why do you own a 914
 

Poll to answer why?

You need to add to the list:

My family has been a member of the Porsche family for decades! Porsche - Nothing even comes close!

Christopher A. Landt
75 914 1.8 FI

Proud past National PCA Family "Member" of the year. - That was the year after the Reno Parade in the mid 80's where my Parents and brother and sister and I all went on a 3 week treck across the USA in a 79 911SC Targa. Yes, 5 of us in a 911 for Thousands of Butt Numbing miles. We were also doing this Spelling Bee rally where you had to find cities that the first letter was a letter in a phrase. So it was not just direct routes. We swerved all over the western United states From New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Texas. Actually it was great fun!


I have Owned:
86 951
72 914 1.7

Family owns:
96 911 Turbo
89 C4
79 SC Targa
84 944
72 911T

How about, "Because I am completely 100% crazy!"

That'd be mine, yup yup yup...

--DD

Uhhh - I can be pretty arrogant (me? Nooooooo!) and it is one of the few things that truely Humbles me....

James

And what Dave said!

Aaaahahahahahahah.......

1973, looking for something to replace my 69 Triumph GT6+. Drove a 73 2 liter, loved it but it was expensive and the closest dealer was about 30 miles away (suburban Philadelphia PA). Bought a 73 Lincon-Mercury Capri (Crappy) 6 cylinder instead. 1994, looking to replace my toy car (1950 Studebaker Champion) with something more fun, found a 74 2 liter only 4 miles away.
Harvey

Why Indeed?
 

To chew on early 911's butts at the track. (Can't do anything about 3.2-3.6s)

Re: Why Indeed?
 

Well, technically you can...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-914-914-6-technical-forum/75874-my-ride-s-pics.html

The biggest, baddest 911 variants will be very tough to compete with though. Then again those guys are spending like $125-200K. On their weekend toy cars no less. I'll give 'em the win and keep the change, thanks.

Eerrr....it followed me home?

I found out very early in life (age 16 in 86) that I could lift throttle steer a 914 when entering clover leaf for the freeway. Figuring this would pay off in AutoX and road racing... I stuck with it.

Now.. after driving a Boxster and finding out I can do the same thing......

Chris, we have some of the baddest 911 Turbos in NorCal that seem to win everything. the plan is to have a 3.8 engine for the tube car and a legal 3.0 for SCCA.

It would be nice to have a 914 at the top again against some of these winged monsters.

Come on Sponsors...help me out...LOL

B

I selected "I have always wanted a Porsche" because it was the closest answer on the poll. The fact is that I had always wanted a 914. When they first appeared I fell in love with the body design and of course the thought of something unusual like the mid-engine design. But alas I had not the money for such a dream car back then. A few years ago it was a different story when I spotted one on a friend's car lot... he had agreed to park it on his lot for a friend and the sale was direct from that owner.

I've since learned that looks aren't everything but the repairs to a near-30 year old car keep me busy. :)

I sold an 82 Collector Edition Corvette and got rid of the stress of hopping no one would run into it! YEA!!! It was run into once by a 500 lb. 4 wheel peddal powered vehicle and caused $2500 damage. After that I figured it wasn't safe to park it anywhere other than the garage so... I got rid of the thing that caused anxiety and found my wonderful fun 914. (Never to go back to the "C" car) and the best thing about the 914 is that I don't worry about it then there's the ability to work on it myself (another YEA)!!!
bruce in Boring, ORYGUNhttp://www.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/wat6.gif

How 'bout -

1. I meet the most "interesting" people (daffynition varies).

2. I'm stoopid (but not that stoopid; I could have bought a Bugeye Sprite).

3. I have no life

4. I like spending money

5. I can't afford the "fine wine and cheese" 911

6. I'm studying rust for my doctoral thesis

7. And finally, my choice - "a unique design - never equaled" for a production car.

#7 will get the Ricers and Italians started -

If I put "Porsche" on the LS1 valve covers, will it qualify?

