VW-Porsche 914 as a looker?

[wolfswest]

Hi,

I have never seen a 914 in a club line up, past or present.  Why?  If so, pictures would be nice!    Okay, it's clear that a extreme nose down stance isn't the way to go with these cars but same goes for a KG more or less, right?

-it's aircooled
-many around back then in California
-Cheap, well sort of
-underdog status
-same wheels as vw's are available
-possibility to dechrome
-possibility to make it a fast street car

-5 speed, so more practical for long distance cruises
-4 disc brakes

Was nobody ever tempted to hot rod them in a Cal look sort of way?  Or perhaps people who evolved to a 914?  Or was a 911 the only logical "step up" if you wanted to keep fiddling around with cars?

[leec]

I really like them, could it have been the type 4 motor that put people off them from a modding/hot rod point of view?

[mg]

Widebody 914 V8 if you want more than the look.
This guy documents some interesting builds.
https://youtu.be/lpdL9IT14ps

[Martin S.]

Good point! I haven't seen one driving around in as long as I can remember.
When they were new, the price for the base model was close to that of a Super Beetle.
I guess the Porsche guys turned their noses up at them for being a VW, and the VW people were happy driving a Beetle.

[Fastbrit]

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I like mine...

[Eddie DVK]

Nice, I like that one, Keith.

I always liked them.
In Holland they where not considered 'porsche', for a long time, so till around 2000 something the Dutch 914 club was always attending
the beetle / aircooled shows. So we saw them a lot.

[Fastbrit]

I remember going in my 914/6 to VW Euro at Venlo in somewhere around 1998 and there was even a concours class for 914s...

[wolfswest]

I remember going in my 914/6 to VW Euro at Venlo in somewhere around 1998 and there was even a concours class for 914s...

So Keith,  you had a swb 911 before which you also modified.  How would you compare ownership of the 911 to the 914? Price left aside, pure driving experience, smiles for miles, that sort of stuff... 

[mg]

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I like mine...

Looks like fun!
Any in car video of you driving the 914 in competition?

In PCA AX 4 cylinder 914s lightened with snotty engines frequently took top honors.

[Fastbrit]

I remember going in my 914/6 to VW Euro at Venlo in somewhere around 1998 and there was even a concours class for 914s...

So Keith,  you had a swb 911 before which you also modified.  How would you compare ownership of the 911 to the 914? Price left aside, pure driving experience, smiles for miles, that sort of stuff... 

Over the years, I've driven a ton of Porsches, from Pre-A 356s to 1973 Carrera RSs and GT3 RSs. I have to say that I get a massive kick out of driving the 914 - it handles so well, and I love the fact that it's unusual and so few people either know what it is  or have ever driven one and are interested to know what it's like. I love it!

[Fastbrit]

Looks like fun!
Any in car video of you driving the 914 in competition?

In PCA AX 4 cylinder 914s lightened with snotty engines frequently took top honors.

https://youtu.be/EFcM4ewpIc0

Fuel surge is/was a big problem on the hairpins, hopefully cured next season with independent throttle body injection, along with a host of other engine and trans mods...

[mg]

https://youtu.be/EFcM4ewpIc0

Fuel surge is/was a big problem on the hairpins, hopefully cured next season with independent throttle body injection, along with a host of other engine and trans mods...

Nice run, that track is really green.
A 914 with polished 2 litter wheels looks great.
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[Glauco]

I was waiting for Dem to put this one up, but I'm just going to throw this one here.. In my opinion this looks pretty callook

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[wolfswest]

I was waiting for Dem to put this one up, but I'm just going to throw this one here.. In my opinion this looks pretty callook

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definition of a "914 looker" right there! 

[Fastbrit]

Looks lovely - apart from those hideous US-spec side marker lights. Get rid of those and it's close to perfect...

[Martin S.]

Nobody cites a VW bug as a looker of any kind generally, but the 914 was a special kind of ugly. Someone said it looked like a shaver.
Here it is in a list of the Ugliest Cars of the 1970s, where the 914 sits among other notables as those chunky style Volvos, the Gremlin and the Pacer.
https://www.motortrend.com/features/ugliest-cars-of-the-1970s/