Here is the deal; my parents are buying me out of my ownership in my 914. Don’t worry it’ll still be a family keeper. It will be paying toward my newly purchased daily driver… 2000 Subaru impreza  … I’m asking for a HONEST estimate on what you think my 914 is worth in today’s market (what you would pay if you seriously wanted to purchase it). I realize prices may be considerably different than a couple years ago, so please read over, and THEN click the survey on your guesstimate. Here we go………

1973 PORSCHE 914

CAR HISTORY
As far as I can find out, I’m the 3rd owner of this 99% rust free 914. The 1st owner was reportedly a car collector in Napa, I purchased from the 2nd owner 4 years ago. It had the original signal orange paint and was accident free. Unfortunately an accident happened. It bent the bumper (which was replaced and rechromed), fender and nose received damage. The original rust free steel was professionally re-worked and fixed, and a complete quality base coat/clear coat (with zinc primer) was applied. The 2 stage paint was to the factory code. Everything we have done, and as far I can tell, all the previous owners have done, has been quality repairs. From what I know, this car was a very well optioned 914. it was originally a 1.7 but its been converted to the 2056 with modified 2.0 Djet injection.----this car was one of the first thousand 1973 models. (slated for Europe but imported to California due to demand) to know more about the car in detail click the links below…

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...c=67816&hl=

Here is a link to a past 914worldpost (May 2005) of the accident and insurance repair.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...c=42614&hl=

Award winning car of the year for local paper, w/ a few outstanding entries at car shows

THE GOOD:

*Recent quality repaint. Fenders rolled for clearance previous to paint, zinc primer (future rust inhibitor)
*Recent falken directional tires (about 200 miles on them) 205x60x15 on western 15x5.5 rims
*Recent brakes (about 300)
*Recent clutch (about 300 miles)
*Interior (unmolested/very clean mostly stock interior w/ original blaupunct am/fm radio,
*Upgraded to duel cht gauge in console
*Koni red shocks all the way around
*Front sway o.e.m. sway bar
*Fuel pump re-located to front/ steal fuel line conversion
*Optima red top BRAND NEW dry cell battery
*00 gauge battery cables
*Headlight bulbs and all exterior bulbs replaced, European lenses front and rear
*Original tool kit bag and a few tools
*Stainless steel exhaust manifolds
edit:* has 2 way paging alarm

THE BAD:

*Engine (d-jet/tune) needs final drivability tweaking
*One rear transmission mount needs replacing (clunking)
*Driver door window has fallen inside (off track?) and driver door doesn’t unlock from key
*Radio is original but does not function
*Non original power antenna loose, could be replaced or new o.e.m. installed
*Oil temp. gauge in console needs to be mounted/completed.
*Speedometer cable needs lubed
*Install wipers/arms on car
*Secure battery
*Straighten up engine hose/component routing


MOTOR
Brand new 2056 complete rebuild
2056 ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS: http://www.aircooledtechnology.com/cylinderheads.htm
71mm stroke x 96mm bore
- Len Huffman prepared .039 2.0 Porsche http://www.haminc.biz/vw/type4.shtml
- relocated and sized spark plug
- valve 42x36 mm
- improved seat material and machining process
- 55 cc combustion chamber volume
- chromoly retainers
- stainless steel valves
- h.d. lightened valve springs
- case
- 2.0 “GA” case
- line bored (0.50mm) .020
- balanced rotating assembly
- all 4 rods/bearings and nuts balanced
- lightened flywheel
- 2.0 crank turned (0.25mm) 0.10 main, (0.25mm) 0.010 rod, std. thrust and micro polished
- 5 dowel pinned flywheel to crank
- oil galleys drilled/tapped
- 96mm 5.675 cc dished pistons, balanced
- Jake raby RAT 9550 cam/cam gear and matched parkerized lifters set
- modified D-jet fuel injection, - M.P.S. recalibrated by bleyseng. - .74@15hg, 1.23 @4hg, 1.41@ W.O.T.
- 1975 2.0 ecm “052”
- pertronix electronic ignition/flame thrower coil
- spark plugs NGK paret # 2598 (NGK DPR8EA-9)
- 1.7 stainless steel exhaust/monza muffler or header & glass pack
- estimated 110-120 H.P.


