Hi everyone,

I'm a bit confused about the engine in my all-stock all-original low-mileage 1976 914, which I bought in July. It's currently in transit to my new place in Germany. In order to get it registered here I ordered a technical data sheet for it from Porsche. Now, this may all be a mistake on Porsche's side, but this data sheet claims my 914 was a 1.8...

- On the car, the VIN and engine number are a near-perfect match from what I can tell. The VIN is 476 290 3357 (just 750 units before production ended) and a GC 006324 engine (just about 600 units before its production ended). The production numbers I am basing this on are from Johnson's book "914 - A restorer's guide to authenticity".

- Furthermore, there are very few sources who even claim the 1.8 was carried into the 1976 model year. Most sources claim only the 2.0 GC engine was available.

- the car has the original "2.0" sticker in the rear. It has not been repainted from all I can see, it's as original as it gets.

So has anyone here ever seen or heard about 1.8 models in 1976? I'm going to call those people back first thing Monday...

That is an error on someones part. Do they give an engine serial #? They should be able to. Then compare.

They don't give the engine number, the data sheet only contains technical information needed in order to get the car registered.

The Certificate of Authenticity, which I have not ordered yet because I need the transmission number so they can match that as well, takes the engine number into account. I'm ordering one of those when I have the can and can get all the different numbers they let you put in for number matching.

Data Sheet =Meaning the 'Certificate of Authenticity'???
What dealer sold it and what state?
What does your door sticker say for production date??
Maintenance Records?
Thanx Rx in Denver

The data sheet is *not* the COA, and it has an entirely different purpose. I'll order a COA once I have the car here.

I don't have any original records, but I believe the car was sold by Bob Smith Porsche/Audi in Hollywood/CA, from the metal license plate holder. If I remember correctly I searched a little bit a few months back and the dealership still exists, but they don't sell Porsche anymore. They did sell Porsche until the late 70s at least. I'm the third owner, and the previous ownership change was in 2001. So I believe the license plate holder could be the one put on by the dealership when the car was sold to the original owner.

The door sticker says 11/75 as the build date, which matches the VIN and the engine in the car pretty well.

I have one original receipt from 1992 when someone bought new lug nut plastic covers, but that's from a different place (Ogner in Woodland Hills/CA). It has a customer name "Charles Comelli" on there, which may very well be the original owner. I do know that the first owner is deceased. The second owner bought it when the storage garage place where the first owner stored the car no longer received any payments and put the car up for auction. Apparently the first owner's estate continued to pay for storage for a while, and then just stopped, and no one picked up the car.

Apparently there was 4075 2.0L and 25 1.8l cars in 76 built as the total built was 4100.
The 4099th car is listed in the owners vin's here so we know this is true. Books and magazines aren't always the most factual As writers put in print whatever suits them.

Geoff, are you just saying "we know there were 4100 cars in 1976" or are you saying "number 4099 was a 1.8"? Most sources already quote the total of 4100 cars, but I haven't found any "proof" about 1.8s being sold, especially late in 1975.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if they produced some in August 1975 at the beginning of the 1976 model year, I bet they had some extra engines to get rid of...

We know that there was 4100 cars built.
The confusion has been that 4075 has been listed in some places.

The fact is that there were 4075 2.0L's and 25 1.8l for a total of 4100, 4099 vin being the last vin we know of. Mine is 4063 built in 12/75

Awesome late model you got there

I guess there really isn't anything known about those 25 1.8s? Where does the number come from?

BTW the COA should clear up wether or not all is orig. but probably WONT give you the Trans #.

The application for it has a field for transmission number, and the explanatory text says they will at least tell you if the engine and transmission are those from the factory if you provide them.

All of the 50 or so COA's I have copies of state the transmission number was not recorded. So don't hold out hope for that. The do state the engine #, but not often give the engine series. That is easy to figure out anyway. I have never seen any definitive info on the number of 1.8 engine cars for 1976, and have never seen documentation on even one of them. There are lots of hints on the original engine type and serial #. Do you have the Owners Manual? Two items there, model number "473XXX" and often the engine and tranny numbers are recorded.

The seller says he found the manual and wanted to send it to me, but since then I have had an impossible time getting any replies to my emails

The trans code is also the date of assembly. So if the date of the trans is 'about right' in terms of when the car was built, it is likely original, or at least period correct.

The drama continues. Porsche Germany sent me a "corrected" data sheet, and it does have data for a 2.0 on there. Unfortunately not the right one. The power output and maximum speed values describe the GB engine, which has 100hp, and not my GC...



Sent them another email...

After quite a delay due to the holidays Porsche finally sent me the COA I had ordered at the end of November. Turns out the engine number does indeed match, so hooray for that

I'm left with another question for the experts, though...

