My First Car...a 914

[urbanskater]

Hello, I have finally paid off my first car, havent driven her yet because shes at my dads house. I will be staying with him for the summer and plan to work on it. Shes a beauty, a 74; i picked her up for 2500 with 3 brand spanking new engines. I was wondering though is there any sites i can visit for body modifications??

[Bleyseng]

Like fender flares or some sort of ricer ground effects?
Geoff

[bludden]

My advice is to hold off on the body modifications and learn about how the car works. Your 914 is 30 years old and will always need something fixed or adjusted. This way you will learn more about everything in the car, and be able to make informed decisions about the body stuff.

[Zeke]

Geoff, easy now.

Skater, try to find some 914 people in your area thru this and other BBS's. See what they say and see what they have done. If your car is stock, it is worth more that way. There are some bolt on items that can be taken back off should you change your mind. Not many though. Fisrt thing that comes to my mind is a front air dam. And, if you nose around here for awhile, you will see some pics. Search posts by John Kelly and myself for a couple of cars. But, there's dozens.

BTW, you gat a smokin' deal with 3 engines and one car.

[M. Hendrix]

Google for 'Chalon', and 17s will fit.



M

[Andyrew]

Well, Urbanskater with the questions you asked, you seem to be comeing to us from the 'rice' crowd. I will agree with you that the average 914 lacks something, but personally I think that fender flares would do it just fine. It will take you some time to have the car grow on you. You'll begin to like it, you'll see how the little ricer honda guys are just 'posers' to put it in skateboard terms, as I guess you are a sk8ter. (yes I skateboard as well) Good to see you started out with a good deal!! (I did too, I bought my car, plus 2 other parts cars, for $950) Save your money from the apearence and get the car running nice, fix the rust in the battery tray, yes its there, and have your sk8ter friends come over and guess where the engine is, when you pop both trunks, laugh at them and pop the engine lid. I am 16, and I know how it is to be influenced by peers when they say, "dude put those neon lights in your dash ittle look pimp" but when it comes to these cars, I go here for information on what is the general modification/upgrade. I have had my car for umm close to 11 months now (dang) and have been very close to makeing stupid decisions, but this board and others have helped me a ton! Lets see some pics man!!!!!

[Bleyseng]

One nice car that is ScottSchroders racecar look a like. Way cool and should be in the members section for pics.
I like the LE front spoiler and the rear ducktail spoiler too. I can't say the 914 looks good with a wing, flares yes.
Geoff

[Jim Smolka]

Congrats on acquiring your 914

I second the idea of NOT changing your car untill you have had a chance to explore all that is now. IMHO (20 years of owning 914's), the best thing to do is to fix the rust, replace the fuel lines, and general maintenance on your teener.

Also, spend your $$ on going to school. (Gee, I sound like an old fart).

[urbanskater]

Naw im not gonna go and mess my car up thats for sure, im not gonna put neon lights or nitrous oxide or those annoying mufflers on, no way. However i think the front is lacking something. I was looking at this blue 914(Im sure you all have seen it) with a 944 bumper on it and all, it looks alright, however it doesnt match up too well upclose. But i was planning on putting a 916 rear bumper on it and get flares. I dont know about the front just yet, i will wait till i get to know my car and let her know me. But yeah right now my father has replaced the brakes and suspension, he put in stainless braided brake lines, 911 turbo tie rods and a few other good stuff. Rust is mostly around the windshield area, that outta be real fun. But i was kinda looking for something to spice the front up, maybe a scoop or a different bumper or a grill of some sort. Who knows, but i will put pictures up as soon as i can figure out how to, i appreciate comments though.

[Rob914]

My first car was a 914 it still is im only 17 im like still a little kid with a porsche wonder why people drive past me and flick me off. I saved up for 2 years for the car, bought it nice 4900 over a year later i have invested prob 4900 more, my advice hold off on the body mods this isnt a japanese car its a classic but hey do whatever u want its ur choice, i think what alot of these guys have done wiht the flares and the other 914 gt mod stuff is pretty sweet, but these cars cost alot of dollar bills to get back up to shape like the one urs is in

[Biggy72]

sorry to say my first car wasn't a 914.....it was a 55 chev pickup that I got running once and then realized how rusty it was so I got rid of it...no wonder I got it for free. Well any way my 8th car is a 914 and I'm only 18. I wonder where all my money went ...hm... and I've been working since i was 14. I like the look of the flexdam on the front and having it lowered a little personally. I also like the look of pedrinis or mahles and since you don't have to swap the lug pattern it's alot cheaper than some of your other wheel options. Get the body done first though. It's the one thing that if you practice enough, you can do it yourself and it won't cost you very much money. I bought some napa crossfire paint. That stuff's great, the paint, hardner, and reducer was all under a hundred bucks. all of my body work will have cost me about $300 when I'm done, but most of the rest of my car is complete so I won't have to put much money into other things other than seals and little things. Learn all you can about the things you can do on your own. Don't be like so many of these people who do part of it on their own and send it off to a body shop to do the rest. It's alot cheaper and you'll learn a skill that not many people have. Learn the mechanicals too, but you can always just look on here for that stuff. Don't expect everything to be perfect the first time, but as they saying goes practice makes perfect. Off to shoot another coat of primer (hopefully the last one on everything besides the front and rear trunk lids)

[Biggy72]

ok.... too many paint fumes......forgot to put in paragraphs.....oh ya and I forgot somethin else, if you need something or you need help just ask around here. These guys are great and they'll go way out of their way to help you out. Oh and what's wrong with nos? my 1.7's gonna be flyin, you just watch out.....hahaha ya right.

