Why did you choose the 914 instead of some other car?

[rdupre@houston.rr.com]

Why did I choose the 914? Easy, some unfinished business.

I had one back in '75. I was young then, scraping buy, about to get married and couldn't really afford it. But I got it anyway and loved it, pampered it, and had a lot of good memories... until, early '77. One night, I let my parents drive it and it caught on fire and burned up. (Pesky fuel lines).

A few years ago, I was haveing a conversation with a friend about great cars we'd owned and I brought up my 914. Then I thought, "I'm a big successful boy now, I can afford one now, I want one again."

That night I went home and told my wife that I wanted a 26 year old. When she found out that it was a car, everything was cool. (It also helps that she is very understanding and also loved the old car as well.)

Well, to make a long story short, I searched high and low for car and found out the sorry state that most of them are in now. I was lucky enough to find one locally that was virtually rust free and have been working on it ever since. Of course my assumptions of affording it now may have been hubris. (Anyone priced a gearshift knob lately?)

But it keeps me busy and is a great toy for the middle age crazies.

[CoolTool]

Why did I buy my 914? My wife made me do it!!! HONEST!! I had found this car (73 1.7) sitting in a field and the owner told me he wanted $300.00 for it. I looked at it and decided it would be too much work to fix (his kids had used it as a go cart on the farm for about 3 years). A week later I slipped and told her about it and she made me take her to look at it........and we ended up bringing it home that night. Now it is in the garage, on a rotisserie, with parts everywhere! Hope to start putting it back together this spring. I was looking around for a parts car that had already been cut on, and found the second 914 (76 2.0). A week later and it was in the driveway. Never got to drive the first one, but have driven the second. I LOVE it so far. Besides.....being in the Texas Panhandle(between Amarillo & Lubbock), it's not too often that you see a 914 around here!!!

[RichMason]

Let's see...father left mother at early age but son got to visit. Dad worked on Porsche's and owned a 69 911E so father is god. Son remembers how cool it was to ride on the floorboard under the dash and how hot and dry the heat from an air-cooled car was... Son tries to get closer to dad by owning German cars and working on them in father's shop (69 Squareback, 71 Bus, 72, 74, 75 Mercedes 220 and 240D's, 79 300 TD, 82 300 TD, 85 500 SEL, 87 300D). Son nearly bankrupts himself and wife with his therapy substitutes then decides that the only solution is a 911 restoration with father - the "last car". Wife reluctantly agrees and even buys it for him - father sells son rusty 73 911T for $3000 with understanding that he will get the car painted and restored by one of his suppliers at cost. Son buys $3000 worth of parts while waiting for car to be painted, and he waits, and he waits for 2 years. Father doesn't deliver, son realizes he's been getting ripped off by father for years (where did nearly all of those cars come from? father's shop). Son tells father to piss off, picks up 911 and parts, sells everything in pieces for $3500 and buys 73 914 2.0 on ebay from guy in Texas. Even when 914 turns out to be 1.7 son is happy that he's on his own now driving in the moonlight and stars with the top off, dreaming of how much his son is going to enjoy his 914...

[mejulihn]

Rich,
I am not a therapist but I think there might be some paternal issues there!!!

[RichMason]

So far the story has a happy ending. Although the 914 may have challenges in terms of horsepower, the sense of empowerment that I get from it more than makes up for it .

[J P Stein]

I started out with 9elebens.......NICE cars, but something was missing.....I don't want to analyze this too closely, but it is prolly the "rabble without a clue" syndrome, a hold over from my hot rod days.

To me, the 914 is the most "modifiable"(?) , light weight sport car around, just waiting to be "improved".

Then again I may just be "nuts".

Because I always wanted to learn how to weld.

[Serge914]

When I was 20 yo and could afford to buy my first car I had the choice between a 914 and a 1975 Honda Civic. I remember it was in October so I bought the Honda wich is a bit more practical over here in Montreal in the Winter. That was it, I then bought 2 more Hondas and even raced them. Then i got a house, a wife, a few kids ( maybe not in that order ) and forgot about cars. 20 years later I was looking for a 911 and test driven a few of them but wasn't realy hooked up on them. I was looking for something closer to my old race car. Then by chance I took a drive in a 74 1.8 914 for sale. That was it, I bought it right away. I probably should have take a closer look under it but I have no regret, yet.

