Hello cultists, I've been a lifelong Porsche fan but I've never actually owned one. I've eyed boxsters and 944s on occasion but I've never pulled the trigger on either. Like many of you I spend my free time browsing the internet for cheap cars that would be poor financial decisions and recently a 914 has come into view.

Craigslist Post

Here's the thing that concerns me most about buying any vintage car as a project car, let alone a Porsche: parts availability and price.

My plans for this particular Porsche would be broken up into two phases. Phase 1 would be a basic restoration to being street drivable. I want a fun weekend car that I can bring to the occasional autocross and thrash about. Ideally something unique, fun to drive, and inexpensive to keep running. Phase 2 would be after a few years of keeping the car relatively stock and would be a slow evolution into a barely streetable race car that makes it unrecognizable to its original form.

The catch is that my automotive wrenching capabilities are limited to regular oil changes in my garage, and I'm a bit of a tight-fisted scrooge which is a contributing factor to why I have never purchased a fun car before. I'm concerned that diving into a 50+ year old non-running Porsche is probably not the best way to dive into project car life or Porsche ownership.

So with all that in mind, I ask you this: should I throw caution to the wind and add this pile of German metal to my garage, diving head first into the pool of Porsche, or should I play it safe and wait for a better example to begin my lifelong addiction?

That car will need to be stripped down and put on a rotisserie with weeks of cutting and welding to fix all the rust. The seller IMO is trying to avoid showing you what's really going on there by taking that underside pic from the front of the car looking back. That said I can still see the signs. Also, the wiring has been hacked on so, you would get to do lots of problem solving there.
Since you're not equipped for full resto work, do you have a shop that you would want to hand it off too? Also, are you considering other 914's or just this one?

Van

I'm mostly just considering this one right now because of it's proximity to me. I'm not specifically shopping for a 914 but they are on the list of cars I am considering as potential projects.

As far as resto work, I'm a stubborn DIYer so whatever project I would purchase would be a learning ground for me in all aspects of the project car life. Welding, body work, wiring, etc.

The speedo is not original...
gg

So clearly a project of a project with mysteries under every panel?

Get the seller to throw in some jackstands and that will be the most right (Dirk Wright?) start...

I've heard of the hell hole so that is absolutely a concern. Considering the drive would be about 100 miles for me I'd be asking for a lot more photos before driving out there, let alone making an offer.

That car is not stock. Has rust and that should worry you. Additionally, as already stated, that is not the original speedometer so the car probably has more in the are of 200K miles on it. Rust is the death-nail for these cars unless you are very good with a welder and fabrication or have a large checkbook to pay for those repairs. You need to find a solid west coast car to start with. Be patient, they do opt up all the time.

You don't "live" a great life by playing it safe: ever. So short words of advice since you asked.

I was in your position many years ago....maybe 25 or so ago.

There is an old axiom: that the cheapest Porsche will be the most expensive car you ever own.

So with a 914 find the best body or tub you can. If it has a good running engine better yet. If you don't have mechanical skills....well this community and your own will to learn is an opportunity and not a negative thing.

Your post reads self-defricating, so if you move forward:

Save your money per the above.....change your mind and your rear will follow.

My .02 FWIW.

That totally makes sense. I guess I was hoping that the rust wasn't all that bad. The mileage would be concerning if it was that low anyway because my understanding is that Porsches like to be driven and get funky when why sit for long periods of time.

Guess I'll keep my eyes open for something else.

I came here to collect as many pennies as i can. Thanks for the feedback!

The seller is correct. It’s a $40k car …after you put $60k into it.

Always buy the best Porsche you can afford and get a ppi or at least someone very familiar with these cars. They are all parts cars unless proven otherwise.

weren't we all!

Figuratively for the pennies. Good luck....hope is always a good thing but hopefully unaffilated with the add on CL.

:cries into ant hill of rust:

It’s good you are asking here what’s in the Kool-aid. Too many don’t ask, take a gulp and end up sick or dead. In this case the poison is rust. Buy a car with as little as possible even if you have to travel to get it. Everything else is fun and doable.

