We love seeing what exciting projects our customers are currently working on. Every month we would like to showcase a couple of cars in whatever state they are in - on the road or on the rack.

This months submission comes from Michael Hartmann who is the 3rd owner of a very special 1971 914-6 (0372).

Michael first acquired his 914-6 in February 2010. The car, which had spent its entire life in the Bay Area, was black when he bought it and in need of a full restoration.

After a false start in May of 2012 that resulted in a 61 month delay, the car went down to Auto Art Customs and the talented hands of Kent Simmons.  Kent restored the body to better than original, all metal finished and finished in Glasurit Irish Green. The car was assembled by Jim Geer, Kent Simmons, Andy Thonet and Bob Fullton. 

Michael replaced the existing Weber equipped 3.0 with a 1987 3.2 with Motronic injection, 964 cams, Ben McFarland’s custom SS full exhaust and a custom Steve Wong chip. The original tail shifter was converted to a side shift and the brakes were upgraded to 914-6 GT rears and early 911S aluminum front calipers.He also has installed a GT oil cooler up front with hard lines running behind the driver’s rocker. The Car runs around 190 degrees most of the time.

From left to right: Previous owner, Michael's brother, Michael.

Michael and his brother went back to the second owner of the car after restoration was completed. He was blown away by the completed car and appreciated the chance for him and his wife to see the car which they took their honeymoon in. Last year he was able to participate in West Coast Ramble and had a great time on the road. Since completion, Michael has put about 4,500 miles on the odometer and drives it regularly. The longest trips it has taken so far have been to LA and back, twice. This is a beautiful restoration which had a lot of hard work put into it, thanks for sharing Michael!

Please submit your image and a brief summary to blake@914rubber.com. If we select your photo for the newsletter you will win a $15 914Rubber gift card!

We love seeing what exciting projects our customers are currently working on. Every month we would like to showcase a couple of cars in whatever state they are in - on the road or on the rack. This months submission comes from Phillip Wagner and his copper metallic 1975 2.0 914.

Phillip has owned this car since 2009 and began his restoration in 2015. The car was stripped by hand down to the original primer so that all rust could be found and remedied. He also decided to backdate the early chrome bumpers onto his car at this time. The car was painted in L99k copper metallic.

 

Since completing his restoration, Phillip participated in the Werks Reunion Amelia Island 2021 where he took 1st place in the 914 category. Very cool to see the hard work that went into restoring this car getting the recognition it deserves! Thank you for sharing Phillip and we hope to see you on the road soon.

Please submit your image and a brief summary to blake@914rubber.com. If we select your photo for the newsletter you will win a $15 914Rubber gift card!

We love seeing what exciting projects our customers are currently working on. Every month we would like to showcase a couple of cars in whatever state they are in - on the road or on the rack.

This month's customer car story comes from Ryan Jones. Ryan has a very unique 1973 2.0L which was his first car back in 2005.

Per the original window sticker, it was imported through Chicago and made its way a few hours south to Howard Hembrough Porsche+Audi in Springfield, Ill. Originally a Delphi Green Metallic car, the gentleman who bought it new off the lot had it repainted in 1976 as you currently see it above. While it’s certainly not a factory color, it’s definitely period correct.

By 1980, that same owner gave the car to his brother-in-law who lived in Canton, Mo. He was a dentist, and the car lived in his garage for the better part of 25 years, mostly as a grocery-getter or occasional weekend driver, racking up only 53,000 miles by the time Ryan picked it up in 2005.

But the first time Ryan saw the car — or any 914, for that matter — was in 1999 when he was 10 years old. His uncle was a mechanic in Canton and got to know the car and its owner over the years. His uncle took him to see the 914 and they  were allowed to go for a short drive, it was love at first sight.

From that point on Ryan began to save all the cash he could get from birthdays, Christmas, and mowing lawns for a car. His parents saw how serious he was and made a deal that if he saved up a majority of the cash for a vehicle purchase, they’d help cover up to a small difference when he turned 16. Whenever they would ask him what car he was going to get, his mind would always come back to the 914.

Ryan later found out that not long after that first drive with his uncle, his parents had worked with him to help find a 914 to surprise Ryan with on his 16th birthday. His uncle initially found a ’74 1.8L in decent shape and he began restoring it. The car had just come out of the paint booth when the body shop, and everything inside it, was destroyed by a tornado.

A few months later, the dentist friend had contacted Ryan's uncle to say he was looking to sell the ’73. Fast-forward a year or two later, Ryan's parents sent him on a scavenger hunt around the house on his 16th birthday that ultimately led him to the keys of the 914 he has today. Aside from the paint and side mirrors, the car has remained mostly untouched, original motor, interior, upholstery, etc., and now has about 67,500 miles on the clock.

This was a fantastic story with some beautiful images of a one-of-a-kind car. Thank you for the submission Ryan and we hope that every tick of that odometer brings you joy for years to come!

Please submit your image and a brief summary to blake@914rubber.com. If we select your photo for the newsletter you will win a $15 914Rubber gift card!