Vehicle Description
Chassis No. 4712915713
Engine No. W0124411
Transmission No. 0029006
For 17 years, every Porsche sold was powered by a four-cylinder
engine-a tradition that spanned nearly half a century. From the
company's founding until 1996, Porsche consistently offered
four-cylinder models, including the 912 and the 914. These cars,
successors to the original 356, embodied core Porsche values:
lightweight construction, balanced performance, and technical
precision.
By the mid-1960s, Porsche and Volkswagen found themselves aligned
on a similar project, albeit for different purposes. Porsche aimed
to develop a mid-engine, four-cylinder sports car to replace the
912, while Volkswagen sought a successor to its stylish
Karmann-Ghia. The two companies partnered, with Porsche handling
design and engineering and Volkswagen contributing manufacturing
capacity. The collaboration proved a major success-Porsche gained a
popular new entry-level model, and Volkswagen enhanced its sporty
image through its close association with Porsche.
This 1971 Porsche 914, chassis number 4712915713, is an excellent
example of that long-lived relationship between Porsche and
Volkswagen. According to its original Porsche / Audi window
sticker, this 914 was selected in Willow Green with a single option
of a center armrest console. Before the car was sold, Rushmore
Volkswagen of Rapid City, South Dakota added $65 in pre-delivery
servicing and undercoating for a total of $3,776.50. The original
Porsche-supplied Maintenance Record, dealer vehicle order form, and
1972 South Dakota vehicle registration, reveal the original owner
was Helen Palmer, located in Pierre, the capital city of The Mount
Rushmore State. Official Porsche dealer service stamps show that
Palmer was an enthusiastic driver of her 1.7-liter five-speed 914
adding 19,947 miles to the car by the 24th of August 1976. A Quaker
Stake oil change sticker in driver's door jamb shows 21,842
recorded miles by May of 1980.
By at least 2000, the 914 was under the ownership of Jeff Hill.
Hill brought the car to Import Service of Rapid City, SD in
September of that year for an engine tune and valve adjustment with
the odometer reading noted on the paperwork as 24,411 miles. It
must be said that due to a number of important characteristics of
the car it is believed that this 914 covered just 2,569 additional
miles in the preceding 20 years. In 2006, Karl Simonyak also based
in South Dakota purchased the car, owning it for the next 13 years.
Michael Butkus of Omaha, Nebraska acquired the car in 2019,
retaining it for three years before selling it to Matthew Kolton
based in Tennessee-likely the first time the 914 left the Great
Plains region of the United States.
While under Kolton's care, a Porsche Classic Technical Certificate
was applied for. Hennessey Porsche conducted the inspection, which
yielded glowing results-most notably, confirmation that the engine
and transmission numbers match the factory's records. Furthermore,
in 2021, Kolton had the fuel system gone through replacing the fuel
lines, pump, filter, and injector seals. At the same time, the
engine received an oil change and the shift linkage received new
bushings. In 2023, Kolton had the undercarriage, engine
compartment, and wheel wells of the 914 dry ice cleaned. The car
also spent time with Auto Atlanta between June and August 2023 with
numerous items replaced or attended to, with invoices totaling
$14,500 in that span.
In June 2025, the car was inspected by Broad Arrow Auctions and
found to retain its original coat of Willow Green with paint meter
sheets revealing a paint thickness of 2.5 - 4.5 mils across the
exterior of the car. It should be noted that, at a point, Porsche
side stripe decals were added to the car and when later removed a
"ghosted" effect remained. The 914's Brown interior remains
exceptionally original, as does the original removable hard top and
both the front and rear trunks. It must be said that this 914
exists in rarified air as a four-cylinder example that exudes
originality with its matching numbers status, original finishes,
and low mileage.
