Passion for the 914 is at the heart of the success of PMB Performance.

There are a few Porsche craftsmen out there that are also the quintessential 914 enthusiast. Eric Shea is one of those guys. Eric says that the 914 “rhymes with his soul” and, it makes for wonderful car music.

We recently caught up with Eric, who owns PMB Performance, to talk a bit about his shop, but what we learned about his history with Porsche was fascinating.  His roots in Porsche venture back to his father’s garage and working on VW Beetles.  It was natural to gravitate to Porsche’s 914 with the VW motor and the joint effort between VW and Porsche.  Since Ferdinand Porsche designed the VW Beetle, it all just comes together and rhymes with my soul and my feelings on cars in general,” Eric told Panorama in a recent interview.

Eric’s first Porsche was a 914, of course, but he soon set his sights on a 1966 911.  The restoration proved to be an uphill battle when parts were nearly impossible to find, so selling the car was the smartest move back then.  His next purchase was a 1971 911 which proved to be a wise one, since he still owns it today.  In conjunction with his fascination with Porsches, Eric fulfilled his passion for music and worked within the music industry in many different capacities.  He even toured in a semi-professional rock band in the 1980’s.  He worked for several major guitar and amplifier companies and was then recruited to be the Associate Publisher for Guitar Player and Bass Player Magazines.  Alas, the 914 was still calling and held a place in his heart, which brought him along the path of a 914-6 that he masterfully restored to its original glory. That car is on loan to the Porsche Museum at Silverstone in the UK from the current owner.

Eric founded PMB Performance in 2003, when he discovered there was a need for rebuilt 914 rear calipers. Eric recounts that the big box builders were always out of stock, and what they did have always had problems. “No finish on the metal, pistons put in wrong, cheap aftermarket seal kits with poor quality rubber,” says Shea.

Eric learned the mechanical ins and outs, put a pair on 914World and they sold in 15 minutes. In another 15 minutes, he had requests for 6 more. As his new business transformed before his eyes, he discovered that Zinc is a great coating that literally keeps the calipers “alive.” He also discovered that Porsche owners were eager to get something more than they were getting from the other builders. So, he replicated the factory manufacturing process by stripping the casting down to bare metal and starting from scratch.

“The 914 rears turned into 914 fronts, and 914 business led to 911 and 944 business”, says Eric. Then to his surprise, he discovered the 914 calipers are virtually identical to the Ferrari Dino and 308 rear calipers. So, he welcomed the Ferrari crowd without up-charging, and steadily built a solid business on quality products and exceptional customer service.

Eric has big plans for PMB Performance in the coming years including a DOT stainless steel soft line program that will fit properly without the need for adapters. He is also developing a proprietary caliper line that will fit everything from 1964-1989, have a vintage feel, bolt on and fit under 15” wheels.

Perhaps the largest transition for Eric’s shop has been its development into a full restoration facility. PMB Performance is still sought after for their high quality caliper restorations, but in addition, they have expanded into complete, high-end, Porsche restorations. It happened naturally. His personal 914-6 was featured in a number of magazines, which launched an influx of requests for Porsche restoration work. As with the calipers, top-notch work is in demand. One thing led to another, and Eric found himself doing amazing restorations. His shop currently has a two year waiting list and he is now restoring the 30th 914-6 to come off the assembly line.

With one of the best reputations in the business, along with an impressive portfolio of restorations, PMB Performance has quickly become one of the premier shops in the country. Eric has proven that nothing replaces following your heart and soul.

In the pages that follow, are some of PMB Performance’s 914 works of art. Photos by Eric Shea unless otherwise noted.

Kelly Thorson’s 1974 914

When we asked Kelly Thorson what he was looking for when he chose PMB Performance to finish the restoration on his 1974 914, he said that it was Eric’s passion for the 914, and his attention to detail that really struck him. Kelly said that, PMB “took this car and really did everything to make it as close to perfect as possible.”

Eric’s shop took over a complete, ground-up restoration. The 914 was brought in with most of the body work intact.  It was then stripped and media blasted. Once all of the old paint was removed, the bodywork was fine-tuned and the complete chassis was painted in its original Signal Orange.

Following all of the body and paint work, PMB Performance reassembled the car. Along the way, they made a number of key upgrades. For example, the car has brass longitudinal lines running from the engine to a custom front oil cooler designed by Original Customs. The 2.0 four had been replaced earlier with a 3.2 liter six so PMB just installed a Wong chip set and a new intake system. The engine sports Motronic EFI, and the 914 trans has a Tangerine Racing’s solid linkage kit and spherical firewall bushing.

Dave Lyons’ 1974 914-6

Dave Lyons gathered parts for his restoration for years. Soon after taking the four-cylinder engine out, he concluded that, if he was “ever going to drive the car again,” he should get some assistance. He got in touch with Eric, and soon the engine and car were on their way to Utah.

When Dave dropped his car off, he had a tall list of improvements. What he got back was a work of art, disguised as a car.

Eric’s shop installed flares, as well as fiberglass GT bumpers and rockers. They also installed a six-cylinder engine mount, and sway bars on the car. In the interior, PMB installed a new dash and repaired the original back pad.

As if that wasn’t enough, Eric put a 2.7 liter, PMO carbed six-cylinder engine in the car, and updated the wiring, gauges, and all the necessary conversion items including new heat exchangers.

The finished car is stunning. The combination of color (Alaska Blue Metallic), flares, and wheels personifies the vintage GT-look. And we hear the car’s performance matches its appearance.

Larry Phillips’ 1974 Gulf Blue 914

Larry Phillips originally bought his 1974 914 from a California seller for parts. When he got the car home, he realized it was in better shape than the car he owned. His project shifted, as he began using his original 914 for parts for his new find.

Larry made the mistake of stopping by PMB to talk about building an autocross “monster” out of his 914. From there, he says, the project grew into a total restoration. He dropped off a complete running car. The 914 was stripped of everything except the wiring harness. The engine, interior, and suspension, as well as every other part, was removed.

PMB media blasted the chassis, and then had some metal work done. Since Larry knew he would someday want to replace the four-cylinder engine with a six, they went ahead and stiffened the chassis in a few key areas. The front of the car was also set up for a GT style oil cooler. In the process, all the suspension was either powder coated or zinc plated. Elephant racing bushings were installed all the way around. To top the project off, PMB installed steel GT flairs and a custom GT styled chrome front bumper and valance.

The car got a new front windshield, seals, dash, and proper GT door panels. They also added 7 and 8 inch Fuchs. Larry recounts that Eric tried to talk him out of the Gulf theme, and stay with Ravenna green. But the Gulf blue won out. “I think it’s a hit” says Larry, “her name is Hollywood because she draws so much attention everywhere she goes”.

The engine was a GA case 2.0 liter, built into a 2056cc, big valve power plant however, Eric and Larry are now building a 3.2 six for the car. “Eric’s attention to the little things is what makes the difference,” says Larry. “He’s a stickler for correctness, right down to the wiring. We are lucky to have a resource like Eric in the 914 Community”

Reflecting on the quality of craftsmanship at PMB Performance, Larry’s 914 won “Best-of-Show” honors at Red Rocks Classic last year. Larry says he is a lucky guy to have such a great car, and a great friend in Eric. We agree completely.