The Legend of the "914 S" & "914 SC", Myth or Fact? Options

[Tom_T]

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For the ADHD crowd & reading challenged & the just impatient....

The `73 MY's "914S" is a "Trim Designation" or "Trim Package" - the same as was the "914 LE" in the `74 MY.

It was official by Porsche & Porsche+Audi/Volkswagen of America for North America, & likewise for th Porsche distributors of the "914S/914SL" in Japan & "914SC" in the UK.

However, in the case of North America, Porsche Germany made Porsche+Audi/VoA drop the "914S" designation after running the program for over a year - from early -1972 in the pre-release campaign - through about March 1973 - apparently after pressure from the 911 crowd at PCA objecting to it confusing them over their911S's. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Period!

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See my Post #205 on page 11 for more details - or just read on below & through the ensuing facts, then debate by the naysayers. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

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CLIFF NOTES VERSION: (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)
- for those not interested in looking at cool old 914 stuff from back in the day"!

1. Porsche+Audi marketed the 914/4 2.0 "fully loaded" as the "914 S" in ads & sales brochures from Summer 1972 to about Jan/Feb 1973, then Porsche made them stop.

2. The British Distributor similarly marketed the 914/4 2.0 from Summer 1972 through 1976 as the 914SC, but was never told to stop.

3. Neither was ever badged as either a 914S or 914SC.

4. If one is interested, read the stuff posted here from that 1970's period.
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There has been talk from time to time on here & elsewhere, about whether there ever really was a "914 S" &/or "914 SC"? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)
- especially amongst those of us with USA 1973 MY 914-2.0's from the first half of the 73 MY production!

Well - as many things 914 - the answer is an unequivocal "Yes & No"!

I can answer more definitively regarding the "914 S" in the USA & Canada/North America, since I researched that recently to better plan for the restoration of my early-73 914-2.0. However, I was already well aware of the "914 S" terminology back in 1975 & it's having been dropped unceremoniously at PAG's insistance during early 1973, because I'd reviewed MT & R&T road test articles on the "914 S"/914-2.0 which bracketed the change & made mention of PAG's forcing it to be dropped while researching the purchase used (3 yrs. old) of my one & only 914-2.0 which I bought in Dec. 75 & still own (2nd owner).

I also had 3+ years before that, gotten a "free" copy of the 12 page early 1973 MY 914 sales brochure from the Downtown LA Porsche+Audi dealership, from a classmate whose parents eventually bought him one for his graduation (oh to be so lucky! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) ). In it, it referred to the "914 S", as shown in the pix on the following posts here of the similar current brochure which I had to buy last year, having misplaced the other! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

But we will have to ask that some of our Brit Teeners out there (both of you! - just kidding! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ) to add in regarding your "914 SC".
- Yes, the Brits had "something completely different," as in the Monty Python bits!

First - "No" - 914's were never officially badged as either a "914 S" nor "914 SC" by either the Porsche+Audi US/Canada nor the British Isles distributors, and definitely NOT EVER by the factory.

North American 914s with the GA 2.0 motor were badged with the familiar separate "914" & "2.0" badges on the right rear body panel above the rear bumper & to the left of the right taillight.

Whereas the rest of the world's 2L's with the GB engine were badged with the familiar long "914-*-Porsche" between the rear trunk lock/button & right taillight (where "*" is the VW roundel Logo), with the 2.0" badge below that & aligned with the first long badge next to the right taillight.

USA/Canada - Porsche+Audi 914 2.0 Badging:


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Rest of the World's 914 2.0 Badging:


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For many, this above is enough to know & take/keep the position on "no" - but it is NOT the whole story, much of which is not known today unless you were around then. If you're in the no camp, your point is taken & no need to torture yourself by reading on - unless you want to add some other documentation/pix from the period which relate to this subject - then please do so.

However, this post isn't here for a debate - although it seems that we have a lot of "master debaters" logging in here with a burning desire to prove someone - anyone - wrong. Even to the point of agreeing with me then saying I'm wrong, and one re-posting information which I'd already posted in an effort to prove me wrong! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

I'm just presenting some factual documentation here on what the "914S" thing was all about - so others will know that there is some basis to it, even if it was not a "real" 914 model nor badge name. I have also thrown in some of my own thoughts, speculation & opinions, which I hope are clear from the way I've stated things (IMO, IMHO, I speculate or suspect or estimate that ... , etc.) that they are just that - which is not to claim that they are "facts".

