About a hundred years ago I got to drive a little green 914 fresh off a restoration around a parking lot. It's stuck with me all these years and I happened to catch the wheeler dealer 914 episode yesterday and am starting to get that itch.
So what is the market like now days for a decent runner that could use some refreshing but not a full on restoration?
What is the parts availability like?
What are they like to drive and live with?
GRM did a series of articles on restoring one not too long ago. That might help you get started.
The only thing I know is that they can rust. Bad. I'd rather have a Fiat X-1/9 because they look and drive better, IMO. Plus they rust just as bad, but it isn't usually structural, this isn't the case for the 914 :(
Hard for me to be unbiased because I'm a 914 nut. People are still using them for daily drivers. I, for one, intend to keep mine well away from all sources of precip once i finish replacing all rusty structural and body members.
Fun to drive and great handling. Most parts are available used or aftermarket. There's a pretty strong support network should you be interested in tech info or parts. I'm not sure if it's cool to post other site links here but do a google search and a couple major 914 forums will pop up.
But speaking of rust, 3 rusty ones have already donated vital organs so that mine can live.
Rust is the issue. If you can find a rust free example they can be a lot of fun. Values are going up as the supply of nice examples gets smaller. I've owned three of them over the years. Easy and relatively cheap to work on. The '73 and later shift better and have other upgrades. Weak areas are chassis rigidity (compared to current cars) and seats.
They rust everywhere, I found a totally bare shell (must have been picked clean fast) at the pick and pull once. From a distance, it looked minty, even had original looking paint in good shape, then you noticed every panel on the car had multiple rust problems, everywhere. I bet it looked really nice all assembled.
The only thing I know is that they can rust. Bad. I'd rather have a Fiat X-1/9 because they look and drive better, IMO. Plus they rust just as bad, but it isn't usually structural, this isn't the case for the 914 :(
if you want a car like this get a AW11 MR2. I don't see why anyone would pursue a 914 or X1/9 anymore.
MR2 you have fuel injection, plug and play megasquirt available, tried and true turbo setups and parts that you can order and don't need fabrications for, much better parts availability, one of the most popular motorsports engines with version available for turbo and NA even with ITBs out of the box, several different transmission options that include 6 speeds, several popular forums that are frequented often, people who know what they are doing on the car that are not in retirement age and therefore lots of support to help you with any problem available on the internet, etc.
Plus theres the fact that unrusted cars exist, you can popon/off the front fenders if they are rusted and replace them in like 5 minutes, parts are still manufactured by Toyota for many things, the fact that there is like >10,000 of them sold in the US, it's toyota reliability, parts are shared with corolla, it's possible to purchase glass for them if they get cracked, etc.
The only thing x1/9s and 914s have over it is the kind of "cool old car" factor (which for 914 and X1/9 is minimal), the less weight is heavily outweighed by the overall superiority of the MR2. Also you can get a MK3 car with a 2ZZ for not much more which is vastly superior to the MK1 MR2 let alone these two cars and strangely for a newer car weighs even less and everything I said for the AW11 applies double for the W30.
kanaric wrote: if you want a car like this get a AW11 MR2. I don't see why anyone would pursue a 914 or X1/9 anymore. Plus theres the fact that unrusted cars exist The only thing x1/9s and 914s have over it is the kind of "cool old car" factor (which for 914 and X1/9 is minimal), the less weight is heavily outweighed by the overall superiority of the MR2.
I'm a huge AW11 fan, I've had 3 of them. A lot of what you said about reliability, support, etc...is true. But finding a rust free one? Yes, a small handful exist, but the overwhelming majority of them have significant rust issues as well. Also keep in mind the 914 is at least a decade older than the AW11. Ten years from now, I'll bet the number of rust free AW11s will be close to zero, unless it's been fully restored. The 914 definitely has that cool old car factor that the MR2 may never have. I've always wanted one, they're the coolest VWs ever. 
Germany > Japan.
mr2 does absolutely nothing for me.
I DD both the MR2 and a 914 for some time. The 914 seemed to be more fun than the MR2, as I remember. It was my first experience with a small, light car after being used to Mustangs, so the difference was pretty big. I had two 914s and used to literally dream about owning/driving another one. Then I got an MR2 and the dreams stopped. The MR2 felt more solid, but YMMV of course. Both are fun cars! I'd say drive another 914 now and see if your memory is still valid.
