How did you get into 914's? Options

[Eric_Shea]

Was a bug guy that graduated.

[914fan]

I open the door!


Love at first site. Who wouldnt love my car?

[JMPVW73]

Good to see so many great replies. I didnt expect so many family and friends votes.

"I came of age in the backseat of one... wait there is no back seat."
Had to have been in the passenger seat with the top off and/or a lot of determination.

Love the cheaper than a Ghia reply from Blitz. I bought my good paint, straight body, some rust issues 914 for less than run of the mill Super Beetles are going for. I'm 23 and have been into VW's for 9 years because my brothers first car was a '70 Beetle. I dont remember if it was at a show or in a magazine but I was 11th grade when I decided I wanted one. I looked at several 914's for sale localy but they were all junk and my insurance premiums were high. Ive been looking for a Ghia for the same length of time but I'm very anal about the condition of them so I'm still looking.

[dmenche914]

Two bad i can't select two options for the vote, Yes i was into VW's (aircooled) and yes a freind got a 914. What it took was one ride in the "VW on rails" to convince me this is the finest handling car (short of cars I might only hope to own if I win Lotto)

One drive in it and the commonality to my VW Bug, and Microbus was the clincher!

[VaccaRabite]

I was in a club that restored WWII british armored cars. I thought to myself: "Self, you could do this. You should restore somehting."

So, I started looking at aircooled VWs. First at busses. Then at Ghias. Then I looked at OLD Mini's. Then went back to Ghias. Searching for Ghias led me to find the 914s (and also BMW 2002). I battled out between the 2002 and the 914, and bought a 914.

I have yet to ever actually _drive_ one. The ground strap was broken, so the engine no worky (which was fine, as the fuel lines were crumbling). Right now it looks like this:
(IMG:http://static.flickr.com/97/253639032_0bcca5acf1.jpg)

Hopefully, its done in 2007.

Zach

[Toast]

I had 2 1969 VW Beetles before the 914. My baja bug attracted me to a guy which leads to the following story...

A boyfriend worked with a guy named Ron Meier, who would also come over and play video games.
He was building a Zambize 914 and they kept discussing it. I had no idea what a 914 was. So Ron and Ted took me over to the shop to show me what a 914 was (there were three there to compare).
I was really interested in going for a ride in one of these cars.
There was a Ortega 914 run one weekend and Ron invited me to go for a ride.

After that I was hooked, and signed up on the Pelican BBS the next day.

A year and a half and many, many 914 runs later, I got my first 914.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving-girl.gif)

[morph]

was a bug and ghia owner. built a 1835 motor for a guy he couldnt afford to pay me the rest of the money he owed me for the motor (300.00) so i took it in trade a yellow completly stock 1.7 been in love with them ever since they a great car to drive.
james

[SirAndy]

growing up in germany in the '70s i never liked the 914 much.
maybe saw 5 or 6 of them *total* in over 30 years. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

fast forward, spring 2000, on my way to my storage unit in san rafael, ca, i always drove by a porsche repairshop. they always had a bunch of cars sitting in the parking lot that were for sale. so one day there's this red 914 sitting there with a "unusual" bodykit that i had never seen before. on the way back from the storage unit, i stopped to have a look at it. the car was in pretty rough shape, window had fallen down, standing water behind the seats, crappy paint. but i was intrigued enough to take it for a test drive. shifting was horrible, the motor was missing out, suspension was hard as a rock. came back from the test drive, went to the bank, got cash, drove back and bought the car. didn't even bother to haggle about the price. took her home and the rest is history ...

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) Andy

[ptravnic]

Dad got one when I was about 12. I wanted one so bad so we scraped together a few hundred $'s by selling refurbished bicycles & lawn mowers and bought a pair of project cars for about $500.

Then the fire came - my dad fixed the hell hole/long issues and was just about to take it off the ramps for body work when his torch caught the fuel line... The car torched and was pushed to the back of the garage out of sight...

After licking our wounds we found another car in the classifieds. It ran but needed a lot of attention. Finally started driving it when I was 21 and in college - tons of stories/trials/tribulations.

I'm now 31 and my pops and I have 5 914's between us. I get a laugh when people ask "is it almost finished"?

[alpha434]

Wanted something that I could fiddle-f#$% around with and nobody would sell me another 911 for less than 2000$.

If I had gotten a 911, I would've mid-engined it anyway.

[biosurfer1]

always liked the looks, but like most uminformed people, thought since it had "porsche" on it, it must be too expensive. became friends with a guy at school that had a 2.7 in his. got to drive around in it and that pretty much sealed it.


funny thing is they are expensive, though indirectly...not necessarily in purchase but upkeep. went to get oil for the 914 the other day, and somehow the trip ended up costing me $88...go figure:)

[John]

Dad bought his new in 74' and we reworked and painted it in 1980 when my brother drove it. We redid it again and flared it in 84' and again in 85' (I wrecked it bad just after completing it in 84'). I got mine in 87'. Now there are 4 in the garage that resemble cars and many many more that are nothing more than boxes of parts......

I have 2 drivable, 1 track car and 1 street car.

One day, all 4 will be drivable. 2 street cars and 2 track cars....




(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)
Now if I can only find some windshield seals.

