During the second half of the 1960s, Porsche sold a four-cylinder version of the 911 as their lowest-priced car. The 912 sold well at first, but replaced by a joint Volkswagen-Porsche project, the 914, in 1969. The six-cylinder 914-6 was badged as a Porsche in Europe, while the four-cylinder 914 was sold as a Volkswagen-Porsche. In North America, all 914s were Porsche-badged, and they sold very well. Here’s a ’72 project car that got junked in Denver before completion.
Anecdotal evidence abounds for increased 914 values in recent years, and some will tell you that even a rusty basket case is worth good money. I keepseeing these cars in low-priced self-service junkyards, though, at about the same rate as at any time during the last 20 years. Most of them are well-picked-over for parts, which is why I photograph very few, but they’re out there.
As is the case with all air-cooled Volkswagens, corrosion is the 914’s biggest weakness. It appears that this car’s final owner began the process of rust repair, starting with some patching and welding of the door striker areas.
It’s hard to see with all the snow, but the fuel-injected 85-horsepower 1.7-liter Volkswagen Type 4 engine is still there. Variants of this engine powered Volkswagen Transporters, 411s, and 412s.
Many of the interior and trim parts are gone, though it’s not clear whether junkyard customers bought them or they were pulled by the car’s final owner for use in a more restorable project 914.
Much useful mechanical stuff remains here, and I hope some Colorado 914 owner buys everything useful before this car feels the cold steel jaws of The Crusher.
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