Though we've seen an 80s Porsche and a 60s Porsche in this series, 70s Porsches had been overlooked. I'd seen a few 70s 911s driving around town, but hadn't managed to find one actually parked until I spotted this brown '74 parked near the site of the old Del Monte cannery.
This '74 is a genuine driver; I see it roaring around town on a regular basis. It sounds good, too.
Ahh, the Targa top. Maybe it wasn't quite as essence-of-70s as GM's T-top, but it still conjures up images of disco wafers and WIN buttons.
The aftermarket wheels... well, I'm no purist, but these aren't the prettiest possible wheels to put on this car.
It has the usual street-car battle scars, but it's in excellent condition. Maybe the nicks and dings would bring a scowl to the faces of the judges at a Porsche show, but it's still flying the incredibly German-looking Porsche flag with pride.
Even as late as 1974, you could still see hints of 356 ancestry in the 911's lines.
This car listed at $10800 in 1974; you could get a new Eldorado convertible for $9487 that year.
For '74, the base 911 engine cranked out 143 horsepower from its 2.7 liters. That's two HP less than the base '74 Chevy 350 made.
Yes, even with a motor held back by Malaise Era smog requirements, this is a serious sports car. A real Porsche.
Which brings us to our poll. I've seen several 914s around town but haven't yet gotten around to shooting one as a Down On The Street car. Before I do, I'm curious to see how our beloved readers view the Porsche that often gets the cold shoulder from Stuttgart stalwarts. Whaddya say?
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