How did you get into 914's? Options

[jsteele22]

I was a kid when they came out, too young to be really into cars yet. But I recall pretty vividly one day when my dad was yacking away with some other guys about a new Porsche that had a Volkswagon engine in it. I still remember the laughs when I asked if that meant you could put a Porsche engine into a Volkswagon.

To answer the question, though I was in the camp that learned with suprise how cheap a 914 really was. I picked up a beater, and even though I've begun the aortal infusion of cash, I still like to remind myself how much less expensive my car is than the average (new) Hyundai.

[HerrDW]

Out of lurk mode for my first post, this one seemed like a good place to start. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

My first distinct 914 memory was around age 9 or 10, trolling around a VW/Porsche dealer in Corona, CA (long defunct - right off the 91 fwy) with my dad. I have a vivid memory of cool little two-seater cars with plaid interiors, so that had to be 75-76. Do the math, that puts me at 40 these days.

Flash forward to about 1983, and my older sister is dating a guy named Steve with a yellow '73 1.7 with a single carb and A/C. Great guy - he let me drive it a few times even though the ink on my license was still wet. He left it with me for a day, I was too paranoid to drive it so I spent the day detailing it instead. We were fast friends after that! My sister foolishly let that one go and we lost touch (if anyone knows him, Steve Smith, from the Azusa area, used to work at Disneyland - get in touch).

About a year later, I got a ride in a race prepped-6 - totally mind-blowing. I was in a high school (R.O.P. actually) auto body class at Fullerton H.S. and a guy was repairing the car for his boss - who had wrapped it around a 4"x4" sign post. Not sure if it was a real -6, but it had a fixed passenger seat and steel GT flares.

Flash forward again to 1995, I finally buy an Ancona Blue 1976 2.0 for $2500 that had been stored for quite some time. The seller delivered it, blew a tire on the way and the the return fuel hose was leaking so badly from under the tank its still amazes me to this day that it didn't go up in flames.

Had the car for about a year, mostly on jack stands (shocking, I know), and had to sell due to being "under capitalized" at the time. It was a sad day indeed, but I needed the $$. In a way I was done, poverty is no fun and I had put $$$ into it, a great deal of which went to getting the damn thing smogged. It passed by some miracle and I sold it a week later.

I am currently 914-less, but as soon as I get the rest of the big projects done around the house, I have a garage just the right size for another one...

Back to lurk mode; I suspect my next post will be pics of a 914 of some vintage, hopefully some time in 2007.

[Brad Roberts]

I get into 914's by opening the door (or busting the vent window when I lock my keys in them)... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/alfred.gif)



B

[Toast]

HerrDW

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

[jd74914]

My story goes something like this:

My dad bought a seriously beaten '70 1.7L in 1979 and restored it. He stopped driving it when it got backed into and crushed by a relatve. That was in 1985. At that point he had wanted a '69 911E Targa, but didn't have the cash.


Fast forward to 2002. I'm 14, and want to restore a car with my dad, so I started looking for '69 911E Targas (which are rather rare) and I eventually found one in NJ. We were ready to pick the car up, but it got bought from out from under our feet. That was probably a blessing as the car was a semi-extreme basket case.

So, as I keep searching for 911s, I stumble on this cheap 914 that needs restoration and is only 75 or so miles away. We agreed that I could buy the car and have complete ownership, and then went to see it. It looked like a quick project (you all know how that goes) so I bought it. I got a really really good price on it from the lady who owned it as she had a soft spot for kids restoring cars. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

So, I had a 914 without ever driving one (and until that point I had only seen 1 other 914). The next spring I bought a second car too.

And thats the conclusion my long winded 914 ownership story.

BTW: My car is almost finished after 4 years of restoration, and my Dad ended up buying a Euro/greymarket imported 71 911E Targa driver.

[jk76.914]

My first 3 or 4 cars were Corvairs, including a '63 Spyder convertible and a '65 Corsa 140. You see, I'm an old fart. Trouble with the Corvairs was, my newest one was about 12 years old, and when I tinkered with it on the weekend, I never got to do a job right, because I had to button it up by Sunday night so I could drive it to work on Monday morning. And then there was the rust. And having to park it outside year 'round at my apartment complex.

