Preservation Potential: 1973 Porsche 914 2.0 – Sold?

December 17, 2021 Update – We just confirmed the listing for this “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found we’re assuming this ride “Sold?” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

When we first saw the listing for this 1973 Porsche 914 2.0 originally listed in November 2021 on Craigslist in Syracuse, Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh) and its nearly fifty large asking price, we thought for certain we had our next “NEW!” (short for “No Effin Way!”) Award recipient in the queue. However, not only is this 45,700 original mile example an unmolested survivor, the private seller is attempting to reap the spoils of an air-cooled Porsche tide that has now lifted even the once loathed VW Porsche. Prices of the more desirable 2.0 Liter cars such as this one have really started to separate from the lower displacement examples.

Currently priced at $47,500, comparing that price against the Hagerty Insurance Online Valuation Tool confirms the private seller has their 914 priced between this guide’s #3 “Good” estimate of $25,000 and its #2 “Excellent” appraisal of $60,000.  Similarly, the  Collector Car Market Review Online Tool reveals the private seller has their Porsche priced five hundred dollars less than this guide’s #1 “Excellent” appraisal of $48,000. It’s hard to fathom VW-powered 914s bringing this kind of money, but that’s the world we are living in these days.

By the late 1960s, both Porsche and Volkswagen saw the need for new entry-level sports cars for their respective divisions:  VW was hoping to replace its aging Karmann Ghia while Porsche wanted to replace the 912 with a distinctively different model.  The two joined forces to co-develop the Targa-topped, two-seat, mid-engined 914 roadsters.  While in Europe 914s were labeled VW-Porsches, in North America the car was only sold through Porsche dealerships.  Originally intending to sell the vehicle with a flat four-cylinder engine as a Volkswagen and with a flat six-cylinder engine as a Porsche, Porsche decided during development that having Volkswagen and Porsche models sharing the same body would be risky for business in the American market, and convinced Volkswagen to allow them to sell both versions as Porsches in North America.

Six weeks after designers presented the first 914 prototypes on March 1, 1968, development became complicated following the death of Volkswagen’s chairman, Heinrich Nordhoff in April that same year. His successor, Kurt Lotz, was not connected with the Porsche dynasty and the verbal agreement between Volkswagen and Porsche fell apart.  In Lotz’s opinion, Volkswagen had all rights to the model and no incentive to share it with Porsche if they would not share in tooling expenses. With this decision, the price and marketing concept for the 914 had failed before series production had begun. As a result, the price of the chassis went up considerably, and the 914/6 ended up costing only a bit less than the 911T, Porsche’s next lowest priced car.

Launched in the fall of 1969, Motor Trend named the 914 its Import Car of the Year for 1970.  Unfortunately, slow sales and rising costs prompted Porsche to discontinue the 914/6 variant in 1972 after producing 3,351 of them.  However, the 914/4 such as the example featured here became Porsche’s top-selling model during its six-year production run with well over 100,000 units sold worldwide.  Long considered the step-child entry-level car in the Porsche community, the nostalgia growth of all things air-cooled in the past six years helped fuel the popularity of 914/4s and prices are starting to reflect that.

We came across this vintage Porsche 914 commercial that really is a composite of vintage video clips of 914s being put through their paces when new:

Cars are only original once and considering this 1973 Porsche 914 is completely original including the paint, this is a rare find that will make a prime candidate for the Porsche Club of America’s “preservation Class Concours judging.

Here’s the seller’s description:

“1973 Porsche 914 Targa 2.0 Amazing un-restored, matching numbers, original 45,700 actual mile car. Near pristine condition. Rust Proofed new, always garaged, never winter driven, zero rust ever. Very rare optional special order gorgeous Alaska Blue Metallic finish. Black interior with optional console gauge package, factory option Alpine AM -FM radio & alloy wheels. Dealer invoice, maintenance receipts with dates & mileage substantiating actual mileage. Last pre-emission model year. New stainless heat exchangers and exhaust and 5 new tires. Note in the picture gallery the underside pictures are the original factory finish – Not refinished. 2 ltr, 5-speed transmission, 4-wheel disc brakes, heavy-duty / performance suspension.“

Show or go: what would you do with this survivor Porsche 914?  Comment below and let us know!