Vehicle 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!
