How are us 914 owners viewed by the 911 owners? Are we looked down upon as glorified VW owners or accepted as Porsche owners? In other words, you meet a car guy and he owns a 911 and you mention you own a Porsche also. When he asks you what model, and you say a 914, is he going to look down his nose at you or accept you as an equal?

Depends on the 911 owner.

I got slammed on the 911 bird boards for having a Corvette. I came here to ask questions about fixing a friend's 914, and was accepted. So I hang out with 914 folks rather than 911 folks.

aaahhhhhhhh! these people are completly overrated! what is a REAL Porsche? it took years for the 356 crowd to accept the 911 as a Porsche,
there are alot of very cool 911 guys out there that don't even think down those lines, and then there are these guys who think they need to judge fellow Porsche drivers. dont even give them a platform, there are Porsches (914,924,944,928,boxter,cayenne,911 aircooled and watercooled)and weenies who just have no clue!
thats my 2cents

Back in 1970 there were discussions about not allowing owners of 914s to join PCA. That idea was squashed but the 914 was not very respected until it gained respect the old fashion way.......it earned it. And a little thanks go's out to the 924. Today I believed the 914 is respected by the majority of 911 owners. In fact, it's amazing how many 911 owners either have a 914 or wish they had one.

I'd be willing to bet that the 911 owner who bought, drives and enjoys their car simply for what it is - and that's how it should be - would take their first drive in a well sorted 914 and have a blast. People who love cars, love cars.

The type of person who takes 'status' as the main consideration when buying a car, and then immediately looks down their nose at what they consider 'lesser' vehicles, are pretty easy to spot and avoid. They tend to be dullards anyway. Not only will they happily crap on your 914, they'll be eager to show you their better watch, their bigger house, their impressive . . . .

Bottom line is, who care's? People who know, get it. Enjoy what you have and if that fades get something else.

two inch dick?

that's about the size of it . . . . compensating for something.

Yep, I figured that was where you were going with that train of thought.

This topic comes up from time to time, and it always amuses me.

Yeah, there was a very early PCA movement to have 914's banned. It failed. Remember, the "real"/356 Porsche owners had just gotten to realize that the 911 was somehting special. The comes the 912 amd 914/4 914/6 in rapis succession. Drove the old guys nuts!

VW-914! Must be trash, right. Well, we earned our respect by whipping the snot out of all of them in autocrosses. Suddenly, we became acceptable.

I remember flashing my fogs at 911's & 356's for 6 months before I got a flash back. That flash was from a dear departed bud, who opened his home to ALL Porsche derivatives.

I should also say that the second time I got a flash back from someone was a Cincy cop! Stopped me just to let me know that he had one too. Forgot his name.

We teeners have had our hard years early on. But we rule now.

FWIW - I had me 914 for a couple of years before I got my first 911. As much as I love my teener, it really can't compare to an early 911, or my '73 T. I love them both, yet they are so different.

I'd recommend that every 911 owner pony up for a 914.

Subtle high performance. Yeah baby!
Pat

Whenever someone asks what kind of Porsche I have and I say a "914", and the stock response is, "Oh, that's the one with the VW engine", with the implication that that's a bad thing. I always fired back that the first real Porsche, with the exception of the body and "frame", was assembled almost entirely with VW parts. After all Porsche designed the VW. And, if you follow the heritage, VW, 356, 911, 912, 914, 964, 993,996,997, etc., they all go back to the little VW Bug. I describe my 911 as a VW Bug on steroids. There are many similarities like heater boxes, adjustment shims for belt tensioning, air cooling, torsion bar suspension, horizontally opposed engine, etc.

The way I look at it I get the best of both worlds. I can enter my VW-Porsche in the special interest class at a VW show or as a Porsche at a Porsche show.

I've never really witnessed 911 owners looking down at the 914. I've had nothing but positive reinforcement throughout the 33 years of ownership of my car. I think anyone who has had negative feedback would have to chalk it up to that person not knowing the history behind the marque.

Dave

First thing they ask : Is it a six ?

[

First thing they ask : Is it a six ?
[/quote]
matter a fact it is ...AndI`ll bet I can put the smack down on you in the twisty`s lol..IMO nice cars are nice cars no matter the make or model and i think true car people dont care..Hell i even like a nice truck or bike,Quad ,drag car what ever,And dont forget the lastest thing RATROD`S Pretty much anything with a motor can be cool...........Dont like my car! ..Im ok with that cuzz your ugly..LMAO

I always get the thumbs up from 911 guys. Seems more like old vs. new to me.

