Hello everyone. I have posted a few times on here but mainly lurked for a while now. I have been in the process of buying a 914 for the last month and a half or so. Mainly a waiting game. I just picked up a 1973 1.7L from a man in Texas(Thanks Mr. Joehnk!). We were going to drive it back to our home in Gulfport MS but decided after some hassle with the trailer lighting etc to drive it home. Boy was it an awesome experience. I drove it the whole way home with the windows rolled down. enjoying the car and the open road. We ran into a few minor problems like the speedo kicking out and an exhaust issue which resulted in a loud(kind of tough) sounding exhaust hehe. All I can say is wow! I couldn't understand what the big deal was about driving one. At first it was awkward and all with the first gear to you and back but boy is it fun to go from 1st to second. And the driving. Super stable on the interstate plus around town driving with it's spunkiness just rocks! I haven't opened it up yet much and I don't want to just yet but taking the corners a tad spiritedly is so much fun. And I get people looking at it all the time which was kind of awkward the first couple of times. I actually had a lady come up to me and ask me what kind of car it was and received compliments on the beauty of it. There is nothing quite like driving this car. I had big plans to tear into it right away and start redoing the whole thing. But for right now... I think I will just do a few minor things and enjoy the driving experience. I had to move a few of my cars around tonight and one was hard to sit in (maxima) and the other was hard to get the shift right(isuzu pup). Dare I say it I don't know if I can drive another car the same way! Maybe a little bit about myself now? My name is Derek. I'm 16 years young and living with the parents(no rent!). I am going to an auto colision repair course at the community college here and picking up some academic classes next semester. I enjoy driving and wrenching. I work at Gulf coast Rhino Linings. The Isuzu pup I mentioned earlier has been rhino'd completely on the outside in a purple to silver fade job. I guess that's pretty much it. I know all of you are probably getting stoked.... well at least I am. and I'm sure you guys are interested to see pictures. Well it has to wait because I don't think the picture will come out very well right now. Plus she's all dirty from her trip and needs a good cleaning. Well it's time for bed. the sooner I go to bed the sooner I can start driving Bernadette again!


Derek

Congrats! but as you know...


Have fun driving!

Great intro post.....can't wait to see the pictures

Hi Derek! 914's are very addictive!

Welcome

Bernadette Hmm. I can't help it, the name makes me think redhead. Probably appropriate for a 914.

You guys probably don't get much winter but, wait for bad weather before you tear into it. Enjoy it now cause once you get them on jackstands.

Dave

Derek and welcome to the wonderful world of 914 ownership.....

I have a very good friend, Joe Ricard, near Biloxi that is a 914 nut and could/would help you with anything 914 related....

Again, welcome and

-- Rob

Good morning everyone. I will try and got some pics up today. Going to drive it to a dance tonight so might be able to get some group pictures. Hurricane season is coming up soon . If we have a major storm I'm driving her up to Oxford for refuge. I have a friend there who has a 914 with a load of parts but not on the board.

Dave: Funny you should mention redhead as she is red :-D. Also my mom said, "Bernadette hmm? Sounds like a French woman with questionable character.".


Rob: Where at in Biloxi? Did he live right on the beach? The day before Hurricane Katrina I was over in Biloxi and came so close to buying this surface rusty non running barely any interior 914 from a guy who had I think 3 914's all together. MY mom said she saw the 914 a few weeks ago. I might cruise over there today and check it out.

Congratulations!

Glad your trip was so much fun.
Next time take your top off. Totaly different experience.

Hope to meet you at some 914 gatering.

Derek, he's in Gautier, and yea, his house had 'minor' flooding, but no damage to either of his 914s.....

-- Rob

Good evening all! Today was very eventful. Enjoyed another great day driving Bernadette. Took someone for a test ride... well sort of. I took a girl home after a big group of people went and ate. The road she lives off of is a hoot to drive but it was wet so I had to keep her at bay for a while. Experienced driving a 914 in the rain tonight. Everything went well. A little scary but manageable. Everyone loves the car. I'm so stoked I'm tempted to be done with the Maxima and get another classic haha. I'm excited to go to a get together. I may be able to swing as far as East Texas and maybe something in Florida? Anyways I have a few pictures of the day I got the 914 so I will try and post some pics right now.
Toast- I took the top off yesterday and wow. Can't wait for the road trip up to Oxford/Memphis next month. If the weather is swell I'll be going topless.

Rob- Gautier eh? Semi close by. About an hour away. I would love to meet him and take a look at his 914's.

The official handing over of the keys. (hope the pic works)

This one was of me at 9 in the morning after crashing at like 1 haha. No shower . Lol only planned fora two day trip and went three . Not bad though cause I had to cruise the whole third day.

Classic sitting on the hood

And now one I snagged at Taco Bell for a little lunch. Shiiiiny. Kind of dusty as well. Hopefully the rain cleaned it up a bit. I'll get some more pics up fresh tomorrow.

EDIT: That's my dad's truck beside it. Extra points if you can tell what has been done to it.(Clue in first post)

Hey Derek.

Looks Like a really nice car. I'm 16 too and also have a '73 1.7. Coincidence?
Glad you're having a blast. Hopefully I'll be in your shoes soon and have mine running.

Same here. I bought mine almost a month ago for 600 bucks, not running, and have spent about $1900 on it since then...... It's still not running, but I'm getting close. She looks nice. Hope you enjoy her.
Mark D.

Not that I'm much older (28), but it's great to see a younger generation getting into 914s. Looks like you got a great car. Drive it and enjoy it. Sounds like you already are.

nice looking car...i like the official handing over of the keys pic.

you need to take a picture like that of the official buying of the jackstands

that cool! I'm 15 and have my learners... I have been working on them since I was 13 though(wierd I know). have fun with it while it runs! I just got mine running again after like 2 years.

Nice looking car. Enjoy it!

Congratulations on your 914. Looks like a good machine in the photos seen.

I was there in Gulfport/Biloxi area (crabbing in Ocean Springs) just a few days before Katrina and saw a yellow 914 for sale. Sign said $3500 but sure looked like a $1000 914 needing missing interior panels. Maybe that is the same 914 you are talking about. I had often wondered if it survived. It was right on the coast hwy facing the Gulf, just about the Biloxi/Gulfport city boundries.
Satellite photos I saw the days following Katrina showed something yellow still near that driveway so I don't think it got blown away but was likely damaged pretty well.

Take some advice from the other end of the age sprectum of 914 owners (70 years old) and drive the car. You can always work on it later on when the newness of your 914 fun runs slower.

Cooltimes
Memphis

Hey yeah it was 3500. I'm now curious. It was yellow. I'm gonna go check it out some time next week. School is out on Thursday and Last day at work is the 9th.

This is where I saw it. This is a satellite view just after Katrina. BIG PICTURE.

http://ngs.woc.noaa.gov/storms/katrina/24333347.jpg

Zoom the view. On the left side of the pix, along the gulf and hwy 90 side, look for some lumber piers that is sort of boomarang shaped. Go up about 3" and over about 1" in the zoomed view. That yellow item is the 914 ....I believe. At least that is where I got out of my car, walked over and looked at it.

Cooltimes
Memphis

PS to keep on subject of YOUR 914, tell us lots more about it. Where in Texas did you get it? Texas is where my 75 is from.