Just a note to say hello and introduce myself. My name is Rhonda and I have adored these cars for many years now and am finally in the position to acquire one. I have been really impressed with this forum, really positive and helpful. Looking forward to contributing. You may see a lot of questions from me but just trying to wrap my head around what to look for and how to purchase the best car I can.

I live in Asheville, NC so a nice handling car is my focus. I am focusing on a 1.7 L or 1.8L. I don’t have a very large budget (6-8K), so the 2.0L’s are out. I am focusing on a driver. While I know my way around a car but just don’t have all the tools, or knowledge for a complete resto. I am hoping to find a car that is an older restoration or a well cared for original. Priorities are a relatively rust free body, factory color is a must, factory body a must, not opposed to GT kit but that would most likely drive a car out of my range.

I drive the heck out of my cars, so I would love to hear what your thoughts are about a 1.7 L or 1.8L, in the mountains. My car will likely have 50-80,000 miles so I am a little bit concerned about the power for some of my higher elevation drives. I live at 2,500 ft. and am often up to 6,500. The car will have a ppi and compression test, etc. Not sure how much power these cars loose over time but I am sure many of you have experience with these cars in the mountains.

I would be thrilled to hear your thoughts about my choices and perhaps alternatives to look into. Thanks in advance for your time.

Welcome. I am in Charlotte. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

You won't see too much of a difference power-wise at only 6500 ft. The car will be slow regardless specially going up hills. I have a 1911cc motor in mine and although still quick and fun to drive, it will bog down while going up any hills. It's all about momentum. I've been to the top of Mt. Mitchell and all across the blue ridge in mine and still had a blast.

If you need any help during or after your search, I'm not far away.

and let the search function on here treat you well if not spend time trawling thru the many threads on here ,after all there is a few million dollars of free info on here
If you are a first time buyer try to focus on a nice 73-74 2.0 litre model,don't worry about elevation if it has original fuel system

I brought my 914 out to your area a few years back to visit my brother; he lives in Tryon NC. My car is a 2.0 with carbs, it went up and down the mountains in the area with no problems. I had a great time driving the roads in the area a lot of roads were perfect for spirited 914 fun.
Good luck finding a car, a 1.7, or 1.8 will do just fine in the mountains. Years ago I had a 72 1.7 with original FI, it did great going up and down the mountains going to Lake Tahoe from Sacramento. Sacramento is 25 feet above sea level and Echo Summit going over Hwy 50 is 7382 ft. , it is a rally fun drive in any 914. Mountains roads are great fun in a 914.

Thanks so much! Nice to see another North Carolina member!



Thanks so much, great info! That is what I was after. Momentum driving is very rewarding so I am really looking forward to it. Nice to know another teener so close by. I am in North Asheville area so that is just up the road. Let me know if you go out on any drives, local Porsche club seems to only drive a few times a year. I have a 964 that I am out a few times a week in if weather permits. Nice collection of 914’s!



Thanks for the info and I certainly will be diligent with my searches! I see you are from New Zealand. Targa Newfoundland is on my bucket list. Have you been or participated?

Rhonda,

Well dang, our daughter & hubby just closed the sale of their home in Candler on Friday, & had moved to Charlottesville VA last Feb. for a new Asst. GM position at the Doubletree there!

You'll be fine in those lovely WNC mountains with any 914, so long as you're not trying to compare or race with modern cars, wherein a Honda or Toyota sedan has more HP - but far less fun factor! They're usually pretty reliable & fun cars when properly cared for & maintained.

And getting stuck somewhere out of town can usually be resolved by any competent air-cooled VW mechanic/shop - vs. more specialized old aircooled Porsches or the 914-6.

I think there's a VW Westfalia shop on the West side of Asheville (can't recall neighborhood name) that may be a local mechanic source, if no other 914/Porsche shop/mechanic is in town. I don't know if the local Porsche dealer there off I26 & SM Pkwy even works on the old air-cooled cars.

When not driving it, do keep it garaged back there in the heavy rain, ice & snow weather though! ...all older pre-76 Porsches were not rust preventative treated (& 76 914s, while 76> 911/912E/930 were zinc hot dipped).

A 1.7 or 1.8 would be okay for what you're talking about driving there, but no pocket-rocket as noted above. However, since they're electronically fuel injected (D-jet @ 1.7 & 2.0, L-jet at 1.8), the EFI will do all the altitude compensation automatically for you.

The 70-72 1.7s were 80 HP, while the 75-76 2.0 was detuned for smog control to 88 HP (86 on CA cars due to stricter smog) - so not a huge difference, but the 73-74 2.0 were 95 HP, & the 74-75 1.8 was 76 HP & less than the earlier 1.7s due to smog detuning - while the 73 1.7 got socked by smog down to 72 HP (only 68-ish in CA). Of course any of them can be tweaked for better power.

IMHO the sweet spot for the 1.7 is 72 MY - before the detuning sapped the power, & where the interior improvements (movable passenger seat, side dash vents, etc.) & the tail-shifter transaxle's shifting was tweaked & tightened up (& any tail-shifter can be converted to the better shifting 73-76 side-shifter version).

