Changing thoughts on 914's

[RickS]

Couldn't agree more about the styling and sound of a 4 banger 914 compared to a 911. The 911 is almost sexy - but then sexy truly belongs to the Italians. The 914 was styling was courtesy of a refrigerator designer. Fire up a 4 cylinder 914 and it will remind you of your fist VW bug. Love that old nostalgic sound, but not the lack of power. The 914 is crude where a 911 feels refined.

As a result, I took a standard 71 914 1.7 and converted it to a 3.0 with a front oil cooler and a complete Elephant suspension and 911S brakes. The result has been transformative. Got the sound, the acceleration, and best of all a refrigerator which will out corner almost any early 911. The way it corners has to be experienced. So here is the result of 3 years of effort. I won't bore you with everything which was upgraded - just about everything except the sheet metal since I wanted to keep it a sleeper.

Oh the real advantage of a 914 is being super approachable where ever I take it - 9 times out of 10 someone comes over to talk about it or memories of theirs. And I don't get tailgated like in the 911. And like mentioned earlier kids really like it.

[demo]

It is a 901, with tranny cooler, short gears & posi trac. I love the 901!

[Silverbullit]

In context with the dimly lit 924, and early 928 and 944, and in the current world of Caymans, Cayennes, and Panamera's, I love the '70-'76 Boxster!

[Peanut]

Hmmmm not sure I'd agree with Raj. I may stir it up here on this thread again; however wouldn't a 914-6 be like adding sugar to something to add flavor? I have to believe the base 914 was just as big a marketing effort to get less wealthy individuals into Porsche cars.

I think the one above with the 3.0 (and certainly a 914-6) is a good looking car and prob a real blast to drive, but it's not the same car as what I'm wondering about- a base 914.

[911T1971]

I agree with Raj, if Porsche would have continued the 914 as they did with the 911, we all would still talk about it.

If they would leave the "skinny looking" 911 2.0l (with weights in his bumpers) they way it was enginereed, we never would talk about a S/T, 75' Turbo or a 993.
The 914's concept was more advanced, more balanced and more racing inspired than the 911's initial concept.
But marketing wanted the 914 as an entry model, replacing the 912 (which got an 356 engine because the factory was unable to give it its proper 4cyl 901 derivate), the 914 also lost on this very marketing factors. Especially in Germany, where it was dubbed VW-Porsche.

914 are very pretty cars in their own way.
From a design point of view, its shape reinterprates very thoughtfully three elements of Porsche DNA: flat hood, elevated fenders (lights on 356/911, turnsignals on 914) and integrated bumpers. It offered a genuine Porsche interior, nicely designed tombstone seats (later seen on 911 too..) and had interesting design details, like door handles. The front integrated much better additional lights than on 911's and other contemporary cars.
The arched C-column is maybe a little bit awkward shaped. Its too soft, too "feminine", too baroque.
This gives the car less power, less stance towards its rear and lets the roof making -instead- visually "its own thing".
IMHO the only detail which does not hold on over time.

But then again the car's square "teutonic" design disconnected with the earlier rounded "Kommenda" 356/911/912 style and made it difficult to generic P owners feeling that he/she is driving a Porsche. Especially when its dubbed as an entry model and the owner wants driving a "real" Porsche. The same fate went to the 924S/928/944/968, all excellent designed and engineered cars in their own way. These special Porsche models need special taste (and owners).

They also made two 914-8. I'm shure Piech thought its a much better car than a 911 !
This is the road the 914 should have gone but never did.
Post 1948 356 roadster/ post 904 / pre Carrera GT/ pre 918.

Piechs 914-8 (300hp)




Ferry's 914-8 (276hp)


On another note, the 914 concept resembles somewhat close to the 1962 Ford Mustang 1 Prototyp.
Ford, 1962



Development on the 914 started in 1965 and was designed in-house by Porsche /Hans Klie.
Porsche ca 1966, model by Klie

[JackG]

Interestingly, that picture shows the Porsche crest installed on the hood of Ferry's car. It is also shown twice in the 914-6 Owners Manual on pages 3 & 73 with the crest installed on the hood.

[Zedone]

So there should be no concours points deducted for this crest

[super9064]

Well lets think of it another way 550, RS variants,904 - all really for racing and porsche having the guts to bring a mid engine design to the masses that would make financial sense to make money as opposed to loosing money on race cars......... Yes I think there maybe two sides to everything and really to offer ferry on his special birthday a hammy down lowly 914 I don't think so ..... They believed and had high hopes but vw agreements death etc ....... Life

They didn't stick one of those engines in a 11 for ferry

Raj


Mid engine design to make financial sense not an easy task thus price points,cost and volume....so the lowly 914 but hey at 100k copies I am not sure lowly

I just noticed it has a through the hood gas filler cover. If you look underneath the hood of a 914 you can still see where the factory had originally had intended to place the gas filler as shown. It was obviously changed as a cost cutting measure, resulting in having to open the hood to gas up.

[super9064]

So there should be no concours points deducted for this crest

I understand that a number of US dealers added Porsche crests to 914s to improve the image. So many of the 914s that sport hood badges are correct, depending on your point of view.

[Silverbullit]

Always liked 'em. The Wikipedia explanation, while brief, gives a good understanding of the circumstances that gave us the 914.