1975 Porsche 914 1.8

1975 Porsche 914 1.8
Chassis no. 2900966
1,795cc OHV Air-Cooled Opposed 4-Cylinder Engine
1 Downdraft Carburetor
95bhp at 4,900rpm
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Independent Front and Rear Suspension
4-Wheel Hydraulic Disc Brakes

*Three owners from new
*50,000 miles – believed to be from new
*$14,000 in recent paint and body work
*Affordable entry into the world of air-cooled Porsches

THE PORSCHE 914

Porsche's strong historical links with Volkswagen we reaffirmed in 1969 with the launch of the Porsche-designed VW-Porsche 914, a mid-engined, Targa-top sports car to be assembled by Karmann of Osnabrück. At the time Volkswagen needed a new car to replace the ageing Karmann-Ghia while Porsche was looking for another option to add to its line-up. First seen at the Frankfurt Auto Show, the 914/4 used the 1,679cc, four-cylinder, air-cooled motor of the Volkswagen 411 while the 914/6 was powered by the Porsche 911T's 2.0-liter six. Both cars employed all-independent suspension - a mixture of 911 and VW parts - to which were married four-wheel disc brakes and a five-speed gearbox.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This lovely 914 has been in the care of only three, desert-state domiciled owners since new. Finished in its original color scheme of Scarlet Red (color code L31M) over black vinyl, the penultimate owner of the car—a dedicated Porsche enthusiast—took great care to ensure that this well-loved car remained as original as possible. Showing fewer than 50,000 miles, which are believed to be from new, the paint and plastic exterior light lenses were said to have been a bit faded, so the decision was made to carefully repaint the car while retaining as much of the original interior and trim as possible. During the vigilant prep-work for the paintjob, the car was found to be a good, dry example with no apparent rust, as one would expect from a car that enjoyed a life in the desert. A receipt on file shows that repaint and additional related work cost about $14,000.

Nicely presented today, the lovely, newer paint matches well with the interior that has been well preserved and is understood to be largely original. Still fitted with its original engine and 5-speed manual transmission, it reported by the owner to drive well.

914s are very enjoyable machines and offer excellent bang-for-the-buck, and this gorgeous example is worth close examination.