[Thoward914]

Fell in love with the look of 911's during High School. Twenty plus years later after marriage and kids and seeing some close friends pass away. I figured it way time to treat myself. I bought a 911 that needed some work and joined the PCA. Heard about autocrossing from PCA members and was told 914's are the best cars to autocross. I found a 914 that had been set up to autocross and bought it, and the rest is history. Found out about the 914club off of the Pelican board. Met Clay and the rest of the 914 locals. All I can say is the 914 crowd is a lot more fun than the 911 bunch.

[maxwelj]

None of the buttons fit... Was really into sports car and sports car racing in the late 60's. Had a TR3 and an AH 100-4, along with an interest in Studebaker coupes. Was fixing to be sent to Germany with the Army when I read an article in R&T about a new mid-engined sports car , the VW-Porsche. Talked to some of the guys that had been overseas before, and found that you could order a car through a travel agency and pick it up in Europe, drive it for a year or so, and then be able to bring it back to the US as a used car, thereby saving the excise taxes... AND it would be cheaper than in the US. Paid my $5200 US, sight unseen (had only seen a line drawing) and picked up my car (914/6) in Brussels in March of 1970. Still have it today, and hope to have it back on the road in a few weeks after 20 or so years of storage and jackstands. Put the engine back in last weekend, and am busy with barakes and interior... Can't wait!

[/L.]

My dad bought me a new 1969 VW and my stepbrother got the 356. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) I always wanted a 356 but back in 1970/71, I went to a Porsche dealer that was close to house & tried a 914 out. I liked them but had to stick to my VW. (No money)

Now in meeting Joe Sharp & listening to him go on about the 914's, we went looking for 914's all over the place together. I sold my 1966 VW convertable that I had from a previous boyfriend & got good money for it. Joe & I went up to the bay area & looked at one that was for sale. When the guy opened up his garage door, Joe & I saw the black 914, (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif) it was the one that Joe bought & drove home that day (it was his birthday). It was about 1yr later & Joe told me, but the his black 914 & take it off the street because he would will probably crash it or someone would hit him. Of course that is when Joe had already bought "Beauty". So I had the money & jumped at the chance to have my very own 914. And that is the story of NICE914. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Happy Girl am I!! Thank you JOE.

[mikelsr]

The first time I remember seeing one was in 1972. I was stationed at Chanute AFB in IL. I remember saying this was such a cool car and then I saw the word "Porsche" across the grill! I was sold. It only took me another 33 years or so to buy one (but now I have two 914s and 1 Boxster).

Love at first sight.

[grantsfo]

1970's:

Around 1971 my dad sold his red 1964 356 SC and bought a new orange 1.7 914. He was an avid AXer and showed up to an event and smashed quite a few 911 times in his car. I hung out with 914 crowd as a kid and rode in some very impressive 914-6's. I used to watch Dwight Mitchell and other notable 914 drivers race at Laguna Seca and compete in local AX's.

1980's:

Took my date to senior prom in my dads 914 (ended up marrying her 8 years later). In 1980 my dad gave me the orange 914 as a HS graduation present. I drove it another couple years and then made the mistake of trading it for a newer VW.

I was back into a beautiful silver 2.0 two years later in 1984. Drove that car another couple of years.


1990's:

1990's were teenless.

2000's:

Then in 2001 I found a real clean 1974 Olympic Blue 1.8 in Georgia and drove it back to California. I have been having a blast ever since. The car is on its way to dedicated race car status soon.

Clearly I'm doomed to a life with these half breed cars.

[BMXerror]

I've always loved sports cars, and when my pop brought home the 1970 that he found in a Pamona car lot, I fell in love. He only had a chance to drive it a year or so before wanting to sell it. I was against it because I hadn't had a chace to drive it yet (too young), but my prayers were answer when a potential buyer blew the tranny on a test drive. Well, that's not exactly what I was praying for, and I wasn't exactly praying come to think of it.
Skip ahead about six years, and I'd been looking for a project car to get me under the hood and to do some autocross with. I had thought of the 914 sitting out back, but I felt that it was too over my head technically, so I was looking at Miatas. Finally, my brother said he'd help teach me the technical stuff and help with the work, so I said "F#ck it. The more I have to rebuild, the more I'll learn." So far I've rebuilt just about everything except the suspension, and I've learned a lot. I haven't autocrossed it yet because the tranny I got to replace the old one isn't that great either, but I'm still enjoying it around town. BTW, my brother got his own key for all his hard work.
Mark D.

[turboman808]

I have always been interested in small 2 seaters and mainly mid engine cars.

I always wanted a 914 but never had the money for what I wanted. So I had many fieros (3 to be exact) and one triumph. But then I bought a string of somewhat practical cars. But then I had a chance to get a car I always wanted and had the money. A 914 was something I always wanted and after racing for many years and seeing them just kick ass I wanted one even more. I almost bought a Pantera but grew fearful that I may never own a nice 914 if I didn't buy it now. So that's what I did!!!

[jhadler]

After the demise of my 1st autox car (VW GTi), a friend of mine suggested that I build a 914 for C Street Prepared. Seeing as I was already looking for a car that had a lower CG than the wabbit, and it was german, and it wasn't a "typical" Porsche, made it a good idea in my head.

Now, 12 years later, I'm still wondering why I thought a 914 could have been a compeititve CSP car.. But at least I'm now down in DSP... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

-Josh2