The seller of today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe 914 suggests the V8-powered car lacks gentility and will scare your dog. My dog’s scared of having baths so I don’t know if that’s an accurate indicator of its meanness, but you can still use that to determine if its price is doggone scary.
You’ve heard of killing two birds with one stone. Well, however Reddit-worthy that gruesome achievement would, be it’s still a pretty hard stunt to pull off. That even goes for companies like Volkswagen and Porsche who attempted just such a feat during the development of the 914/914-6.
You see, Porsche wanted to replace their 4-cylinder 912 which at the time was harshing the mellow of the 911’s reputation. Concurrently, VW needed to find a successor to their long in the tooth and not all that sporty sportster, the Karmann Ghia.
The agreement to co-develop a car that would serve as replacement for both Porsche and Vee-Dub (two birds, one targa-roofed stone) additionally fulfilled an agreement between the two German companies for Porsche to handle development work for the People’s Car folks. The resulting car was planned to arrive in VW dealerships with a flat four, and in Porsche’s retailers with a 100-horse Stuttgart six.
It is very unlikely that at any time during its development anyone at either company suggested an SBC as a third power plant alternative, regardless of the fact that it potentially could produce treble the horsepower of both VW and Porsche factory mills combined.
Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s not possible to do so.
This 1972 914 has been so blessed, and because too much is never enough its 350 cubic inches has been stroked out to a steroidal 383. The ad claims that’s good for more than 450-bhp which is seems reasonable considering the size and spec of the mill.
The 4BBL pokes through the top of the narrow engine bay opening, apparently negating the ability to fit the Porsche inscribed mesh cover in place. The now open to the weather engine is backed by a 5-speed gearbox which hopefully has seen beefing to befit its roll as negotiator between V8 and rear tires.
Those tires are ensconced in fiberglass flares that give the car a purposeful appearance, but none so much as do the four pipes angled out at the car’s rear. They also deliver an exhaust note that sounds like God himself after Heaven’s weekly Taco Bell night. Here, have a listen.
Now, I should note that this pisses me off. I received a fixit ticket for my 240Z’s exhaust being too loud and it’s nothing compared to the meteor impact noise this thing makes.
When not assaulting eardrums, the car takes up an attack on the eyes. Dropped and painted a satin black, this 914 rolls on 911 Cup Stars. It also has the 911 front end upgrade which gives you bigger clampers, and the ad says the whole shebang up there has been stiffened and reinforced.
There’s no complaints in the cockpit either, which features a Autometer catalog's worth of gauges. 914s have always been a car that you either fit in or you don’t and so any potential purchaser would need to try this car on before dropping any cash on it.
And just how much would you need to drop? Well, $11,500, didn’t you read the headline? Whatever, we're now at the point in the show where you get to weigh in on whether this certain death machine balls-deep amazing V8-powered 914 is worth that kind of scratch.
What do you think, is scaring your dog and waking the neighbors worth $11,500? Or, is this 914’s price even more over the top than the car itself?
You decide!
Ventura Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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