For HarveyH - I loved my "Fast & Furious Crappies" (2000 & 2600) except for the occasional rear quarter windows that fell out.

Ron, Never had the windows fall out, but the front end got light at 85, and every 10 - 15k miles you had to replace the bushings to stop the shimmy.
Harvey:eek:

Harvey:

By the pic, you have the later model with the pinned (thru glass) quarter window locks.

The earlier models ('71) had the "glued" window locks. The glue would cease to hold, leaving the quarter window flapping like a broken speed brake until it fell out. Ford Motor's reply "purchase and fit later model quarter windows".

My front end never floated:D , so I lowered it and ran a front spoiler. The vibration reminded me that I was gonna get a speeding ticket;) .

Now, back to 914s.....,

Because I drove one of the bloody things when my father's friend was selling his father-in-law's old racing 914. Then I happened across a white 1976 in NH while on a trip and when I called two months later and it hadn't been sold yet I was able to take the hint. Plus I figured that since I didn't have a girlfriend at the time I ought to have _something_ on which to waste my money. (Although now I have the car _and_ a girl wasting my money because I can't get rid of a car that she thinks is cute.) ;) Mainly it's the first reason though.

Aaron

Uh, cuz I can?
 

I have had a 78 928 for 12 years (cool in it's own right) BUt always wanted a 914 since way back in like 1970 or something.
Just last night I took the little blue teener to a local hot rod gathering. I was late so most everybody was already there. As my son and I rolled into the lot to find a parking stall. All eyes were on us with "oh man look at that" "Yea I always wanted one of them" to "COOL"
We had quite a gathering by the time I shut it down and climbed out.
ANYONE and everyone knows Porsche!!!!

Other cars present Original shelby GT350, 70 Cuda 383, Several road runners, Two Replica Cobras, Mustangs/Camaros abound, a guy with a C5 vette all by himself:p one 1974 Alaska Blue metallic 2.0L 914.

Howzabout it was a great deal? owning a porsche for a first car is a great conversation piece !!!!:eek: :D

What can I say; I'm a glutton for punishment.

Something about the Old Lady hittin' the high notes whenever she spots me crawling in/out/under my car makes me all ... what ... tinglely?

http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate...WavingFlag.gif

To pick up middle aged women at the supermarket
by having them approach you "Oh, I was just admiring your car. I use to have a 197* 914 ;) "

14 year old kid, sees movie LeMans, becomes enfatuated with the Porsche psycie. Meets owner of 914 when 15 (who has become a lifelong freind), decides that a 914 is THE PORSCHE TO OWN. Sets goal to own a 914 before he is 21, buys 71 914-4 when 19 years old.

Drove said car for 3 years, repainted/reassembled it. Less than 150 miles later, 16 year old girl driving dads new (as in window sticker still on glass) buick stationwagon... Car totaled:( , buy new 1982 Mustang GT (hated it), sell mustang 10,000 miles later and replace with '70 914-4. Drove that thru college.

Also, got my father bit by the 914 bug also. He's a BIG BOY! 6'3" and every bit of 425 pounds at the time. He found out that he would fit with clearance between his stomach and the steering wheel. Began search for 914 for dad. Contacted lifelong 914 freind in Kansas City and began a search for the "perfect" 914 for dad. Ended up settling for a very low mileage '72. He drove the car untill he was 72 and began having difficulties getting in and out of the car.


I guess I have been without a 914 myself for a total of 2 of the past 25 years.

My current one, a '71 914-4, I have had for 14-15 years. Probbably should have condemned it when I first got it because of rust. But, I taught myself how to weld, put a chasis stiffening kit in it, reinforced the trailing arms, put a side shifter in, put a 2.0, M struts, painted it myself 3 times (2nd one right after the first (learning) and again 8 years later.

