There has been a bit of grumbling about the B-body’s frequent presence on CC lately. I racked my brain thinking what the polar opposite of a Caprice Classic would be, and came up with this. Tsk tsk…still no CC on the 914. Well, hopefully this cheerful yellow example will partially make up for it!
Yes, I can take a sabbatical from B-bodies, but give them up totally? Never!
Hey, I live in a world where I like both the B-body and 914s.
One of the most amazing rides I ever took was in a 914. Back in 1972, a hanger-on at the Mobil station I worked at stopped in with his, which for some mad reason he’d put Goodyear Blue Streak racing tires on. He wanted to show me how the little Porsche would stick, so in I hopped and off we went. At the end of a good sphincter clenching run, his real hat trick was to take a deserted highway off ramp posted for 35 mph at more than twice that. Thank God I was belted in, because the lateral force had me plastered to the door. Fortunately, he ultimately removed the Blue Streaks before he killed himself.
I promise a full 914 CC….one of these days. Too many cars; not enough time. It’s one of those rather polarizing cars; much to love, also easy to disparage. Despite its shortcomings (low output engines), in many ways it was true to the original Porsche formula. And who can complain about having two luggage compartments?
I wont rush to get Austin 1800 pics then
I still chuckle at your friend Jack Baruth’s “Deadly Sin” take on it, even though he somewhat crowded your territory by writing it.
Please!!!
Soon!!!
These are cool in a way the other “el-cheapo” Porsche, the 924, just plain isn’t. (no offense to any 924 fans out there)
My first sighting of one of these was a green one on base between my work place and the chow hall around 1971 or so. Don’t remember when they came out.
I liked this car and imagining myself racing around the foothills in one. The classic Porsches, like Paul Newman’s in the movie “Harper” did nothing for me, but these? More my style.
I wonder how good or bad they really were, for they all seemed to disappear in a few short years, according to my memory, but my focus was still exclusively on American iron, notably my avatar and various Chevelles.
You never forget your first.
… 4-wheel drift, that is. I suspect the owner of the 914 1.8, who was in the passenger seat at the time, has not forgotten either. Oddly, he declined to let me drive his Boxter S, years later.
STILL don’t like the front turn signals but otherwise I like the styling.
Finally! A REAL CAR!!!!!!!
I know, no more of those imaginary holographic cars!
Also, I forgot to add that this looks horrible monochromatic.
One of the big 914 complaints is the big black bumpers—but boy oh boy does this car ever need them. Gotta have some contrast!
Not a bad opposite to the B-Body, but a bit too close to B-Body reliability levels. A TRUE polar opposite would be an all-black Fiat 124 Sport Spider I have seen lately, which has much different reliability levels than the B-Bodies of recent past.
I like this one’s looks, yellow’s great especially with the black top. 914 styling never worked for me, a little too sterile, a bit too Bauhaus. But then I’ve never driven one.
Syke’s right, this is a real car. If some mad man ever tried to stick a landau bar on that C pillar, Thor himself would blast him to atoms.
I am obliged to point out the 914 is a very popular EV conversion target. Here’s a fast one, and not just on the track. They did the whole conversion in one day. Look close, that’s right, two motors. 13.810 @ 98.38.
Maybe it didn’t have landau bars, but black vinyl covered sail panels were standard on the 914. The yellow one is missing them, but you can see them on the orange electrification victim you posted. The yellow one is missing quite a bit of detail, kind of like the paint shop forgot to mask most of it or has yet to finish peeling off the tape.
Looks on purpose to me. It’s getting more common to sanitize a car’s styling by removing the various badges and trims. I like it.
I feel like the only person on this site who laments its shift toward GM B-bodies and “Broughams” and cars I generally find uninspired and boring. Look, another late 1970-early 1980-something GM whatever with a stylish name from the past and no style of its own, oh boy!
Its a shame this the ONLY car site on the web……
Would you like to submit a post of a car of your liking?
When I was in high school in the late 80s, these were kind of lambasted as the “Poor Man’s Porsche”. But everyone I knew that owned/drove one, kept talking about how fun it was to drive. Ironically, prices on 914s have been appreciating and aren’t as much of a Poor Man’s Porsche as an early 90s 944.
I meant early 80s 944
Poor mans Porshe yeah right I’m poor and any Porshe is off my shopping list even alledgedly cheap ones. The suitcase VW engine from these is good, finally VW built an engine that could cope with HOT weather and constant highway speed and put them into kombi vans and these little sports jobs. Yeah these engines blow but it takes longer and you can really work a Kombi with one installed.
Congratulations. Remember any program takes time and tomorrow there will be more B bodies tempting you. We all support your effort (well maybe some don’t) and if you wake up screaming again just call and I’ll try to talk you through it.
The site is enjoyable and your stories are good. Try to remember that because there is a place for you even if your recovery goes down the tubes.
IIRC this is the porsche that spawned a cottage industry with the sbc. I wasn’t a real fan of that. Am I wrong?
The 914 definitely needs its own Curbside Classic review, one of the most influential and successful Porsches ever. Doubt there would have been an MR2 or Boxster had the 914 not been born.
Incredibly fun to drive as everyone knows and the styling has aged well. One of the most surprising things was the amount of room inside and the nice ride on the highway. You can credit good engineering and the very long wheelbase for that.
This one looks really weird with even the bumper rubbers painted, I’m surprised he didn’t do the top!
The only Porsche I ever found remotely attractive…
This might be more the opposite of the MGB, in that it looks like crap when you take the rubber bumpers OFF.
three pedals, air/oil cooling and no electronic mother-in laws, now thats a Porsche!
Near-girlfriend’s architect dad had one of these in white – very sweet. Amazing how some pictures of bent metal can take you back…