Just got my Excellence magazine this month and they report on the values of 914's and the news is good - especially if you are an owner! I was surprised to see the values he puts on some of the cars - even the so-so ones (as he puts it). I know both the condition and location determine the ultimate value of the car, but thanks to boards like this the interest remains high, and the values even higher!

I figured since they will run out of parts soon, the prices will go through the roof!!

Upon such great news, its time for tha CRAZY BANANA DANCE!!!!

The values are probably based on the fact that even a so-so car probably has a front targa seal.

I just got Sept's issue (and Oct...the same day)...Haven't got thru those yet and I have another one to read.....

For us non subscribers, can you scan the page w/the values? Or is there some copyright issue there?

-pt

Its due to more and more people ruining good cars by installing radiators into them....

Nothing in the Excellence valuations applies to bastardized 914s!

Keep cuttinem' up guys, your making the others that remain unmolested or correctly modified more valuable!

This one is sure to piss some people off

I'm not really sure that this is a good thing. For an owner that doesn't plan on buying another one, then yes. I think that the days of picking up a cheap parts car are quickly going away. Its not rare to see a really nice 914 going for 13-15K anymore. A few years ago, that was unbelievable. I enjoy the fact that these cars are not (too) expensive to maintain and modify, but I am glad that prices are going up to.

Frankly....I don't see those prices on the west coast. But then again I rarely see any "pristine" 73 2.0s either....

Prices are going up....but it the beaters that every crackhead thinks is worth 6K....

Mike did you sell that 70 1.7 project 914 for $6000. yet??
CCL

Hardly....I see them them for 2-4K......

HAHA I think I must have gotten ripped off then. I paid extra for a molested one

After dreadfully selling off a '73 Red 2.0 to a Kanuk in hard times... I now have a ' 74 1.8 SoCal original Ravenna green that I will faithfully restore to her original origins... and a '75 Malaga 2.0 that will become my next track Beotch...

Keep em' running wild kids...

I absolutely love the idea of riding around and gittin sideways looks and enjoying filling up every other week or so while still putting my foot in it to get'er sideways once in a while... Nothing short of an Enzo Italian job could swade me from my love of 914's

These cars rock...

Gee... I thought I was just being a cheapskate keeping everything dead stock....

Soon my plan will fall into place.. I'll own the only emissions legal '76 in California.

...........moo hooo haw haw haw haw....

I suppose if I ever find a pristine 914 I might think about buying it. Since I don't think they exist around here I just keep racing the living piss out of the one I got.
Maybe I can develop a pedigree for the car by whipping up on everything with 4 wheels. Most of my autocross buddies either hate me or want to buy my car.
The new engine I'm building will really piss them off. AND now they won't be able to afford it.

Well, there are pros and cons with the increased prices, like everything else.

I purchased my 914 because it is a fairly inexpensive hobby car, which is an absolute blast to drive and work on.

However, if prices continue to rise, perhaps fewer project cars with a little rust will get hacked up as the people who know will realize their worth. You don't see people hacking up a 356 body because it has a little rust.

I'm very interested in a scanned copy of the article... and also (if any) Reader's Sales Reports for 914s in the new issue... for my current insurance company battle.

I'm a subscriber, but I get my copies VERY late.

Cheers,
Rusty

Hmmmm... I for one am not pissed. How can I be? At the German Auto Fest, every entry for Mid Engine Mania was an aircooled 914 with the exception of mine which according to you is worthless due to the fact that it is a "bastarized" because it is cut up, won best of show. This was voted by the owners of the cars, not the owner of type 4 engine builders. While I am not "pissed", I will offer you a little business advise.

It is never a good idea to bash your competition... Doesn't look good.

Excellent! this means that after dropping the $20K in the last 2 years in the car might actually pay off in the long run.

Granted i am never selling my teener to anyone, EVAR!

If I cared I wouldn't have posted it...

The guys that even consider a radiator for their car never even come close to calling me anyway...

Keep creating "Fieros" and I'll continue to bash away and make true statements. Look at barrett Jackson, how many bastardized cars do you see sell there for big bucks compared to their original counterparts??

The 914 is the "356 of tomorrow".. 10 years ago 356s were dirt cheap, now you won't find one for less than 20K unless its rotted away, the 914 is the same way..

I just really can't stand ANY car with a radiator, the only thing worse is a car that wasn't supposed to have one that had one shoehorned where it didn't belong.....

These days when you find someone that doesn't mind pissing off a few people to share his true feelings about something consider yourself lucky! I'm about as politically incorrect as I can be and if it costs me a few bucks so be it.... Its my money and I damn sure don't need any advice!