So I finally got a new, reliable car, but always missed my Corvairs. They kind of got under my skin, being an engineer and all. Finally, I got enough bucks to own a toy car on the side, but I still wanted newer and more reliable. So I picked Alpha Romeo Spyder, Fiat Twin Cam Spyder, and 914, and said that the first one to come along with low miles, well maintained, and in decent shape I'd buy.

I drove an Alpha Romeo, but it was old and beat so no-go. The next car to come up was a '76 914 2.0 with appearance group, new paint (Porsche platinum metallic over original light ivory), all receipts, and 43000 miles. So I bought it. Paid premium- $6000 in 1983, but I haven't looked back. Still got it. Still no rust. Thanks to my lucky stars neither of the other cars came along first!

That's the story. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

Jim

[majkos]

My story is................... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

'cuse me.
Back to the days when I was young and silly(stupid)
I wanted a car a little faster than my type III squareback to get to the ski areas, faster. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/burnout.gif)
I was ski racing back in thoses days.

Found my first 914, at a cheap dealership, all fuching UGLY!
Lacquer paint job, went unnotice of any cleaning for the summer, major paint fade,
turning the car to the color of pea puke after a couple of hours (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif) YUCK-O!

Test drove the car, loved it! But!

need a loan.....I love this part.

I give the loan "officers" info, when she checked the value of what's the worth,
she leans over the desk and tell me to "BUY IT!"

Get car, race home and run out of gas, how embarassing,

But that weekend four hours of rubbing compound, and a couple hrs of polishing,
I fell in (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) LOVE!

That was over 25 ++ years ago and still have her, The Green machine.
I love the facts, 914 owners, are indeed very cool and FUN! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smoke.gif)
It's all Good.

[tat2dphreak]

love at first sight, luck really, mostly bad luck (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Porsche Rescue]

Bought a new one in 1970. Had owned a '56 356A for a while in 1968 and wanted another Porsche. The 914 was all I could afford. Only kept it for 8 months as I was having trouble dealing with new car depreciation (single income school teacher with a young child).
The next one I owned was a silver '73 2.0 which I bought and did a cosmetic restoration. The excuse for buying it was as transportation for the same "young child" who was now 16 (1984).
In between and since I have owned and played with about 50 different Porsches, about 20 being 914's, including several sixes. Retirement in 1997 and the advent of the internet contributed to the addiction.

[bd1308]

First car presented to me was a 914 2.0L. I ended up choosing a Jeep bc the 914 wouldnt pass the state inspection, so after a year of driving the Jeep, I recieved the 914. After three engines and several weeks of labor, I now have a rust-free Daily driver 914. Wouldnt look back

[messix]

i blame Dan Root [rootwerks] he talked me into it!

actually i remembered them form when i was a kid and thought they were a cool looking car. and very rarely see see one and still thought they looked good.
a guy at work and his son picked up a couple to work on and they got them running and he offered me one that i could have for about 1k, i lost out , he sold it to some one else while i was thinking about it.

so later whem the gass prices started climbing again i thought about getting another vehicle that was easier on the the pump than my truck, what to get ? a honda? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif) a sporty drop top was calling my name for summer fun, a miata? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif) a mg? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif) a fiat (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif) nothing was really looking like something i wanted, then i remembered the 914! looked around a little, ran into Dan at his house while he was finishing up one of his six conversions and picked his brain, he sold me on them. i didn't want to buy some pos that i would lose all kinds of money on [riiiiiiiiight!] well that was it, i found one after looking about a month and a half. i bought the car with the least rust i could find with the money i had to spend. i had to fix a lot of little problems [electrical, bearings, interior, all that stuff] now i have a car that runs good hasn't left me stranded [yet!] and is a blast to drive even if it isn't a fast, tire smoking beast. it's just fun to be able to drive it run through the gears and not get in trouble with johnny law 'cause i'm getting on it a little, i do htat just to keep up with traffic!