[dan10101]

Ok I want to now take the time and hi five all the people who's first car is/was a Porsche. So far, it looks like we have three in this forum including me.
Jim your talking about the school of high performance driving right?
Another thing I do when I buys stuff is I think to myself, can I get my money back if in a year I dont want it? if the answer is yes, then I probably buy it, if it is no, then I think again about purchasing it. Im not talking about doing this with small things, im talking like the more expensive stuff.
skater, do you not know how to post a picture? if so we could explain it.
Good luck!

[Andyrew]

Grrr, ok I forgot I used my dads comp, above post is mine. this gets confusing. SORRY!!!

[Dbelleperc]

Me too. My first car is a 914 and I'm 18 soon to get a Mini. Once when you get these cars running right you will definitly have a nice smile on your face. Wait till you get a girl in the passenger seat and you go throught the mountains at cheeta speeds. These cars may not take off quick but once they get going watch out. On one of the pca tours in San Diego my car was passing all the american muscle Camero, Mustang "is that muscle anymore" and I kept up with a Ferrari 360 and 996 Turbo's. But once when the straights came I just saw a lot of ASS. Have fun with your car and test the limits of it, so you know its limits. And don't kill your self. One more thing it is called OVERSTEER.

[BillySpaceman]

Well, my first car wasn't a 914, it was a 1988 Mazda 323 hatchback But reccently, after months of research, questions and preperation I got my Porsche 914. I was very lucky to find a California car, pretty much stock in excellent condition. I have already spent somewhere around $700 in the 4+ months I have owne the car, and i know I am lucky cuz there are some around here that have spend $1000s. I agree with everyone else here, start with the car AS IS and get it in tip top shape. As I am learning and you will too, there is plenty to do in keeping/getting your car to its best. NOTHING is worse than a car whose exterior is awesome while its guts are turning to mush. As with my peice of advice: Learn as much as you can from as many of the old schoolers here. Most have had all the experiences you haven't had yet, sometimes twice or three times over, and chances are you will learn the best way around most any issue from them. The 914 is a unique automobile and it takes a "unique" person to want to keep one. Just my 2.33 cents!

[1bad914]

My first car was a 1971 Mustang Mach 1, fast and furious! I had to take off my shoes to count it up, but the 914 is my 47th car, the 67 Beetle is my 48th..oh I take that back I had a 57 Beetle in between, it's the 49th. Anyway, this car has been a lot of fun to restore, a challenge in some ways and a breeze in others. Skater, the best thing you can do is go sit in the car and get the feel for it. Put it on jack stands and crawl underneath it to see how this little woonder is put together. Crawl all over it and ask this forum any question that pops up. Then go to work on it. One last piece of advice, if you want it done right...do it yourself!

[douglas robbins]

As far as front end effects:

I agree with Zeke that a front spoiler might do the trick. What also might work is a factory valence. I love the look of the valence in the front, although it is unlikley to be as aerodynamic as an air damn. Check it out. Here's a picture of Johnson's Ol Yeller with valence (the part below the bumper).

Also notice how on this car the rocker panels are color coded (i.e. the same color as the car). I think that's fly.

Douglas

[norustscott]

Personally, I can't think of a worse first car to have. The average 16-20 year old will need financial assistance to keep the car in a safe operating condidtion. fuel lines, brakes, 30 year old ball joints tie rod ends...

The extra time and attention the car requires to travel the average 15K a year...That is atleast 5 valve adjustments and Oil changes, not to mention the distraction of th lure of fun...will certainly take away from academics... Your work is cut out for you.

Finally, most males under 20 have no fear... the 914's false security centered around "I wish I was in a civic..."

First car guys, Listen to the eders. They will save you time, cash and greif...

Old guy signing off.

[Biggy72]

you couldn't think of a worse first car? what bout bugs? they're much more needy than these cars, especially if you have fi on one of these things. I've gone through two bugs, one I ended up selling and the other which is still sitting in my garage waiting for an engine. As far as I'm concerned, if it's different and you like it then there's no reason why you shouldn't have it. I spend every waking moment besides while I'm working, spending time on my cars and I have a 3.85 gpa and my first two years of college are already paid for through scholarships. These cars will help you learn skills you will be able to use later on in life. As long as you're not the kinda person that doesn't like learning about things and working on cars then this is a great first car as far as I'm concerned.