Similarly, the 74 1.8 is a bit better than 75 with the original stitched-seam seats & less of the cost saving measures instituted for the 75-76 models, & IIRC the CA (semi-rust-free) 75 1.8 was also detuned to only 72 due to the cat converter etc. added for 75 MY.

You may still be able to find a decent DD quality 73-74 or 75-76 2.0 in your price range, but not concours/collector quality - but one with good bones, which you could improve upon over time as budget allows.

Key thing is to be patient, take your time looking for the right one, & thoroughly check it out or have a pre-purchase inspection (PPI) done on it before buying. So that generally leaves out the evil-bay quick auctions, unless you're a real gambler - in which case your luck is probably better at the Cherokee Casino!

You can use the 914 assessment checklist at this link below for looking at them, & just go slow & check them out, or request someone nearby from this site to go do a PPI for you &/or go with locally.

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zTN_Gen_914CAF.pdf

And 2 references you'll want to peruse are:

p914.com

and

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/ (Jeff Bowlsby is the source of the form above)

Anyway, there are a few 914 folks around there in the Smokies you can look up too, & they did a non-Dragon fun run a few years back on some of the mountain side roads out west of Candler, so you'll have company for some fun drives when the put them together.

Member poorish is just north in TN & set up that fun run, & we met up with him at the end of the run (looking at houses with kids then, & rental Nissan not fun for that anyway).

I may get back through there again on the way to Cherokee, so I'll keep a look out for your 914 ... well I always look out for & notice them anywhere anyway!

Good Luck!
Tom
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Welcome
I'm in north California.

welcome to the community , good luck with your purchase.

My stock '73 1.7 had no problem in the mountains at Okteenerfest. The key is gear selection, keeping the revs at 3500 or above.

Or, put in a different engine

spent a week up there last year and the year before with my 75 2.0 and really no issues with hill climbs, except for the fact that my transmission was re-geared for better milage here in the flatlands of SC. so in the mountains of NC I would prefer the stock gearing in 4th and 2.0 tend to run a bit hotter, so I would also suggest an extra oil cooler to keep oil temps down in the proper range. Not every car has that issue, it seems to be more the 2.0 cars than the 1.7 or 1.8.
Good luck with your car search. you may want to take a look at Black Forrest Racing. he is not far away there in N.C. and is always rehabbing a few 914's. What ever they re-sell you know they have them running in top shape mechanically.
Good luck with the search.

or drive a ferrari...

She doesn't have a 914 yet Rick .... she's starting to look & seeking buyer/newbie input!
.... then she can post pix for you!

I never had any overheating problems with my 73 2.0 GA engine on any mountains out here - from the Rockies, to the Cascades, to the Sierra Madre, etc. in 10 years & 130k of DD use - including many trips to the slopes & long XC vacations over many passes, nor did my friends with 1.7, 1.8, 74 2.0 GA & 75-76 2.0 GC engines - all dead stock with stock gearing though.

So Phillip, your overheating is probably the result of your regearing & thereby making it work harder on the grades.

Black Forest is a great suggestion too Phillip - based on their rep. & a great one to do PPIs &/or buying one of their cars, but I'm not sure how practical they are to be her regular shop in Asheville, since they're over in Denver NC.

It's worthwhile for Rhonda to contact them to keep an eye out for her.


Tom
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green914

Thanks so much for the info! Really getting Psyched about this little car. It has been about 10 years since I have driven one but I still remember it like it was yesterday. Just smiling the whole time.

Tom_T

Thanks so much for all of that detailed info! Super Helpful! I just moved up here a few months back so I am getting the lay of the land so thanks for the bearings. I will add this info to my notes and check everyone out. Thanks again.

lcjo73914

Thanks. I have seen quite a few nice cars for sale in Cali. Seems like that is the mecca for them like the 911’s.

LowBridge

Thanks so much! I will keep everyone posted when I get my little car.

black73

Thanks for the info, I will sure to keep the revs high. I have a major lead foot anyway so that shouldn’t be an issue.

billh1963

I see you are a car hoarder as well. Nice to know I am in good company. I am completely out of space and considering asking my friends / family to store some of my cars.

Philip W.

I will definitely look into black forest racing. I remember their cars from a Sebring event a few years back, they ran very strong.


or drive a ferrari...

No thanks, I like my horses German.


Well off to do some more studying, thanks again everyone! I will keep you posted.

Try to find a 1972 1.7 with working D-jet fuel injection (FI). That's what I have, so of course it's what I recommend!

If you're reading and posting here already, just wait, the 914 addition will take over your life!!!

BTW Rhonda -

When you get to looking for your 914 - in addition to the classifieds & email notices of Craig's List 914 ads on here (914world covers some but not all of the US) - there are also classifieds at 914club.com & CL searches for all of the US at the link below.

http://www.914club.com/bbs2/index.php?showforum=79

Just sign up/subscribe for email notices of the ads, & they'll come to your email box!

Then TheSamba.com also has a Porsche cars for sale section, plus evilbay & the other usual used & classic car search engines & listing services as well.

Good Luck!
Tom
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Sent you a PM about a pot'l. SoCal 914.
Cheers!
Tom
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Be sure to join us at Okteenerfest in Banner Elk at the end of September (whether or not you have found a 914 of your own). Over 60 914s present last year.