914 Why

[wheelboy]

Hello, Why the 914 is the is so cheap compare to other Porsche and Vw's. The car deserve Better that!!!! Don't you Think?

[NineOhOne]

No. 914's are not real Porsche. They're VW's. Red-headed step-children (along with 924's, 944's, Cabriolets (driven by anyone other than a woman) Boxsters and 928's).

Next question?

[anthony]

Good ones aren't cheap!

[racer]

Originally Posted by NineOhOne

No. 914's are not real Porsche. They're VW's. Red-headed step-children (along with 924's, 944's, Cabriolets (driven by anyone other than a woman) Boxsters and 928's).

Next question?

That's fantastic.. as well.. now ALL Porsches can tecnically be called VW's

As to the OP, part of the reason is their lack of pedigreed history, despite showing to be superior in a racing environment. porsche never really raced them woth the the same level of modification and development as they did with the 911. Also, of the 120K built, only a few had a genuine Porsche motor and suspension. Most were a raid on the VW parts bin, as the car was originally to be a VW and not a porsche. But that is slowly changing. Nice examples sell for over $10K and 914-6's (only 3300 or so built) can fetch $30K.

[Macroni]

Rust.....

[wheelboy]

Well, (my opinion) I think the 914 is better looking than the 912 and the eng got nothing to do with it because (VW, Porsche) They are similar eng anyway. My 914 is all original 1972 1.7 FE and I won't trade it for a similar price 912.

[geshaghi]

This is a timely thread for me - I just saw a nice 2.0 914 in very original condition, but I have no idea what the car is worth. The seller is asking more than some 911's that I've seen recently. Can someone help shed light on the value of these cars and what (besides condition & rust) makes one more valuable than another?

[NineOhOne]

Originally Posted by wheelboy

I won't trade it for a similar price 912.

I would...

Porsche : 912 : eBay Motors (item 250570149239 end time Feb-02-10 10:02:11 PST)

[racer]

Originally Posted by geshaghi

This is a timely thread for me - I just saw a nice 2.0 914 in very original condition, but I have no idea what the car is worth. The seller is asking more than some 911's that I've seen recently. Can someone help shed light on the value of these cars and what (besides condition & rust) makes one more valuable than another?

The general "worth" heiracrchy:

1) 914-6 (only 3300 or so made)
2) '73-'74 914 2.0

After #2, it comes down to preference. I prefer the 1.7s over the 1.8s, ealrier over later, but a '76 2.0 is a pretty nice car (ok, I had one of those too).

1.7s were from '70-73.
1.8s were '74-75

Impact bumper cars ('75-76) are also hard.. although, here, a 2.0 trumps a 1.8
'76 can be an issue in cali, for instance, due to smogging concerns. They had the less liked large rubber bumpers and weigh about 200lbs more than an early car due to increased safety (bumpers, door beams) and sound deadening.

Nice condition 2.0s, (outside of cali, since they seem plentiful there) are $8-12K for the most part.

914-6s in good to excellent are $15-30K

Rust is the big killer (trunks, longitudinals, floor pans, suspension/jack points etc) since they were not built with any rustrpoofing/zinc coatings.

They are, compared to modern cars, slow and loud. The 2.0l only made 95hp to begin with and the emissions stradled cars (ie, a 75 1.8 made about 72hp)

[geshaghi]

Originally Posted by racer

The general "worth" heiracrchy:

1) 914-6 (only 3300 or so made)
2) '73-'74 914 2.0
....
Nice condition 2.0s, (outside of cali, since they seem plentiful there) are $8-12K for the most part.

Thank you.
The car I'm looking at is a category 2) car that is definitely nice condition. Supposedly an original California car (NorCal initially, but now down in SoCal area), but no blue plate and no documentation or history except from the current owner of the last three years. Original fuel injection is still on the car, stock inside and out except for a later radio, and no apparent rust but I haven't done a PPI. I would characterize the car as a clean, unmolested high quality driver. Any thoughts on what something like this is worth? (Sorry I don't have any photos at the moment ).

