Porsche 914-6: Orange Crush

This 914-6 started it’s life at KMR in a shipping container, stripped of everything except exterior body panels.  Most of the needed parts and pieces were included, but were in plastic totes stacked in and around the car. Deciphering what was usable and what was scrap, was a major feat in itself.

The KMR team started by separating all of the components on tables in categories - body/interior/engine/brakes/gearbox etc. Once we had created a list of what we knew could be reused or refurbished, we could get to work on the lengthy process of finding and ordering parts for this very rare project. In the end, we were forced to cannibalize a parts car 914-6 to get the bits and pieces needed for the build.  

The body was in need of many hours of repair and customization, but luckily the car was in the capable hands of the craftsmen at KMR.  With a vision laid out in front of us, the KMR shop started the task of putting the chassis on a rotisserie for all of the detail work and suspension modifications needed to accept the upgrades. We chose to install 911 style front suspension while using the original style 914 rear.

One of the biggest hurdles to overcome was the task of making a 914-6 a little bit easier on the eyes while not changing the fact that it was still a 914-6. One of our goals was to show the world that a 914-6 could perform well and look, very contrary to most people's opinions of the 914’s.  This 914 is an original 914-6, meaning it has a 6 cylinder engine, instead of the more common 4 cylinder model.  When the car came to us, it already had the rare GT fender flares welded in place, making it look as a 914-6 GT. This was part of our theme throughout the build, referencing the 914-6 GT for ideas and redesigning some of the original features to encompass a fun KMR twist on the project.  

While on the rotisserie, we smoothed out any dents that the floor had and repaired a few previously modified  and poorly repaired areas that were not up to KMR standards. The crew  applied an Epoxy Primer to the freshly blasted body, followed by Porsche Schutz texture and the Orange Sikkens LV650 Topcoat. The Exterior of the body was finished off with a vintage race style front hood & rear deck lid with custom front & rear bumpers, as well as, custom fitted rocker panels. The bumpers alone had hundreds of hours of fabrication and fitment.  Integrating big rally lamps and a fresh air duct for the front mount oil cooler in the front bumper, were must haves.

The rear got the signature KMR center exhaust treatment utilizing a 991 Cup muffler w/991 GT3RS tips, mated up to custom headers. All of this is powered by a 911 style Race engine and a 904 gearbox w/weivo tail shaft conversion. On the interior, we went with a custom touch to set it apart from the crowd (as if a custom 914-6 GT tribute car wasn’t unique enough) with hand built custom seats, featuring seat heaters and adjustable lumbar support, finished off with one off patterned European leather and orange Tartan centers.  The RS style door panels also feature the custom patterned leather.  

The Dash was covered with black leather and bound with the same orange stitching used in the seats.  Black carpet and custom RSR style ribbed floor mats finish off the theme used in the project.  Several areas of the car received a custom touch to make the car more user friendly, like the hand fabricated prop rods for the front & rear, 914-6 GT (full screen) style engine lid for more cooling on hot days, a vintage Porsche fuel tank mounted in the rear trunk. This build had very high standards from the beginning and once again the KMR staff delivered.

Share this post