A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a driving tour and People’s Choice Concours event with my local region of the Porsche Club of America. These drives are split into groups to manage the large number of cars that participate and my 356C Coupe was placed in the 4-cylinder group made up of transaxle cars, Boxsters and Porsche 914s. A stunning 1974 Porsche 914 1.8 is today’s Good Find Friday selection.

Why did I choose a 914? Ever since that drive, I’ve been thinking about how flatly the two 914s in front of me cornered, the high speeds they were able to carry into turns and how good they look driving down the road with their Targa tops removed. The noise they make for a 4-banger isn’t bad either.

I won’t go deeply into the history of the 914, as many probably know the story of Porsche’s joint venture with Volkswagen to produce a car to replace the aging 912. In the past, a lot of Porsche purists have looked down on the 914 as a Volkswagen and not a proper Porsche. As a huge fan of VWs, I have a soft sport for Porsches that have a little Wolfsburg DNA.

The 914 is becoming more popular and more accepted by the Porsche community, similar to the transaxle cars like the 928, 944 and 924 that replaced the 914 in 1976. I attribute this primarily to the rising costs of entry to aircooled Porsche ownership. When a decent “middie” 911 averages $55,000, these cars start to look more attractive.

This 1974 Porsche 914 is a 1.8 liter model and presents beautifully after being treated to a relatively recent restoration and is for sale by CPR Classic in Fallbrook, CA. The asking price is unlisted.

The car was repainted in its original color of Sunflower Yellow—a more attractive yellow than the more electric Chrome Yellow in my opinion—and its interior was reupholstered during the restoration. The exterior condition of the car appears to be excellent, with a few blemishes here and there, such as a ding on the side mirror and some scuffing in places.

Sadly the US delivered cars had the front and rear protruding bumperettes to meet Federal safety standards. You might ask where the Porsche badge is on the hood; well the factory didn’t put one there, as the car was marketed as a VW-Porsche in Europe. If you see one with it, the owner or a dealer added it and it is not correct. Kudos to the owners here for keeping their car original.

The 85hp 1.8 liter 4-cylinder engine fitted to this car replaced the even slower 80hp 1.7 liter engine in 1974. This was the base power option at the time, with the 2.0 liter 100hp engine being the hotter engine. While a 2-liter 911 6-cylinder engine from the 911T was a potent choice, the option was discontinued after 1972. Reviews from car magazines of the time praised the 2.0 liter as finally delivering the power befitting a Porsche. All 914 4-cylinder engines were Volkswagen-derived and mated to 5-speed transmissions.

In my opinion, this car’s interior is its standout feature. Impeccably restored, the seats, dash, carpet and other interior features present as nearly showroom new. I’ve always said that the interior is where you spend most of the time in your car (assuming you actually DRIVE it), so pick one in good condition that’s a nice place to be.

If you are on the taller side, the 914 can be a somewhat tough fit. I had my first sitting in one at the PCA group drive I mentioned earlier, and the seat has some adjustability but the rear firewall limits rearward movement. My knee touched the gear lever and the steering wheel forced an awkward position for my legs. A smaller diameter wheel or an extended hub could help. 

The brown vinyl interior is gorgeous, with its simulated woven look and gently mottled tones. The dashboard is a little wavy but no cracks are visible and the gauges look clean and bright—not always the case on open-top cars.

The suspension on the 914 was front torsion bar and rear trailing arm, just as on the 911, but the 914/6 version of earlier years used a 5-lug setup. Unfortunately, the 4-cylinder models use 4-lug hubs. But this car does have the desirable Fuchs wheels which appear to be in outstanding condition. 

The car is said to have had only two owners and has an extensive history, all adding to its value. Speaking of value, the selling dealer doesn’t list an asking price, instead forcing interested parties to inquire. I expect the ask is probably in the $40,000 range, but in my opinion a nice 914 with the 1.8 is realistically a mid $20k car. The 2.0 liter cars are far more desirable, but if you want a 914 that’s concours-ready, this is it.

Younger demographics may gravitate to the 996-generation 911, the Boxster and Cayman as their entry-level Porsche and who can fault them. They have terrific performance, modern conveniences and low prices. However, most of those cars are silver, black, or white. A nice example in blue or red can be found if you’re lucky, but the 70s Porsches always had a plethora of interesting colors.

After seeing a Malaga Red and Chrome Yellow 914 tearing up the back roads of Central Virginia, I’m sold on the 914’s appeal. And if you’re looking for an air-cooled Porsche, the 914 is still the most affordable point of entry.

Of course, we recommend an on-site evaluation before committing to any purchase.

Wolf and Mare provides car finding, appraisal and auction services for sellers and buyers of collector European cars. We also provide importation services. Give us a call or drop us a line!