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Porsche 914

The Volks-Porsche was propelled by a clanky air-cooled 1700-cc, 78-hp four-banger borrowed from the VW 411 sedan, but the front suspension and transmission were stolen directly from the 911. Later models got engines upgraded to 1800 cc and then 2 liters. Lightweight (under 2000 lbs), the 914 had handling and road-holding that is unparalleled for affordable cars. A well-set-up 914 is unbeatable in its autocrossing class, but still is plenty practical as a daily driver, with two huge trunks (the engine hides in the middle somewhere) and the largest sunroof in the industry. An increasingly rare variant is the 914-6, which sported a 2.0-liter carbureted six-cylinder 911 engine. You won't find any of them for $3000, though. Engine and brake upgrades are reasonable, but don't break the very expensive gearbox, which could cost more than the rest of the car to replace. The first modification after an exhaust system upgrade is generally to switch the fuel injection out for a pair of Weber or Solex downdraft carbs.