1974 914 1.8, the mystery of the EC-A and EC-B Options

[wonkipop]

i'll be dropping the information we have gathered over Dec 2021 in with a set of posts.

the material was prompted by mr b ( @JeffBowlsby ) who observed that for the 74 MY there was an EC-A and an EC-B engine. mr b's thought was that the EC-A was a 49 states car and and EC-B was a californian car for emissions.

mr b's view was rational and reasoned. 73 EA engines are 49 states. 73 EB engines are california. 75 engines are documented in factory literature as EC-a (49 states) and EC-b (california). the logic should follow?

BUT

as per the mystery of the 914, the truth about 74 1.8s turns out stranger than fiction (or common sense?).

the material is not necessary to running a 1.8 or having fun with a 14. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

its for historical purposes and as information to 74 1.8 owners to assist with restoration if they want it.

[wonkipop]

EXCEPTIONAL DATA 3

EC-A engined car (california/CARB conforming) sold new in Cincinatti OHIO (49 states).







this car VIN 6/74 was not sold until early october 1974.
well into the 75 MY.
75 MY 1.8s were available on sale from commencement of 75 MY in Aug/Sept.

one explanation is the car may have been specifically sought by the customer for 1 of 2 or both reasons.

a) cheaper deal on superseded model.
b) strong preference for earlier car without later collision bumpers.

a car may have been sourced from remaining 74 stock. that stock may have been found in california. nothing stopped a CARB conforming car from being sold in the 49 states. only 49 state cars were prohibited for new sales in california.