Republished with permission from the Summer 2016 issue of Fourteener Motoring Magazine.

It takes a large commitment to restore a Porsche 914. Whatever issues you expect are frequently multiplied by a factor of two or three once the project is underway. The process rarely goes as planned, and it is not unheard of for cars to sit, unfinished, on jackstands for years. That is what makes the 914 enthusiasts that entered the 2016 Build-Off Challenge special. Not only did they commit to finishing their 914, they took the challenge to do it in a year. Many will succeed, and as always, life will postpone some projects. Regardless, we toast all of them for taking the challenge.

The Build-Off Challenge runs from October 1st to September 14th. Every three months the contest completes one of four rounds, and we take polls to determine how the builds are progressing. The results after the third round are below. On September 14, 2016 we will begin the final poll to determine the winner of the 2016 Build-Off Challenge. Regardless of who wins the contest, however, it is commendable that so many 914s are moving back toward being on the road again. So who are the Challengers? On the pages that follow, you can read about the top five finalists.

Round 3 Results

1st Place – Garland – 68.75

2nd Place – Andyrew – 63.00

3rd Place – Darren C – 61.41

4th Place – Olympic 1.7 – 55.24

5th Place – DirtyCossack – 54.00

6th Place – 914forme – 52.21

7th Place – jkb944t – 47.32

8th Place – MichiganMat – 44.63

9th Place – mbseto – 43.13

10th Place – trojanhorsepower – 42.50

11th Place – dlee6204 – 42.00

12th Place – Vysoc – 41.18

13th Place – Nutter965 – 38.00

14th Place – rightpedal – 35.50

15th Place – budk – 35.47

16th Place – mrfourteen – 33.97

17th Place – 3d914 – 32.34

18th Place – Philip W. – 28.52

19th Place – madmax914 – 26.45

20th Place – poorsche914 – 26.45

21st Place – Mueller – 25.57

22nd Place – brettarnold – 25.25

23rd Place – injunmort – 24.50

24th Place – RJMII – 24.38

25th Place – Stacks914 – 23.75

26th Place – AndyB – 19.25

27th Place – lonewolfe – 18.75

28th Place – 914-d – 18.36

29th Place – hot_shoe914 – 17.47

30th Place – dudzy’s914 – 17.47

31st Place – boxsterfan – 15.60

32nd Place – dakotaewing – 15.60

33rd Place – jcd914 – 15.45

34th Place – cn2800 – 13.53

35th Place – 02loftsmoor – 13.53

Points accumulated in Round 3 is the total points accumulated in the first 3 rounds, in the 3 Challenger questions (30 total points possible (10 points each)), weighted by the type of build. That result is weighted by 75%, and added to the 914world.com poll results which are weighted by 25%.

Round 3 First Place: John Thurwachter (Garland)

Located in Orion, Michigan, John’s 1973 914 has undergone an amazing transformation. His attention to detail, coupled with his creative ideas make this car one of the more unique entries in the contest.

At first glance you don’t quite notice how much thought has gone into the car. There are the traditional flares. But, so much more as well. Upon closer examination, you first notice the front turn signal housings also hold headlights. Your eye instantly then looks to the traditional headlight locations. But, they are gone. The hood cut outs for the retractable headlights have been filled in. Amazing work. And these details are just the start of the craftsmanship in the car.

Throughout the Build-Off Challenge John’s build has been in the top 5. Headed into the final round, he is a worthy contender to take it all.

Round 3 Second Place: Andrew Dalen (Andyrew)

Andyrew, as he is known on 914world, is no stranger to 914s. He has owned his car since he was 14 years old. He detailed cars and worked other jobs to save money to buy it and the two parts cars it came with. After buying the car, he managed to “drive” it home with a cloud of smoke and a loose clutch tube.

Since that time Andrew, who lives in Modesto, California, has gone through almost every aspect of the car. From flares, to a 5-lug conversion, to a v8 engine, and more recently an Audi powerplant.

Andrew still has big plans for his Porsche. He wants to install a fully custom interior, Audi traction control, ABS, and stability control system into the 914. The details and drawings of his planned modifications, all posted on 914world, are inspiring.

The car has made steady progress through the Build-Off Challenge and the build has been in the top five throughout the contest. It will be interesting to see if Andrew can pull off the win.

Round 3 Third Place: Darren Collins (Darren C.)

Located in the United Kingdom, Darren is the only contender in the the top five from across the pond. After looking for a 914 on and off for a couple of years, Darren finally found one and won the bid on it.

The problem was that the car was in Desert Hot Springs, California. After talking to the owner, and waiting two months for it to be shipped overseas, the car arrived.

Since then, Darren has been making steady progress in bringing the car back to life. In addition to being a beautiful car, Darren’s entry in the Challenge should be commended for his attention to detail and how he has documented the build. Every detail of his progress, sometimes daily, has been meticulously recorded in his build thread on 914world. In addition to providing inspiration for other restorers, the thread provides a wealth of knowledge and information to help others with their cars.

Round 3 Fourth Place: Tom Linder (Olympic 1.7)

Tom Linder’s 1973 Olympic Blue 914 was in storage for 20 years before being brought back to life. Not just any storage, but in a limestone mine.

Tom, who is in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, bought the car in 1979 from the original owner and drove it for years, doing repairs and upgrades along the way. When the clutch went out in 1989 he put the car in storage, not intending to leave it there for very long.

Fast forward about 20 years, and it was time to restore the 914. Since taking the car out of storage Tom has completely restored the car, including rust repairs, rebuilding the engine and bumping it to 2056cc, and then the paint job.

Doing most of the work himself, Tom has been a frequent front runner in the Build-Off Challenge. His car is turning out beautifully and he will undoubtedly finish well in the contest.

Round 3 Fifth Place: Joe Dees (DirtyCossack)

Located in Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, Joe Dees’ build is one of the most extensive restorations in the contest. He has spent many months working through the rust issues with his 1973 914.

Joe initially bought the car about a year before the Build-Off Challenge began. Once he dug into the car, he realized that there were issues hiding in the 914. According to Joe, “almost everything was worse” than he expected. He has, however, worked through the issues, and presented an excellent entry in the contest.

Joe’s build represents the many 914 enthusiasts who have waded through the rust repairs on their beloved cars. He has undoubtedly spent countless hours bringing it back onto the road. Through all of the work of the build, he has also documented the journey in extraordinary detail, and provided useful photos of the repairs for future 914 restorers.