So after seeing this original 916 floating around club sites and the general web and loving it, I keep wondering if I should go to the next level with mine and make it look more like a 916 since it already has the steel roof? Any thoughts?

Mine as it pretty much sits now, original color is Alaska Blue Met. It was painted a slightly darker varation from that, but the trunks and door jams are still alaska blue.

Dan,
I would be sorely tempted to do just that! You are already close to being there now. If you decide you are, I have the 916 front and rear bumpers I got from camp 914 a couple of years ago and have not used them yet.They are in great shape, came off of that low mileage car at camp with 33K miles. They are the wrong color tho'.
Tom

M-471

I would re-shoot the car as a whole anyway. Speaking of, I have steel bumpers with brand NEW tops on them. It would be a good trade for someone looking for nice bumpers. I would have to be certain the 916 bumpers were of good quality though and for a flared car.

get er done!!!!

I like it the way it looks now. Great job!

STEP AWAY FROM THE CLUTCH!

So I voted no, but after seeing the picture of that car I say do it. I know you would do it right. Many of the 914s that I have seen with the 916 bumpers are not fit properly and look like chit. You'd make it look good

Just do it!

But paint it silver I love silver 914s.

I think that this isn't a matter of "if you should or shouldn't" make a change. If the end product is right or wrong doesn't matter. We're not talking about a one of a kind car that is important to the history of Porsche. This should be about if you want to do the work. It should be about the love of the labor and the desire to be part of the process of evolving the car. Even if your hiring somebody to do part or all the work, you need to enjoy the management of the project.

I think you should go for it! Do it to the best standard you can and have a blast in the process. If you aren't happy with the finished project, change it again, but don't look at what you did as a mistake, because you did it for the love of the effort.

I'm thinking he'll be able to handle hanging the bumpers.

Rare 916 option - owner installed

there i fixed it fer ya!

I would go the GT way, not the 916. I hate the 916 face.

Did you just weld the targa top on or did some cars come with a steel roof? What size wheel/tire combo do you have? Also I had noticed the difference in front bumpers but someone tell me what years had what? I have a 75 which does not have a bumper like yours but it seems that some of the early cars have bumpers like yours.

Mike

I like your car's styling just as it is now.

take a trip to see george at auto atlanta, he's got about every version of 914 imported to the US.

the 916 was a factory prototype car that had a steel roof, it was not removable.

I like it as it is now but if you do go in that direction Im looking for the front
painted steel bumper.

Hey....that's my car !! Color is probably Phoenix Red.

I always wonder what my car looked like with that setup...probably pretty cool..

hijack over....

I like the comments coming in, thanks dudes. I really like the balck trim work on 914's. Sounds like I might just leave it as is. I was just thinking that with the steel roof this is a 914 that SHOULD have all the 916 stuff on it. Idunno

do it! DO IT!

I agree... Go for it

Having hung around a buncha industrial design guys (AKA those guys who make swoopy shapes for cars and other products) that front end is well liked and respected......

For those that don't like it..........

Iffin I had unlimited funds, that 916 would be mine.

Now, what can you do about a pumpkin colored leather interior????????
Ken

I have seen cars with the 916 rear. That is very cool!

no vote box for chrome bumpers. needs a little shine. i vote chrome bumpers. 72- on the front, 73- on the rear. body color match on the rockers and valances,

k

I agree, I have always liked the black rockers over body colored.

I leave the shinny parts for my stupid beetle.

I think your car would be the perfect candidate for this Dan. With you doing the work I know the fit would be perfect. I would go all the way if you were to do so though. Everything painted to match looks very nice on the example picture. Having had a 916 rear before I do not like them as well as the regular. They get in the way when you are trying to get under the car when you don't have a lift.

That being said... Your car looks great the way it is. If you're just itching to shoot a car you could do mine

Plan on about 10 hours of fitment and glass work to get it to mate up. Usually they are not an easy fit.

From the man who owns an original 916, I wouldn't I think that the GT is much more attractive and retains the original beautiful 914 look (especially when chrome bumpers are installed) Plus the steel roof (very expensive to make) ruins the convertible fun of the 914 (although dramatically stiffens the shell!)

Dan , I still have the rear if you go the 916 route.

What are you saying? I don't get what that first sentance is trying to say and the rest follows off of that. Soooo

Jeff, do you mean "the" rear with the correct paint on it?

Jeff, is it the one from my 914? If so, maybe I should come snag it from you just to put it back on and have a look-see at the car?

don't do it!

Would you still say that if he already had a steel top on the car?

ya that one.

He's saying he owns a 916 and likes the looks and appeal of a GT better. Probably didn't realize Root already welded the roof on.

Leave it, looks perfect the way it is

Wow! It's a total 50/50 on the votes as of this post. Goes to show it's all about taste and what people like. Thanks agian everyone for the input. I know I want to take the car back appart so it can be painted as a whole. I think I am leaning more towards leaving as is. Moving to fiberglass bumpers pretty much eliminates any bumper protection (what little 914's have anyway). Plus I do like the way the black breaks up the 914 body. So I guess I'll sort of move towards the current look of the M471 which means not much will change. I do think I'll get it back to it's original Alaska Blue Met though. I love the color and it looked good on the car 11 years ago when I first bought it.

Thanks again everyone for the input.

I voted no because I hate the 916 front bumper. However, I love the rear. That being said, it is your car, so do what you want. You clearly have the skills to make it anything you want it to be. I think it looks fantastic the way it is (wish mine looked like that now). I like chrome bumpers and body-colored rockers and valances, but it is clear from the responses above that not everyone feels that way. I may change my mind after I get it back from the paint shop. As someone previously stated, you do not own a vital piece of Porsche history, so do with it what you please and enjoy it.

Go to the home page and look at the the car of the month, looks good to me.

916s look stupid.....the front and rear bumpers are hideous...

Click to view attachment


Paint the bumpers body color as well as the rockers.....

Did you try the 914 configurator ?

http://club914.fr/914blueprint.swf

Have a try !!!

On the plus side, it will help out with driveways and street driving. I like the look of the 916. I also like the stock front and the 916 rear.

plus 2 for chrome bumpers. we're the deciding votes. i vote chrome and make half of the decission. one more and it's chrome. don't sell your chrome bumper and tops. you'll regret it later.

k

75/76 bumpers

Hey that car looks familiar! I never did see a picture of it with the BUB's and flares. Kinda looks cool. I have even thought about going back to those since it is a 76' and they do protect the car even more. But shoot, isn't that like another 75lbs added back to the car?

I have heard that they are even more... I could just be crazy.

My rear bumper weighed at least 40lbs. With all the hardware it is definitely more. The look is not bad on my yellow car but I only keep them due to my paranoia with getting bumped in parking lots.