Good morning! Today’s Shitbox Showdown is a little weird. But what the hell; it’s a weird week, with the holiday in the middle and all. You’ve got a lot of choices today. I’m pitting one car against three, or whichever one of the three you like best, since they’re being sold either separately or as a package deal. But before we get to that, there’s the small matter of yesterday’s wagons to attend to:
The Colt wins pretty decisively. Half the price and a stickshift, even currently non-running, seem to be enough to beat out a flabby ’80s Volkswagen automatic. Personally, having owned both a mid-80s Colt (but not a Vista) and a mid-80s Volkswagen (but not a Quantum), my imaginary money’s on the VW.
Today, there’s nothing flabby about any of our choices. They’re all lean, pared-down sports cars, with the engine sitting just behind you, and the ground whizzing by inches from your backside. All of them need some work to be roadworthy, but they’ve all got potential to be really impressive, and a hell of a lot of fun, when they’re done. You’ll have five choices in the poll at the end: the Lotus, any one of the three Porsches, or all three Porsches as a package deal. Let’s see what we’re working with.
1969 Lotus Europa S2 – $12,500
Engine/drivetrain: 1.6 liter overhead valve inline 4, four-speed manual, RWD
Location: Brentwood, CA
Odometer reading: 75,000 miles
Runs/drives? Runs, not drivable – needs brakes
Is there anything cooler than a Lotus? Wrap an engine and a simple, responsive suspension system in the least amount of bodywork possible, carefully tune it to react like an extension of your own nervous system, and go rip up a race track or a back road. While everyone else was throwing horsepower at their cars to make them faster, Colin Chapman was cutting his to the bone, making the most of what they had. Lotuses of the 1950s and 60s almost seem to resent the added weight of things like windshield wipers and turn signals required for road use. And in fact, the original Europa was so stripped-down it didn’t even have door handles or adjustable seats.
Instead of the Ford or Coventry Climax engines of earlier Lotuses, the Europa sourced its engine and transaxle from Renault. For US models, it displaced 1.6 liters and put out 80 horsepower. It doesn’t sound like much, but the Europa only weighed about 1500 pounds, less than half of what another contemporary fiberglass-bodied sports car, the Corvette, weighed. It was quick enough, but more importantly, it stuck to the road like glue.
This Europa had its engine rebuilt, and mildly hot-rodded, a few years ago, but the car has sat since. It runs fine, but the brakes need to be re-done before it can be driven. I want to point out one other thing that comes up fairly often in the realm of project cars or occasional-use cars: this car’s tires are “new,” but five years old. There’s no real consensus on exactly how old is too old for tires, but these should be considered “getting up there” in age. They’re probably fine for a summer or two, but you’ll want to replace them soonish, especially if you plan to drive the car hard (and it’s a Lotus, so of course you plan to drive it hard). I’m facing this with my own MGB; its tires are now seven years old, and I should probably replace them this year or next.
The seller says this car photographs better than it looks in person. The rear deck lid doesn’t match; I’d assume it’s a replacement from another Europa. It doesn’t look terrible with the black lid, though. Apparently the windshield gasket also needs replacing, but it’s included.
1970 Porsche 914 – $7,000
Engine/drivetrain: 1.7 liter overhead valve flat 4, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Reno, NV
Odometer reading: 50,000 miles
Runs/drives? Not at the moment
Along one wall of a back garage/warehouse at a dealership in Reno, Nevada, hedged-in by golf carts and what appears to be an early-model third-generation Camaro Z/28, sit three examples of Porsche’s oft-maligned 914, a mid-engined sports car that, until recently, was written off by the Porsche elitists as being “basically just a Volkswagen.” But with air-cooled Porsches and Volkswagens hitting unprecedented, and sometimes downright idiotic, sale prices, the 914’s time has come, or at least this dealership thinks so, and they’re looking to cash in.
First up, we have this 1970 model, with a 1.7 liter engine. It appears to be rust-free and straight, and sits on a nice set of four-spoke alloy wheels. Its interior is intact but kinda trashed. The yellow paint is dull and faded, but if it’s just a single-stage paint like I’m guessing it is, it should clean up and shine up with some elbow grease. It isn’t currently running, but the seller says it “should run” with a little work. I’m assuming that means everything is there and connected, and the engine turns over, but they haven’t tried to get it going.