The COA mentions the car had M471 (sports package), consisting of stabilizers, spoiler and Mahle wheels. The stabilizers and spoiler are there, but I'm puzzled about the Mahle wheels. When I got the car it had Rivieras all around, and in the trunk a very pristine-looking steel wheel and tire. The spare looks so authentic, and I find it quite unusual that someone whould replace Mahle wheels with Rivieras and stick a steelie in the trunk that I'm left wondering: Did anyone have a case where M471 came with steel wheels instead of alloys? Is the factory information wrong (again)?

It could be the dealer did a little parts swapping in the back lot.
I'd like to see that new COA.

Hm... that parts swap would be quite annoying. I spent a lot of money to replace the Rivieras on the car with a set of nicely redone steelies, on the assumption that the spare was indeed what the car had originally

Here's the COA:

Click to view attachment

Oh by the way, they put 14100 as the number of 914s for the 1976 model year. Wasn't that 4100 instead..?

A friend that has been into 914's for a long time told me that some dealers would pull the spare "mag" and replace it with a steelie. So every four cars and they got a free set of wheels. Who knows? Sounds like something that they might have done.

Yes, it was 4100 produced. At least now they acknowledge that figure.
That is not the paint code found on the car. That code series, so far, I have ever only seen in the COA's as far as printed literature for the 914 is concerned.
Dated Jan 2006? Do these guys know what they are signing? Just how many mistakes can they make preparing one COA?

I do like the M options listed as they have.

Damn, I did not even see that. I had already sent email to one of those guys who signed it and will call them Monday. That's ridiculous. They change EUR 100,- for this kind of sloppy typewriting...

The owners manual for 76 shows the 1.8 as 'Europe sales only'...
One could 'possibly' guess that they did sell some of those carb'd cars over there.
All of the 2.0's were to come to the US for final sale as I was told.
Since you are over there, you might track that down on the 1.8 build???
The carb'd 1.8 was no go here stateside due to smog restrict's...
THE Other Thing Was.....
They needed to dump as much of the Cali 2.0 Smog Parts..that were left
in stock...
And as I have mentioned before.....
The COA's are VERY inaccurate..
Due to the fact that Karmann kept horrible records re the 914's..
Sooooo you just have to pluggin away till they get it 'right'!!
Porsche kept great records for their assy line though!!
BTW>I had the same problem on my 73 2.0

IT WAS NOT GREEN NOR HAD HEATED REAR GLASS..

So since my ex roomate was a 'Mucky Muck' at Porsche headquarters
in Reno AT THE TIME..
He hooked me up with all of the info to get to the right channels
to make the changes ( actually met the guy )...
(YES I was in the almighty headquaters)
they are now in Atlanta......

Re the dealer info...
Tried mine in Sacto Cali...
Their info from back in the day..All Gone.....
If you have your original dealer service book and any reciepts..
Your best source of info..
Also 74 and 75 2.0's I have seen with steel Superex X wheels..
With the full sway bar and upgraded packages re console etc....
73 was the year that you (95% of the time) got the WHOLE deal
on wheels and trim/console/chrome/fogs/dual horns/steer wheel> on 2.0's...
It was a 'push' on Porsche's part to have the 73 'S' model loaded up..
BUT the following years,
they had to piece meal these cars as the price..
WENT UP N UP N UP!!
Don't get too frustrated..As you have a wonderfull example of a 914...
and that is the best way to be in THE 914 WORLD!!!

Nah, I'm not frustrated. Just disappointed by their idea of customer service I'll be on the phone to get it all corrected.

The car is outstanding in terms of originality and condition, I just want to make sure I have documentation to back that up. Otherwise most people don't know the difference between some fresh Earl Scheib paint job and the real deal.

Where do you see that the 1.8's were European sales only?? As I understand, no 76 cars were sold in Europe all were delivered to the USA. The 76 Owners Manual I have shows info on both 2.0L Djet and 1.8l Ljet engines.

The data I have seen for 1976 shows there were:
25 1.8l cars
4075 2.0l cars
4100 all sent to the USA.

If any one finds a intact "real" 76 1.8L car it would be a nice find as its one of 25, uberrare.

Can you point me to where I can SEE this information? I have never seen such a thing myself.

Welllllllll.I have been 30 mins trying to find it.......
Thinkin..
"I know I saw it"!!
Finally found it.......Page 1 of the 76 owners manual..
Gee I shoudah looked there first!! Ah Dah!!
Yeah I must be pretty boring If I bide my time with 914
owners manuals...BTW I have all years of those..
And a few of the reprints...All of the USA/Canada spec...
914/6 too but no 916..if there was one???
Okayyyyyy did some other home work....
In my original parts manuals...they do not have ( in the parts listed) a 1.8
motor replacement for 76 1.8..Just a 75 EC number (from EC0037553) for motor replacement..
ALTHOUGH they show a motor start # for the 76 1.8 EC0045073..
BUT nothing in the actual pics to back it up....
NOW possible those few of cars went to Canada???

the 76 owners manual or a link to the number of cars produced?

