The rising tide that has lifted vintage Porsche prices into the stratosphere has had a large effect on the Porsche 914 market.  These once maligned little sports cars are now fetching real money for good examples.  That is, if you can find a good example.  Well, reader T.J. has located for us one of the rarest and most beautiful variants of the 914 series.  Feast your eyes on this 1974 Porsche 914 Can Am Limited Edition for sale on craigslist in Denver, North Carolina.  In spectacular shape for its age, this eye-catching low production version of the 914 is being offered at a stiff $35,000.  While that is a lot for a 914, is the time right to grab one of these stand out models?

For years the Porsche 914 lived under a cloud.  Porsche aficionados looked down their noses at it because it was a VW-Porsche collaboration and all except for the 914-6 were powered by VW engines.  The styling was also one of those like it or hate it propositions.  For those who have driven one of these low-slung sports cars in anger, all that talk doesn’t mean a thing.   No car of that era handled better.  It is just a shame that the 914 never received the development it deserved and was left to fade away after 1976.  It was replaced by another version of the 912 -with a VW engine in it.

You could make the argument that the turbocharged flat six engine from the 930 would have been a more sensible fit in the 914 chassis than the tail happy 911.  High horsepower variants of the 914 were tested, including a flat eight powered beast given as a birthday present to Ferry Porsche and another used by Ferdinand Piech to test the concept.  With a widebody kit, 911 brakes, an upgraded suspension, and low-profile tires, imagine for a minute just how formidable a monster the car would have been on the track or the highway.

At any rate, Porsche did provide enthusiasts with more power and a few special editions.  To counter the cries that the 914 was underpowered, a two-liter engine was provided as an option.  These engines allowed the car’s performance to come close to what was lost when the 914-6 was discontinued.  That peppier engine was combined with a special option package called the Can Am Limited Edition.  Black paint was matched up with Sunflower Yellow accents and decals along with such premium options as front and rear anti-roll bars, a three-gauge center console, Mahle wheels, and a few other parts and pieces.  These cars were commonly called “Bumblebees” for obvious reasons.  There was also a special edition with cream colored paint with orange trim that are affectionately called “Creamsicles.”

The Bumblebee 914 you see here is obviously in fantastic condition and is quite rare.  Only 1,000 Creamsickles and Bumblebees were produced with production numbers believed to be evenly split amongst the variants.  The seller advertises the car as being an all-original example with just 78,000 miles on the odometer.  The battery box, floor pan, and firewall are advertised to be as rust free as the rest of the car.  If you know anything about 914s, these are the areas where problems develop.

The big question here relates to the asking price.  Have good 914s crossed the $30,000 threshold?  914-6 variants blew by that number a long time ago.  My thought is that regular 914s in mint condition aren’t there yet, but you would be hard pressed to find a Bumblebee 914 in this condition on the open market.  If I had the funds, I would make an offer on this one and start looking for a Creamsicle to park next to it in my garage.  I feel confident that they could be called good investments in this financially uncertain world.

Do you think the 914’s time has finally come?  Share your thoughts in the comments.