1972 Porsche 914 – $5,000
Engine/drivetrain: 1.7 liter overhead valve flat 4, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Reno, NV
Odometer reading: unknown
Runs/drives? Nope
For a few dollars cheaper, we have this apple-green number, also a 1.7 liter, also not running. This one has the plain steel wheels, and is a little bit scruffier outside. The rear deck lid doesn’t match, and appears to have been primered. The interior is also gutted, but the seller says the seats have been re-done and are waiting to go back in.
The seller says this one “needs engine service to run,” whatever that means. Engine swaps of various types (up to and including small-block Chevys) are a time-honored 914 tradition, and a basic, beat-up 1.7 liter car that already doesn’t run would seem to be the ideal candidate. Or have 914 values increased to the point that it’s worth restoring in stock form? Whichever way the future owner decides, that awful J.C. Whitney luggage rack has got to go.
1975 Porsche 914 2.0 – $8,500
Engine/drivetrain: 2.0 liter overhead valve flat 4, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Reno, NV
Odometer reading: 75,000 miles
Runs/drives? Ran when parked 7 years ago
Fast-forward a couple of years, and this is what became of the 914 towards the end of its run, with some definite improvemens in the form of a much livelier two-liter engine and improved gearbox, and some definite signs of the times, namely those enormous black rubber bumpers. Apparently these had a side effect on the 914 of improving high-speed stability due to the weight. Yeah, whatever. I’ll take the earlier cars’ sleek chrome bumpers, thanks. And it’s not like the big bumpers did it any good anyway: Of all three of these cars, this one is the one with a broken taillight.
This car also allegedly has the best interior out of the three, though the door cards still appear to be missing. An un-cracked vinyl dash top is a rare thing on a car this age, so that’s something. This car also got to where it is under its own power, though that was seven years ago. Be prepared to tow it home and carefully bring it back to life, just like the other two. At least they’ve all been parked indoors all this time.
The seller says they’ll knock a couple thousand off the total if you buy all three of these Porsches, and sell the whole lot for $18,500. But I’d bet that if you showed up with a smaller wad of cash than that, you’d be able to make a deal. But then what? Back-date the appearance of the 2.0 using the green car as a parts donor? Turn the green one into a race car and restore the other two? Mix and match body panels and creat three “Harlequin” 914s?
Hey, you do you. But that’s what you’ve got to choose from today: a nearly-ready-to-go Lotus, or three derelict Porsches in varying degrees of niceness. Or you can show up with your very own car hauler and take home all three Porsches. The choice is yours.
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
914 popularity these days is unimaginable, they were what $1,000 cars in the 90s. Now a nice one goes for $50k on auction sites, even worse the Ferrari Mondial that no one wanted and the guy in your town would have for sale in his front yard for years and sold for low teens ($12-16k) just about 10 yrs ago is worth almost $100k. I always liked 914s, but wouldn’t pay over $10k for the nicest one around.
I’m not sure where you are, but I’ve haven’t seen a decent 914 for under $2,000 in over 30 years of looking. I know because I would certainly have one by now. The very real Porsche tax is part of why I had Triumphs and MGs in the 1980s and 90s. I’m sure west coast pricing has always been much different.
Here in the midwest, even the severely rusted 914s that you feared would break in half on a drive to the junkyard were $1,200 and up asking price cars. One model with missing floor pans and a rust hole in a rear fender large enough to put my fist through was the cheapest, and he wanted $800. The cheapest one I ever seriously considered was similar to the green one above, for $3,000.
Yet another reason I’m planning a fly out/drive back trip for next year. (This fall if I get lucky.)
I think it helps to consider the 914 it as it’s own model. If you dislike the looks, that’s what it is, but if you think of it as either a Porsche or a VW, it doesn’t meet expectations. On its own, it’s a fun little car with decent handling and, once tuned up, acceptable performance. And it has a tiny Targa top that fits in the boot!
