If you’re hunting for a Porsche 914 project, you may want to make tracks for Riverside, California, where the first few cars from a 20-car collection have gone up for sale. As seen here, the seller has 914s in almost every configuration possible provided you’re looking for a four-cylinder and not the burly 914-6. This example here on eBay is likely one of the more interesting cars in the group as it’s purported to be among the first 2,000 cars built.
Originally “Light Ivory” in color, this now-red 914 exhibits some of the typical flaws, such as rust in the battery tray area. Every car that’s been listed so far seems to share some similarities as it relates to the half-stripped nature of the engine bay, while others have been converted to EV power. It makes me wonder if the seller bought the entire package from an individual attempting to make a build a fleet of vintage electric vehicles. Given they all have the same line in each listing about being purchased ten years ago from a single owner, it makes sense.
The opening image up top brought back memories of one of my favorite moments with my Dad and my brother: we came upon a “fleet” of 914s behind a hobby job, curiously parked among piles of crushed stone at a landscape depot. They were joined by two Plymouth Barracudas as well, and we made multiple visits to ogle these forlorn targa-top cars. My brother would go onto buy a 914 as his first-ever Porsche project, and he’s now three P-Cars deep into the hobby. Perhaps one of these projects will inspire someone in a similar fashion.
And why not: it’s one of the most affordable ways into Porsche ownership, and nicely restored or preserved 914s are humming along with good values, currently. They look slick as hell with a set of Fuchs and a mild suspension drop, and lots of enthusiast support means you’ll have no shortage of advice as to how to restore it. There’s a car in this collection with multiple paint shades and flared fenders that I would love to take home; which one would you choose?
I think the seller had a public auction a few months ago, this is what didn’t sell.
Here’s a business/race proposition…a 24 hr Le’mons/IROC event.
Too bad you wouldn’t be able make the $500 limit for acquisition and preparation. Even if free it would probably cost more than that to get it running.
Steve R
I hope he had at least one whole 914 that ran and could be driven, and that he actually drove and enjoyed it.
Somebody should make an offer on all of them and recondition them with electric engines.
That would be a great business and it would make a 914 interesting, which is something Porsche was never able do.
Oh man can a 914 be interesting. At least 150hp and the car comes alive.
Seems that may have been exactly what this seller did, or planned to do before they ran out of motivation, parts, and/or funds.
You’ve obviously never driven a 914 balls out, they are really really fun.
With all due respect, comparing the angles of that 914 in the photos and of the red ’59 MGA in my avatar makes me think the vintage MGA was even more fun, even with those cast iron Dunlop RS4s that we had back then.
I’m surprised they leaned that much. Looks like a Dodge minivan
Especially with the cone jammed under it!
2K and it is gone.
a rusty battery tray is not a good sign on a 914 – as it is indicative of a rusty hell hole and on a 914 is a hell of a repair to make.
You are right.
I got a 215 v8 I could drop in it
Now that would be one fast car! IDE love to see one. A super light car handeling great with that torque ??? Oooh yeah!!!
Given all the VW aftermarket parts available these days, that Porsche 4-banger could finally make all the power it originally deserved.
Interesting to see how the targa panels seem to fit the topside of the rear trunklid so closely. I know the targa’s meant to stow inside the trunk, but seeing this makes me wonder, did anyone ever make some sort of trunklid luggage rack or other hardware kit to carry the targa on top?
These cars were never Porsches except in the US and maybe Canada–as far as I know.. In Europe, if it had the 4 cyl engine, the name on the back was Volkswagen. Only when it had the Porsche engine was the name on the back Porsche. People in the US were gullible then, and it appears they still are.
Every VW produced has Porsche DNA.
Or vice versa. I have driven VWs for years. I was not denigrating VWs. In today’s market of milquetoast cars, VW is the last moderately priced sports car.
Years ago I had a 71 911s that had a VW unblem on the under carriage.
They were badged as Porsche in the U.K, sadly they were never built in RHD , so the owners of few that were sold here had to cope with the steering wheel on the wrong side !
Hallelujah! We need all the donor cars we can find.
http://www.opensourceautosport.com
Does anyone actually know the sellers info? Or if he has posted new 914 for sale?