BTW_ I'm not pissed either, simply hardcore aircooled and refuse to drive anything else!

conversions are great as long as they are air cooled IMHO

Long ago the 914 WAS a cheapass platform to customize not anymore. Just too few really nice ones left as you see them selling for 12-19k, 4's mind you.

Yep...
The cool thing is this conversation would not have happened two years ago... Things have changed drastically in the past couple of years for the 914..

I know of a certain article about 914 engines that might help it a lot too, if all works out well you guys will be seeing a 2270 for a 914 getting built in print in the next year... I won't be the one building it- the owner will be and you won't believe where it'll be!

Pete is building his own engine!!!!

Put me on the roller lifter list!

Pete who??

Geoff, I **might** let you be a guinea pig- you are experienced enough to give ita whirl!

Jake- if you need faster service I can have my car to ya by, say, this weekend....


Geoff- I'm jellious.

914s with radiators are not the only -14s that are hacked,, At GAF and other places I've seen many a 2.7 ~ 3.2 that has been hacked up to make room for oil coolers,, factory FI,, etc.
I hope you don't spare these folks your disdain Jake,, I respect your talents as a TIV enginge guru, but I dis-agree with your opinion.

I guess if I were in your business I would be bashing other power plants too,, it's good for business. Good thing I'm not a TIV engine builder. My little 1.3 rotary revs a HELL of a lot faster than the video you posted of the monster 356,, but I am comparing apples to oranges in your eyes. It was the engine in the inferior chassis Rx-7 that ended Porsche's winning streak in IMSA. Rotary's are sweet fun little motors. There's a post floating around here somewhere where an old german car magazine compared a stock 914 to a NSU rotary powered 914.

Since the value of our NARPs are shooting up,, perhaps we should just seal our cars away in sealed containers so our family members can sell them when we die, and god forbid that we drive them and have fun with them because it will also devalue the car. A stock 914 can be lotsa fun,, ( I have one too) But one with some BALLS (no matter what the engine) is a HELL of alot more fun.

Looks like I'm ranting,,,,,
I'm not pissed,, just had a bad day at work,,,,,

just my .02
-Rob

So if and when I sell my car it looks like I can will start over and still put more or as much in to it (if parts are still around) Oh! wait I can buy an RX7 or a Suby and drop a type 4 into it! Problem solved! Long live type 4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (or six conversion)

Sorry to hear that.... Bad days suck!

Good day here, didn't see a watercooled car all day long!

I agree with Jake's opinion.

Certainly, as time goes by, the relatively few original, stock configuration 914s in excellent condition are going to go UP in value. No question.

And, for every one that one of us "hacks" a radiator into - well, that's one less 914 that is ever going to be stock and original again!

That's just a fact.

That being said, who cares? 914-4s are still relatively cheap, plentiful cars, and aren't going to be big buck cars for a long, long, long time. Heck, you can still get a decent 356B driver for $15K.

Plus, what kinda nut buys a 914 as an investment? Mine is for FUN!

914 are going up slowly in value. But the fact is many of us have 2 or 3 914 because thay are easy to work on and cheap to play with compared to other sports cars.
I have a show car that will always stay stock.
A AX car that will see a few mods.
A factory 6 with a 3.2 and an oil cooler that has not affected the front pan, easy to go back to stock.
I feel any car can be taken back to stock with a little welding in of panels
But is it really important to bash over one mans vision of how he would like to power HIS car. How about we just enjoy the fact that we all love the same car.

I made the tough effort of going to the store to spend the $4.99 and check it out for myself. For a non appearence 73 2.0 with FI and 20,000 miles on a BRAND NEW motor, (chassis has over 200,000 miles) I am stoked that the only other owner of the car is my dad.

Hell I have been saying the same thing Jake is saying right now when this club first started. I have been selling 914s for over 10 years. I said years ago the 914 is the future 356 as far as pricing and the fact that the cars are being cut up and crushed everyday, just drives the value up. I always said keep the sawzalls going it will only drive up the values of the 914as that are still here.
This isn't anything new, its just that people are starting to notice.

Hmm, similar situation with me. '73 2.0 with FI, non-appearance, 89,000 original miles. Only other owner was my father.

Haha Jake, you are the Jerry Springer of aircooled, allways willing to wade into the crowd punching away.

And he's subtle too!

Yeah, I was hoping to piss more people off!

These damn guys aren't playing fairly! get pissed!!!

Its not any fun unless you throw a chair in the ring, come on guys!!!

