For two cars that look nearly identical, the price gulf between the Porsche 914 and the 914/6 is vast: a nice 914 costs about $30k these days, but that is less than a third of the cost of a 914/6. Belying the price disparity, performance figures are more similar than different. The 2.0-liter four is rated at 100 bhp and can hustle the car to 108 mph. The torque is 116 lb-ft. Its brakes are adequate but spongy. The 2.0-liter flat-six will get you 110 bhp and a top speed of 125 mph. A bigger master cylinder ventilated fronts, and larger rotors and calipers all around assure that the 914/6’s “whoa” better matches its “go”. The torque is 118 lb-ft, barely better than the four. The market loves these differences – by tens of thousands of dollars – but it also loves that Porsche crammed a flat-six 911T motor into the tiny twin-trunk 914 because that made it a Porsche. The four-cylinder was a Volkswagen in the eyes of enthusiasts. Here on eBay is a 1971 Porsche 914/6 in Irish Green, bid to $12,000 with a buy-it-now price of $98,501. This car is located in Monrovia, California, and the seller indicates it is completely stock.
Where a price differential exists, fakes abound. How to tell a four from a six, other than the motor? Fortunately, there are several ways. Two are captured in this photo: the left-hand ignition, as on a 911; and the throttle lever in front of the gearshift knob. Also visible to the right is the dog bone footrest, an original item that’s often lost. The 914/6 has five-stud wheels – here’s the spare and yup, I count five holes. For complete Porsche geeks: the 914/6 tool roll was basket-weave vinyl; the 914/4 was grey vinyl. Check that box. The 914/6 had no center vent in the dashtop. And most important of all: the VIN for a 914/6 started with 914. This car’s VIN is 9141430411.
The seller purchased this car after it had been stored for some fifteen years. Consequently, he rebuilt the motor. It has new cams, a new fuel pump, rebuilt carburetors, re-machined manifolds, and new transmission shift bushings. It is tuned and ready to go. Receipts showing work performed are available. Note one more distinguishing feature of the 914/6 – or lack thereof: these have no rain cover under the engine lid.
Now, before you leap to punch that buy-it-now button, here’s the area around one headlamp. All 914 battery trays rot with abandon; this one isn’t perfect. While the seller has done a yeoman’s job of providing great photos, the presence of rust begs for an in-person inspection. I’d like to check the numbers on the engine and VIN plate as well. The prospect of paying nearly six figures and encountering another few tens of thousands of work gives me vertigo. What do you think this one should sell for?
Nice find, Michelle! And kudos to you for your knowledge of the subject here. Car/motorcycle/truck/airplane etc. enthusiasts often look onto the particulars of their specific machine, and Most of the Porsche owners are no exception. How many times have we seen the stereotypical nose-high response in this case of “oh that’s just a different model of Volkswagen” without really knowing what’s in front of them? And what a paradigm’s shift when the truth is discovered!
Come to think of it, that’s kind of a big problem with some types of people regardless the subject matter anyway isn’t it?
Now here’s a question for you, Michelle. “Urban Legend” has it tat this 2,2 liter motor was de-tuned for the 914 from 130 to 110 because the 911 owners of the day often were trounced by this car. What are your thoughts?
Hi Nevadahalfrack, thanks for the kudos! I am not sure about the Urban Legend. The 914/6 always came with the 2-liter engine tuned for 110 hp, so it’s not like it started at 130 and then was detuned after complaints. A few historical things might have been at play though. First, the 914/8 preceded the six by a couple years. It had a stupendous 300 hp – can you imagine? So if 911 fans were worried about 130 hp, they would have been apoplectic about 300 hp. Of course, only two of those were made. The second factor was that Porsche always intended to position the 914/6 as a sort of “pre 911 buyer’s choice”. So you started with the 914/6 and moved up, and they weren’t going to give you all the horsepower of a 911. As a side note, they might as well have given you 911 hp because someone forgot to mention to VW – maker of the bodies – that there was a “handshake deal” on the price of those bodies that made the model possible. VW reneged on that deal, the bodies arrived more expensive than thought, and the MSRP was thus really close to the cost of the 911 which eventually killed the 914/6. The other matter was the 914/6 GT. The base 914/6 offered a platform that Porsche could use to homologate and start racing. There may have been some reason to stay under the radar on horsepower if you planned to blast that platform into orbit on the track. I dunno!
Got it all right Michelle. In the planning stage of the 9146 the two liter engine was the only one Porsche had other than the 2.5 race engines which didn’t appear on any street machines. If they had the 2.2 or any of the following engines the car would have been a rocket. Of the 914 race cars we built we used 2.4 FOUR cylinders and out powered most of the 911s. The last hot street 914 we built has a modified 2.7 in it and really cooks. We’ve seen the green 9148 and it’s impressive to see and makes you wonder how they got a flat 8 engine in that chassis.
Thank you, Michelle and bobhess. If I’m understanding you both correctly the 914/6 2.0 was proprietary to it and not a 911 motor at all? And the “handshake deal” gone south sounds like another chapter in the VW vs.Porsche ongoing saga though not so different from any other mega car manufacturer with the sibling rivalry at the center.
With that, you piqued my curiosity with the 914/8. Holy mackerel!! 300-360 HP in a 914!!??!? I remember a lot of homegrown experiments with small block V8’s of various iterations and beefed up 13B rotary’s back in the day but NOTHING like the flat 8! Probably a good thing they only built 2, though. The 911 folks would truly be crying the blues with that fast mover on the loose.
This is a great forum, and the overall knowledge collective here is astounding. Thank you, Michelle for signing on. Scotty, Todd-good find on your part too in recruiting Michelle.
