Porsche 914

 (note: this profile appeared in the Oct. 2005 issue. Photos courtesy Porsche NA)

As the sixties progressed, a strengthening Mark and escalating prices forced a decision upon Porsche: Did it want to abandon the "affordable" sports car market due to cost pressure? The problem was, of course, that affordable translated into large production runs in order to achieve economies of scale. Porsche had neither the capacity nor the desire to produce that many cars. So, to make a long story short, they teamed up with VW, who was looking for a replacement for the Kharmann-Ghia, jointly created the 914, and each got their wish.  Sort of. In Europe, this creation was sold as a "VW-Porsche". In North America, it replaced the 912 and was marketed as a Porsche, presumably because they thought we were too dumb to know the difference.
The car itself was novel and technically impressive for its modest price. Mid-engine, fully independent suspension and 4-wheel disc brakes were, for the time, exotic car features.  A lift-off targa roof gave passengers most of the convertible feel while maintaining chassis rigidity.
Almost immediately, though, troubles and criticism mounted. The motor, a 1.7L flat four lifted out of VWs "premium" 412 sedan, offered anemic performance. It was uncomfortable. The gearshift was vague. Handling was not up to expectations. And finally, no one seemed to like the way it looked. Heck, even Road & Track, a Porsche apologist if there ever was one, was lukewarm at best over the thing.
Overall, it sold reasonably well but it never won the hearts of Porsche enthusiasts, or even enthusiasts in general for that matter. Improvements were made over the years but not at the pace you would expect from Porsche, probably because in reality they were the junior partner. VW was more concerned with improving profits, not the car.
Porsche was acutely aware of all of this and did try to address the shortcomings from the beginning. The most obvious fix was shoehorning in the 2.0L six from last year's ('69) 911T. It transformed the car, but also made it almost as expensive as the cheapest 911, and more than a Jag E-type. Because of this, demand and production were low for the three years it was available. It is a prize today -- expect to pay 15k+ for a good one, much more for a pristine example. Many lesser 914s have been gutted and re-created as 914/6 models, so make sure you know what you're looking at.
In `73 a new performance version was introduced to replace the 914/6 -- the 914 2.0. Again the 4-cylinder engine was from VW, but this time it made enough power to bring performance to an acceptable level. Handling benefited from softer springs and anti-roll bars front and rear.
A 1.8 liter four replaced the 1.7 as the base motor in 1974, but it offered no performance gain and has the somewhat more troublesome Bosch L-jetronic fuel injection system.
Emissions controls, unfavorable exchange rates, and some newly arrived competition from Japan in the affordable sports car market began to take their toll. By `76 the 1.8 was gone and horsepower was down to 81 on the 2.0. It would be the 914's last hurrah.
So, what should you look for? First and foremost, get one without rust. That probably means you'll be looking down south or out west, but a surprising number of rust belt cars are in good shape, too -- perhaps because many were used only as summer toys. Pay close attention to the battery area as corrosion prompted by leaked battery acid in this area is rather common. Make especially certain that the suspension to chassis mounting points in this area have not been compromised.
Cosmetically, the unique trim and body pieces are becoming harder to find and are quite expensive, so if you are looking at a car that is not complete in this area you may want to double check your budget.
Mechanics are important, too. Economy Porsche or not, it's still a Porsche and any shop that knows what they’re doing doesn't come cheap. Common maladies: Vapor lock was a problem in hot climates until Porsche moved the fuel pump from near the heat exchanger to a cooler position up front, carbs on the 914/6, and of course, the dreaded head studs.  Do not buy anything that needs major body or mechanical work. In very short order, you can easily sink thousands into one of these -- and you'll never get it back. It's why you see so many low-priced 914s for sale!

The Market Today
Over the years the 914 has slowly gained greater acceptance in Porsche circles. Maybe grudging acceptance is a better term. In any event, 4-cylinder 914s are very affordable. Good 1.7s and 1.8s can be readily found under $5,000 (really). The `73-'74 2.0s are more, ranging from $5,000-$7,500 for good ones. The `75-'76 2.0s are slightly less. As we mentioned earlier, the 914/6 is far costlier than the 4-cylinder cars, but they seem to always have buyers.
So now it’s decision time. What to get? Well, the big dog of course, is the 914/6. Unquestionably, it is the most desirable of the bunch. Unlike the 4-cylinder cars, these do have a strong following. Their rarity certainly helps, but it's the "real" Porsche engine and performance that generates the enthusiasm. The 1.7/1.8s are just too slow and they cost just as much to fix.