[quote name='6freak' date='May 11 2009, 12:57 PM' post='1168152']
[

First thing they ask : Is it a six ?
[/quote]
matter a fact it is ...AndI`ll bet I can put the smack down on you in the twisty`s lol..IMO nice cars are nice cars no matter the make or model and i think true car people dont care..Hell i even like a nice truck or bike,Quad ,drag car what ever,And dont forget the lastest thing RATROD`S Pretty much anything with a motor can be cool...........Dont like my car! ..Im ok with that cuzz your ugly..LMAO
[/quote]
I have to agree with you 100%! I cut my teeth on hypo MoPar, which I dragged every weekend. Constantly beaten by 327 Chevies, which I love. Regualarly beaten by Ford heavies on the street, which I love. Wanted a 240Z, came in in the wrong color. Almost bought a cool TR6 from the Porsche dealer before the 914. Any car that triggers the emotion behind the wheel.

Your "ugly" comment reminds me of a fridge magnet I have from the 70's.

"I may be fat, but you're ugly and I can go on a diet".
Pat

[quote name='Pat Garvey' date='May 11 2009, 06:16 PM' post='1168302']
[quote name='6freak' date='May 11 2009, 12:57 PM' post='1168152']
[

First thing they ask : Is it a six ?
[/quote]
matter a fact it is ...AndI`ll bet I can put the smack down on you in the twisty`s lol..IMO nice cars are nice cars no matter the make or model and i think true car people dont care..Hell i even like a nice truck or bike,Quad ,drag car what ever,And dont forget the lastest thing RATROD`S Pretty much anything with a motor can be cool...........Dont like my car! ..Im ok with that cuzz your ugly..LMAO
[/quote]
I have to agree with you 100%! I cut my teeth on hypo MoPar, which I dragged every weekend. Constantly beaten by 327 Chevies, which I love. Regualarly beaten by Ford heavies on the street, which I love. Wanted a 240Z, came in in the wrong color. Almost bought a cool TR6 from the Porsche dealer before the 914. Any car that triggers the emotion behind the wheel.

Your "ugly" comment reminds me of a fridge magnet I have from the 70's.

"I may be fat, but you're ugly and I can go on a diet".
Pat
[/quote]

I work with a guy that has a TR6 and the things just a peach.Maroon in color with mini lites Man what a cool car..but ya real car guys dont care what it is

I think it's pathetic when anybody wastes their time saying things like "that's not a real Porsche" etc...what a sad, empty life they must have.

Am I the only one like cars for what they are, not what they mean? I've had 4 different Porsche models now and haven't spent 1 second worrying about what others thought of me or what I'm driving. I like the driving experience and would if it had any other emblem on the back:)

100%
The second you start worrying what other people think, you become one of those 'other people'

Other people think? I learn something new every day!

I don't think it matters what a car is as long as it resonates with you. You should drive what you like, and not care if others agree. Besides, if they don't agree they are most likely wrong ;-)

Enthusiasts are enthusiasts. A lot of 911 owners (Porsche enthusiasts) love 914's. In fact I'd wager they like 930 turbos as much as 40hp beetles.

It all breaks down to this:

911 owners who are DRIVERS respect the 914 (its a real Porsche)
911 owners at the wine and cheese mixer who are SNOBS need a smuck to stand on (the 914).

When I was in the local PCA club at events I'd get asked, "so what do you drive?", I'd tell 'em - A 914 - best way to seperate the kind of people I want to hang out with (and I had a polar silver, LSD, special order 993 the whole time)!

914s Rule.

I would actually say that there is a giant difference just between the "garage" 914 owners and the "originality and history" owners. Seems that the originality and history owners are much more concerned with preserving the 914 marque and have much more intelligence, class, and character, than the guys in the garage.

On the other hand there is a totally different crowd on the Ford GT Forum AMAZINGLY different.

Bottom line the type of car one owns and how they treat it more often than not helps define ones character

Actually, I think the "garage" owners are just better autocross drivers than we are.
As for 911 drivers, I think many now accept the 914 as a classic. Certainly the pre "SC" owners tend to appreciate the Teener.

Personally I do not care what 911 owners think of either of my cars.

I remember 356 owners advising anyone who'd listen to snap up a 356C or SC as they would be the last real Porsches once the 911 was in showrooms. They also looked down on the 356 Speedster as "entry level."

And 993 owners saying the same about the last real Porsches (with air cooled engines) before 996s hit the market..

As far as 914s, as some have said: they kick butt at local and National PCA events. Including last few Parades. And Charlotte Parade TTOD was a -4, not the usual -6.

"He who laughs last laughs best" - to coin an expression.

Speaking for myself, I appreciate the teeners. I had access to a '74 2.0 for 6 months while I was doing a clutch job that expanded into a whole lot of "while you're in there" problems and I came to appreciate its handling on twisty forest and mountain roads near my house.

