As many regular readers are aware, Porsche 914s are a favorite of more than a few of our staff writers.  Seeing a 914 in the cue of available stories starts a scramble.  When this one popped up, resplendent in Anaconda Blue Metallic and Mahle wheels, I jumped on it hoping that it was a worn but solid example.  As I completed the prep work by reading the story and selecting the photographs to be used, I went from hopeful anticipation to outright dejection.  This 1975 Porsche 914 1.8 for sale on eBay in Elyria, Ohio is a car with a few desirable options and a lot of promise.  That promise is only available if you own a plasma cutter, a good welder, and have a lot of skill and folding money.  At a current bid of $4,050, are there buyers out there who can see past this Ohio car’s hidden flaw?

For those who are unaware, I am the former owner of a 1974 Porsche 914 1.8.  I purchased the car in my late teens, and it was one of those sturm und drang experiences that occasionally befall us in life.  The me of today would have never purchased this car, as I would have had the sense to carefully inspect it instead of falling in love at first sight.  You can search for previous stories I have written on 914s if you want to know the whole story, but the Reader’s Digest version is that it overheated in 30 minutes no matter what, was somewhat unreliable, and handled like nothing I have driven before or since.  After you have driven a 914 for a reasonable amount of time and let it go, you never lose the feeling that something wonderful is missing in your life.

I have never lost the desire to replace that little red sportscar, but life, finances, and storage have all conspired to keep me from having another.  Perhaps that is for the best.  Maybe it would be like meeting your girlfriend or boyfriend from high school at a reunion decades later.  The person you still think of fondly may now not be so wonderful in a “People of Wal Mart” sort of way.  Regardless of my concerns, seeing this very pretty 914 brought all of those feelings rushing back.  This one is much nicer than my 1974, and it has those gorgeous Mahle wheels.  The metallic blue goes well with them, and this one has the Appearance Group option package just like my 1974 did.  Maybe I can sell a kidney or two…

Then I started to see pictures that jarred me back to reality.  While this car looks worn but solid from the outside, it is an Ohio car that didn’t seem to escape Ohio winters.  These were, after all, regular cars at one time that were expected to do regular car things no matter what the weather.  The picture above was the first one to show surface rust and a hint of even more damage in the seams around the front trunk pan where the spare goes.  This is the same spot that I didn’t inspect on mine.  When I pulled my spare, I found a dented-up New York tag.  Seeing that, even viewed through my naive 18-year-old eyes, would have stopped me from purchasing mine.  Seeing rust in this area on this 1975 made my heart sink.

Pictures of the rear trunk aren’t much better.  I was happy to see that the battery hadn’t been relocated to the trunk like mine was.  914s have real issues with the battery tray, which is located in the engine bay, corroding to the point of collapse.  In the early days, that collapse caused battery acid to go everywhere in the engine compartment.  When the fuel lines were eaten away, you know what happened next.  Many a good 914 went to the crusher because of this, or the corrosion became so pronounced under the tray that structural problems resulted that would also send the car to the great beyond.  On this one, the corrosion seems to be bubbling up along the structural rib towards the back.  Not a good sign.

A look through the open driver’s door reveals a seldom seen off white interior.  We can also see that the weatherstripping will need to be replaced along with the dash pad and the steering wheel padding is missing a huge chunk of material.  As mentioned previously, this car came with the Appearance Group package.  That option gave the driver a center console with extra gauges and a padded piece that could be lifted up for a little additional storage.  It was too low to be used as an armrest unless you had orangutan arms.

A look into the engine bay shows that the 1.8-liter Volkswagen flat-four still wears its Bosch fuel injection system.  As with many early fuel injection systems, most mechanics had no idea how to repair them.  These were simple, reliable systems that still managed to be replaced wholesale by the easy to install dual Dellorto carburetor setups that were popular at the time.  As Porsche used VW engine components, there were a plethora of aftermarket options available to owners.  Finding a running 914 with its original fuel injection system is becoming almost unheard of.

It was when I came across this picture that I knew that this car wasn’t the one for me or likely 95% of the 914 owners out there.  There is serious rust here not just in the pans, but it looks like it has crept into the sills as well.  I doubt that I would have put it up on a lift for pictures.  This car will need to be stripped down, trussed up, put on a rotisserie, and be tended to by a professional that understands how important it is to have the car squared up before welding on new metal.  This is bad juju.

What likely has driven the bidding beyond the $4,000 mark is the car’s unusual color, the Mahle wheels, and the fact that it still wears its fuel injection unit.  I am surprised that it is a 1.8 engine car with the options that it has.  While I have mentioned the Appearance Group, the window sticker in the ad also states that it has the Performance Group option as well.  That probably explains the wheels and I think it also included a stiffer roll bar setup.  As a whole it is an amazing car, but I just don’t know about the rust.  It breaks my heart.

Do you think this car is restorable?  Would you take on such a project?  Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comments.