Well, that made my day! Thanks!
The 2 liter 6 cylinder engines went into the 914 6 when the cars were first introduced. The first 914 had a 1.7 four cylinder and didn’t get the four cylinder 2.0 four until ’73.
Forgot… The 2.0 liter 6 put into the 914 to make the 914 6 was the 911 6.
So they shared the same flat 6 engine? So the 20 HP difference was advertising or an actual de-tune in performance (cam/carb/timing/etc.) ?
I find 914-6es to be vastly underrated. I’ve driven a couple, and even spent some time on a race track with one, and thought they were terrific, with handling more to my taste than 911s of the era and, of course, that wonderful flat-six exhaust note. What’s not to like?
In this case, the price. Porschephiles might disagree, but $100K is just way too high. But that’s me.
Michelle really did a super job on this writeup! It has the kind of detail I really appreciate.
The thing that I’ve noticed with 914’s is that people
either love them,or they hate them.I’ve always liked them.
There was a guy who had a 914/6 in Eureka,when
these were fairly new.He had a personalized licence plate
that said “ITS A SIX” on it.
I wonder where it is now?
Eureka, CA.? Then you know where all the best roads are in the Sierras! Trinity Highway, Hayfork Pass on 3.. Awesome roads on 2 wheels or 4, and one of the absolutely best seat builders for bikes is in Shasta City ( Russell Day Long). And if you had an Anglia GT it’s no wonder you enjoy driving as you do, angliagt. 👍🏻
Thanks! The best road (to me) was the one between
Hyampom and Hayfork (Hyampom Road).You turn off of
Highway 299 at Burnt Ranch,& take Underwood Mountain-
Road to Hyampom,then to Hayfork,& then you take Highway 3
to 299 then back.
I drove my MGBGT to Hyampom to check out a couple
of Cortinas that I’d heard about.One of them was a MKII wagon.
I was so excited about the drive that we did it with our local
British car group.
When the group did the run,they let me go first.I had to
keep stopping & wait for everyone to catch up to me,as I was
having so much fun!
I found another great driving road here in Virginia.
Highway 43 going East out of Eagle Rock to Buchannon.
I have a Friend coming here from Eureka,& plan on running
it then.
Sounds like a road trip! Thanks for the road tip-I missed that one. Safe travels to you, angliagt.
Just FYI, nothing but information and not a correction – Sierras are 300 miles from Eureka. Eureka is in the Klamath Mountain Range (and close to Coastal and Cascade Ranges).
Nice write up! Think it’s a great car, sorry just can’t see the buy it now price as reasonable. Car is maybe probably a #3 but it’s not a #2 and far from a #1 condition car. Just me but can’t see it.
By “throttle lever” do you mean the choke adjustment? 914 newbie here.
Kinda. The choke gets her started and then you turn it off unless like me you have cars dying on idle! The throttle lever controls fuel flow while the car is running. Like in the old days! My new old Model A – a 1931 – has a throttle lever that you use to control fuel throughout your run time.
I’m gonna have to echo the sentiment here, Michelle – very informative write-up, I just learned more about 914’s (especially the 6) than I’ve ever known.
Great stuff!
I’m late to the game here, and Michelle has already hit a grand slam. Knowledge + experience + research = Michelle. Nice work as always!
I’m sorry Porchephiles, but I think 914’s, both fours and sixes, are some of the least stylish cars ever. Everyone makes fun of Pontiac Aztecs but even those look better than a 914 to me. I know style is subjective and obviously not all will agree with my opinion and that’s fine with me, but I think that most of us will agree that almost $100K for this one is extreme. BTW, I like most Porches but these just miss the mark.
Ok we get it Russ, just say you don’t like them. We don’t need a whole paragraph. Sixes are awesome cars. Should have pick one up when solid projects were well below $20k
OK Mike, I don’t like them.
It’s all skittles and ale until the hardcore iron oxide inspection reveals the ugly truth about the 914 design errors. Same old story with 85% of 914’s. And yes, a very well-researched and well-written article. I get the impression Ms.Rand has an Automotive or Mechanical Engineering background. I also apprciate the lack of speculation on potential future valuation. If I want a financial crystal ball, I’ll grab a Hagerty magazine. BF is for folks who enjoy cars.
And let’s not forget that a Porsche 914/6 came in sixth place overall in the 1970 24 hours of Le Mans. It also came in first in its GT class.
Sweet ride, less than 24 hours left in the auction.
This car’s strength is its originality: unmessedwithness. Most have by now been fitted with bigger engines, etc., etc. Love the steel wheels, original but rarely seen. If the underside is rust-free, it’s a great car. The seller has had it for only a year so is surely a flipper. His Buy It Now price is way high; you could buy a very nice restored one for that. If it sat for years, it probably needs even more than he did: brakes,fuel lines, etc. Show up with a briefcase full of $50,000 in cash and open it in front of the guy.
Sorry, love the handling of a porsche but think they are some of the ugliest cars every built.
Stock, not the greatest looking. Modified, they can look good.
✔✔
That is a great looking car regardless of what Russ thinks…
I love 914s, and can only dream of a 914-6. Be wary of rust, esp in the hell hole. My understanding is that the sheet metal in the engine bay of every 914 was designed from Day 1 to accept the flat six. Meaning, a 914-6 clone is more easily possible than it could have been otherwise. And clearly Porsche had bigger plans for the 914-6 than ultimately transpired…..
cheers,
bt
Bill… The modified 911 2.7 in this car took one day to put in after pulling the 1.8 4 cylinder. I’d put the couple extra wiring harnesses required for the 6 cylinder while rebuilding the car. It has 280 dyno hp and really was fun.
Went to $52,677 reserve not met.