RHD 914

[shandyhaggis]

Colour is original - L95K 'Palma Green Met.' Only used on '75 models.

Engine casing - Brass wire brushes, Autosol on Scotchbrite pads & lots of hard work!!! Have not laquered casings, although might do this prior to fitting in car.


Regards

Steve

Thanks Steve,

really nice colour. Alas I feared you were going to say elbow grease I have all of the above so I should crack on with it really. Presuming you used tubes and tubes of auto sol, was it worth buying in bulk? Did you use any drill/machine attachments?

Thanks

Andrew

[914-6]

I am now seriously considering parting with my Crayford to fund another project, but need some advise on valuation, as have not seen a genuine Crayford sell recently and as mine is believed to be the first was wondering what the masses thought. can anyone help?

Many thanks & a Happy New Year

Ian

[abm914]

Ian

What condition would you rate the car as?

I think the main problem would be that the only people to understand the true worth of the car would be an existing 'Porsche' person but as we are all tight @rses we wouldn't want to pay a huge amount for it.

Have you thought about an auction? Lots of (self) advertising of it beforehand and you may be lucky and get a couple of bidders on it.

Also have you spoken to Maurice as his 914-6 went to Singapore as it was RHD.


Else I'll give you 50quid for it

Ad.

[rhd racer]

I am now seriously considering parting with my Crayford

Ian

Brilliant Ian - you always time these for when I am broke!! Remember the trouble you got me in last time with KS's car?! I can't crumble this time - I am not allowed....!

Cheers
Wayne

[914 KEV]

I am now seriously considering parting with my Crayford to fund another project, but need some advise on valuation, as have not seen a genuine Crayford sell recently and as mine is believed to be the first was wondering what the masses thought. can anyone help?

Ian
What condition would you rate the car as?

Hello Ian,

Can you give more details about your ‘Crayford Auto Development Ltd’, RHD conversion 914 ?

Do you know much about it’s history ?

Would you know who commissioned the conversion ? (Private individual or a company)

Would I be right in saying:-

“that your 914 1.7 was built in November 1969, original sold in mainland Europe and found it’s way to the UK in the second half of 1970.
Converted to RHD and finished in October 1970. Possibly the RHD 914 displayed on the Crayford Stand at the Earls Court Motor Show in October 1970.”

How many 914s did ‘Crayford Auto Development Ltd’ convert to RHD at their premises in Westerham, Kent ?

From 1970 to when ?

Found this old advert from 1971 for the ‘914 Crayford’ which was sold through ‘Everest Garages’, Billingshurst, Sussex; which was part of the official Porsche dealer in Sussex ‘Malaya Garage’.
The 914 in the advert was the demonstration car which featured in a few motoring magazines at the time.
The car colour was ‘Adriatic Blue’ and was converted in Spring 1971.
The cost of the conversion was £630 on top of the price of a new 914 1.7, which would set you back £2261 at the time.

[914-6]

Hi Kevin,
My car was built in December 1969, chassis ending in 449, was 2310 tangarine, with leatherette/corduroy seats, extras included heated rear window and centre cushion.

I do have 11 invoices from Crayfords but unfortunatley they do not all have the chassis no's, including mine. Can't remember who did the calculations, maybe Richard Moore, but it was worked out that mine was the 1st, I dont really know for certain.
My car was owned at some point by Terry Forbister and raced by him for some time, see Porsche post Summer 1981 page 56.

The car was then owned by Mike Smith, 356 Guru who had Trevor Messett race it at Mallory park, where I understand it took the lap record for a 1600cc Porsche.( I have a copy of the video from then, supplied by Mike Smith. It was then fitted with a highly modified super vee engine, running on Solex (356) P11 carbs --weir type--to prevent fuel surge, still fitted.

There were 3 or 4 owners after Mike,and I bought the car in April 1992 , together with the light weight F/G panels from a guy in Portsmouth.

I rebuilt the car way back then, including sills etc, and enjoyed it for many years.........you know the rest, it may have to go ((hopefully I get sort other things out and keep it, but....who knows, maybe it is better to let someone else have fun !!

Somewhere I have the original sales brochure from Crayfords.

Talk soon.


Cheers

Ian

[914 KEV]

I do have 11 invoices from Crayfords but unfortunatley they do not all have the chassis no's, including mine. Can't remember who did the calculations, maybe Richard Moore, but it was worked out that mine was the 1st, I dont really know for certain.

Somewhere I have the original sales brochure from Crayford.

Thank you Ian for the infomation on your RHD.

Eleven is the figure I heard quoted in the past and that nine were made for the UK and two for overseas, possible Australian.
If you read the articles in the motor press from 1971 on the Crayford 914, Crayford is quoted at saying “they are turning out 35 - 40 a year!”
I always took this quote as meaning they had the capacity of turning out this figure.

Right, it’s not certain if yours was the first converted, but yours is the earliest known chassis number which was converted.
Not sure if any other 1970 model year were converted, most were 1971 model year, I believe.

