Preserving a 1975 Porsche 914

But your 914 is stock and your bank account limited, you say. How can you compete against the modified, power-enhanced real Porsches of the veteran autocrossers? No problem.


With Porsche club events, you compete against similar vehicles. In the case of the stock 914, your times will be recorded against other 4-cylinder 914s and 356s in your class, all racing with street-legal tires and only basic performance enhancements like trick air filters and exhaust systems. Once you've attended a couple of club events, or enrolled in a club driving school (a euphemism for autocross school) and been thoroughly bitten by the racing bug, there are a few modifications you can make to really kick up the adrenaline. The added bonus is that some of these changes can improve the car's performance on the street as well.

Street Benefits
For instance, check your battery tray, one of the car's weak points. Most events put you through a tech check, so if your battery support is completely thrashed, you've already been bumped. The 914's battery is tucked behind the passenger seat, pretty much on top of the engine, under a vented cover. That means the battery gets drenched if you dare drive the car in the rain or, God forbid, don't have it garaged. The water picks up acid from washing over the battery and ends up trickling on the metal platform on which it's attached. Over time, the metal corrodes and your battery is secured to a little metal doily.


The radical turns of autocross dislodge everything that's not lashed down, including the battery. A quick fix, if the battery housing isn't completely shot, is as simple as a few layers of fiberglass to keep the metal from deteriorating any further.

Harness Force
Next, invest in a five-point harness. You'll look scary-cool on the street, but the harness is more than macho window dressing. There are autocrossers with permanent bruises on their left knees from bracing themselves against the door.