At $2,350, Could This 1973 Porsche 914 Project Get You To Roll Up Your Sleeves?
Taking on any project car can be daunting, and today's Nice Price or No Dice Porsche 914 is no different. Still, with prices on these cars going through the roof of late, could that make its cost of entry worth the work?
For most used-car sales, having low mileage is usually seen as a plus, and very often a car with untapped odometer potential will command a premium. The expectation is that low miles translates to lots of life left.
Yesterday's 2000 Volkswagen Passat 4Motion had a mere 39k on its clock, however, its interior belied those meager miles with its missing trim and woefully dingy seats. Based on the comments, that pretty much canceled out any thoughts of paying a premium for the car, which resulted in its $6,900 asking price falling in a 78 percent No Dice loss.
You know, when it comes to some cars, mileage really doesn't matter. That may seem counterintuitive, especially after having just discussed the low odometer reading being the primary draw of yesterday's VW. Sometimes, however, there are factors that mitigate that mileage.
Take for instance a car that needs... oh, I'd say pretty much everything.
This 1973 Porsche 914 is exactly just such a car. As you can see from the pics, it is a project car and hence is going to need to be gone over all the way from its front bumperettes to its flat back booty.
The seller clearly positions the car as such in the ad, describing it as being "at least 95% complete" but cautioning that it does not run and will need to be trailered to your own IHOP — (International House of Projects.) There's a good bit to be best aware of before you do, though.
First off, the 5 percent that is missing from the car includes its factory fuel injection system. 914s sold in the U.S. carried Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection from the factory. A peek under this car's narrow engine cover, however, reveals the mill to have a centrally-mounted carb atop four long-tube intake runners and no sign of the original squirter system.
The ad says that the engine is a 1.8 liter and claims it to be original to the car. If, as the seller claims, this is a '73 then it rightfully should have had the 1.7 as the larger engine wasn't introduced until the following year.
The fuel injection is not the only thing missing here. There's apparently a good chunk of the right rocker panel that has been sacrificed to the rust gods as well. Fortunately, the current owner has managed to source a replacement section from an even less-fortunate car, and that will come along as part of the deal.
The rest of the bodywork is rough. The seller says the original color was yellow, but it presently wears a coat of blue mixed with surface rust and despair. Both of the wing-capping turn signal lenses in front are gone, while the rubber bumper cap between those wings has a weird puckering across its entire length.
It's not entirely woeful, though. The car rides on a nice set of period-correct Rivieras and it does have the desirable optional fog lamps in the nose. Also, all the glass is here, as is the fiberglass Targa top.
The interior is said to be mostly complete, although we don't get any pics to examine the condition of those pieces. A clear Texas title comes with the car, which the seller states will be only sold as a whole, so you parts monkeys need not even ask.
Is this a daunting project? Yeah, maybe. Would you get your investment out of it should you take it on? Well, that would depend entirely on three factors: the purchase price, the investment it takes to get it back on the road and the market for old 914s.
We can gauge two of those factors. The market for 914s at present is pretty dang hot, and a well-sorted car will today command upwards of $25K. This car will need thousands in work to bring up to that level so its entry price needs to be appreciatively low. This project's asking price is $2,350. Is that low enough?
What do you think, is that $2,350 price tag a fair enough deal to get this Porsche party started? Or, is this 914 just too far gone to go that deep in your wallet?
You decide!
Los Angeles Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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