914GT Headlamp Motor Removal

Ghost Tracker · 12-20-2006, 01:29 PM

Approx. 20-25 years (yep!) there was an article in VW Porsche Magazine about how, in some racing 914GT, the headlight motors were removed for weight concerns BUT the car still had a manual strut-lifted, cable-retracted working headlight system. Does anyone still have that article or remember the "how to". I always thought it was very cool & saved 25 pounds or so. If it's been discussed I can't find the right "search" words to find it. I think the featured car also had a set of BIG driving lights mounted on the bumper & a strange two-toned (orange/white?) paint job split down the middle of the body (so in R/L side-view the car appeared to be a different color). Maybe a factory LeMans or Rally car? I can't remember for certain. Anybody out there as old as me?

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

The headlights were lifted and held up by pneumatic struts. There was a cable latch on them, and when you pulled the cable the struts lifted the lights. You had to push the lights back down by hand.

BTW, I think it was only the bumper that was painted half-and-half. That was done so that the team cars were easier to differentiate.

For tons and tons of 914-6GT information, see:
http://www.pbase.com/9146gt
For info on the strut/cable headlight kits, see:
http://www.pbase.com/9146gt/gt_mechanical_headlight_raisers

--DD

Ghost Tracker · 12-21-2006, 07:05 AM

Yeah, thinking about it...I believe you're right about it being "only the bumper" with the two-toned paint scheme. My memory has some worm-holes in the 25-years-ago-article Section.

Thank you for the links. I'm sure some of the features will sweep a pile of serious cobwebs out from my Gray Matter. Hell, I drove a 914-6 new at the Dealership. That's O-L-D!