets, a breaker bar, and some long screw drivers at a bare minimum if you don't already own these tools.

As stated by others, even if you buy a well-sorted 914, items will pop up that need maintenance and you'll probably find that the labor rate is around $100-$130/hr. That might be a bit off, but that's what many shops around the Atlanta area charge....maybe others will chime in about rates in California.

Nonetheless, the people on this forum can help you fix anything that comes up. Pelican Parts also has a whole "how to section" dedicated to the 914. You will become addicted to both if you aren't already.

Besides, in your area, you're surrounded by experienced 914-ers, and many seem like they would be easily swayed by some BBQ and beers to come over & lend a hand!

Good Luck on your search!

+1 with this response, my vote is option A

Thanks for the shopping list, I appreciate it!

If he doesn't get back to you direct message him, he will get an email that he has a message. He may not be following this thread religiously.

Even the best 914 will need more attention (and have a great probability of breaking something) that any modern car. As part of your 914 ownership dream, you should also dream about learning and doing maintenance and repair. Or keep half your budget in reserve to pay professionals.

Appreciate the words of wisdom.

Appreciate the words of wisdom.

Thanks, understood

Yes, there is no thread notifications, so best to PM or do @midenginer to send a notification. I am open this afternoon to look at the car. Hopefully before dark..

Steve, Keith, Tom,
Thanks for coming to check out the BAT car. Really appreciate it.

Craig

You are welcome (says Tom).

Good luck on the bidding.

Option C given your introduction.

Buy a used Cayman 987.2 or .1

Dependable and already has the -6 as you know.

BTDT.

As with any Porsche buy the best car you can afford.

A cheap Porsche is the most expensive car you will ever own.

I sure as hell wouldnt pay 35k for the 914 on BAT, maybe 25k tops

sorry about that! Bad with names. Won't forget!

It is super clean but can't pay over $25k if I wanted to. Not sure I'll even go after it hard. May want something I can hit cones and not worry too much (thanks again for advice Tom).