Sometimes, reporting errors escape the close scrutiny of the RustyButTrusty editorial review board. That was the case with today’s story on the Opel GT, which said there were no truly modern sports cars sold as the same time as the Opel GT. This glaring oversight is unforgivable, and as such, this will be the last article posted here. Or not. In any case, let’s take a quick look at this 1972 Porsche 914 for sale for $2500 in Mendocino County, CA.
Even though the Germans offer several top-down roadster options nowadays (reality of the folding hardtop notwithstanding), they were not historically a producer of such cars. For quite a while, the only ragtop two-seater was the Mercedes SL line, and it’s a stretch to call that a sports car in the traditional sense. For the most part, those indulgences were left to the Italians and British, who foolishly chose to bungle their automotive industries with things like Spiders and roadsters. And now look what they’ve got… right? And the Germans have assumed the mantle for both luxury and sports cars. Anyhow, you could argue the genesis of the contemporary German roadster, ignoring the seminal BMW 328 and 507, might be the Porsche 914. Check out this 1974 Porsche 914 for sale for $4000 in Portland, OR.
Until recently, with the Porsche craze driving up 911 and 356 prices well into the six figures, the 914 was kind of a backwater of Porsche enthusiasm. Air cooled it was, sure, and the engine was near the back, but the VW connection, divisive design, and VW-bus-derived engine made it the poor relation, with fans limited to diehards like autocross nuts who couldn’t live with an X1/9, and backroad burners who appreciated its mid-engine balance. For a while there, the 914 was pretty cheap, and people were not afraid to bastardize them with engines from various manufacturers, including Subaru, Maserati, Chevrolet, and Oldsmobile. To wit, check out this 1970 Porsche 914 with an Oldsmobile 215 V8 for sale with bidding at $3550 and 16 hours left to go in Eugene, OR.
Rusty But Trusty 