I don't necessarily disagree with anyone who says that the price of (realtively) stock 914s is on the rise... but I do believe it's inflated right now, because of various factors.

The price will normalize over time - the market will determine true value. In the meantime, I hope that will someone PM me with a generous offer to scan a copy of the article for my insurance value...

Cheers,
Rusty
(paid-up Excellence subscriber)

OK Jake - here is one: I LIKE my hydraulic cam.

Don't you?

That's why I ordered my kit from Jake, the man has passion. Bastardizing with a radiator was never an option for me. I'm full-blooded German, so it was either a six or a 4, air cooled. But even if I wasn't German and had no heritage issues, why build a Fiero when you can buy one outright?

Well I have two `72 914`s one is near stock except it has `73 drive train,the other has a ford v6. Nether are running,PRETTY sure I dropped a valve on the 2056.The v6 ford was a flood victim.Now I`m not sure which one to rebuild first! For sure I WANT a "Engine by Jake" in Lil Red,but the v6 car just needs a transplant.So which one first ?It was going to be the air cooled one until I read Jake`s post about the new roller stuff. Damn !! Hey Jake I have a car For a test mule?

Can someone please scan and post the values

This gets each time a new value article gets written. It's old news and very predictible. 914's will become much like the 356's that you could once have for cheap prices, but I think the 914's will be a percentage less than the 356's always. Back in 1991 I turned away from a 1964 356 with factory sunroof for $4999 (decent car, very little rust) at a dealer because for another $5k I could have a rusted out 1968 911L.

The cars rust away at crazy fast rates.

People do cut them up for mods, conversions and parts.

One small fender bender and insurance companies total them out.

All of you know what is happening, but it's not gonna happen tomorrow. More like 10-20 years.

NADA Guides has interesting values, not sure how they compare to Excellence numbers. These are for my zipcode, maybe less out west.

NADA for 74 2.0

I don't think 914-4s are overpriced. The fact that you can get a pretty nice 73-74 2L car for under $10K still makes it a budget classic.

What I see happening with 914s is that quality cars are on the rise and beater cars are selling where they were six years ago.

Hmmmmm....

You should probably sniff around your shop and try to figure out who has been posting under your screen name over the last few years here, because I have seen somebody pretending to be Jake Raby post no less than 3 times that in his opinion, if you weren't going to do a big TIV, the next best thing in a 914 is an SBC conversion.

Or, maybe you do just get a giggle from stirring the stromberg?

I'll scan it for you when i get home....but you might get home before the book gets to my place

(not Stratplayer)

Let me get this straight.

The longer my 914 "STAYS ON JACK STANDS" and does not incurr more miles on the drivetrain and chassis. And I can substantiate the mileage.

The more my car is worth...??????????

Fugit...... I am gunna make a mint not doing anything to my car.... Thank God for this report.

Cause logic now dictates I sit on my ass and do nothing more to my car.... Which has been my end result from the beginning.

Thankyou all for this info.... NO MORE GUILT..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEA...!!!!!!!!!!!

Regards,
Twystd1

Yep that's called "progress"

God,

No matter where you go, you are bound to find someone who disagrees with you... For instance, within the last three weeks I have been to GAF and RRC. I overheard a few highly respected people on this board saying that you build grenades, and don't ever consider buying your engines. Nothing against your product, as I never planned on buying your engines anyway.

Also, according to your infinate wisdom and slightly slanted version of reality, unless you are only rebuilding original engines that came in the 914 and rebuilding to stock specifications you too are bastardizing the car as well. Take for instance your reference to Barret Jackson. Do you really think that the vehicles such as a 70's Tornado are fetching incredible bids and have thier engines pushed to the limits? Hell no they don't. They are bone stock usually all the way down to the window sticker. Another example... a old Vette is worth a shitload more if it has the original engine (matching numbers) in it than one with a crate-engine or even the original engine that is modified the way you modify your unbelievable priced motors. Once you start to modify the engine, you are modifing the value. But you don't seem to want to share this information since your wallet could get thinner if you disclosed the whole truth. Since we are in such an inlightened mood, why don't you share your defeats along with your accomplishments? I always read your posts about head temps and long driving and yippie for your accomplishments. But what about all of your pissed off customers? Care to share those stories?

Club members, remember who this this is coming from. I have only been active in the club for about a year now... I seem to remember that Jake had all but written the 914 crowd off. Something about 914 owners financial bs. And now because it could benifit his pocketbook he is back, slamming the decisions of some members who decided to push the limits of what we want in OUR cars?

Don't you have a radio show to host? What about VW Trends? I would spend my time there if I were you...

Is that the chair you were looking for?