Porsche 914 actually a Volkswagen?

I think the engine was from the 412.

I had a '73 914 1.7. GREAT CAR!! Very underpowered, but wonderfully stable in the twisties. Mine was fly yellow and had full naugahyde interior. Chicks used to dig that little bug. AT THE TIME, the 914 was to Porsche what the Dino was to Ferrari. In the end, obviously the Dino has the longevity while the 914's were hopeless abused and destroyed.

VINCE355 might even remember it.

 

Originally it was meant to be a VW, but they got cold feet and pulled out of the deal, Porsche therefore inhereted the 914 and called it a Porsche, there was a version with a 6cyl 911 engine called the 914/6 only a handfull were made, it did not have a targa top as the 4cyl version did, this helped with rigidity.

 

The 914/4 had the VW 411 1.7 engine and the 914/6 the Porsche 911T 2.0 engine. Both utilized Porsche and VW components, bodywork by Karmann.

That and more tidbits about what was shared between not just 914, but 924, 944... beetle>356>911
http://www.1302super.com/page8a.html

We had a VW 411 when I was a lil' wax. Pop would remind me every so often as we were on a particularly nice stretch, bend or canyon - "that's the same engine as a Porsche..."

 

"411, 412, whatever it takes." - Michael Keaton (loosely adapted).


Thank you for the clarification. I always told friends it was a true Porsche. ;-)

 

The 914-6 was a GREAT car. I owned a 914-4 first, then sold it for a 914-6... they were both targa top cars, the 194-4 being the 1.7 4 cylinder VW engine and the 914-6 was a 6 cylinder 2.0 Porsche engine. It handled like it was on rails and the 6 was just enough power to really have fun!

 

The 1.7 was the early engine, later they had 2.0 4cyl.
The VW bus also had the 1.7 and then later got the 2.0

 

there was also a 1.8/4..

http://vista.pca.org/stl/914.htm

 

I think it was actually sold as a VW-Porsche in the rest of the world; only sold as a "real" Porsche here.

I've always loved these cars and owned a nearly concours 1.7, but in practical ownership I didn't like it nearly as well... not really the car's fault, just a preference thing.

I felt the same way about my Lotus Europa S2...

Bill

 

My dad keeps on telling how great of cars they are and how they just amaze people at autocross events for what they have. It isn't the only Porsche that shares alot of parts with VW. Which makes since when Porsche created both companies and the friendship kept there.

 

Yep, that's absolutely right. The 914 had a flat 4 engine, and the much rarer 914/6 had a flat 6.

 

if it looked and sounded better than it's Italian competition - the X1/9 - then i would likely be a P-car man.

i do love the car, but it's TOO rare here which means prices are way outta proportion (last i noticed was over $20k for "reasonable condition"), for now i have limited capacity so i have to choose one or the other and i love the X just so much more, but later there will be a 914 Volksche as a stablemate.

 

Here's the engine I had in mine. High performance 327 with Edelbock manifold, Holley four barrel and headers. It weighed right at 2,300 lbs with the Chevy engine.
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not bad! what tranny was in it?

 

Stock, but I never used first gear. Third gear was the most fun, roll-on races with camaros and corvettes from 40-80 mph. No contest.

 

Wow! How did it handle?

 

That's kinda like asking, "Is a 308 really a FIAT?

I don't think you would be way off with either answer. I even have a picture of an early wooden mold for the 308. The recess on the nose was shaped for a Dino badge. What does THAT tell us?

 

The 914 was a joint effort between VW and Porsche. Bodies were built by Karmann, delivered to VW who installed the modified four cylinder fuel injected Type IV motors. 70-73 1.7, 74-75 1.8 and 2.0, 76 2.0 only....max hp was 95.

The agreement was a handshake between the President of VW and Porsche...but the VW guy passed away and the price went up for the bodies supplied to Porsche....Porsche discontinued the six cylinder models in 1972. The motor was a de-tuned version of the 1969 911 "T" motor that put out 110-ish hp. The price differential caused the final price to be just under the 911 of the time.

1976 was the last model year even though all were built in 75...by this time Porsche had taken over and killed the model for the 924. The 924 was late coming to market and the 76 year the left over 2.0 engines were stuffed into 911 bodies and called the 912E as a bridge between the 914 and the 924/944.

Currently 914/6s in good shape can get 20K-30K. 914/4 in excellent condition are seeing 15K and up. Prices are going up. Original 914/6s with the distinctive VIN # are rare with only 2300 models made.

914/4 are very popular as they are easy to convert to a flat 6 or even a V8.

www.914club.com is where they hang out....come see us.


Oh and by the way....all 914s had a removable fiberglass targa top..the steel NON-removable top was on the 916 that was never a production model. They made seven of those I understand and TWO 914/8s that were driven by the Porsche family.

 

Glad you like our little cars. Mine has a 300 HP 1980 euro spec "S" 928 motor. Come on over and check us out! The cars are cool, and the people are real!

The attached photo is from my return trip from the 914 West Coast Classic "05"
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Thanks for the kind words gentlemen. 411, 412, '72 and later bus had the same ballpark motor as the base 4 cylinder 914. Any Porsche air cooled six one cares to shoehorn in there will also fit. As stated, a few came with the more modest sixes.
Porsche has an advertising slogan, "Porsche, there is no substitute". But I suspect there are some very fine substitutes (or originals) in your respective garages, mostly in red. After all, there is a prancing horse on both crests. Nice to meet you all.

Bob R

 

so where do i claim my fine rhine whine and guda cheese?

 

I love the way your car looks, 300 HP i bet that will worry a few guys here

 

Pretty well. I had 911 front suspension and 911 brakes, fuchs alloys and uprated rear springs.