Now, if you’re a fan of the Europa, this one is “Avengers” orange and would be a gas. It’s probably the more realistic decision here, and I’d totally drive one… but I’m a 914 fan. For Internet daydreaming, I’d have space to store & work on all 3 in hopes I could make one rust-free fun mini-Porsche.
I feel like you stacked the deck for the Lotus with all of the choices presented for the 914(s). It’s like the Bull Moose party. I went with Woodrow Wilson (Lotus), today.
Yellar Parsh for me. I like the color, it’s pre-smog and looks the easiest to get on the road. They’re popular EV conversions but it should be cheap to get the original drivetrain working for now.
Seems like Porsche people hate 914s and VW people love them, and I know which camp I’d rather party at.
My humanity is restored by the handful of others echoing my (correct) opinion that the 914 looks like a Swanson’s Hungry-Man microwave dinner kept on the turntable 3 minutes too long.
I’d actually prefer the Europa if the engine was trashed, but everything else was good (including the brakes). That’d justify the swap it needs, IMO. I’d feel bad pulling a freshly restored engine that has zero market value.
Voting Yellow 914 for an EV swap (not that I’d dump my own money into such a thing)
Europa Report (for duty). I always loved to have one. Neighbor down the street had one when I was a teen
Those 914s look like they would be good cars to electrify.
914 is definitely the ugliest POrsches ever made, even over the SUV’s. The Lotus is interesting, but made for a munchkin and the Frnech motors are notoriously bad. still I would likely still go for the Lotus. But not at that price.
Okay, hear me out on this one.
or just put the French lump on an engine stand, next tot he body panels and hoon it with a 5.3 LS swap. then when fully bored with it swap the parts back and sell it for more than you bought it for.
Gimme all of them!
I voted for all 3 Porsche 914’s. If I’m signing up for a project, eff it, let’s sign up for a big project. Negotiate a bit on price to try and get the batch for $15k. Do some work, sell the two nicest ones for profit, and autocross the third until I get tired of it and move on to the next thing.
Living in rust country, I’m confident I could turn a profit from this. The fiberglass Lotus? I never cared for the look and I’ve heard they can develop structural problems over time.
It’s a bonded chassis, and extremely expensive to repair.
Only the S1 had a bonded chassis. Those are toughest to repair, as you had to cut the chassis out. The S2 and TC have a wishbone chassis bolted to the fibreglass.
I had a Matchbox Europa as a kid, in a fetching shade of metallic pink, so jumped at the chance of sitting in one in a car show. 14 year old me couldn’t fit, so I can’t imagine accessibility has improved much some decades later. So 914s for me. That Europa had Datsun B210 honeycomb wheel trims. An odd choice.
My father had a Europa S2 in the early 70’s and it was my introduction to that Renault engine amongst other things. It was like a factory made kit car with all the potential horrors, but it was waist high magic despite all that.
If it is rust free it would be hard to resist vs. the VW-Porsche things and would get my nod.
The 914 is the coolest Porsche ever, so I had to vote for that 🙂
if cool means ugliest and possibly slowest, then I agree.
Came here to upvote this comment. They’re dog’s dinner.
I do like the look of the 914. But the sound will always say Beetle to me. I went Lotus.
OMG! 15 year old me just came back and told me to buy all of them. These were the cars that convinced me of the virtues of mid-engines. When I was older I bought an Elise and then a Boxster. (The Elise was ten times the fun).
Dash is hard.
A Lotus will always catch my eye. I remember seeing my first Super Seven @ Lime Rock as a young kid: that was a good day.
If I loosen a knot of cash, though, it’ll be for that ’75 914. I have the advantage of seeing/loving these cars in the context of their time, and this carries the day, this day.
And I don’t mind the fact that these were/are sneered at to an extent.
So was/am I.
Respect to the Lotus fans, but there’s no way all 3.75 cubits of me will fit in the Europa, so it’s down to the Porsches. I like the green one the best, but it sounds like it needs the most work to get moving … so we’ll take the yellow one.
