I would like to know a little more about the project manager for the Porsche 914.

Richard Hetmann was his name, I think. What books have informantion on him?

Does anyone have pictures of him? Does anyone know what person designed the body aesthetically? Obviously it was a team, but who was the lead guy?

Somebody should collect the names of the guys that put the most work into the 914, or maybe it has already been published in a book.

At least we would know what to name our kids and what names to call out when we bust our knuckles.

if you can read german, buy the book "Das Grosse VW-Porsche Buch" (look on ebay) ...

it has all your answers, and much, much, much more ...
Andy

PS: i currently use the books cover as my avatar ...

I suppose that I need to catch up on my german b4 i buy that book?

The body was not an in-house design. It was selected by a panal from a submission by Gugilot, a design firm in Ulm, Germany

hummm ... not that shure ... please read the famous mythbuster thread ...
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=51265

wow.

yep, that is a funny myth that Porsche didn't design the 914. Must have been from the same rumorstarters that the 914 isn't a real Porsche, only has a bus engine blah blah....

And who were the rest of the technical guys on the 914 Project? I would like to meet the guy that designed the tailshifter linkage. I guess I need to get that buch.

Hello. Richard Hetmann was my granbdfather. Unfortunately, he passed away on April 1st, 2000. He also designed the gear for the tank Leo (which can drive through water). If you want more information, send me a private message.

Yours, Nicole Hetmann

Cool! We all want to know more 914 info!

Got any old pictures of the 914 assembly line? Those are my favorite.

Like Mark said. Any more info?

Nicole,
Private messages keep secrets... Your grandfather is part of our shared history here. Tell us all what you know. Thank you for coming forward.

Richard Hetmann grew up in Austria, close to Vienna. After ww2 he left with his wife and settled in Germany. Sharing at a very low wage, he was working very hard for his 40 patents at porsche. Porsche was to him not only a car, more like a way to see the world. Besides his successful job he was a warm -hearted man who truly loved and cared for his family.
Unfortunately, he was run over by a car in florence, Italy.
Now he is buried in Germany, together with his wife and one of his grandsons.

So sorry to hear of his untimely passing. Sharing information about his life, and passion for Porsche will most certainly keep his memory alive.

Porsche928

The man on the right side on the first picture is Richard Hetmann

on this picture he is the 2nd man of left side behind

914 was his project he answered all problems and questions, every porsche got an another leader, and 914 was his baby, my father has many construction plans, but he doesn´t show it somebody...

but nici said something wrong he had just an idea of the tank leo 2, and not worked at the tank leo 1!!! he had hated tanks and didn´t want to work for a mashine that kill human!

i got some uniques made from richard hetmann out of parts of porsche or some goodbye gifts of the leaders like from "Prof. DR.-Ing. E. h. HELMUTH BOTT" from 2.7.87 or 2.1.81 (i can´t read his handwriting very well)

i´m richard hetmann grandson, brother of Nici. and if i found this thread i started to cry because i thought he was already forgotten, and then i saw, somebody were interested of him

Wow! This is a very special treat for us all here! and thank you for sharing with us! We are all interesting in the history of these little cars and welcome anything you feel you can share.

And do any of his relatives still own a 914??

Thank you for sharing. Once these little cars enter our bloodstreams, we became hopelessly addicted. We collectively live to expand our knowledge of them .

Richard, Nici,
Herzlich Willkommen auf 914world.com und viele Grüße aus dem sonnigen Kalifornien!

Wir sind hier alle sehr an historischen Informationen über den 914er interessiert und euer Großvater war ohne Zweifel ein großer Einfluss für das 914 Projekt bei Porsche.

Vielen dank für eure Beiträge. Bilder und Hintergrund Informationen sind hier immer sehr willkommen.

Nici and Richard, thank you so much for telling us more about your grandfather! We are rather (as you can see) attached to these cars that he helped create. Anything else you can share about your grandfather would be wonderful!

--DD

... aus Tirol, Österreich

Nici and Richard,

I agree 100%. This group would love nothing more than to hear more about your grandfather and his work. So feel free to share anything such as stories, photos, etc.



Richard