Also, regarding the 914, it still has "Porsche" on it, so expect parts to be more pricey than an MR2.
A buddy of mine has had one on a rotisserie for several years. Once he finished having it blasted and then cut out most the rust, I think he kind of lost interest. Every time I go over there it looks the same. Sharpie outlines where more rust needs to be cut out, some spots already cut out with a new pieces tacked in place, and big ol flared fiberglass fenders held in place with clamps. Last time I asked about it, he was looking to sell the whole thing including all the 911 parts that go with it to make it a 914/6 for less than half of what he has into it. During the resto, he bought a rusty 914/6 and a really clean heavily modified 914/6 both real, so I can see why he lost interest in such an ambitious project. So if anybody in Massachusetts wants to take on such a project, I can hook you up. Oh and it's a funky light green color sort of like the green on the TR8 in my sig but more neon.
So happy you're not closer!!
I've owned two 1.7 liter 914s and did partial restorations on another 1.7 and a 2.0 with two Weber IDF (IIRC) carbs. I'd love to have another one. I always liked their appearance and I always thought they had a lot to offer. Naturally, if you can find a running 2.0 grab it. From what I've seen, they're rather rare now. My suggestion is to find the best possible example and buy it to keep from having to do major rust repair.
I don't think anyone has mentioned it yet but try to find one with the later transmission. The early shift mechanism design missed the mark and usually the shifter is really sloppy. New bushings help but it's still not nearly as good as the late models.
Check to see how big the oil stain under the engine is. Like most engines with split cases they will leak some oil if they have some miles on them, it's just a matter of how much. If they leak from the pushrod tubes you have to block off the heater or you'll have to breath a burnt oil atmosphere.
I had a '71 1.7 914 that had been converted to Dellorto downdrafts and two 1500 X 1/9's, one carbed and one FI. The 914 was truly primitive in every way compared to the Exxies and not as quick, the original rear shift transmission was awful, the side shift I installed was better but still not on a par with the Fiats. Its best attribute was a MUCH larger interior and more storage space, in the 'frunk' and the trunk.
If I were to do it over again I'd do another Exxie. I like Mister Twos but do not fit well in them with a helmet on.
I just don't get the same sense of want with the fiat or mr2. I like rusty old German cars, hence I've had two E21 BMW's. And I can't imagine the fiat's would be any less rusty.
To the guy that said the MR2's 4AGE has better aftermarket support. The VW engine has just as much support, you can find whatever you want for the VW engine and probably get more HP out of it than the 4A with less money. I would love to have a 914 and have been following them recently. What I found is that the good examples are not as cheap as one might think. The prices for unrestored cars with no rust are creeping up.
BTW, 914s came with FI as well.
I was poking around looking about a year ago. Seemed like you could find scruffy drivers between 5-7k, (some 2.0s in the mix too) nice ones around 9-12k with creamsicles and bumblebees in the high teens.
Yeah 914's all came with FI (at least here in the Great Satan, dunno about elsewhere) but it was so primitive even by the standards of the time (I mean, come on now; points to run the injectors??? Just for gits and shiggles, go hunt some of those) that a bunch got yanked and replaced with carbs. Mine was reasonably fun to drive and handled well but still not as much fun as the Exxies, for whatever reason those things just begged to be driven on the ragged edge of redline all the time and thrown around. But to each his own.
the Exxe was also available with Injection after 1980
nicksta43 wrote: Italy > Germany > Japan. mr2 does absolutely nothing for me.
Fixed that for you.
I have one with a 350 in it. Great car on and off the track. Plenty of parts available. If it has rust anywhere on the bottom, run, run, as fast as you can go--------
Www.renegadehybrids.com
I found a couple on the link Chris V posted that I really like and seem to be priced right. Probably not the right time to be buying a toy with my job uncertainty...plus I'm still on year one of my five year car buying ban...but it's nice to dream.
They are starting to jump in price, so if you want a good one....buy it now.
I'm a big fan of the 914--- and I think the looks have aged very well. The packaging is brilliant in the 914--- plenty of room inside, and a useable trunk. About the only thing I didn't like about our 914 project was the shifter feel. It was kind of like a drumstick in a bowl of jello--- even with the shifter "fix". I'm picky about my gearboxes though so YMMV.
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