I’m still trying to locate a photo of the RHD 914 on the Crayford stand at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1970. (Hopefully in colour)

Here is a what the ‘Crayford Auto Development Ltd 914 Brochure’ said :-

“Cars for the United Kingdom market will be converted in the works at Westerham and cars built in Germany for shipment to right-hand drive territories will be diverted via the United Kingdom for conversion.
(It is hoped that in territories where the potential justifies it the special conversion parts will be exported to selected engineering firms, complete with engineering drawings so that the conversion can be carried out locally.)
This Conversion is carried out only for officially appointed Porsche distributors throughout the world and discount and export terms are available direct from Crayford Auto Developments Ltd., High Street Westerham, Kent, England.

Customers having their cars converted to R.H.D. form must understand that this conversion is not factory approved and will therefore invalidate the manufacturers warranty.

The 914 conversion to right-hand drive form is carried out to extremely high engineering standards and only the very finest quality materials are used in the conversion.
The interior trim is re-styled slightly and certain small improvements are made. Such items as the handbrake are of course transferred to the right-hand side of the body-shell.
No alterations are necessary on the windscreen wiper assemblies and as the right-hand drive conversion will only be carried out on cars scheduled for right-hand drive territories, headlamps and other lighting equipment will not need any alteration.
The floor carpeting in the 914 is changed to a superior quality English Wilton.
A completely new two piece fascia panel is installed using the original instrument layout and original switch equipment.
As the standard steering arrangement locates onto a central steering shaft, there is no need for any alteration to any parts of the steering other than the top of the column.
A new pedal cluster is installed on the right-hand side and the gear lever left in its original position.
A completely new rear bulkhead moulding is used. The new moulding represents a reversed moulding based on the original left-hand drive moulding.
The moulding is finally trimmed to the original pattern and the seating system reversed so that the seat on the passenger side is fixed and the driver's seat fully adjustable.
The seat are re-trimmed uses the original Porsche system of leathercloth surround and corduroy centre lining panels and the original headrest system maintained.
The carpeting standard is improved and a finer quality carpeting used with the beaded edging.
As with the new right-hand drive fascia panels, the rear bulkhead trim panel in right-hand drive form is available as a spare part in the event of any damage occurring to the vehicle.”

Kevin

[914-6]

Kevin,
the actual cost for the conversions range from £450- £529, obviously depending what else was done, the cost of the kit of parts, presumably for you to do your own conversion was £310. But there is only one invoice for that to a Co in Cyprus and no chassis number.
Whilst MPX 114J a blue 914, was used in adverts it definitley wasn't the first, it was (and may still be) owned by Rene Bazier (or Beziet) and was converted for Malaya Garage for the sum of £460 and invoiced on 22jan 1971.

Most of the rest you've said I seem to remember reading.
I would obviously like to learn more--If you have any!

Cheers

Ian

[Steve C]

Thought that it was about time that I posted an update on my '12 month' (5 year +++!!!) 914 resto / RHD conversion project.
At last I can see the long awaited end and can't wait to drive it.
All electrics are now completed / tested / working.
Brakes assembled, connected, completed - just need fluid.
Dash, pedals, suspension, steering, fuel lines - all completed.
Engine / gearbox rebuilt, ready to be fitted - next job!
Fit seats, seatbelts, fill with fuel, turn key.....................Getting carried away now!!!!!!

[Mr Pharmacist]

Looks like a great job. Looks like you are at a very similar stage to me - my engine is hopefully going in in the next couple of days...

[Steve C]

Thought that it was about time that I posted an update on my RHD 914 project.

Well, it is taxed & mot'd and drives ish! - slight transmission problem, jumps out of 4th under heavy acceleration.
Haven't been far in it yet due to weather, but first impressions are good. Looking forward to spring!

Still need door cards, carpet & door / targa seals plus other odd bits & bobs, but will try to finish over winter.

Also need to get riviera wheels tidied up as I think they will look better than the empi wheels which I am currently running on.

[Green Ernie]

hello steve, interesting to see your 914. I also have a 75 1.8 palma green metallic ex california car, but in lhd. I am just getting a few quotes together to dip, strip and paint the car, i'm not sure if to dip and strip or just respray as the inside of the car is very original and in pretty good condition. The car has twin webbers and i may upgrade to 2 litre crank, cam and upgraded heads etc. It had riviera's fitted when i bought it but now has fuchs 4 spokes. I thought mine was the only one about in palma met and look forward to seeing the car in the flesh sometime, it looks great. matt

[ollieg]

Out of interest, how are the dash-tops made for a RHD conversion?

[moriarty]

Congratulations on finishing your conversion (well almost) all the hard work done! looks fantastic! love the colour, look forward to see it out on some 914 events in due course.
Maurice

[Mr Pharmacist]

That windscreen is looking mighty fine Steve

And the rest of the car looks pretty bloody good too!

If you ever fancy selling those wheels at some point in the future let me know!