The perfect 914 daily driver (or course with a SUV as backup) Just bought the wife a new mini-van. Now it is time to for me. A new job $$$ a new car! For example, I could buy a new Mustang (25-35K) or spend some good money on a really nice reliable 914. I have the fever (I previously owned a 76 2.0 during college, 72 914-6 (sold in 1983 for 5K) and now a 75 1.8. I am thinking I can buy an awesome 914 for the price of an entry level mustang.

I could build out the 75 but having it done now with a somewhat fixed entry cost is really appealing and I would prefer a car already done. If you where me what would you do/buy. Sure would like to see pics of what a $20K+ 914 looks like.

If you have a car in this category you want to sell please PM me.

Regards,

james

Buy something as close as you can get to what you want, but remember you're going to end up dumping another few thousand into it, it is a 914 after all.

If your job is half time I'd say build it.

Can you imagine the outcome of a 914 that $20K would produce?

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, the options.....

Depends on how you use a daily driver. Do you just commute to work and back or is there a lot of around town errands, in and out of the car? Mine is a DD and I use it for lots of errands. It runs great but isn't very pretty. I kind of like it that way for how I use it. Doesn't create a lot of attention and I don't worry about getting it dirty or the ocassional ding. I wouldn't be comfortable with a $20K DD the way I use my 914.

BTW, a 914 DD is a blast!

You can buy some very nice 914s that they put a 6 into for under 20k. I would sell the 75 and put the money into getting a sweet 6 that you can enjoy.

Buy the 914 that you want. Life is short.

try these

http://www.camp914.com/carsforsale.html

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act...amp;s=&f=20

jim

Buy one as done and as complete and as nice as you can afford. Making it your own is fun, but driving the car is much more enjoyable.

James, Although I voted for 'buy' I do not think you can buy one and drive it without spending money on it. Maybe it could be a work in progress but I think you'll end up fixing things as you go. Not a bad way to go; I've done it with mine.

You have seen my car. I use it as a DD and I have just under 10k into it. It has been on the road for 4 years and I've worked on it during that time. It beats drive my suburban everyday.

T

I've seen some real bargins pass through the classified lately.

Everyone here is insane.

Convert your money to Euro's and hide it in safety deposit boxes all over your town.

Go from here and don't look back.

Save yourself while you can!!!

My car was built to be a perfect daily driver. I started out with a plan to spend no more than $15,000. I got carried away and plan "A" failed! However, plan "B" resulted in a absolutely fantastic 914. If you are interested in a beautiful Signal Orange 73, four cylinder car, this car is a great daily driver.

My input to your question about build/buy.

Building a car can be a GREAT hobby if:
-you have the time and a ton of patience.
-you are ok with spending more money that originally planned.
-you have ample work space.
-you have a spouse that will let you spend a tremendous amount of time in the garage.
-you are not expecting to make a profit from building a 914.

If you do not want to wait for the perfect car, want to stick with a known budget, or do not have a space available to perform a high quality build, then buy if you can find the right car.

I had a blast building and now driving my 914!!! At least when the weather is nice. I am not determined to sell my car, but I have been considering it lately.

This car is relatively well known on this and the club site. I like to think of it as a club inspired car. Without all of the 914 support available the past few years this little beauty would not exist. You can find alot of details regarding my car by using the search function. If desired, search for posts using "orange" and "Doug Leggins" or "green" and "Doug Leggins" and you will find a lot of progress pics. You can get a feel for the meticulous nature with which I built this car. I have at least 500 and likely much closer to 1000 pics of the car and parts during the build.

Some key features:
2056 engine built by Jake Raby
dual Weber 40's
Koni adj sport yellows front & rear
Tarett front sway bar
2.0 fuchs polished by Al Reed
Mueller bearing front & rear
Alpine CD with Morphenspectra speaker pods
LSD tranny freshened by Brad Mayeur
many club/world vendor parts as upgrades
lots of powder coated parts
nearly every single part is in EXCELLENT condition
about 7,000 miles since on the road again

This is a COMPLETE nut and bolt, rotisserie restoration. There's nearly $30,000 in parts and paint in this car. That does not include a cent for the 100's of hours that I spent enjoying the build of this one.

Here's one example of a perfect 914 daily driver. $20K or close.... Let's talk

If you like your '75 you could buy a nice 914 for around 5-8k and then slowly build your '75 up (make sure to back date those bumpers).

I have a '75 2.7 CIS motor in my car and it is very reliable and fast... but I am planning to upgrade to an aluminum 3.0L b/c my 2.7L has never been rebuilt.

Buy a Miata

Hi Dopug

What a beautiful picture Your 914 is one of the top 4-cyl cars in all 914 land. I believe it's value is at the market low of $25K before it starts it's climb to $50K. I know all the nay-sayers out there will say no way, but it's starting to happen. Beautiful restoration.

Tom

Sorry Doug, my finger slipped

Another $25K car in like condition.

Tom

I agree, Doug would have a hard time if not impossible, finding a car for 25K like his in better than new condition with all the goodies.

Hi Guys,

Here's another example of a $25K 914. I know Karl's is not for sale, but hopefully you guys get the picture. These cars are going to hit some big numbers soon. It's impossible to restore one for less than $100K at a professional shop to this quality. Heck the parts alone will cost you $30K today.

I know not everyone has the money to purchase this kind of quality, but in a few years it will be a dream price you wish was available. If your going to make a move do it now or kick yourself later. Good stuff is drying up fast.