The Owners manual As I had stated..
Although I 'read into' the info as Europe only,
which is incorrect...Sorry on that part..
I assumed the carbed Euro 1.8 had a few go out in 76???
As I have been very bizy in my parts books with my 75 1.8..
Nothing ever stated 1976 1.8 engine application....

Here it is...

Okay, that seems to say no 1.8 in 1976 for USA.
However,"motor start # for the 76 1.8 EC0045073" would indicate an EFI engine, perhaps Canada, who knows. Who else got the 1.8 EFI engine?
European 1.8 was the AN series.
Still, Geoff where did you find 25 1.8 in 1976 and 4075 2.0. Why would the old factory literature just count the 2.0 and not the 1.8?

I have seen that scenario before in so called original issue cars. And the guy claimed he bought it that way new. One steelie, and 4 Fuchs.
Kind of like the shenanigans played during the eighties to Fuchs wheeled 944's when the rims came off, aftermarkets went on and the price stayed the same with the Fuchs option, but also showing 1,000 bucks more for the aftermarket garbage. I passed on several new cars in Az., stroked this way.
That could well explain why my 2.0 /4 came with four date coded steel mags, and one that was made two months AFTER the car was built. Without going out to the frozen door on the building and trying to rip out another hamstring to look, I seem to remember: car built in Aug. 73, as a 74 model--- # 00089. 4 wheels showing August date code on rim and one showing Oct. I thought it odd, as the car did not sell until late in the spring of 74........so lots of things could happen in that time at the dealership. Like the receipt that showed the breakage prone shift knob was replaced under warranty at like 900 miles and cost Porsche about $9.20. Car was sold new with about 950 miles on it .

I solved the date code problem on the teener, by upgrading to 5 correct date coded 4 bolt Fuchs, and keeping the steel mags as spares, as they were supposedly the OE rims. This after I had spent too much money media blasting them and repainting to match the unmounted spare in the trunk.

I spent way too much money buying refurbished steelies assuming those would be original. Ah well.

Where can I see the date code? I should look at my "stock" spare...

You know, I honestly like the steelie look better than the late-style Mahle my COA shows for the car.

here's a pic of a 76 1.8L car.
http://homepage.mac.com/markd/914/ViperGreen/1/1.html

the date code appears on the inside of the wheel , pressed into the metal. The Europeans use a different system to the way they write dates tho..... I think, if I remember right: like if made on the third week of Aug 73, their sequence of numbers would read: starting with the consecutive number of weeks it took to arrive at the third week....like 35-then the actual date ...lets say 15th , then the year: 73
reading 35-15-73
Gotta go look again at some numbers.....hey ! I got a spare Mahle in my closet I got a while back on bay, I'll be right back --

Oooops...its was a Pedrini, and the Italians did it different. They have the number 1972 running vertically, with 12 square blocks alongside the date. They then blanked out 10 of the blocks, leading one to deduce it was made in 10/1972. Any CW's out there see an error in my deductions ? Please correct me...maybe I'm reading this the wrong way. Maybe it means it was made in February, but the last two blocks remaining open are at the bottom of the scale.

Lots of readers are now going.......

mrgreenjeans

Nah, no yawn, this is cool stuff I looked at the spare today and it has the date code stamped onto the front side. Apparently no cryptic code was used, it simply says "11/75", a perfect date-match for the rest of the car. Ah well, at least it's "period" then

I was just reading a bit in my book, Porsche Sport 1976/77. In the new models it stated that the production would end in Feb. 1976 and only 2.0 engines were offered for the 1976 model year.

INteresting you should bring up Porsche Sport. Those were absolutely great. Wish someone produced something similar today, though only for vintage Porsches. Aside from price and cost of maintenance, I just can't get into the complexity of contemporary Porsches. I like the simplicity & ease of maintenence of the early of the 356's, 912's, 914's & pre-'74 911's. Just me.

Porsche Sport was great - wish I still had all of mine.

Ahem... Being a writer I will comment on this comment. Writers are pressured to write with authority. They often express the best information that they can gather. This is a not so subtle difference from "whatever suits them".

GOOD news.....glad you found it.

Say, what's it like over there now in the old country....having a good winter ?

Nothings prettier in the world than seeing snow on the pristine mountaiins in Germany, (except maybe in the Swiss Alps.)

You got it good there .........love your country

and you guys make the best Cars !!!!

mrgreenjeans

You're going to laugh, I live on the opposite end of the country and there are no mountains. Matter of fact we don't like those people in the south, they're all way backwards. The current political crisis in Bavaria proves that very nicely once again

By the way, this winter there were very few places in Germany with sufficient snow. That dang SUV craze continues to take its toll

I can't really say much about cars, I'm too biased. We have a VW/Audi dealership in the family

Andy

How do you say hillbilly in German?

I'd say "Hinterwäldler", people from the backwoods...

People in south of Germany are very specific

I hope you all know that this ends a the german border

No worries Wolfgang, I'm only offending southern Germany

so, where can i order a COA ???

Porsche Club Of America