Who doesn’t love an outlaw Porsche? Obviously not the diehard purists, but we certainly do; whether they be 911s or 356s, these rebellious machines often represent the ultimate expression of their owner’s taste and road going freedom. That’s why when we caught wind of this incredible Porsche 914-6 outlaw build, we knew we had to track down the man responsible.
Enter Ben, a life-long car fanatic who caught the bug from his father. As he grew a bit older and started working part time jobs, Ben poured all of his spare cash into his hobby: “I bought my first cars in my late teens and lavished them with attention with the help of my dad. Back then, the car made the man!”
Ben’s first ride was a Ford Capri which he buffed up and wrote-off, before moving on to a VW Scirocco, and eventually an MG Midget. His next purchase might have even been worth a story in itself: “With a bunch of mates going VW, I then acquired a nitrous-assisted VW Beetle built by a specialist; the weekend car-based party events came thick and fast. Santa Pod was a blast.”
However, it wasn’t until Ben’s early thirties that he finally acquired a Porsche of his own in the form of a 996: “Wow! I’d made it. I loved it; the quality, the sense of pride, the power, and the driving experience. I was always smiling.” Ben fondly recalls. “But after several years of fun and fuel bills, the pesky kids came along and it was my wife’s turn to put her foot down.”
Fortunately, kids really do grow up fast, and it wasn’t long before Ben’s children were in secondary school, allowing him to pick up a VW camper van and, a little later, a gorgeous restored 1969 912. However, after starting as a navigator for a friend rallying a Nissan Micra in 2018, Ben realised he wanted to take his car addiction to the next level. Which is where the 914 at the heart of today’s story comes in.
To this day, the 914 is one of Porsche’s most underrated models, and the 914-6 even more so. What drew you to this relatively hidden gem and how did you find your example?
“Ultimately, I decided I wanted more: a race car for myself. Eventually, combining nostalgia and a need to be different, it came to me… Another Porsche, but a cheaper one, not a 911 – too expensive to buy and run – so what then? Could it be air-cooled and 6-cylinder?
“My rallying pal (and later build partner) mentioned the Porsche 914. Along with its distinct 1970s vibes, it seemed to properly tick the racing boxes: good looks, two seats, mid-engined, renowned handling, and a Le Mans winner. What’s more, they appeared to have made loads of these and a bit of research told me that they were cheap. Just 5,000 to 6,000 pounds could buy a solid project from the USA. Underappreciated, understated and glorious in its relative anonymity, I couldn’t go wrong!
“It soon became clear that the rather rarer original 6-cylinders were like hen’s teeth and cost a king’s ransom. But that didn’t matter, you could soup up the 4, or convert them to a 6 with any 911 engine. Even better. This was the thing and I was in. 20,000 pounds, and I’ll have this done, or so I thought.”
What was the inspiration behind your build? There’s a definite road rally vibe about it…
“I really wanted to build the 914-6 GT with its racing pedigree. I rated the looks too: the low stance, those wide arches, the Fuchs wheels. Initially, I toyed with rally work, but as the project progressed and the pounds poured in, I got cold feet. I’d seen too many cars come off badly, so I looked instead to racing. This decision was sealed when I came across a particularly special engine for the car, purchasing it from the estate of a former race enthusiast. It was a remarkable 1969 911 6-cylinder 2.0S motor, twin-spark converted and fully race prepared in California.
“So, having decided the genre, I hunted the internet for inspiration and ended up combining elements from the many cars I appreciated into one. For instance, did I need Cibies for track racing, no! Did I need a front oil cooler in the UK? Probably not. But they just seemed right and like great additions.
“In the end, the list of upgrades was very long and the result was very expensive. I’m sure a purist could find plenty to complain about, but it wasn’t about that for me. It was about evoking something and building a unique classic with exceptional attention to detail, straddling competent race performance, road practicality, and show quality. An out-and-out racer would surely strip more things away, like the electric pop-up headlights, or interior dash panels, but I really wanted to retain those special little details that kept it more 914.”
The end result is truly spectacular, you struck a great balance between the various influences. Who was responsible for the restoration and what were some of the most challenging aspects of the build?
“My friend Tim Richman and I did much of the build. He had the workshop, mechanical know-how, and race experience, so he did most of the build R&D and mechanics, whilst I took care of the design, the sourcing, the endless parts restoration and assembly.
“There were some immensely challenging aspects to the project. Critically, we didn’t disassemble the original car. We bought it as a blasted chassis with everything already stripped off and boxed, with about 10% of it bagged and labelled. Frankly, we severely underestimated the complexity of building a car you don’t know from bits you can’t identify.
“In 1974 nothing fitted quite like it should, and to add more fun, replacement parts, like fresh rubber seals, or fibreglass bumpers, simply don’t fit either. This all lead to much gnashing of teeth, and seemingly straightforward jobs often became incredibly arduous and took us days. Luckily, a lot of this work was during Covid, so time was a little easier to come by and a massive distraction was just what we needed.”
Cars and pain often go hand in hand, but that only makes the end result more rewarding! What are your favourite elements of your 914 now that it’s finished? Could you tell us about the colour and modifications?
“I’m really pleased that I preserved so many of the car’s original details along with all the upgrades. When you build a car like this, you know every nut and bolt and each part tells a story. Regarding the spec, I reused and fitted the very best stuff I could. I was able to retain and restore many of the original 914 parts as the car was a USA import that had only done 30,000 miles from new, so under the grime most of the components were surprisingly good. Then I added lots of 911 and period upgrades, plus top quality modern race parts.
“Despite the appeal of the 914’s normal poster paint colour-ways, like Signal Orange or Viper Green, my contrary nature led me to a more muted affair. It’s called Porsche Stone Grey and is a hard colour to describe, changing hue wildly in different lighting. I think it’s distinctive and brings more of late 1960s vibe.
“I really enjoyed adding the little details and classic decals to finish it off too. Being a watch man, I’ve always approved of the Porsche/Heuer tie-up, so I especially enjoyed indulging in an original Monte Carlo timer and fashioning a new glove box to mount it on.”
Finally, after all the hard work, does your 914 outlaw’s on-road driving experience deliver?
“The car drives really well, balanced, planted on the road and with super sharp handling. It also makes a fantastic noise with its Turbo Thomas stainless exhaust system. It’s a joy to hit the gas and corner hard - and happily, the 911 ceramic brakes work too.
“My first drive was short hop to a Porsche event at Brooklands where I was invited to park at a central spot at the show. I was very proud of that and really enjoyed meeting more of my 914 brethren. It was great to see people appreciating the car after all the hard work. Clearly, many people are curious and surprised by the 914. It’s never going to be as pretty as the inimitable 911, but I think it sits wonderfully, with a great deal of race appeal and a charm of its own. It surely stands out from the crowd.
Photos by Alex Rory Jacobs