[mike mueller]

I didn't pick the 914, it picked me !!!

Seriously, the only reason I got into the 914s was because mine was free since the PO didn't want it anymore. (blown motor)

I'm on my third 914 now (second one was free also, I didn't want it and gave it to Malmz)

[Dave Bouzaglou]

Though I own several other Porsches, my re-aquisition of my 914-6 brought a big smile to my face! There is nothing like a 6 when it comes to carving up tight canyon roads. The polar moment and response from a well tuned suspension is hard to beat. Granted the styling is not for everyone (my S.O. thinks the lil box looks like it goes backwards and forwards just a well) but there is no denying how much fun and control you can have at the limit. My silver 2.0 4 cylinder was just as much fun on the track, too.

[Special K]

I always had a thing for aircooled motors, but couldn't afford a 911. Had a few VW bugs, and was always impressed by the torque of those little motors. Happened upon a '75 914 in the classifieds, and had to have it. The wife thought I was "Nuts", but since she always has, I didn't let that stop me. I took that first ride, and was hooked! Never drove a car that handled so well, or sat so low. Bought a '73 (rust-free) a year ago, and parked the '75 for parts. Taking my time and doing this one right. Should be a bad little go-kart when I drop it off the jack stands this Spring. (hopefully!!)

[retro74]

Always loved the style and mid engine reinforced (boxed) rear layout genius of these cars. I also have my original 1985 1/2 Honda Prelude Si, which is much quicker and way more refined, but it is no fun to work on and lacks the character of my 74 2.0L

So I was turning 40 and something just clicked. First a lady on an airplane (Flying Southwest) to see her dad who had cancer. She was marveling at her good fortune to have cheap flights from Baltimore to Columbus OH and would see him every two weeks this way. Then I read a funny ralley story from Peter Egan from Road and Track (about a ralley in a toasted blue mini) and he talked about life being too short... about saying screw the ralley and enjoying old friends... So I came to this conclusion...

"Enjoy what you have while your searching for what you want."

The 914 was certainly 1/10 the cost of a Boxster and well... Life is too short to not enjoy this. I have an son that is almost 9 and he works on the car and learns the fundamentalsof tools and cursing with me... Priceless! I get out of my office to dismantle, paint, weld, etc.

The best three features of the 914...
3. You can work on it yourself and get results
2. With a header, loose sound pad and loose rear window, the sound keeps me from playing the radio
1. No cup holders

E N J O Y !

Joe

[dheinz]

I don't remember seeing a 914 until I was drafted and sent to Germany in 1972.There were many 911s, 356s, and these great new mid-engined 914s.Prior to this, I was into American muscle cars.Came home in 1974 and participated in the custom van fad for a few years.The bug hit me in 1979 and I bought my first 914, a 1974 2.0, florescent green, slightly rusty, one owner car.I should have known better about the rust, but I was blind to any thing other than it was a Porsche.It was a great running,fun car that the wife and I took on vacations to the beach. But the rust kept spreading. I spent a thousand dollars on body work and anew white paint job. It looked great for about 6 months then the rust started appearing again. In 1983 I sold it for what I had bought it for.I bought a new T-bird Turbo Coupe,kept it for 5 years,then bought a new Probe GT. Fast forward to Feb94,I need German engineering.A Guards Red,1982 911 coupe becomes part of a life long dream.The 911 is great,but I still continue to look at anything relating to 914s.Scannig E-bay auctions in Oct00, I came across a rust free 1970 914/6 thirty miles from my recently paid off house. The 914/6 now sits beside the 911 in the garage. Most who have seen these two cars together prefer the 911,but every day I like the 914 more. The 914 will be my drivers ed car and I expect it will surprise a few people at the track.

[Stuart Lehr]

It was between a 914 and a 2002 BMW- went for the 914 as it was a real sports car. That was 1970 and I still have the '71 silver 914-4. Very modified over the years and now my kids love it and it will never leave the family. Bought a '71 914-6 in 1976, sold it a few years later, and recently bought it back from a friend. It won't leave the family either. Have had many other Porsches (every model but a 928) over the years but always gravitate back to the 914. Must admit I also drive a BMW now too, with a new M3 on the way. A committed German car fan, with the Audi quattro for the winter months!