I like the idea of an EV conversion. EV West sells a kit for about $9K (batteries/boxes not included), and the company’s website features one Jason Torchinsky driving its EV-converted Beetle, so it seems legit?
I love the quirky looks of the Europa, but I would never fit in it. SO it has to be Porsche for me. So gimme all 3. Restore the yellow, restomod the brown, and track the green.
What if the question was Daily, Track and Burn?
Brown, yellow, green.
However, burning any “Parsh” would probably raise the ire of a certain puff-a-lump loving gal that roams these hallowed comments.
Hope I don’t sound like Jan Brady, but Porsche, Porsche, Porsche. I’d take all three. Always liked the 914. The Europa is an appealing and rarer beast, and, if you’re shopping for an investment, probably a better choice, but I’m focused more on enjoyment. 914 engines are inexpensive to source and rebuild with plenty of upgrade options, too. Both cars were built for the twisties and do their jobs superbly. I think the Porsche cabin is more comfortable. Plus, targa top! And there’s three of them.
Another Europa? Yes please.
I already have a non-Federal 69. The fact it has a replacement windshield! Those are unobtainable! It’s easier to buy a replacement chassis than the windshield! Spydercars in the UK makes spaceframe chassis, and Europa Engineering makes stock replacement. It’s just sheet metal so pretty easy to fabricate locally too.
The needed brake parts are cheap too. They are all Girling parts used by Triumph on Spitfires.
Yellow Porsche, please!
I love a 914 and this one looks the best of the three. Yellow is an excellent color; the green and the brown are too early 1970s. (Those were kitchen appliance colors.) With a little interior work – or just replacement seats – this would be a lot of fun.
There are a lot of options to make the 914 faster. With an example like this, I would not be worried about trying to keep it 100% stock and pristine.
I like the Europa, but will attempt no landing there.
I’m as big of a Porsche fanboy as anyone on this site, but even I don’t necessarily see the value in 914s unless you’re planning an EV conversion…which I actually think they’re perfect candidates for. All of these are within fuck it money range but all of them are going to need a lot of work and the fact that they’re all owned by the same place and in various states of disrepair isn’t sitting well with me.
It seems like they got started with all of them, ran into assorted things that they didn’t want to deal with, and are now trying to cash in on the air cooled Porsche absurdity with a bunch of half baked pseudo-projects. I just don’t think spending a bunch of money to restore a 914 is a great use of resources. I’m not someone that turns their nose up at them and I think they have some cool 70s surfer type appeal, but at the end of the day it’s just not very much car for how much you’re going to have to put into it.
If you want a cheap Porsche experience that’s actually going to be a lot of fun to drive just get a first gen Boxster. There are a ton of them out there in the $10-$20,000 range and as long as you get the IMS situation squared away they’re fairly reliable and offer you a mid engine/flat 6 experience for Miata money. Plus the Porsche community is as dedicated as they come and there’s so much information out there on them you should be able to keep it running no problem. They’re going to shoot up in value very soon so get in while the gettin’s good. And hell…if you’re not a 3 pedal stickler you can get tiptronic ones for less than 10 grand, but why would you do that?
That being said give me the Europa all day in this scenario. It’s a more unique car and experience.
Ouuuuu, this one’s a rough choice! The Lotus looks as if someone cared about it, but these cars also suffered from rust in the backbones, the best cure for which is a new chassis. A look at the underside would be my first move. It’s possible to swap in a more powerful engine and 5-speed transmission — both from other versions of the Renault 16 — which would, IMO, be a nice idea.
But I don’t fit in a Europa, so I’d have to take the 914. With all three in hand, worst-case you could build up one nice example using the other two as parts donors, or build one stocker and do the proverbial SBC swap with another.
I have an old Elan. I can get in and out of it only because it has no roof. A Europa? No chance. Still, a SawsAll and some creative fiberglass work on the doors… Give me the Lotus
I’d take the brown Porsche. I think it’s got the best engine/transmission combo, and the bumpers should be easy to swap, if I’m so inclined.
This may be an unpopular opinion, but the Europa has to be the ugliest Lotus ever. The front isn’t bad, but everything aft of the doors looks like it was designed for an entirely different car.