As you can tell by my edits here, I'm getting a bit frustrated with the "master debaters," conspiracy police, & those who consider "914S talk" as heresy - but it did exist - to a point, as the following explains & provides period documentation to back it up. To the point - it is an indisputable fact that Porsche+Audi in the USA & Canada marketed the then new 914/4 2.0L model as the "914S" from Summer 1972 through about December 1972 or January/February 1973 -period! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)
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Today, one of our member vendors here - RJMII - makes custom aluminum badges in a "914 S" design, and could customize anything else - including "914 SC" - should someone want one for display purposes or fun in a temporary attachment/placement. However, IMHO I would not recommend placing one in the rear badging position, because you'd have to weld/braise/putty to fill in the mounting stud holes, which is NOT a good idea nor an acceptable "Originality" approach.

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Second - "Yes" - The Porsche+Audi US/Canada distributor did in fact initially market the "new for the 1973 model year" (MY) 914/4 with the GA 2.0 engine as the "914 S" from mid-72 through early 1973.

While the British Isles distributor marketed their GB engined 2.0's as the "914 SC" from mid-72 through the end of the 914's run in 1976.

Oddly - according to both the period articles in the left book below & commentary by the second book's author - Porsche never asked them to drop the "SC" nomenclature - even after the "911 SC" was introduced later. Whereas their almost immediate objection to the US Porsche+Audi arm using the "914 S" in marketing, what that they were concerned that it may confuse the public with the 911S & detract for that far more expensive car's sales (more than 2x the 914-2.0' price in 73 MY).

A fair amount of factual back up for both of these "914 S" & "914 SC" marketing programs can be found in the 2 books whose covers are pictured below - both of which are still currently available in print from numerous sources - so I won't duplicate that information here.



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Additionally, Porsche+Audi printed both 4 page & 12 page 914 full color sales brochures for the US & Canadian dealerships, both of which clearly & unequivocally referred to the "914 S" - not a "914 2.0" at that point in time (although the terminology was eventually changed to "914 2.0" by the 74 MY as seen later).

Front & Rear Covers of 4 page Porsche+Audi 914 Sales Brochure referring to "914 S":


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... continued ....

[ME733]

..............So DOES ANYONE, ...have any idea if ALL the 1973 MY ...914, 2.0 cars were produced with all -included options-.(about 16-17 of them)......

[Tom_T]

..............So DOES ANYONE, ...have any idea if ALL the 1973 MY ...914, 2.0 cars were produced with all -included options-.(about 16-17 of them)......

Murray, that's a hard one to pin down unfortunately, but I'll take a guess at it below.

Also to clarify - there were still other additional options which one could add to the "914S" fully loaded set-up - so they were not all inclusive on options beyond the AG & PG sets of options included in the base price as "standard equipment" on the "914-2.0" or "914/2.0" per the factory info. quoted previously by Don, or per the ads & brochures from Porsche+Audi "914S" as I've posted some examples here previously, which appeared to continue even in the "post-914S era" ads - which leads one to believe that perhaps they only offered lesser equipped 73 MY 2L models as a request item; or as a few later 73 MY "lower price point cars" as the prices got jacked up by Porsche over the late 73 MY, in order to have a sort of "loss leader" to pull buyers in.

Beyond the AG & PG options included under the 73 MY 914 2L / "914 S" program here in the US/Can, there were additional options which could be added at extra cost, such as adding Bilstein shocks, rear window defrost, tinted windshield or tinted glass all around (except rear window - my early-73 "914 S"/914-2.0 had this extra option), factory body undercoating, factory radio install kit, etc., as listed at Jeff Bowlsby's site (see link below). However, these would vary by car & I have no idea how many were ordered with the extra goodies.

Steve Gaglione &/or Jeff Bowlsby may be able to weigh in on whether & when the 73 MY 2L cars were ever offered in the USA/Can without all of those AG+PG options later in the Spring of 73 as perhaps what we'd call today an "option delete" to drop the price a bit as they raised the 914 2L price (1.7 too) at least twice in the Spring of 73, primarily due to the runaway exchange rates between the Deutche Mark (West Ger.) & US Dollar, causing Porsche lose their profit margin over costs as compared to the initial $5099/$5299 price for the "914 S" / 914 2.0.