As I type I think the price just went up to $35K

Tom

I wouldn't put $25k into a daily driver. I think you would be better off puttting 10K into a nice, solid example and save the rest for a rainy day (they happen more often than most people here would like to admit ) . But it is part of the "joy" of ownership I suppose.
Or, buy a used e46 ///M3
you can get a lot of car for $25K

i agree - but i was NOT gonna be the first to say it outloud

of course it should have v8 shoe horned in to it

http://www.monstermiata.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtrORSLzoOk...feature=related

name withheld

keep your 75 (no smog) as a daily driver and buy a solid builder to enjoy modifieying to todays upgraded standards. buy a year old new mustang with a/c with the left over loot.

mike

I will tell you the very cheapest way to go bro. First get a Rabi engine and the rest is just BS cosmetics. You will have a strong dependable engine and fun at the same time.

ok, here's the opinion of someone who had his project put on hold and had it changed from a 1 year, to a 2, year, to now almost 5 year project...

BUY! but on a daily driver, don't spend a crazy amount.... 5-10k

Buy a car with a modern heater,air, and a remote radio channel changer on the stearing wheel to drive to work. Don't forget the ABS brakes so you can make sudden stops while your talking on the phone. Then spend your extra money on the 914.

I think a conversion is your best bet.. subi or v8.. depending on what you want out of it...

What is your idea of the "ultimate 914"? Concourse? Street prepped? Race prepped street car? 500hp and the ability to handle it? Race history?


Andrew

The answer is really pretty simple. If you have to ask.... If you aren't so driven to BUILD it yourself that nobody can talk you out of it.... Then DON'T.

Buy the best car you can. And then enjoy customizing it. If you crave that building thing, you will still have plenty of opportunities to work on the car you get.

Me, I'm a whacko in the former camp. I want to build it myself. I want guts under there that I built myself, even if nobody ever sees those guts. Is that smart? Is that cheap? NO. But again, that is what I love. The process is my hobby.

If you don't LOVE building it to the point where you aren't even thinking anything else, then don't open that can of worms.

I'd buy the very best you can find, cause if it is really for driving every day,
driving is more fun than building

Cough, boxster s?

Drive one... Come back and we'll talk.

Thank you for your opinions. One thing I should clarify is a daily driver. I live in the SF bay area and other than a couple weeks a year – I can plan golf and drive my 75 with the top off (of course sometimes with the heat on --- sweet) every day of the year. So my daily driver is a sunny car otherwise drive the SUV (it needs to be driven sometime).

I am shifting my search to an original 6. They were always scarce/rare and are only going to get more so. So… I think getting a good/great/excellent original 6 between 20-35K would be a great car and a good investment. So……….

So this is what I am thinking… Any other ideas, suggestions or comments?


Regards,

James

PS If you have a car please send me a PM

What about this one?

Chris,

Thanks for the lead. I'll check it out.

Regards,

James

I voted to build it...

Because the only way to have a teener with what you want in it is to either have someone build it, or do it yourself.

I drove the wheels off my 74 1.8 liter, the 70 /6 was just a garage queen. I vote for spend the money on a nice daily driver or back date your bumpers and put in a raby motor. Then grin from ear to ear.

Buy a Honda or Toyota or some other disposable car for DD. You live in the Bay Area and someday some idiot WILL destroy your car. My buddy had a beautiful original owner totally stock 1970 240Z and some fool rear ended him at a red light - he was stopped and the guy just drove into him at about 40MPH.
Save the nice car for the weekends. When I drive my 914 to work I just worry the whole time that some cel phone talking, stereo blasting SUV is going to run over me.

Steve,

You make an excellent point and illustrate a very real possibility. However, the whole point of having the car is to drive it. I don’t mean to imply that a daily driver must be driven everyday (sole transportation). My intent with a daily driver is a car that CAN BE driven everyday and should be (god willing and weather permitting).

You make an interesting point with being “a sitting duck”. So I feel much safer/in control when I am driving “thru traffic”. Highway 280 rocks!

Regards,

james

I don't mean to be negative - but it's an unfortunate fact that idiots rule the road these days. There is no practical reason that a 914 would make a great DD it's that 20% moron driver aspect of living in the bay area. I had some fool woman drive into my trailer on an on ramp (and destroyed her car) in Redwood City, the CHP told me to drop it as it was pointless to go after her (she was driving a brand new Accord and claimed to speak no English and had no license - the CHP arrested her.)
I would love to drive my 914 or 67' Mustang to work everyday, but it's not worth the risk of destroying a valuable car. Personally I hate new cars, to the point that I am fixing up a 1980 Volvo for a DD. I will still be PO'ed if some clown totals my car but at least it's just a Volvo that is mostly worthless.
Steve

If you are heart set on having a 914 as a DD, then make it a /4. Not worth risking an original /6. My .02

James, did you see this one? It is local.

914-6

T

The perfect daily driver.

Click to view attachment

Trevor,

Yes I did. I went up Sunday. Body was very rough. Did not look like a good foundation especially at 25K.

Thanks for the help.

James

It has been sudjested that the pic above is not the perfect Daily Driver.Click to view attachment

As difficult as this was to believe, I was willing to listen. Low and behold Race914

made a compelling arguement. So, here tonight, the new and improved 'Perfect

Daily Driver'...Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment

Click to view attachment

Man that is one sweet car I am actually surprised you pulled it off for 30K!

there you go if you can buy that car for 20K I say go for it! I would be interested to see what a car that nice would sell for. Some guy sold a gorgeous silver car that was about that quality for almost 30K not to long ago.

I would take that one just for the blonde

Yeah, it looked rough from the pictures. I would have expected more for 25k.

Keep looking, the right one will turn up.

T