914-4 & 914-6

Free Web Hosting Provider - Web Hosting - E-commerce - High Speed Internet - Free Web Page

The Porsche 914 was introduced in the Fall 1969. It was a mid 4 cylinder boxer engine from the VW 411, sometimes called a pancake engine, with two seats and a targa top, two trunks, and pop-up headlights. Mechanics and 914 owners hate working on the engines because the engine hood is only about eight inches by five feet. Some people have said that they can't tell the back of the car from the front. The only thing between you and the firewall is your seat. The interior is simple, and the air condtioning is weak. The transmission is like some of the 924's with first down and to the left. Steering is tight, the suspension is hard. Volkswagen wanted to replace the Karmann-Ghia and Porsche wanted to replace the 912. So they both came up with the 914 idea. VW used the 914 idea to build 914/4s, and Porsche used the 914 idea to build 914/6s. But all 914s were considered Porsches in the United States. Porsche gave the 914 1.7L, 1.8L, and 2.0L engines. They only produced about 3300 914-6's between 1970 and 1972 because they were poor sellers, and none of the 72's were exported. The 914-6 had a 2.0L six cylinder engine frm the 1969 911T. The 914-6 had 911 brakes and five-bolt wheel hubs and front suspension from the 911, and an electric windshield washer. A few 914-6 GTs were produced they were made more for the than the street compared to the other 914-6's. They had flared fenders like the 916. In 1973, Porsche produced a 2.0 liter four cylinder 914. At first it was called the "914 S", but was changed before they were shiped to the U.S. The 914's were named according to their displacement, the 914/1.7 and 914/2.0. In 1974, the 1.7L was replaced with a 1.8L, but it had less power than the 1.7L. From 1969 to 1973 the shift forks on the 914 transmissions were at the back of the car. This is called a tail shifter transmission. In 1973, the shift forks were placed to the side of the tranny case, called a side shifter transmission. This helped the linkage because it only had to travel about half the length. This greatly improved the shifting.