The Model Numbers & Window Stickers at the two links below seem to suggest that they were available with lesser trim packages, but I read in one or more of the books, articles, etc. out there, that the early model year 73 2Ls were requested by Porsche+Audi to be "loaded" with the extra equipment to overcome a feared negative reaction to a 2.0 4 cyl. 914 at about the same price as the last 71 MY 914-6 generally available in the USA/Can.

Others like Steve & Jeff have said that the 73 MY 2L were available with less equipment fitted, so if anyone has any documentation to support that, then it would be great if you could post pix of the window sticker &/or dealer bill of sale/invoice with the equipment fitment & price info. here for all to see.

It's a real spit-in-the-wind guess at when to look for VINs on window stickers/BOSes to switch to non-loaded 914 2L/"914 S" set-ups, since 12,874 914 2L cars were built in 1972 calendar year (see chart in post #25), but some wouldn't be shipped to the USA/Can until 1973 calendar year & some were sent elsewhere - but the VINs do not track with production sequences exactly - we can only guess that somewhere around VIN ...08000 to ....10000 +/- were actual sold while the "914 S" marketing campaign & ostensibly "loaded" AG+PG 2L's were being imported.

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/ModelNumbers.htm
http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/WindowStickers.htm

VIN 4732901085 shows the $5299 for West Coast POE "914 S" as quoted in the 2 MT & R&T articles & lists all of the AG+PG - http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zWS4732901085.jpg

VIN 4732913069 shows it at $5149 for the 473764 Model supposedly for PG only, but it lists the AG's center console, leather steering wheel & shifter boot, center storage & only $150 less than the Calif. AG+PG $5299 ~ so this could represent a customer request to delete the chrome bumpers/fog lights, rollbar vinyl/brightwork ~ or maybe even an error on the sticker?? - http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zWS4732913069.jpg

The earlier VIN 4732911557 does similarly on the equipment, but is much less base price at $4825 & wasn't sold until 3/19/73 according to the BOS - http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zWS4732911557.jpg

At VIN 4732917992 it had gone to $5649 base price - http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zWS4732917785.jpg

By VIN 4732926371 (Steve's Sahara Beige) - the model # 473664 Calif. 2L with both AG+PG base price had grown to $5800, but this is a late 73 MY months after the "914 S" marketing campaign had been completely withdrawn - http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zWS4732926371.jpg

But then again, VIN 4732927086 at a later VIN & similar 473644 non-CA with both AG+PG 2L model was only $5700 (maybe less as a non-Calif. 914-2L??) & it was apparently not sold until Nov. 197(4)?? - http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zWS4732927086.jpg & BOS http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zBOS4732927086.jpg

{Note - VIN 4732901954 on this list is mine, but the COA is listed under the WS column by mistake, and Jeff is still using the old erroneous COA - but I've sent him the corrected one from PCNA, which properly shows it as a "914 2.0" (not "914 S" by the way), with a GA in front of the engine case no., & the #31 interior code correctly listed as "Beige." Unfortunately I never got the owners manual - let alone the window sticker or BOS - when I bought it used back in 1975. Frankly, most of us were shortsighted & didn't worry about such details back then, & were just happy to get one to drive! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) ~ Live & learn! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif) }

Given the above, we've introduced yet another version of "model numbers" which related to designating which engine, which trim levels & where to be sold for the benefit of the factory, distributors & dealerships in identifying the various models & pricing. As with the "914S" & "914SC", these were never badged on the cars themselves, but rather appeared in the window stickers (Munroney Stickers), dealer invoices & Bills of Sales, dealer/distributor pricing & order documents & catalogs, etc., - more as a form of "Inventory Control" if you will.


EXTRA INFO LINKS

For those not familiar with the 74 LE/CanAm version of the 914 2.0, look here:
http://bowlsby.net/914/CanAm/

For those wanting more info. on all 914 options offered, read these two:
http://www.p914.com/
http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/OpEq.htm

... and then go on to read the rest of the excellent 914 info linked from the main webpage of the latter above, here:
http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/

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