EXTRAS
Secondary Header and muffler
Porsche center reflector
Genuine real Germany license plate (already installed)
Original 1.7 engine with dropped seat


thanks for you guys time, you probably know more about my car now than me!

kenny
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Fix the few non-functioning items and you will pick up $3000 more. Funny how fickle folks are about non-working doors, windows, radios. In the back of their mind is the fear of a deeper running cancer in the vehicle. So its got to look nice, drive nice, and work nice.

Without fixing the "bads," you severely limit your potential buyership, especially in this market. Having sold quite a few cars, I can tell you with absolute certainty that small things can make or break a sale...and they definitely mean the difference between good money and top money.

My vote in the poll is for the car AS-IS.

Good luck.

It's a very nice example, but has so many non-original items, and "bads" that they will hurt the value. The motor is actually sounding good to me (a purist), but that moonroof is a BIG downer!

I'd fix the easy stuff & definitely find a new roof. Your 914 "could" command a decent price, if it were even close to whole. I'd lose the rear "wing" too. Has no function, except to detract from the value.
Nice, nonetheless!

I didn't read who assembled the motor. Your car might be a nice one if the problems are fixed. Only when it is running good will it really be worth a nice car price. I get the idea your parents are bailing you out so they will be stuck with trying to get the problems fixed and that will run the cost up. Until the car can be driven and it's performance determined it may not be worth more than 4500 to 5 k unless it's someone close that knows more than the average reader. I'm guessing you have way more than that in it. I'm sorry it seems to be a nice car but it still needs more work and money spent on it. A fair price to your parents is not a fair question. It really sounds like they are going to store it for you and give you some money for a reliable driver.

The motor is worth 5k. possibly a bit more...maybe 6k due to the extra headwork.
The body and all the work you have done...

Total, I would say 8-9k at this point, but that is with YOU fixing all the little stuff.
Get up out of your chair, walk away from the computer and fix up the window...that is one hour.
Radio...leave it.
Speedo cable, sorry you need a new one, lube wont fix it.
Wiper arms, 30 minutes
Antenna, 30 minutes.

I can go on.
Get up, spend the weekend doing all the little projects, dont go out on a date, do find a reason to do something else...just finish up all the little stuff.
If I recall, I spoke with you and your Dad a long time ago when you had your original valve issues.
Your dad is a great guy for building this car with you and getting it this far. Dont let him down by walking away with your tail between your legs, walk away proud.
Finish it, clean it up, fix all the annoying little things.
Let your Dad get it running right...that may take time.

Rich

thanks, pat, knowing alittle of your 914 past adds alot of weight.
the non orig. spoiler was installed by a p.o., we really liked it so at repaint we opted to keep it on. the moonrof is a spare from a past parts car (i don't usually have it on).

we try to be fairly maticulus (sp?) and watch for the smallest details on the "running" to do list. i plan on finalizing all them.

p.s. this is kenny's dad responding

mike




aside from the local porsche repair shop who pulled and installed the engine, i walked both my wife and kenny through the year long 2056 build after 6 mo.'s of accumulating parts. i used to restore shelbys, repaired and built many an engine professionally. some local teeners out here know i am a 6 year quadrapeligic after a motorcycle accident. the engine took along time but it worked out well after a few issuues and everyone learned alot. the engine is just being broke in and runs very cool, strong and quite. i probably overstated the "bad" issues but wanted to be thourough.

yeah i guess we are bailing kenny out abit, but he's a hard working, good kid (most of the time ). we've always had him buy/support/insure his own vehicles since his 1st 914 @ age 13 (with paper route $). the wife always liked the 914 since h.s., that and not being a practical 18 year olds d.d. we'll be keeping it and hoping to make the 09 WCR with it... maybe... ,if completed (the door glass) and we russle up some local "experianced" drivers for him to drive with by then

mike

thanks, rich, yup we have about 5K in the engine parts alone, you know how it goes you do one thing then must do the next... i think kenny knows about every bolt on these go carts after stripping 3 parts cars... which by the way i have a post listed selling a shop full of everything 914 for cheap. we're keeping a few essentials related to the 73 but everything else is going... cheap

mike

Me and my sons wrecked at least two cars starting out. I would much rather see him wreck a honda, toyota, or suby than a 914 you'all have worked on together so hard. He will feel terrible if it gets wrecked I'm sure.

