percentage and heritage, vw/porsche Options

[TROJANMAN]

what percentage of a stock 914-4 are volkswagen parts?

[redshift]

hahahahaha

99.9



M

[ArtechnikA]

all but the letters on the engine grille, horn pad, and owners' manual...

[lapuwali]

The question is ultimately fairly meaningless. What percentage of VW parts are Porsche designed? One could make the argument that the basic Type I is a Porsche design, and since the Type II, III, and IV are all derived from the Type I, one could argue that every air-cooled VW ever made has Porsche fingerprints all over it.

People who get uppity about the whole VW v. Porsche issue need to get a life. Each owes a lot to the other, and each has managed to screw the other in one way or another over the years. Family, in other words...There would have been no VW w/o Porsche (the man, not the company). There would have been no Porsche (the car, not the man) w/o VW.

The one part that really makes a 914 a 914 is the chassis, and it was made by Karmann, presumably to a Porsche design. The engine and electrics are all either VW or unique to the car. The front suspension is basically Porsche with some VW elements (the integrated front hubs/rotors look very like Type III parts). The rear suspension is unique to the 914. The gearbox is all Porsche.

[TROJANMAN]

wasn't getting uppity, was just curious. another related thread, posted earlier today made me ask. funny thing is: when people ask me about what kind of car i have, i always answer "914", never porsche. i guess i identify myself as owning a "914" b/c it truly is in a class of its own. i think it is related to both companies, but there really isn't anything else like it from either company.

[davep]

Less than 50% VW. The whole body is Porsche as is the transmission, plus front and rear suspension. Rear brakes are Porsche. Front brakes and much of the engine is VW. Door striker plates, window winder handles a coupe of switches and the tool kit are also VW. Add in a couple of decals, and few nuts and bolts. Most of the car is unique unto itself. I'd be surprised if 25% were VW. Just most of the engine and a few pidley bits. If it was a 914 2.0 then about half the engine.

[ArtechnikA]

QUOTE (davep @ Oct 11 2005, 07:20 PM)

Less than 50% VW.

well - to the extent that half Porsche production came to North America, where they were badged as Porsches, and the other half went to the rest of the world, where 914's were sold as VW's*...

{ :-) }

___________
* in most of those countries with "VW-Porsche" emblems, so there's another argument for 50% i suppose.

(and no, i don't care. it is what it is...)

[airsix]

The percentage that is Porsche decreases over the life of the vehicle since the VW parts are either plated or plastic and don't rust away like the parts that are Porsche. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif)

-Ben M.

[Eric_Shea]

Porsche got the design from another firm. It was originally intended to be a front engine car. They adapted it to mid-engine.

Porsche 001 was made from 100% VW parts.

[lapuwali]

QUOTE (Eric_Shea @ Oct 11 2005, 05:59 PM)

Porsche got the design from another firm. It was originally intended to be a front engine car. They adapted it to mid-engine. Porsche 001 was made from 100% VW parts.

Well, except for the hand-hammered aluminum bodywork...

[Hammy]

Not saying that this was the main point of the post but

I don't see why people get so pissy about the VW or Porsche thing. To me they both made great (now) classic cars. I couldn't really care less if the car was 100% Porsche or VW, because I still appreciate them both... I smile and stare just as much everytime I see an old bus or Ghia or squareback etc. as when I see a 911 or a 912, 914 and so on..

[MattR]

100%


happy? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[TROJANMAN]

QUOTE (MattR @ Oct 11 2005, 06:16 PM)

100% happy? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

yes.
i'd rather drive a top of the line volkswagen than a poor man's porsche. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/lol2.gif)

i really was only asking out of curiosity. i could give a damn either way. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/finger.gif)

[BMartin914]

I'm actually more intrigued by old VWs than I am about old Porsches (barring 904s, 916s, 908/3s, you know...).

I love old notchbacks, squarebacks and fastbacks. Rare and VERY cool (IMO). I'd pick up an old notchback if I could afford it in an instant.

[TROJANMAN]

QUOTE (BMartin914 @ Oct 11 2005, 06:48 PM)

I love old notchbacks, squarebacks and fastbacks. Rare and VERY cool (IMO). I'd pick up an old notchback if I could afford it in an instant.

except they cost more than your (our) 914 (s). (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif)

[BMartin914]

Yeah, I know...

Unless it's a rust bucket. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/chairfall.gif)

[lapuwali]

Notchbacks, maybe. Squarebacks are readily available in the SF Bay Area for $2500 in nice shape, and sometimes quite a bit less.

[bd1308]

if ya'll see a Square back for less than 2500 hit me up.....

[bottomend]

Adding fuel to fire;

I just pulled out my 901 tranny and it had a nice little VW stamp on it...

[ArtechnikA]

QUOTE (Hammy @ Oct 11 2005, 10:10 PM)

I don't see why people get so pissy about the VW or Porsche thing.

1) there are people who will be pissy about anything.
2) there's a big difference between making sure that the historical data is presented accurately and believing that any of it matters as regards the resultant car.

IOW - one is just factual, the other is a value judgement.

it *might* have made a difference, 35 years ago, when it seemed pretty clear that the 914/4 was badged as a Porsche in North America because Porsche desperately needed a replacement for the obsolete 912 entry-level car. (also not a value judgement - i owned a 912 and liked it.)

and in 1970 when the 914 was introduced to the US market, there were still a lot of original PCA types who were pissed off because the *911* was "not a real Porsche" - i.e. - 356. and believe me - there are still some of those people around. so with so much of that sentiment wildly rampant with the 914's introduction, it's no real surprise that lots of people don't like them. oh well.