By Billy Shott, republished with permission from the April 2015 issue of Fourteener Motoring Magazine

Steve Stanislaus wasn’t one of those kids who was “nuts” about cars. Unlike so many of us who may recall playing with matchbox cars or building models and studying every detail, the bug didn’t bite him until he was graduating college back in 1983. That’s when he picked up a 1966 Buick Riviera. This tipping point led to a run of buying and selling over the next 30 years. During that time Steve owned around ten Corvettes, including a 1970 LT1 and a 1966 Convertible.

Over the years Steve and his wife Sara have been more intrigued with original survivor cars. More recently they have become entirely focused on these rare finds. The Corvettes may be gone but their love for American classics continues to live on. Their current collection includes a ’68 Chevelle SS, a ’68 Mustang California Special and a ‘68 Ford F100 pickup. All are survivors.

Porsches are a relativity new addition to the couple’s collection. A few years ago, while looking for a 1966 Corvette big block Steve stumbled upon a low mile 1996 Porsche Twin Turbo instead.  He had never even sat in a Porsche until the enclosed trailer pulled up with his “new” Twin Turbo. The car has 34,000 miles, is all original and, if Sara has her way, will not be rotated out of the family collection. After buying the Twin Turbo, Sara was looking for a daily driver and purchased a 2011 Porsche Cayman next. Her summer commute is made more enjoyable by switching between her Cayman and her ’68 Mustang, “Walter.”  She also instigated the purchase of Walter, but that’s another story in itself.

In July 2014 Steve posted on 914world.com that he was looking for a 914. His post made it clear that he was looking for an original, high-quality car. Here is an excerpt:

“I’m a bit of a fanatic for originality so will try to focus on an all original car. Might go with a re-paint but since I’m not an expert on these cars and I’m also a bit uneasy when it comes to rust, I’d prefer a car where I know exactly what I’m getting. I think I’ll focus on the 2.0 or the 6’s although not sure I want to put 6-type money into this purchase. I’m in no hurry…going to take my time to find the right car. Will appreciate any help and education I can find here.”

Finding a 1973 Porsche 914 2.0 in excellent original condition isn’t an easy task. But Steve and Sara are proof that it is still possible. After about three months of searching, the couple found a beauty with only 45,000 original miles. The ’73 2.0 liter four-cylinder is the highest horsepower engine that Porsche built into the mass-produced fours. Of the nearly 28,000 built in 1973, almost 60% of the models included the bigger four-cylinder engine.

Technically, Steve is the third owner. But, for practical purposes, he thinks of himself as the second person to make a home for this car. The car was originally purchased by a neurologist who lived in Minneapolis. He cared for it for the first 41 years of its life. As time went by, the 914 was moved to his summer cabin garage and the frequency of use diminished.

The second owner heard that this beauty was for sale when the original owner decided that, at age 75, he could no longer care for both his ’65 Vette and his ’73 914. He put both up for sale. The 914 sold first. After a quick purchase and closer look the second owner realized that this car was more than the basic summer family 914 that he originally envisioned. He had owned many other Porsches and reconized that this one was very special. Not needing another garage queen, the previous owner contacted Steve after seeing his post on 914World. After several weeks of discussions and negotiations they came to an agreement. Steve credits the 914World forum members with helping him develop the confidence and basic knowledge to recognize that this was the one. An enclosed trailer was scheduled and the car arrived at Steve and Sara’s home in Atlanta in September, 2014.

Once he got the car home, he began studying the details of its history. The fact that this 914’s odometer has low mileage, supported with documentation including a service log, is a definite plus. That said, the car was used for 45,000 miles, and didn’t come without some wear. The paint is original with the exception of the left front fender, which was repainted at one point early in its life. The accident and its repair had been acknowledged in discussions with the original owner. There are also minor scratches. But, they really add character to the car, and indicate a life of loving use.

Steve’s current focus is detailing the underside and the engine compartment. The shocks are definitely candidates for refurbishment or replacement. Since they’ve been supporting the car for more than 40 years, they just don’t serve it well anymore.

The true value of the car quickly becomes apparent when you consider how original it really is. It still wears the green dots on the lug nuts, which indicate that it was serviced by a Porsche mechanic early in its life. Another hint of its originality, is the original Continental Radial Schlauchlos spare tire with the factory lead weights for balancing. The front and rear rubber bumpers are still smooth and don’t show any signs of the dimples often found on the 40 year old iconic Porsche model. The trunks are exceptionally clean and the tool bag is like new. The car wears its original battery cover and the Blaupunkt radio came with not only the owner’s manual, but the warranty too.

Steve has had the some initial routine maintenance done on the car and made sure it is roadworthy. He’s mostly used the 914 for short local drives. But, over time we are confident that he will enjoy his original beauty so much that longer trips will be in his future. Maybe he will bring it to Octeenerfest for us all to enjoy.