I don't know what you're talking about! Every time I find more hidden rust on my car I say to myself, "well at least it's not that bad..."

Ya, all stock. 914's did not come with carbs.....

lol, K&N anything did not come from factory.

Study all the above input from the 914 psych ward!! it is all true and good information.



Might be a good idea to look a bit more and find a decent one

First off,




Second what do you want out of your Porsche 914? Do you want to drive it? I call this 'turn key'. Turn the key and drive. Or do you want a home project to work on for a few years? 914 beauty is skin deep. Ugliness goes to the core.

If you want a turn-key 914, keep looking. A while back I bought a 911. Realized early in my search that I wouldn't find it close by. Took 6 months of looking and found one I liked in Colorado. I live in PA. Called a friend in CO to look at the car. It looked good to him; called the guy and in one week I was the owner. $775 for transport and it was in my garage. It was a turn key car. I love driving it and will wrench on it when I need to.

If you really want a 914, look outside your area. There are enough 914 guys here that likely someone will be close to a car you find that they can scout it for you. Buy as nice of a car as you can which will minimize cost down the road. Good luck.

That certainly seems to be the case.

You've already seen that this community is incredibly active and generous with their knowledge, so I wouldn't hesitate taking on a project. That said, I'd advise against buyting the car on craigs list. Instead, look for a solid car that runs well so you can enjoy it while you restore. In answer to your original question...parts are relatively easy to get. Many are available new through vendors like 914rubber and Pelican. Working original parts can be sourced through this community.

I made a "914s for newbies" video series which you may find helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmCY...PWMX9ecEK-qsKZs

Good luck and welcome to the addiction!

Here's a 914 DIY restore test.

Get two 55 gallon drums, one rusted and one partially crushed. Cut, bang, weld, and grind pieces from both to make one drum. Are you happy?

I have had a very stock 914, a 914 with moderate mods for serious autocross, and a dedicated 914 race car. Even for autocross, you need a car that is very solid and reliable. More true for a race car. It is possible to progress from stock to track car gradually, and keep driving it, but it will probably cost more than building the race car at the start.

Do you want a 914 to drive, or do you want a 914 project to work on?

If you want a project, corrosion damage is the big deal for these cars. The larger the holes, the more time, money, and frustration you will spend. Every place you can poke an ice pick through makes a “cha ching” sound.

If you want a 914 to drive (the better of the two choices), then be patient and get the best car you can afford. Enjoy the hunt and be prepared to flush a little on a PPI if you have to walk away from a car, or jump on the right one when it pops up.

Normally I would encourage anyone with mechanical skills to find a clean driver to start off with. What makes me think you might not fit this segment well is these are 50 year old cars that need constant upkeep. If you are not ready to spend many hours on repairs for the weekend fun, I think you might be frustrated with the amount of down time these cars live off of. When they were new they needed lots of care, now that they are old it's an ongoing job. I'd price a few common repairs such as a clutch job $500-$800 or engine work $1000 and up and see if you are comfortable spending this much on a part time car. If you do decided to jump in, be sure and get AAA or something similar. Good luck and good hunting.

And there are more than a few 914 enthusiasts in CO...they may chime in at any time. Either decision you make, you'll have the backing of the rest of us here. Oh, and...

Surprised I missed this one as I look for Porsche stuff for sale almost every day on Craigslist. In general, ratty car that has really bad paint on top does not look too bad underneath. If it is a Colorado car we generally do not have as much rust issues as other locations. What I see is a ugly car you might be able to drive if you don't mind ugly. But you have to want to invest time in working on it. I personally have a problem in that I actually like having and working on cars more than driving them (i know I have a problem). This car will need a lot of work to look nice. You could probably find a Boxster for the same price that would need less work and be more reliable as a cheap Porsche driver. So, as others have said are you looking for a driver or a life long project.

john

People on this board suffer from some pretty bad rust PTSD

Don't be so worried, none of us have actually seen the car, or its hell hole. Go check it out. Watch Ian's videos. This is actually a pretty good car to learn on and parts are available.

