maybe914

Hi I am in the market for another car. I found a 1974 Porsche 914 that looks really cool. I was wondering how hard it is to find parts for this car. Also, could it be (I know I shouldn't even think about it ) driven in the winter? Possibly with some winter tires? How hard is it to work on? I currently own a 1996 Subaru and I know quite a bit about the boxer engine. I want a sporty little car for commute to work. My wife would drive the other car. What are some things I should look at/for when I take a test drive and go see the car?

Any help would be great.

Thanks alot!

Rouser

Best to handle these one at a time ...
Uh, oh; red flags are up, raise shields. Why do you want to own a 914? Just curious ...
Remember, it's a 30-year-old car, and it's a Porsche; some stuff is easy, some stuff is hard, and the rest is close to impossible. Don't be fooled by the "Gee, doesn't it use some VW parts?" mentality, because the parts that do break, ain't one of them.
Only if you want to listen to it rust year-round. These cars weren't galvanized or undercoated from the factory, and they sponge up moisture (and if they salt your roads ... salt) in some of the most finicky places i.e. floorpans, rocker panels, fenderwells, engine bays, etc ... you get my drift. Winter tires? And what, mess up your Fuchs rims? Please...
On a scale of 1 - 10, 1 being "Oh, GOD; I snapped that engine bolt!" and 10 being "SOLD! to highest bidder!!", I'd say about a 3 if ya got skills, 8 if ya don't. If you don't have a roll-around tool chest, don't worry, you will.
This ain't THAT kinda boxer engine; the similarities pretty-much end there. Unless you've owned a Bug (Type-1), or a later Bus (Type-4), than you're gonna learn what VW-Porsche's version of an aircooled 2-This-Way-and-2-That-Way is all about. If you can wrench on your Scoobie-Doo with relative confidence (i.e. your spine is already shaped like an "L"), than you can work in a 914's engine bay.
Remember, it's a 30-year-old car, and it's a Porsche ... sorry, I said that already. I daily-drive my 914, but I also carry a AAA card, a fully-charged cell phone, a small tool kit, and the latest issue of "excellence" to read while I wait for a tow.
Keep your wife's cell phone on speed-dial ...
In a nutshell? RUST. And it's going to be there, you just gotta find it, and hope it hasn't munched its way through any vital organs. Read over (I mean, PRINT!) Pelican Parts' 914 Buyer's Guide, commit it to memory, and be able to recite any line on-command. It might save you from owning a horror worse than death. I've seen immaculate examples purchased for a song, and intact box-of-rocks go for a left nut, all because the buyer was or wasn't informed. Don't hesitate to walk away from some alledged "Outstanding Buy!" just because the seller can't explain why the car's tilted to one side.

Just keep Yoda in mind; "Afraid? YOU WILL BE!"