1975 Porsche 914

Description

The Porsche 914 was a great example of the right car at the wrong time. Porsche faithful weren't ready for a mid-engined entry-level Porsche, but the passage of time proves that cars like this 1975 Porsche 914 Targa are a very affordable way to have an air-cooled Porsche on a budget, and it's one that doesn't turn around and bite you in the corners!

A vintage German sportscar like this Silver Metallic 914 always seems to look like it should cost a lot more than it does. You can lay some of the blame on the fact that 914s haven't quite caught on with collectors in a meaningful way (although they've certainly surged in the last decade), and maybe some on the fact that it was designed from the start to be relatively affordable. But I think that does this neat little mid-engined sports car a real disservice, because even at a glance, the 914 looks like a party on wheels. Silver Metallic paint isn't exactly subtle, but if you have a Porsche sports car do you really want to stay anonymous? Panel fit is good and these were well-built cars with Porsche's traditionally high standards of build quality, and time does nothing to diminish that fact. The paint is an older respray but still shines up decently and for a machine that you're going to want to use regularly, it's more than presentable. The black details, including the big bumper up front and the targa roof, look great against the silver paint and show little evidence of UV damage or fading. Lenses, stainless trim, and the original alloys all attest to the fact that someone has really cared for this fun little driver, and although it shows like it's been thoroughly enjoyed, it's got plenty left to offer for the next contestant.

The interior is highlighted by the funky plaid seat inserts, which were part of the package in 1976 and make this Porsche an awesome trip back in time. The thin-shell buckets are featherweight and comfortable, and the driving position is arguably better than that of an early 911. Big, round VDO dials with the tach in the center will look familiar to anyone who has been in an air-cooled Porsche in the past, with secondary controls that are sensibly, if a little cryptically laid out. There's an original Motorola Sapphire AM/FM stereo in the dash that remarkably still works, the center stack below it houses auxiliary dials that keep an eye on the engine behind the seats, and the tall 5-speed shifter inside the center console is the perfect complement to the big steering wheel at the helm. The roof lifts off easily and stows in the surprisingly spacious trunk, making this a true open-air cruiser. And with both front and rear trunks, there's a great deal of storage space.

The engine is an air-cooled 1.8 liter flat-four boxer engine (aka the 1795cc), a machine familiar to those of you who also may have driven a 912. The car is mid-engined, meaning that the engine lives right behind the passenger compartment and ahead of the rear axle, which is a direct contrast to the rear-engined 911, whose tail-happy antics are obviously well documented. Service access is actually decent since it was designed to be accessed from below, but we'll admit it's not as easy as just lifting the hood (just ask Boxster owners how they like it). The Bosch L-Jetronic fuel-injection starts the car with a familiar flat-four bark from the dual exhaust, and it idles like it's eager to get on with the business of driving. One of the best features of the later 914s is the vastly improved 'side-shifter' 5-speed manual gearbox, as it easily snaps through the gears with shift feel somewhere between a Beetle and a 911, and the all-independent suspension with anti-roll bars (another added feature of the later 914s) is incredibly competent out on the road. In fact, this car is an awesome example of the idea that it's far more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. Not that this is a terribly slow car, but thanks to its high cornering limits and benign road manners, there's more suspension than the engine can use, and that means FUN. Powerful 4-wheel disc brakes are there to bail you out and it sits on stock 15-inch alloy wheels wrapped with grippy 165/SR/15 Michelin radials.

This neat little 914 delivers big fun, great looks, and a lot of charisma for not a lot of cash. Hard to go wrong here! Call today!