The Porsche 914-6

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The Porsche 914-6 was released at about the same time as the Porsche 914. But the production of the VW-Porsche hybrid six-cylinder was stopped in 1972 after 3.381 units were built. And in the meantime, these specimens have been seriously sought. So serious that 'upset' six cylinders have already been spotted that really rolled out of the factory with four cylinders.

The differences between the Porsche 914 and the Porsche 914-6

The 914 - of which four of the four-cylinder models such an 120.000 were sold - was called somewhat smashing 'Volksporsche'. The expected sales numbers for a Volksporsche with the brakes, the engine and almost the same price of an 911 were perhaps somewhat optimistic. In appearance, the six-cylinder was only recognized by the chrome bumpers, the (optional) five-spoke Fuchs wheels and the Porsche 914-6 emblem on the stern.

What is in a name?

Bottom line, the whole 914 idea here in Europe suffered under the joint Porsche-VW banner under which it was born. For the average VW driver, a 914 was a non-family compatible exotic. For Porsche drivers, the 914 was a… VW. Or if they could get past that idea, the Porchists in the 356, accustomed to the smooth lines of 911s and 914s, saw an ugly blocky thing with the engine in a strange place. In the US, the 914 was simply marketed as a Porsche. And he did become a success there.

The Porsche 914 and Porsche 914-6 are like twin twins

Almost the same, but different enough. The four-cylinder had a four-cylinder derived from the VW 411. The straight-six were slightly modified (tweaked) 911T blocks. The block numbers of the six-cylinder usually start with '640'. The six-cylinder have a VIN number that starts with the number 914. This was not the case with the four-cylinder.

The -6 had two triple Webers, the four-cylinder a Bosch injection system. The cars had different gas pumps and gas pump relays.

The brakes and front suspension of the six-seater was largely identical to that of the Porsche 911T. The rear brake discs and calipers were 'Porsche 914-6 only'. They resemble those of the four-cylinder, but have a larger brake cylinder. The master brake cylinder was adjusted accordingly. The torsion bars also come from the Porsche 911T warehouse stocks

What is a real one?

What happened / happens with Bugatti's, Bentleys and Laverda SFCs, also applies to Porsche 914-6. There are replicas on the market. A replica can make someone very happy. But if that replica is sold as a 'Real' one, then it will twist in the cost / benefit picture. Always consult an expert for checking the engine, chassis and chassis numbers plus the specifications. The original blocks have numbers that are very tight around the 6400001-6420270. That number is (in contrast to the 911s) on top of the block near the house of the crankcase vent.

The six-cylinder engine has a dry sump lubrication system. The oil is therefore not in the crankcase, but in an oil tank. It is on the left in the engine compartment.

The cladding of the cooling had to be adjusted to fit into the engine compartment of the Porsche 914. Because the carburetors take up too much space, there is no 'rain drip screen' in the hood. As a result, it is a bit lighter and therefore lighter bonnet springs could be used. That is loving thought in the details.

The transmission of the Porsche 914-6 is a modified 901 version. That is quite rare, and not optimal. This type of baking didn't switch so well. A few Porsche 914-6 have been made with Sportomatic containers.

The Zessen had five bolt hubs and most were sold with the optional Fuchs rims. Our fashion model also has such a rim in the spare tire. That is stylish and saves a lot of hassle with different fitting bolts. Mahle rims could also be chosen.

The body of the Porsche 914-6 had an engine mount welded to the bulkhead. The four-cylinder engine has two engine mounts on either side of the block.

The six-cylinder has a different steering column, steering wheel and a different ignition switch (on the dashboard instead of on the steering column). The windscreen washer was equipped with an electric pump instead of operating on the pressure of the spare tire.

The tachometer of the six-cylinder continues up to 8.000 rpm. The speedometer height display is 240 km-u. The temperature meter and the tank content display are combined. The -6s had a manual gas supply for the poker.

According to rumors, the jack of a Porsche 914-6 would also be different.

Thanks to Arno Wienands, 914parts.eu

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5 comments

  1. Another detail has been forgotten in the article.
    An 914-6 had windshield wipers with three instead of two positions on the 914-4.
    The last copies of the 914-6, incidentally, no longer had the ignition lock in the dashboard, but just like the 914-4 in the steering column.

  2. This is my father's old 914 (DE-53-13), which he sold a long time ago with an inflated engine. This has been completely overhauled and is now worth around 80.000 euros!

    • True Lawrence, sold to P Tonnaer. The license plate has since been changed, but I recognized the car by the chassis number of which I made a copy at the time. I think the old license plate was HF-61-SG. I have owned the car for around 2 for years and it was my first car. Bought in the village of Norg in drenthe at garage Brummel. The car came from a man from Donkerbroek (I forgot his name) who brought the car from Belgium.

      • There were also small differences between the 4 and the 6, such as the windscreen washer of the 4 which is operated by air from the spare wheel while the 6 has a windscreen washer system powered by a pump. I believe that the 4 has a monotonous horn and the 6 has a two-tone horn. As indicated in the article, the 4 has 4 hole rims and the 6 has 5 hole rims.

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