Late last year I submitted a request for information to Porsche Classics Archive Research regarding their published website statement concerning the existence and rarity of the white/green trim LE 914 cars. I simply asked them to confirm or deny the accuracy of their website statement. This process is a little known and great resource for certain kinds of information about your 914. It seems that other authors merely quoted this flawed source or similar sources about the grasshopper cars, which are now admittedly in error. Their statements were the most beliveable evidence available about the 'grasshopper' LEs, considering the source.

I received their response letter today. The Grasshopper never existed. Lies...it was all lies...we have all been deceived.... I will be revising my 914 LE website to reflect this recent information and will include their letter:

according to your letter, every vin between 4348 &6716 was a le paint code? or am i reading this wrong?

anyways that is a shame about the grasshopper...........




George

The day the grasshopper died.

Too bad.

Isn't yours painted like one? The one, "the only"?


KT

As many of us suspected. Nice to hear it from Porsche. Now if they would just tell us how many were actually produced. But I'll bet you are working on that.

Great effort on behalf of the LEs. For those of us that appreciate the LE/CanAm 914s, thanks again for your work on the web page.

I have 3 grasshoppers in my driveway. Porsche just doesnt know about them...

It's a coverup! They're rewriting history and burning the evidence! They must be stopped!

Britt and Alpha DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER

It is like the day you learn your dad is Santa... Another little part of my inner child just grew up...

QUOTE (maddeye @ Feb 28 2006, 02:26 AM)

according to your letter, every vin between 4348 &6716 was a le paint code? or am i reading this wrong?

That would mean there are over 2300 LE's

QUOTE (dinomium @ Feb 27 2006, 11:30 PM)

It is like the day you learn your dad is Santa...

WHAT!!!!!!?????

QUOTE (dinomium @ Feb 28 2006, 01:30 AM)

Britt and Alpha DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER It is like the day you learn your dad is Santa... Another little part of my inner child just grew up...

huh?

there's no santa?

inner child huh...

i stopped reading at your post dino...someone will tell me when i'm older, just like when my dad told me that he's just a interstellar vapour. That ruined a nice weekend.

b

Dood, you killed the grasshopper! Awesome.








Oh, and Dino's dad is Santa......I'm cool with that.



I like this thread.

Thanks for taking the time to do the research to properly document the history of the Limited Edition 914. The answer you received from PCNA on the White with Green LE puts to rest the question, "Why, back in the mid 70's, I never saw one and why no one that sold Porsches back then recalls ever seeing one either. All I or anyone that I have ever asked that was involved with Porsches back in the day, only remember the Black/Yellow and White/Orange being available. Now we know why.

Not me, I don't believe it....

that answer is based on company archive records. God knows, I didn't write down everything that I did every minute of the working day back in the early 70's. Multiply that by the number of Porsche employees, and we actually have a real knowlege gap about what actually went on. When companies do marketing campaigns, just about anything goes and many things are tried to see what they look like. Most of the marketing geniuses I have worked with can't see the next product until somebody actually shows it to them. Usually a competitor .

And, based on their official answer , there COULD be a grasshopper, just not in the records of the number run quoted. It's prolly one number above or below that number string

Somewhere, where the sun is shining, there is an original rust free grasshopper waiting to be found...

Want me to do Santa?

Ken the GrassHOPEr

So Jeff, were ya gonna get yer paint done?

OK... but what about the Easter Bunny

I just read that back in 69' Porsche had made a 914 paint combo called "cricket"!! It's all true!

I believe in the Easter Bunny with all my heart and know he is real....

I musta been 4 or 5 but I remember one very special Easter where there was a big Easter basket filled with goodies. As I was walking up to it, I noticed Mom's super clean floors were dirty....

I looked down and saw muddy paw prints on MOMS floor leading from the door to the basket and back....

BIG paw prints, like the EASTER BUNNY.....

I ran to the door and the prints continued across the carport and to a muddy spot next to the carport. There, in the mud, was the final proof.... a paw print pressed into the mud.

My mom was a compulsive cleaner and I knew from my tracking mud on the floors that MUD on her floors wasn't going to happen. This was REAL and the EASTER BUNNY was in trouble!

