Just the other night, I happened to see a clean, baby blue Porsche 914 driving the opposite direction away from a busy intersection. I had a hard time looking away, as the car was just right – clean, with a raspy exhaust and lowered suspension over factory alloy wheels – and I realized that the 914 is more of a looker than I’ve previously given it credit for. This 1976 model listed here on craigslist certainly has the same vibe, especially since it wears a great color and comes with the added bonuses of low mileage and air conditioning.
The seller is asking $17,900 for the 914, which is located near Richmond, Virginia. This is top money for a 914 that doesn’t have a six-cylinder engine out back, but there comes a point where we need to admit that some cars really do rise above the bulk of what comes up for sale. We see 914s all the time, but usually they’re in someone’s backyard and sitting on milk crates. To find one with the preferred 2.0L engine, a shockingly rust-free undercarriage, and low miles is a trifecta that doesn’t happen often.
While I do understand why 914 values have never been particularly robust, what stood out to me upon watching this local car drive past me is that they have far better presence than I’ve ever given the little two-seater credit for. There’s some cognitive dissonance about the 914 owing to its humble origins and ties to Volkswagen, but that’s not entirely fair. There’s still a lot to like here about its appearances and general sportiness, and you can certainly make some choice modifications to dramatically improve the handling and acceleration capabilities. The rust-free condition continues inside the front trunk.
The odometer reading does need some level of verification, owing to how tricky odos from this era can be. But the condition does seem to validate that this 914 is at least a very well-preserved example in great colors and with the desirable A/C option. The seller may have to wait to find the perfect buyer who will step up with $18,000 to own what is portrayed as one of the better 914s out there, but Porsche buyers are known for being quite spendy when the right car comes along. Is this one of them? We’ll see how long the ad stays up. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Pat L. for the find.
Nice car. As I’ve mentioned before, I didn’t buy a new 914 when they first came out because of the looks of the car. Instead, we walked outside the dealership and bought a used ’65 356C coupe off the lot. In the late ’80s we found a ’74 in great condition and built it up to what Porsche should have done in the first place, including putting in an almost completely hidden AC system. Bodywork adjustments and suspension alterations made a great car out of it and one I still have the buy back rights on.
Asking $18k for a low mileage 914 is hardly “top money”. And it’s nearly impossible to discern anything about this car with the pictures provided.
Only one photo of the exterior? Seriously?
This will not last long at this value, because if the ‘hell-hole’ is as nice as the rest of the car including trunk pan and front trunk area, it is a bargain value. At this price if the engine was totally locked up and the body work is as pristine as the photos show, it would still be a bargain.
JM2C…..
I own an early ’74 with many ’73 carry-overs seen mostly on gauge backgrounds, silver bullets on the washer jets, needle caps on gauges, the 3 gauge setup surrounding the shifter, FUCHS, etc. and know I would never take this low of an asking price. Similar miles but without the A/C, tinted glass, foglites, 2.0 L, and the rear defroster glass. It is also sunflower but with tan interior. Rust free units are extremely difficult to find and this is what causes the value craziness. If this fellow was asking twice this price it would not surprise me, and for it be set this low seems a bargain……
Could the rubber bumpers be a reason the earlier cars are priced higher? They sure didn’t do anything to improve the looks of the cars. Easy to back date though.
We have the NTSB to thank for those 5 MPH bumpers.
GONE.
Jeff, I agree with the presence of these cars. Even back when they were a common sight, they never failed to catch my eye. I was a young teen at the time, so had no prejudice against them being “just a VW”.