When I joined the PCA in 1988 I was worried about the reception my 914 would get. It turned out most of the 911 guys had 914s as their track car. It seemed most people were into racing and driving their cars to the limit. When I belonged to the Classic Mustang club they were all a bunch of trailer queens and were offended by any modifications. Give me PCA any day.

Just so you all know, REAL 911s have a short wheelbase and 6 digit VINs. All others are poseur junk, and I sneer at 'em. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it ..............

The Cap'n

...when I joined PCA in 1993, I had a 73 914 and a 72 911. Didn't care about if they looked down their nose because I had a 914 or the fact that I didn't have an 911S. The club was filled with guys with money. They bought their cars and automatically became the elite BS crowd.
I almost joined the PCA club in California in 1973, but backed out because the club was full of 356 conv D, speedster and coupe owners. Talk about assholes. During one of their discussions of how the 914 wasn't a Porsche, I asked the biggest asshole, would he like to own Porsche's No. 1 mid-ship, and what about Porsche's Type 64? He said hell yeah. How about those Max Hoffman cars, I asked. Then I proceeded to ask who made the suspension, transmissions and components of those cars. He tried to say Porsche, then I let him know who really made the components. I then asked that after Porsche no. 1, what was the next mid-ship Porsche car? He answered with "the 550." What came after that, I asked. He didn't know. I stated the following the 550, 550A, RSK 718, RS60, RS61, kangaroo hillclimb car, 904, 906, 907, 909, 910, 908, 908LH, 914, 914/6, 908/2, 908/3, 916, 917, 917LH, 917K........do you have a mid-ship Porsche?
Oh, you have one of those ass draggers, like the VW. Don't feel so bad. The guy who designed your engine also redesigned the two liter in the 914/4, and of course the 2.0 liter six in the 914/6. The 550 had a 1100 cc motor and the 356 had a push-rod 1600, sounds like a VW to me. By the way, the same guy was the father of both.
If you think 356 guys are bad, try the Morgan owners. When I lived in San Bernardino, I owned a 59 Triumph TR-3, 1991 cc, w/center hub wires, front disc brakes and overdrive. The TR-3 and the 914 guys ran head to head in the SCCA races. I also ran against the Morgan owners. They really have their heads up their asses. Couldn't stand them.
I didn't join PCA until twenty years later.
There's always some asshole with more money than brains. One of them in my club, still can't drive his car correctly. He should have bought a Buick.
I say don't worry about what others think...join the club for your own benefit and enjoyment, screw everyone else. If you don't like the guys in the PCA, join POC, or any local sport car club.

I see your sneer and raise a scowl

1967 SWB

Click to view attachment

I have a funny looking kid. If he's not welcome, screw them, I leave. I have a funny looking car. If it's not welcome, screw them I leave. I don't want to hang out with jerks like that anyway. Almost every single 914 owner that I've ever met is super cool. Not necessarily true of the 911 owners that I've met. Our cars do seem to be gaining more widespread acceptance from any other Porsche owners and also from a wider variety of old car enthusiasts from what I've seen, but none of them will ever love us at the track. I guess it's the part where we kick their asses for 1/4th the money. They all hate that part.

The "is it really a Porsche" references in this thread got me wondering...what main parts of my 1974 914-4 2.0 are soley a Porsche design vs. VW? Are any parts considered a "dual" design? What parts are strictly VW?

Is the 2.0 engine all Porsche?

By the way, a 911 waved at me today. Always nice to feel accepted-eh eh.
Thanks
Steve

I agree about what others think. I am what I am.

1973 - I had just joined SCCA & PCA. Couldn't seem to make it hit with the SCCA guys. OK guys, but they were mostly brit car guys. Went to my first SCCA auto-x, as an observer. Met a fellow there named Pete Peters, who was also PCA & had a brand new 73 S. Wasn't doing well in the auto-x (he was 63), but kept expounding the virtues of the 914 - "just needs 25 more hp".

We left to auto-x together & he took me 25 miles away to meet a fellow named Bud West, who hd a Speedster, 67 S, and a Cab. The 3 of us hit it off & they both became my mentor. Bud was concours. Pete was balls-out, scary.

Both of them introduced me to the local PCA'ers. I made friends instantly & still have most of them. Sadly, I lost Pete and Bud some time ago, but the others keep me going, even though I'm now 600 miles away.

Through the years (before I moved tp PA), I did everything in PCA. Name a position, I filled it - usually 2 times or more. In that time, I was never "dissed" by 356 or 911 people. In fact, just the opposite. I suspect it was because of my total involvement with the Club, though I know of no 914 owner from that period that was treated negatively. Oh sure, there were the occasional 911 owners ("new") who dissed anything other than a 911, but they came & went. There will always be snobs, but they belong at the country club, not in a real Club.
Pat

Sorry Mike, think that one's already taken.

Transmission is 100% Porsche. Thats about it.