Mom laughed and said it was ok..

Never forgot that Easter. The bunny is REAL for me!

That actually happened.

Ken

QUOTE (bondo @ Feb 27 2006, 11:13 PM)

It's a coverup! They're rewriting history and burning the evidence! They must be stopped!

They are hiding them in Area 51!

I don't think I can come to the same conclusion, Jeff. We all know that the Factory wasn't exactly great in its documentation procedures, and I don't think I trust their statement that there weren't any white/green cars made. Not when I know at least three people who tell me they've seen one (unless the guy from the Midwest was pulling our legs a year ago??) and know of at least one other who has claimed to see one.

Stan Hanks, years and years ago, told me of one he saw in Texas being repainted. A guy had just bought it (used), and felt it was ugly. Stan tried to talk him out of painting it, but he wouldn't change his mind.

One of our Midwest members here posted several times about seeing one. He may have been pulling our legs, as I said...

Rich Bontempi, as I recall, has seen one or two over his years of 914 involvement.

And I believe that Dr. George has talked of Grasshoppers as well... Just not to me.

--DD

Nice work Jeff! Very cool that you have been able to get a real answer to this question - and even notify Porsche of their own mistake.

Demick

Yesterday evening there was a show on Discovery channel about a writer who was preparing an article for the Air Force about saucer-like aircraft being built and tested in the Boeing skunk-works during the 50's. As he completed the article, the Air Force decided not to publish it and collected all of his material and photos. End of story.

Will we ever know the truth?

Are there grasshoppers out there that we don't know about?

When was the last time Big Foot was seen?

Bowlsby

Thanks for getting the factory story. I am disappointed to learn the truth.

I still believe Ken may be a little correct that one or two factory painted white/green Grasshoppers exist & Porsche mgt. didn't record. That makes for interesting 914 hope in finding the holy grail of 914's.

Tom
BTW
This is why I love 914's. See attached picture, Why can't it be "Green/White"??

I feel sad today

See Picture Where is our missing child "Grasshopper"????

Tom

I'm with Dave (kinda). Somehow, I think I saw one or two "back in the day". Could have been a pic in a mag or some such and not a "real" car. But I have some sort of foggy recollection.

keep that mystery alive
keep that mystery alive
keep that mystery alive

I had one green Mahle wheel once. I don't know what that proves.

QUOTE (kwales @ Feb 28 2006, 08:25 AM)

I believe in the Easter Bunny with all my heart and know he is real.... I musta been 4 or 5 but I remember one very special Easter where there was a big Easter basket filled with goodies. As I was walking up to it, I noticed Mom's super clean floors were dirty.... I looked down and saw muddy paw prints on MOMS floor leading from the door to the basket and back.... BIG paw prints, like the EASTER BUNNY..... I ran to the door and the prints continued across the carport and to a muddy spot next to the carport. There, in the mud, was the final proof.... a paw print pressed into the mud. My mom was a compulsive cleaner and I knew from my tracking mud on the floors that MUD on her floors wasn't going to happen. This was REAL and the EASTER BUNNY was in trouble! Mom laughed and said it was ok.. Never forgot that Easter. The bunny is REAL for me! That actually happened. Ken

That is just too sweet a story to ruin for a lame punchline...

QUOTE (Dave_Darling @ Feb 28 2006, 07:29 AM)

We all know that the Factory wasn't exactly great in its documentation procedures

my dealings with the factory regarding 914 info have been very frustrating.
in fact, i got way *more* info out of karman than i did from porsche ...

the only "official" document we ever got from porsche was a copy of a handwritten contract with their logo on it ...
Andy

Maybe a dealer painted a couple of them and tried to market them as grasshoppers.

QUOTE (SirAndy @ Feb 28 2006, 07:17 PM)

in fact, i got way *more* info out of karman than i did from porsche ...

not really surprising ... they built the cars ...

QUOTE (Gustl @ Feb 28 2006, 10:35 AM)

QUOTE (SirAndy @ Feb 28 2006, 07:17 PM) in fact, i got way *more* info out of karman than i did from porsche ... not really surprising ... they built the cars ...

well, sorta ...

the ones i was trying to get info on were put together by porsche, not karman ...
Andy

Bummer. I kind of liked it when it was just an unconfirmed legend.

