Vehicle Description
1973 Porsche 914
• VIN 4732903XXX
• Completed October 1972
• Rare color Delphi Green Metallic
Finished in its original color combination of Delphi Green Metallic
over Black leatherette upholstery with good gaps and panel fit. The
paintwork is very presentable with some cosmetic imperfections.
Exterior options include chrome bumpers, fog lights, a rear luggage
rack, and Delodur-1 Sekurit glass. The black vinyl interior is in
great condition and features VDO instrumentation, a leather-wrapped
Momo ProtoTipo steering wheel, and a JVC stereo system.
The appearance group equipment includes pile carpet, center
console, center armrest with storage compartment, and a
vinyl-covered roll bar. The undercarriage is solid and rust-free.
Optional 5.5" x 15" light alloy wheels are fitted to 185 65 15"
tires.
Mechanically powered by a 2.0L flat-four engine that runs very well
paired with a manual 5-speed transmission and four-wheel disc
brakes. An excellent opportunity to acquire a 914 finished in a
very rare color that runs and drives as it should.
History
By the late 1960s, inflation and currency issues had forced Porsche
so far upmarket (above the magic $10,000 mark for a highly optioned
911S) that they became desperate for a new four-cylinder
entry-level car. The 912 was ripe for replacement, as it could no
longer be produced cheaply enough to qualify as entry-level, and
the new Datsun 240Z had made a mockery of it on a performance
level. The answer was a collaboration with Volkswagen who would
sell the new car, dubbed the 914, as a VW-Porsche in Europe. In the
U.S. it was known as a Porsche but never carried the Porsche crest
on the hood.
Styling was considered odd in the day, but it avoided most of the
impracticalities of the mid-engined layout with good outward vision
and two large trunks. Performance was modest at first with base
VW-derived engines of 1.7 and 1.8 liters. The 2.0-liter cars gave a
more sparkling performance and are the most desirable of the
four-cylinder models today, and they are cheap to rebuild to boot.
Handling is superb with fine brakes and phenomenal steering. Bright
period colors suit the 914 well.
