Wrecked Racer: 1970 Porsche 914/6 GT

Former Formula 1 driver Mark Webber once famously said that if you’re going to race cars, you’re going to crash them. Sometimes the incidents are relatively minor, while others can signal the end of that car’s racing career. This 1970 Porsche 914/6 GT looks pretty good from the front, but looks can be deceptive. It is a shadow of its former self after a racing crash, but its rust-free status may make revival viable for the right person. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Curvette for spotting the Porsche listed here on eBay in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The seller set their price at $18,900 with the option to make an offer.

Porsche debuted the 914 in 1969 as its affordable model to increase sales. It remained on sale until 1976, with 118,978 vehicles rolling off the line during its production life. This 1970 example started life on the West Coast, which helped keep it rust-free. A former owner converted the Porsche for Historic Racing in the mid-1980s, before it headed east in 2003. Its new owner refurbished the vehicle in 2005, before embarking on a long racing career. This all came to a crunching halt in 2022 during a practice session at Watkins Glen. It appears the car left the track backwards, with the subsequent impact inflicting severe rear damage that ended the Porsche’s racing life. It has since been stripped of many parts, and its fate rests in the hands of its new owner. Most of the panels are intact, and opening the trunk reveals the racing fuel cell. Everything ahead of the engine bay looks promising, so it may only be a matter of welding on a new rear frame to return the car to a structurally sound state.

Porsche sourced the mid-mounted 2.0-liter flat-six that originally powered this 914/6 from the 911T, though with a raft of changes, it produced 125hp and 131 ft/lbs of torque. Both figures are lower than those enjoyed by 911 owners, but with a low curb weight, the 914/6 was a lively performer. The company maximized its potential by sending the power to the road via a five-speed manual transaxle. It is unclear what changes were made to this classic during its racing life, but that question is largely irrelevant. The seller stripped the Porsche of virtually every mechanical component upon its demise, and the car now rolls on dollies for easy loading. Therefore, returning this 914 to a running state will require a significant investment in new mechanical components.

Racing machines are rarely luxurious beasts. Builders focus on weight reduction because every additional pound will reduce a car’s overall performance. Therefore, this Porsche’s lack of interior trim and carpet is unsurprising. The dash structure is intact, and many of the bespoke racing components are present. These include the braced roll cage, gauge cluster, switches, and the Tilton pedal box and adjustable brake balance control. The buyer will probably sell these items if they plan a road-going restoration, and although they probably won’t yield a huge sum, the additional cash won’t go astray during the build.

As you can see, this 1970 Porsche 914/6 GT looked pretty slick in its prime, and would have provided a very enjoyable racing experience. The car requires a mountain of work to return to that form, and some readers will question whether it is financially viable. Much will depend on how far the body has been stressed and whether the damage extends to the floors. If that is the case, she’s probably headed for the crusher once the buyer removes any usable parts. However, the healthy listing statistics suggest this Porsche has generated plenty of interest, and it only takes one passionate enthusiast to give this classic a second shot at life. Do you think that will happen?