I actually stumbled upon your playlist organically while waiting for my first replies in this sub!

Click to view attachment

Not sure why everyone is being so diplomatic about that Craigslist listing. You can't polish a turd. Run away from that pile of junk as fast as you can and save your money for something better.

Ansbacher

Best first post ever !!!!

Check out the car in Albuquerque on Craigslist mucho better

Anyone know about that ABQ car?

If your interested lmk I live near this car Russ Kelso is number one around here.

I mean the ABQ one is absolutely amazing, but also a bit outside my "cheap shitbox" style budget.

Nick
I am a newbie here almost a year of ownership and certainly don't want to be a Debbie Downer just sharing some perspective.
The days of a 914 model being a cheap/least expensive way of owning a Porsche are gone. I hate that statement and wish it was not true.
Driving a 50-year-old car with a Soul is special.
To me the appeal is learning and working on the car.

It's relative, It's still the cheaper version. At least for now. Either way you pay in time or money, it's more a matter of what makes sense for you.

You make $5 an hour, you can't afford much. Spend 3000 hrs ant it's $15k that you you could have put toward a car, but you can't afford the $15k so sweat equity.

You make $500 an hour, buy the $35k car and work 70 hrs to pay it off.

I'm guessing you are somewhere in between. You just need to decide how committed you can be to the project. The closer you get to the latter group the easier it is to by the best, and just enjoy the car. We are seeing more of these folks showing up here, and that changes the market, like we have been seeing. I only hope to get these folks into enjoying the cars and not just having a museum piece.

just my .02

It is NOT a cult!!

Nick,
I may be wrong, but it sounds like you're looking more for a car to drive than to wrench on. Unless you're ready, willing and able to do an ample share of wrenching, welding, cutting and swearing, just about any car that's 50 years old is gonna be a challenge, unless you buy one that someone else had already done the work. The last thing I want to do is discourage you. Restoring anything from a lifeless state back to a workable and usable form is a very rewarding feeling. If you're into doing this on a fun classic car, then go for it! The skills you'll learn are very valuable and can be applied to many things besides automobiles. Just realize it'll take time, $ investment and patience, especially overcoming failures.

Above all, if driving the car is your #1 goal, then I highly recommend you meet up with a 914 owner and if nothing else go for a ride. With a factory 4, you're not gonna be impressed with the acceleration, that is if you compare it to modern cars. But, if the feel of it on the tight curves and the mechanical sounds right behind your ears as you shift through the gears turns you on, then you'll know what it's all about. If not, well, maybe a boxter or miata may be a better fit. It's totally your choice what you like and what you don't.

Dan

I'm with it every day and give it most of my money...Maybe he's right

Thanks for the insight. Honestly, I am constantly wrestling between wanting to have a project car and wanting to have a turn-key experience. Though the extent of my mechanical experience is changing my oil on my daily, I always feel a sense of satisfaction when the job is done and my hands are covered in dirt and grime. I also have a nice collection of tools mostly for woodworking and I've become handy with that medium, but understanding cars has always been where my passions lie.

The boxster and Miata are both on my list of potential fun weekend cars and for different reasons. I'm actually curious if anyone in this forum has insight into the difficulty of wrenching on an 914 compared to an NA Miata. Obviously there would be roughly 20 years of technological advancement in the Miata and way more aftermarket support, but to be honest part of what draws me to the 914 is it's niche/cult status. It is a car that might require a bit more creativity in repairing and that intrigues me. I love problem solving and I think that's what id drawing me to the 914 right now (in theory anyway).

If anyone in the Denver area wants to let me ride shotgun I'd be down for that. I'm not too concerned about the car being low on power, my favorite car I've owned was a 2000 Hyundai Accent because it was so light I could go double the recommended speed limit through any corner in town on skinny eco tires and not break traction. Feeling those lateral g-forces has always been more enjoyable to me than straight-line acceleration. Besides, there are so many documented cases of engine swaps that I am sure I could slap an EJ from one of the million Subarus in Colorado into the car if I felt it needed more horsepower.