[carlege]

Originally Posted by NineOhOne

No. 914's are not real Porsche. They're VW's. Red-headed step-children (along with 924's, 944's, Cabriolets (driven by anyone other than a woman) Boxsters and 928's).

Next question?

944 Turbo = better machine then anything porsche built during those years. Sorry dude but not inferior, superior. But keep thinking the toy you have is better.

[anthony]

Originally Posted by geshaghi

Thank you.
Original fuel injection is still on the car, stock inside and out except for a later radio, and no apparent rust but I haven't done a PPI. I would characterize the car as a clean, unmolested high quality driver. Any thoughts on what something like this is worth? (Sorry I don't have any photos at the moment ).

I'd say that you are in the area of an $8-12K car depending on how nice it is.

[anthony]

The cool thing about 914s is that they are much cheaper to buy, upgrade, and rebuild than a 911.

Type IV engine development has come a long way in the last 5 years. For under $8K one could build a reliable 200hp engine that would give a 914 a better power to weight ratio than an SC or mid-year Carrera. Coupled with the superior mid-engined handling, a 914 like that makes for a very fun canyon carver / autoX weapon.

The other thing to mention is that you don't need 200hp in a 914 to have fun. I got a ride in a friends 914. He rebuilt the engine to 2056cc specs (2mm oversized pistons) and used an aftermarket cam. Just these two mods yield a 50% bump in low end torque. His car could scratch his sticky Falkens in 1st and 2nd gear. Acceleration in his car felt about the same as my stock SC.

[931GT]

Originally Posted by carlege

944 Turbo = better machine then anything porsche built during those years. Sorry dude but not inferior, superior. But keep thinking the toy you have is better.

You must not have ever driven a 911 Carerra. They're built like tanks and the sound and power delivery of a 3.2 flat six is intoxicating.

[racer]

There's no reason to belittle the 914.

As mentioned, they are fun to drive, and with a bump in hp they can be great fun to drive. Given their age, i am not sure they are much cheaper than a 911.. $8K 914 motors? yikes.. Plus you still need to address suspension and brake upgrades.

They should be enjoyed for what they are and not be bought to "impress" anyone.. because if you need constant validation from others, you have some serious other issues For those with short memories, when the 911 first appeared, many 356 fanatics derided this softer, heavier, "not a real porsche" because of its 6 cylinder heresy.

Then the 914 came out an no one liked them.. but they sold 120K of them in 6 years.. and they went on to beat up 911s when driven well and certainly when modified.. then no one liked the 944 series cars.. but they sold 120+K of them and they were balanced, and they had features like reliable AC and Heat .. then no one liked boxsters.. but they've sold close to 200K worldwide... yadda yadda.

[dienstuhr]

Originally Posted by racer

That's fantastic.. as well.. now ALL Porsches can tecnically be called VW's

Just the new ones.

There's validity in the points that have been made. Whatever the intrinsic virtue of 914s, they HAVE been derided by some as being "not real Porsches", they DO lack significant racing pedigree at the top levels of motorsport, and to many people they ARE, let's say, "aesthetically challenged"

Those are the reasons why the market appears to value them less than, say, 911s and 912s.

Cheers

d.

[sparky rowan]

The 914 is an excellent Porsche with a mid-engine and perfect weight and balance. I am especially fond of the 914-6, great racer. I've owned two of them and several 911s, and now I drive a 928 (a real sweetheart). Stay away from the 911 snobs, a real gaggle of dummies. Not all 911 owners, just the snobs

[carrera turbo]

Originally Posted by wheelboy

Well, (my opinion) I think the 914 is better looking than the 912 and the eng got nothing to do with it because (VW, Porsche) They are similar eng anyway. My 914 is all original 1972 1.7 FE and I won't trade it for a similar price 912.

so would you trade for a 911 because they look better than a 912
one day the 914s will go up in value because the ones that havent broke in two from rust will be rare.

ed

[NineOhOne]

Originally Posted by carlege

944 Turbo = better machine then anything porsche built during those years.

False. Beets, Bears, BattleStar Gallactica.

P.S. - Water is for douches.









...

[geshaghi]

Originally Posted by NineOhOne

Water is for douches.









...

That may be the funniest thing I've read all year. Thanks for the chuckle