Everything else was a combo between VW and Porsche with VW giving most of the parts and Karmann building the body.

On the /6, it is a very different story. Engine, tranny, suspension, wheels and brakes are all Porsche.


But - who cares? In the US it was sold as a Porsche. That is what is on your title. That is what your VIN indicates. So, that is what it is.

Zach

Just thought I would share a little 914 bashing that I had experienced.

I've been given some lumps from co-workers (actually managers) about the lowly 914. I work with a bunch of muscle car heads!!! I think it was two years ago during a Monday morning meeting, one of the directors had just purchased a brand new Shelby 500 Mustang, He was bragging (claiming) that its the biggest american mass produced motor and that he could beat anything out there. Well of course he looks over at me and says he would blow me out of the water. I've never bragged nor dominated any car conversation at work regarding my car but he has it out for me because I tend to give him a bad time cause he looks a little like "Elmer Fudd" . Anyways, so he calls my car a "wanna be Porsche" and a bunch of other names. So I call his Mustang a glorified Ford Falcon which pisses him off so he challenges me to a race! He actually wanted to race me for pinks! Then another director informs me that the truth about the 914 is that due to bad sales, Porsche and Volkswagen pulled the vw/porsche tag and put just a Porsche tag on it.

I don't give a damn what it's called! I love my little car and she keeps me happy.

P.S. I took the challenge for the race, which everyone at work thought I was crazy. Two days later he calls me to his office and tells me that he did some research on the 914 and I'd have to be crazy to race for pinks if I only had a 2liter in it. So he assumed I had some kind of Turbo 250HP motor and at half the weight of his Mustang that I could probably beat him. So he called a draw. The legend of the 914 strikes again! I would have raced him, but on the windiest mountain road in southern oregon! Plus I know his wife wouldn't let him, Since she is the one that actually drives it. He's never driven it to work. he can't reach the peddles!!!

Amazingly each show i goto, it seems the 914's are more and more welcomed by Porsche club members. Alot of the club members with their 356's, 911s, etc., had 914's in the past. Seems these little guys are finally being appreciated. Never once did I get any condesending remarks from the club members. Always a person at show (that doesn't have a car they are showing), seems to slip in a snide comment.

Don't get me wrong here, I absolutely love early 911s. They are as deep into my persona as 914's, but I've only owned ONE 914.

Back in my days of autocrossing/drivers' schools, when I still had eye/hand coordination, I loved to drive the underdogs. My first 911 was a Sporto E (1970). Easy to autocross, with plenty of power when needed. Next was the 72 914 (which I still own). Fun as hell, though my wife Janice brutally beat me many times. Must have done at least 50 auto-x's with a concours 914. Next came an 86 GTI - best autocross car ever (in my humble opinion). Whipped the snot out of plenty of 914's, with te outside trailing rear wheel 18 inches in the air - what a blast! Then came the lowly 76 924......Way down on power, but a wonderful auto-x'er for its day.

Do I go for the underdogs?
Pat

ps: my 73 911T has never been autocrossed - what's with that?

I get the same reaction when I tell people I have a Cayman S. The thing is the people who have a 911 to drive don't say anything bad, the ones who have a 911 for the show ask why I could not afford a 911. I did not really want one. And I have seen a lot of magazine interviews with race car drivers what new car they want a lot say a Cayman. I have fun in my Cayman and will have fun in my 914 when I get it on the road.
PS the first 356 did have a mid engine, they went with the rear as it was cheaper.

Why you would care says more about you than however "they" behave.

They didnt like it much at parade when my 40 year old 914 spanked there new 997,993,911,930,ABS, traction controled,padelshift`n AWD 300+ H.P wine and chesse hauler`s and so on ...Maybe there just to old and slow! but they do make good drinks

The economics is what drove me (no pun intended) to the 914. In 1975 I had a 4 year old 914 for 2000 dollars. That's about 8000 now. And I got in on all the excitement of the PCA events and shows (I even saw Dave Cheek's 914 back in the 80's when I switched to NNJR region!). I was in college.

What Porsche can you buy for 8000 that gets in on the excitement today? It's STILL the 914! But all of the other cars are simply out of reach. Going to the Parade this year was fun, but the "entry fee" for a car purchase is way, way above what it was in the past.

I think the "social status" thing is so overblown. Guys who own the cars today (not the 914) are much more likely not to work on them and the cost of ownership is out of the reach of so many people. That leads to continued snobbery.

Paul

The social status thing is a joke. As others posted here, Porsche was not always as "upmarket" as now.

Once it was apparently just good engineering and quality product for a somewhat reasonable price I hear.

I am 27, so I grew up during the 80's BMW/Porsche/Audi upmarket craze. The window sticker for my 87 325e was 24,000$ or so if I recall correctly? Nevermind i purchased the car at 13 years old for 500$