I had that damn 3 car LE pic as my computer background for awhile long ago so I know it exists. Too bad that old early Powermac died taking the HD with it....also all my old saved posts on the early BBS's (95-97).

I also remember seeing a Green LE years ago so just cuz Porsche doesn't have records doesn't mean much as for a loong while 914's were just VW's not Porsche's.

QUOTE (Bleyseng @ Feb 28 2006, 12:44 PM)

I had that damn 3 car LE pic as my computer background for awhile long ago so I know it exists.

so, was that pic from a magazine or what ???

Andy

any chance that a dealership made the Grasshoppers to emulate the Carreras that had the green trim?

It looked like it was a magazine ad but I downloaded it off a site back in the 33k modem days. That is what I remember....

This is back when Rich Johnson was looking to install a 3.0L six in his yellow car, The Rocket was just done, both Renegade and the 914club sites were up, DD was posting about "How do I change brake pads?" and my 76 914 was all one color and had dual carbs!

QUOTE (Mueller @ Feb 28 2006, 10:28 PM)

Tee hee.

Well. Thats it. A grasshopper.


Maybe we should ask Karmann and not Porsche. They don't know/ care.

I dont know if I have much credibility anymore, but I actually saw one in person, live here in Southern California back in the 70's and it was a Grasshopper. In fact I have seen a couple of them and they were back in the 70's and not the same car. Just wanted to add my two cents

QUOTE (Gustl @ Feb 28 2006, 02:38 PM)

the 911 is not a photoshop job like that 914 is

Look at the LE, the decals on the 914 on the right and the left. There were lots of ways to personalize your 914 back in the day. Was this done at the factory or by the Dealer?

All I know is in 1976 when I test drove on and checked them out there were several cars done with different decals or pinstripping. My car had/has pinning stripping on it that was done by the dealer probably to jack up the invoice.
In 76 I ended up buying a Dasher SW with pinstripping from that same dealer as the 914 sucked as a ski car as far as I was concerned.

Maybe it's like the Can Am 914s?

Porsche said they offered it as a package. I have a magazine article that described the car, even. Nobody has one. Anywhere.

Grasshopper related.


A grasshopper hops into a bar and jumps up on a barstool. The bartender looks at him and starts laughing and says 'Hey! We got a drink named after you!' The grasshopper gives the bartender a dirty look and says, 'You got a drink named Mark?


Thank you ladies and germs... I'll be here all week

QUOTE (tdgray @ Feb 28 2006, 03:21 PM)

Grasshopper related. A grasshopper hops into a bar and jumps up on a barstool. The bartender looks at him and starts laughing and says 'Hey! We got a drink named after you!' The grasshopper gives the bartender a dirty look and says, 'You got a drink named Mark? Thank you ladies and germs... I'll be here all week

Todd Gray everybody!
Todd will be here all week
Keep it going!
Todd GRAY!! YEAH
Remember to tip your admins and please try the Veal!

QUOTE (alpha434 @ Feb 28 2006, 02:21 PM)

Maybe it's like the Can Am 914s? Porsche said they offered it as a package. I have a magazine article that described the car, even. Nobody has one. Anywhere.

dude ...

the LE cars *ARE* the CanAm cars ... they were just marketed differently in europe and the US ...

"Limited Edition" and "Can Am" is one and the same ...


and yes, there are a few surviving european "LE" cars ...
Andy

PS: read this! http://members.rennlist.com/914_canam/

damn, some of the guys here are as confused as the guys at Porsche!!

QUOTE

Maybe it's like the Can Am 914s? Porsche said they offered it as a package. I have a magazine article that described the car, even.

Hey can you scan and post the article?

Porsche Design would of painted one or two Grasshoppers,along with the two other paint combinations to review with Porsche mgt.,if the grasshopper was really considered. The only problem is ,they are most likely early prototypes,and are used for testing,and sometime crash tested after Design has made it's final approval. Maybe Porsche Design has archived photos of the LE's under developement.

Nick.