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Basement Find: 1973 Porsche 914

There are three days remaining in the auction for this 1973 Porsche 914 and the bidding is starting to heat up for this clean, Southern car. The 914 is listed for sale here on eBay and is currently bid to $9,140 after 31 bids. The car has basically sat for the last 30 years and been stored in the basement of the second owner’s home. The ad states that the car was last licensed in 1989 but it has been driven occasionally over the 30 years of ownership. The car is located in Rutledge, Tennessee.

One of the cool features of the car, besides how clean it is, is the ability to store the targa top in the trunk. The eBay ad also features some videos of start-up as well as walk around. The 914 was originally painted signal orange from the factory but in the mid-1980’s the owner repainted the car in forest green. The paint job looks nice and well done with the jambs and trunk painted too.

The interior looks immaculate and is the epitome of simple German design. The 1.7 liter inline 4 cylinder engine is backed by a 5-speed manual transmission. The original fuel injection was removed from the car at some point and converted to Webber carburetors. The original parts come with the purchase of the car. The seller states that he has a lot of paperwork that comes with the purchase of the 914.

The seller discloses that the paint has a few blemishes but overall is very nice. There is a crack in the dash but otherwise, the interior is solid. The 914 is said to start and drive very nicely with no issues. The 5-speed transmission and clutch are said to operate smoothly. The tires are old and dry rotted and need to be replaced. All in all, this is a nice Porsche 914 and, while you cannot call it a survivor, it would be a nice driver and a fun car to sport around in on the weekends.

Comments

  1. Avatar alphasud Member

    Nice looking 914. I would take this in either the factory orange or it’s current color. They call it Forrest green but it looks an awful lot like the green on my 76 911S that was called oak green and was a really nice color. Also prefer the 914 with the appearance group giving it the chrome bumpers and the Fuchs 914 wheels. Would definitely get rid of the dagmars on the front either way.

    Like 1
    • Avatar T

      Yellow also worked,

      Like 0
  2. Avatar CliffS Member

    Not an inline engine, it’s a horizontally opposed four. Nice looking, I had a ’74 they’re a blast to drive!

    Like 9
  3. Avatar sir_mike

    Great choice of wheels.Very nice 914

    Like 3
  4. Avatar K Henderson

    No comments on it rolling away at the end of the walk around video hahah

    Like 1
    • Avatar JimmyinTEXAS

      He seemed to get in a hurry to end the video as it started to move… lol

      Like 0
  5. Avatar JoeNYWF64

    2 tops? I see why the vent windows don’t open, but they could have been made to do so if the back of the doors weren’t curved.
    Plenty of leg room & you sit low in the car – i would think a lower roof would be possible, & would make for better proportions.
    A Porsche with steel wheels, hub caps, crank windows & flat seat bottoms. Imagine that today.
    Interesting the driver’s & passenger’s door panels are different.
    & how ez it appears to service the popup headlight mechanisms!

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Graham Line

    You don’t really want to sit much lower. I would occasionally park next to curbs the door wouldn’t clear. Visibility out of this is magnitudes better than something like an MGB.

    Like 1
    • Avatar JoeNYWF64

      I think the Fiat X1/9 might be the champ in how low 1 sits in a car.
      & the Pantera might come in 3rd after this Porsche.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Ganjoka

        Joe, Aren’t you forgetting about the Lotus/Caterham Super 7

        Like 0
    • Avatar Ganjoka

      Graham, I would think that a MGB with the top down would have much more visibility

      Like 0
  7. Avatar Stan Marks

    As pretty as this little gem is & the paint job ain’t cheap, you would think the owner would have taken care of the undercarriage rust issues. Just sayin’….
    I like the green. I had one, just like it, in red.

    https://yupyi.com/images/listings/2018-10/undefined-1540708975-895-e.jpg

    Like 1
  8. Avatar Steve Clinton

    It’s up to $14,000 now. (BTW, how did he get it out of the basement?)

    Like 1
    • Avatar Stan Marks

      Very carefully, Steve.

      Like 3
  9. Avatar flmikey

    …my question is, if they had this car in the basement, how did they get it down the stairs, and more important, back up? Very nice find, and I would keep it green…it seems that 90% of these were in orange…

    Like 0
    • Avatar Stan Marks

      They didn’t back it up. They simply turned it around & drove it back up the stairs. Easy peasy…..

      Like 4
  10. Avatar Ron

    In Tennessee, given all of our beautiful rolling hills, most of our basements are walk-out and/or drive-out.

    Like 1
  11. Avatar Bob McK

    So sad that someone painted it. I would be all over this if it were still orange. But, I bet someone will like the new color.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Raymond Keck

    I have a ’76 2-liter that I bought twelve years ago. It’s light ivory with tan interior with all options and only 58K on the odometer. I had an orange ’75 for about five-six years back in the 90’s and thought I’d relive my wonder years. I really don’t enjoy it much, sitting on the ground, looking up at cars. It’s fun to drive on open roads and gets attention, but I’m 63 now and I feel like an old man in a go-cart. I haven’t put a thousand miles on it in twelve years. If I can get it cleaned up a bit, it’ll be here on BF in Spring. Somebody should be enjoying it, and I should be cruising an appropriate American cruiser.

    Like 2
  13. Avatar Michael Dietz

    well hey Ray this one’s getting a little too steep for me let me know when you want to part with it I’m A solid buyer. Contact me at 661-886-9480 I’m in California just north of LA. I hope this is legit to do on on this site I am a newcomer to BF

    Like 0
    • Avatar Raymond Keck

      Probably not legit, as BF gets a cut when they list a car for sale. I’ll keep you in mind, but I’d like to help BF when it goes. I need to decide whether I want to get some minor paint and body work done and go for top dollar or sell it as-is. The wheel arch edges and trunks have some wear that I find odd… but the previous owner left the car outdoors for years. I’ve replaced most of the rubber. Also, the car hasn’t been smogged or registered since 2008, so selling it in CA would require back fees and penalties.

      Like 0
  14. HoA Howard A Member

    Never cared for the look of these, but I must say, those wheels and green paint sure make it look nice.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Neil Dwyer

    As a teen at that time – 1974/75 – worked at an airport valet parking service, and the 914 might’ve been my favorite of all that I drove. The stance felt wide, the wheels out at the corners, the engine placement and sitting down low, it was like a go-kart – super fun to drive. (Didn’t abuse anyone’s car, just enjoyed the feel, btw.)

    Like 0

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