I have an exocet (miata base drive terrain) and a 914-6 conversion. The exocet is the track basher and the 914 is the street/mountain car I've had a long time. The exocet is much easier to work on with fairly cheap parts since its all miata based. Personally I've never been that into miatas, but the exocet is much more exciting for me. Also the chassis and frame is flawless because its strong and all new so track abuse is not really a factor. Working on the 914 is more to make it nicer and more original (new bumpers, trim pieces, wheels, etc...). When I work on the exocet its more drive terrain focused for track duty. Both are fun but different, if I were to let one go it would be the exocet though just because the 914 means more to me.

@Nickanator8

I'm your guy. When my 1st 914 was wrecked by a negligent driver I replaced it with a 1991 Miata. Put well over 100,000 miles on each of them. I've spent lots of time driving and wrenching on both of them.

Let me state my 1st main concern. You've stated that you're handy with oil changes. That's great - we all start there. However, that isn't going to to cut it. It a big jump from changing oil to doing a full blown restoration. Not saying you can't do it -- YOU CAN. But it is a serious investment of time, money, tools, not to mention the blood, sweat, and the tears. i did most of my real learning on my 1st 914 so it's not like I started in this game with the skills I have now.

Now back to Miata vs. 914.

The important thing to know about engine work on the 914 is that for most things you're going to drop the engine. This is true for almost all mid-engine cars. In mid engine configuration, service of the engine is ASSUMED to be an engine out job. This is true for the 914, Ferrari's, Lambo's, MR2's, Elise, etc. There are lots of folks that find ways to do things in an attempt to avoid dropping the engine but the time, frustration, and risk of collateral damage to other things by not dropping the engine are seldom accounted for when it would just be quicker, easier and less risky to drop the engine.

You will end up needing to drop the engine on a 914, its almost inevitable.

The Miata is very easy to work on with surprisingly great engine access. There are exceptions where the Miata is a royal PITA. Example: Clutch replacement. You have to drop the trans obviously. But before you can do that you need to drop the aluminum "backbone" that connects the tail end of the transmission to the rear differential. This takes a couple special tools. Lots of extra swearing will be involved if the vehicle has significant corrosion on the fasteners involved.

For all practical purposes, there is no equivalence between the two. They have from two completely eras of automotive engineering, and completely different driving experiences.

Obviously, I prefer, and have come back to the 914.

Nick, woodworking is awesome. If you've learned wood surfacing, joinery, staining/coatings, etc., then there's alot of parallels with mechanical work. The biggest thing is not to feel intimidated and realize there's no magic in auto mechanics, only the need for knowledge, sometime a few special tools, and patience. I dove into my 914 when I was 16 with only a Clymer manual and a simple set of Craftsman metric wrenches. One fact though is that a 6 year old 914 didn't have nearly as much rust as the average 50 year old 914. If it needed welding and patching rusted out sheet metal, there was no way I was equipped to handle that back then. Just like making dove tails with a router is a different job than planing or cutting a rabbit, sheet metal work is different than taking an engine or transmission apart and then putting it back together. If you decide a 914 is the right car, just be ready for the full spectrum of what type work may be required. If budget is limited and you don't think it wise to start welding, grinding and cutting sheet metal, then as other have said, it's best to look for one that has a solid tub.

It sounds like from your Hyundai driving experience that a 914 may be the perfect car that meets your goals for driving fun. It's been almost 20 years since I've driven mine, and it's about to drive me nuts to get started working on it and drive it again. These cars are so well balanced and confidence inspiring, it really makes you feel at one with them as you take the sharpest curves. Very spacious and practical cars also.

As for engine swaps, yes, 914s are perfect candidates. For the longest time my plans were to slap in a 283 Chevy, but plans have now changed to a 2.4 six. Lots of parts available for many types of engine swaps. The door will be wide open for all kinds of choices.

Dan

stay away from the dark side . . . . air cooled is the only acceptable engine swap.

When you live in Colorado and every other car in the scrap-yard is a subaru of some kind, the parts availability is really difficult to argue with. But that is a conversation for another day for sure.