- This Porsche 914 was converted into a full convertible.
- It also gained wide fender flares and a soft folding roof.
- Porsche never made a 914 roadster due to safety concerns.
Porsche is getting ready to reinvent its 718 mid-engined sports cars as EVs in 2026, but over in the world of classic Porsches, someone has performed a very different transformation on the 718’s grandpa. The makeover created a 914 convertible, something Porsche never offered in the seven years the proto-Boxster was on sale.
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The Porsche 914 launched in 1969, during an era when US legislators were getting serious about safety and automakers feared the country might ban convertibles altogether.
That concern had already led Porsche to introduce the 911 Targa in 1966, and the company held off on offering a real 911 convertible until 1983. The same logic shaped the 914, which came with a fixed rear roof section and a removable center panel.
Wide Hips and No Roof
That’s the way every 914 left the factory, including this one, which was built in 1976, right at the end of the model’s run. But now its fixed roof, slim hips and Summer Yellow paint are gone, replaced by a full convertible body, wide fender flares, gleaming black paint and a custom soft top.
BaT
Structurally it is more of a mystery. The listing mentions rear strut tower braces and visible bracing in the trunk, but there is no detailed explanation of how stiffness was restored in this one-off after removing the roof structure. It may be carefully engineered, but any potential buyer would be smart to investigate further before handing over their life savings.
Then there’s the engine in this 914-4, which is hinted at by the 914-6 badge on the tail. Early 914-6 models fitted with entry-level 911 flat-six engines existed briefly in the 914’s life, but were expensive, sold poorly and were soon dropped, leaving four-cylinder power as the only option.
And Porsche even planned a hardcore 916 with wider fenders, four-wheel discs and 911 RS power, but scrapped the idea after several prototypes had been built.
Power of Six
This car revives the idea with a rebuilt and bored and stroked 2.2 liter flat six tuned with dual Weber carburetors. Power, which must be at least 130 hp (132 PS), though no figures are given, goes through a five speed manual transaxle with a dog-leg shift pattern and out via tubular headers and a dual outlet exhaust.
Rounding off the build are polished 15 inch Fuchs wheels, four wheel discs and some classy Pepita-trimmed seats. The 914 is one of those cars whose design looked great from some angles and a bit dorky from others, and this roadster-converted car is no different. But it gives us a great taste of what Porsche no doubt considered privately, but never delivered.
Though overlooked today, the 914 was a hit for Porsche, but do you think a 914 roadster like this would have made the model even more successful? You can check out the full auction listing here.