I have a small horde of them stashed at a friends farm in Nebraska. Anytime I could buy one for $300, I would. Some are restorable, but most have death rot. Never can have enought spare parts ;)

Guess I'm addicted:p

I don't have a 914...yet.... but I voted anyway:D

Tim in Sac

My best friend had one in high school and I bought one a few years later. The one I bought back in 1979 is my one and only 914 and before I turned it into a race car I put +/- 100,000 miles on the thing. I figure over the years I have taken every nut/bolt/screw out of it at least once.

Actually it was a natural progression from Matchbox cars-to-Hot Wheels-to-plastic 1/24 scale models-to-slot cars-to-my last toy, a 914.

the only other thing that feels like driving a Porsche is driving another Porsche.


cg

70 914/4 on jack stands

The cost of my 1st 914 ......................................$900.00
The money needed to get it running..................$500.00
The hours spent learning how "not to do it".......100s


The feeling of accomplishment, excitement, and exhilaration that comes from driving the ultimate in fun...
Priceless

I have owned 5 914s in various states of disrepair. Several of which I sold and later bought back.... I just can't let go. Through it all they have been more consistant (consistantly in need of repair) that many of the people I have met...

Besides what would I do with all my free time and money if I didn't own a 914

No other car I can think of gives me such a full emotional experience. I drove a spiffy new Audio A4 Quattro V6 for a while. One of the few new cars I have owned and certainly the most refined. It worked everyday. You got free service for a year. It was fast. But man was it sterile. Power steering. Power brakes. You just felt disconnected.
But with my current 914 (my third in 17 years and hopefully my last):

The top off elation on a 72 degree spring day.

The despair of sitting in Atlanta traffic on a 99 degree summer day.

The pride when the 20 something at the Starbucks drive-thru asks, "What kind of car is that? It's cool."

The terror everytime I grind it going form first to second.

The bewilderment when the engine putters and dies after just being cranked or when the idle goes from a stable 900 to bouncing around 200 for no good reason.

The blinding rage one gets doing a valve adjustment.

The endless dreams and fantasies about taking my 1.8 to a souped up 2.0. Or a 300 hp Porsche six. What potential my little car has. Brembo Big Reds up front. Some polished 16" Fuchs. The list and fun just goes on and on.

I don't drive it for transportaion...I drive it because it feels like a part of me.

Because the car is very good-looking. It's a work of art. I think the 914s built during the 914-6 years are some of the best looking Porsches ever. Everywhere I go, at stop lights, getting gas, people always ask me about it and tell me how cool it is. I especially like it when the young people like it. It's not all about speed and power to me. I collect cars as works of art. From many angles, and with a nice paint job, the 914 is really stunning. (You have to have that top off though!) I wouldn't invest 100s of hours and lots of bucks into a car I didn't think was worth it. The 914 IS worth it! Mine's a '72 914 1.7. Had for over 12 years now. First saw one parked outside the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. I asked the owner what year it was. Had to wait for him to come out. It was a '72. I knew what my dream car was at that moment. I found it a few years later. Been in love ever since.

I guess there are several reasons:

-It is a form of therapy, but I don't pay the psychiatrist, I pay Tom.

-I like crawling underneath it every week, totally amazed that it still runs.

-I get plenty of laughs going home every night. (or is that laughed at?)

All kidding aside.....I'am the Village Idiot!! I'am a glutton for extreme punishment. Whatever fixes I come up with really helps when someone calls in with a dead 914 question, especially ignition problems. (my specialty)

It is a daily driver and is a barrel of monkeys to drive. Besides, having fun with the Honda crowd is a ton o' fun. Nothing out there handles or responds like it.

Eat Healthy, Eat Rice!:D

Because I like aesthetically challenged mid-engined cars with a reputation for unreliability and spontaneous combustion.

I was threatening to buy a Lotus and my wife started to get nervous and suggested I buy a Porsche instead. I didn't want the engine in the trunk, so I bought a 914. Then another.

Then we had twins and I bought the Lotus anyway.

Oh well.