[Flycut]

I always thought Porsche was the ultimate car to own, And I still do. My first Porsche was a 1967 911 Targa. I was suprised at how similiar the Targa was to a VW.
My Family had owned Aircooled VW's all my life and at 18 my first teardown and build up was Shortening a VW pan for a Meyers manx Dunebuggy Project. My Dune buggy would eventually end up with a 2110cc, 10:1 Compression, Wild cam, 48IDA's and Porsche alloys, I was trying to make my buggy look like a Porsche because I could not afford the real thing. It amazed me at how fast and nimble my Buggy was, But eventually it sold for my Targa Upgrade. I was dissapointed With my 911, Parts were expensive & unavailable and I was Suprised that My Dune buggy was far more powerful and nimble. Here's where my current Porsche enters the picture, Very nimble, Inexpensive and reminds me of my old Manx. Stroked motor is in the near future hopefully with the roar of 48 IDA's for nostalgia sake, But with hope's of someday stuffing in a 3 liter 6. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

[Series9]

'82 or '83: I'm 13 or 14, riding in the car with my mom. I saw my first 914 and said to her "That's the coolest car I've ever seen." She said "That's the ungliest car Porsche ever made." I thought "done deal."

I got my first one in '87 when I was a Senior in HS. Unfortunately, there are no pictures.

[Pat Garvey]

Got on a 6 month wait list (w/money down) for a red '71 240Z. When "my" car came in, it was orange (Datsun made an ugly orange). Told 'em I ordered red - told me take or leave it! Gratefully, I left it.

Wife really wanted a TR6 - I liked 'em too. Went to the local TR dealer to see, but found a '72 non-app grp 914 w/2000 miles on it on the used lot. Didn't even drive the TR6, but did the 914 & loved it.

Went to the P/A dealer, because the used '72 was only $500 less than new. They had a really nice used TR6 that they gave me for an afternoon. Loved the way it drove, but the trans tunnel had no insulation & you could have roasted meat (ie, your feet) on it. It's now June 1972. Ordered a bahia red app grp 914 - got it in early August. Been in love with it every since. Still have it & will never part with it.

[SGB]

VWs.

several VWs.

then a BMW so the next VW had to be special....

[Chains]

Saw one sitting in someone's yard close to 20 years ago. I thought to myself I had to have one. Eventually the car disappeared. Then a couple years ago I saw my uncle had one. Went for a visit a couple weeks ago and he gave it to me.....

It's in worse shape than some of the ones I have seen being restored on here but I am going to give it a try anyway... Will be lots of (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif) and probably a little (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) along the way but that's the fun. Good thing I work in a metal fab shop as a weldor.

Would post pics but my camera died..... New here BTW. LOVE the resto/build threads. Some excellent work everyone......

Shane

Edit: It's a 74 2.0 btw, and the exact same color as the first one I saw, although it was originally blue....

[Tobra]

Learned to drive in this car, drove it for a long time, long story, link in signature to thread to the tale. 914 is the ultimate VW, or an entry level Porsche. Has the motor in the correct place, light, low, what is not to like

[914-8]

In the early 70s, when I was around 8 years old, a neighbor had one. This was a time when American iron ruled the earth, and this little sports car looked like a spaceship to me! Totally different than the Fords, Chevys and Chrylsers the made up 99% of the neighborhood.

I never forgot it! It was yellow/black.

As a kid, I always loved cars, and that 914 put me on the road to German cars.

[eg914]

I drove a '68 Squareback for 15 years. It finally died and I was stuck driving a japanese car for several years. I really missed the noise and smell of the air cooled car. Told my wife I wanted another VW, and she about choked (guess she thought I had outgrown that). She didn't object to something with "Porsche" on it, so I started looking into a 912. Took one ride in a 914 and I was hooked.

[KELTY360]

I had a choice. It was 1973 and I'd just recently returned from 'Nam and was ready for a fun car. I eliminated the 240Z because they were too common. That left the Fiat 124, Volvo 1800ES and Porsche 914 in my price range. I almost went with the Volvo but I really wanted a convertible so I bought a Sunflower Yellow 1.7 with chromies. Gawd I loved that car. I named it Kelty because it was like a motorized backpack with storage nooks and crannies everywhere.....not just the two trunks but behind the seats, the center console and the spare center. The Kelty Pack Co. even sent me a label i could sew into the backpad (never went that far).

Sold that car after I moved from SoCal to Seattle but never stopped wanting another 914 and got a 2.0L last January. 33 years later they are just as much fun as when new. Can't say that about many cars.