I lucked out very much with my younger son on one of his wrecks. He had borrowed my 80 int. scout II and got t-boned pulling out on the hwy by our house. One of our neighbors was setting on the shoulder talking on his damn phone before turning on our street. My son pulled up and checked for oncoming traffic and counted three cars coming (trying to see around the truck on the shoulder) and as they passed he proceeded to pull out and there was a fourth car and it hit him in the driver door. He could drive the scout home but it was totaled. He would have been in a 88 fiero gt but the clutch slave was leaking and I let him borrow my huntin wagon to go out. He probably would not have survived in the fiero, the on coming car was probably traveling 65 mph and didn't get much time to stop.

thats what started this in the first place . through a series of bad decisions he put his dd civic dirty side up, on the freway no less. he was very lucky and of the four only one got three stiches

mike

Sorry Mike but I put it toward the upper end of the scale. Keep in mind that up in the frozen north a '95% rust free' 914 is a really rare commodity. I also put the higher end price on it knowing that I would have to get it from Cali to here. I assumed that it would be drivable enough that I could drive it not ship it.

I know you are not actually going to sell it but the bottom line for me is that I couldn't afford it. Also could not afford the impact on my marriage that another 914 would bring

Kenny - (voice of father of 3 young adult men engaged) For God's sake pay attention out there! Your folks don't want to be picking you up at the morgue.

oh BTW. The window problem is most likely a failure of the clamp at the bottom of window that holds it to the crank. Easy fix - no more than an afternoon. Door opening is the same but you will need a replacement cam - cheap.

no problem, cars hold different values, different places. thats possibly one reason why the big range on the survey.

i figured previous to this post we were probably sitting at $6500. the average so far (without the "above"/"below") was just a couple hundred below that. we both sat down and wrote the goods and bads so to represent as acurate/unbiased discription. what it would acually sell for, to put this in another owners hands. if the estimated value is say 6500 but you can't sell it at that then it really isn't 6500.

that said i'd probably base the $6500 a fair estimate so far.

your probably right about the window. the bolt that holds the bottom tab for the runner was noted missing not to long ago. we replaced one cam years ago but it must've been the pass. side. but will that cause the key to still be able to "lock it"? anyone have a spare cam layng around? i'll check aa or somewhere, they shouldn't be hard to find.

mike

Market value in this economy needs to be adjusted by at least 25 percent. I saw a 2003 Mercedes 500Sl with 10,000 miles this weekend and the seller is debating on dumping it for $30,000. The car is loaded, the miles are so low the car is like new. It should be going for at least $40,000, but the slow market. Crap, with stock at 10 percent of last years values car prices are surely going to fall some more this month.

While 914s can lose their practical value at certain points in your life, there are likely many people who let their 914s go and later regret it.

Whatever the value, keep the car close. There seems to be a lot of YOU in this car which makes its value more to you than anything else.

Nice looking car.

I'm not sure if you got any help on establishing a fair value. One - you are asking a biased group. Two - look at the wide range of responses - there is no consensus (probably because the high and low end are not real buyers).

Maybe you can look at comparables of sold vehicles, or post it for sale. At the point you get any genuine interest(inquires) is probably market value (+/- 1k).

Rich is dead one here! You have the car done with just little more effort you can command over ten grand. Your not selling a concourse 914 (so don't worry what the concourse buyers say.) but a sweet 914 with some very nice improvements, as he said the engine alone is worth as much as a basic starter 914.. You have actually nothing left complicated to do or really even expensive, 1 weekend maybe 2 if your not in a hurry.. After all you have done you should finish off the basics..

thats funny this thread would rear up again since it's initial posting in feb. last year. heres what has happened since i initially posted this a year ago...

kenny has dug himself into the typical 19 year old's debt. ditch on not only this car but other things, don't get me wrong he's a good kid, responsible, hard working, sooo... we were JUST back into talking this over and will basically buy him out, setting money matters straight. he has his d.d. suby so he'd be debt free, lessons learned and starting school

we'll never get rid of the car (he knows that) and he has the option of buying it back when he can afford it some day. just trying to do whats right for us all (not to mention keeping the 914 alive from a teenager!)

by the way we went through ALL the "little" things on the 73', installed a c/d, paging alarm, dry cell battery. it's a turn key driver now.

what does everyone think of establishing a $8000 value on it for the above mentioned negotiations???

$6500- 7000. This is a pretty solid car, and a great engine kit. I selected thid price knowing that you are keeping it in the family, therefore foregoing taking care of the small "bads". I would be ready to shell out at least 6K for the state it is in now AT LEAST. I think the overall pole reflects this price range too.

oops just read the pevios post. Ok in that case 7000-7500