This 1971 Porsche 914 may wear a rare color known as Aubergine, but I’m not entirely certain. While it may seem like just a fancy way to say purple or mauve, finding a 914 in this shade of paint (if confirmed) is no small feat. Given the paint appears consistent in the door jambs and under the trunk lid, I’m inclined to believe it’s original. Of course, there’s still a lot more work needed besides buffing this purple P-car back to good health. Find it here on eBay with bidding just over $500 and the reserve unmet. 

The 914 has been off the road since 2014 and comes with a clean Oregon title. The presence of dual carbs and a period-correct rear spoiler tells me this 914 was someone’s project at one point, but the smaller 1.7L wasn’t the preferred choice if a 914/6 was out of your price range. Still, there’s a lot here to like, especially if the color code can be proven and the seller’s claim that rust is limited to the driver’s door is accurate.

There are a few details about the listing that might raise some eyebrows, such as the low mileage claim of just 24,000. I’m sure this more the case of a stuck odometer than a genuine time capsule car, as it certainly hasn’t been stored well given the condition of the outside. Who knows, maybe I’m just accustomed to the odometers on old BMWs getting stuck, but I have a feeling that’s the case here. The seller also says it has leather, and I’m pretty certain those are vinyl-covered buckets.

Regardless, the material doesn’t matter since they’ll need to be recovered. The description says the reserve is low, so hopefully that puts it in the ballpark of $1-$2K. 914s have been ticking upwards as of late, so I don’t expect it to be given away; however, there are plenty of cars in the $5K range that would make compelling alternatives to this project. If the paint code reveals this is one of a comparatively few Abergine cars made, it could be worth a bit more.