Settled - Side Valences are affixed with plastic button head rivets, 'Rocker panel' rivets Options

[JeffBowlsby]

We know of two docmented original 914s, both have side valances attached with plastic buttonhead rivets, not aluminum rivets.

Black rivets for cars with black valances
Clear rivets for the 1974 LE cars with the yellow or orange valances

PET also only lists the plastic button head rivets.

All the photos of 914s with aluminum rivets are not original, are commonly available and have been replaced at some point.

Thanks to George Hussey, Steve Gaglione (2nd owner of very orignal Sahara Beige) and Alberto Favilla (original owner) and to Rich Daunhauer (914Werke) for their knowledge.

[JeffBowlsby]

Anyone who knows anything about these cars removes the side valances to clean and inspect, at least at the time of purchase. 50 years later it’s highly likely that the valences have been removed at least several times, if not more on every car. The few original owners here tell us these rivets were plastic, not alum. George is an authority on these cars, more than anyone else I can think of, and he confirms. Alum rivets or even sheet metal screws are always commonly available and convenient at the local hardware store, only the purists would bother to get the correct plastic rivets from the dealer. The 74s were not special in this detail, it is illogical that this would be a 1 year change. That’s the best rationalization I can think of.