Razzoo

I thinking I am looking for a 914, hopefully around GA, AL or general SE.

What I want is car that will handle well, great power, convertible(ish), and you don't see every day. Don't want to spend a bundle of money total cost < 10k as daily driver and toy. If I have to work on it no problem, I have other stuff to drive while I get it fixed.

Plan: Purchase a 914 that is structurally sound and good engine. Interior and exterior can be "average". Drive as-is for about a year or so while I locate, purchase chevy 350 engine, renigade hybrid kit and associated parts and hopefully end up with something similar to :

http://home3.inet.tele.dk/box164/html/fischer.html

Regarding the plan, I am looking for opinions, guidance such as:
You are nuts and here's why...
I have done this and ....
or
I have one to sell...
I have one built, want to see it?....

I have found some possiblities, but they are 30+ hours away

2nd option is to pick up a WRX, but it would cost more and IMHO not be as fun.

Fire away! --Raz

Razzoo

I just purchased a '91 MR2 Turbo. Newer, 200hp and minimal work on my part.

wmatthies

Are you thinking about putting the 350 in whatever you buy? Don't do it Razzoo, even if you can. Its not in the 914's "DNA" even though some have done it. There are just too few of those cars left on the road and making a radical change such as that will leave one less legtimate example for car enthusiasts to value in the future.

Razzoo

I took a different route. I paid around 5K for a 91' MR2 Turbo; (mid engine; 200hp), so far I am very happy, no rust everything works (not a project car...) Thanks anyway --Raz

dweymer

Not only would you ruin yet another 914, it may actually suck. Think about weight balance, specifically, weight transfer. That car was not designed for a 500lb hunk of steel. IMO it would be much more fun to drive with a smaller engine, and turbo. There are many tuning tricks for the 914's, look for info on the 914 race cars of past.

Good luck whatever you decide, and post results too.

feenix z

It cant be said enough, stay away from the 350. Something like that not only messes with the performance, it loses the mystique. Some may think my suggestion does the same, but i'll offer it anyway. I have heard of people swapping honda b series engines into 914s and getting quite favorable results, or you could go the classic rout and put an old 911 flat 6 in it.

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Cbass

There is no reason why a smallblock V8 can't be swapped into a 914 with any negative effects other than increased weight.

On the issue of weight transfer, obviously you're going to have to revise your suspension setup if you're going to change the weight distribution of the car by any considerable margin, but it's nothing earth shattering.

Structural rigidity is another issue, so chassis stiffening becomes neccessary, but there are bracing kits you can buy, and a roll cage will dramatically improve your cars torsional stiffness.

The biggest advantage to a large displacement pushrod V8 is gobs of torque. A 5.7 liter engine even in a moderate tune will still make better than 350 ftlbs, and as long as you don't have too wild a camshaft, it will make it over a wide range of engine speeds, and make for a very responsive car. Say what you will, a 2 liter engine will not make all that much low end torque, especially if it has been tuned with longer duration camshafts, headers, etc. There are things that can be done to combat this, like variable valve timing, supercharging, or a small ball bearing turbocharger, but it will still be a 2 liter engine.

That being said, my preferred swap for a 914 would be a 3.6 liter 964 or 993 engine, it's much lighter than a smallblock V8, makes about the same power, and still has more than enough torque to move a 914 around town quite spiritedly.

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Willskyline

I used Motor Meister's 914-6 conversion. IT WAS FREAKING COOL. I had them rebuild a 2.2 L inline 6 with 165 hp at the wheels. They were able to slap the engine in there inside a weekend, after I made an appointment. These people know their stuff and are able to make conversions between 2.0 L and above a 3.8 L with over 300 hp. I payed aobut 7k for my 2.2 and it's still going as far as I know (had to sell). Morot Meister's also will do further modifications in addition to the motor for little or no charge. I was able to get my chice of cams and a slew of other modofications for next to nothing. The problem for you: Morot Meister is in Downey, California. I'd say it's worth the trip, but that's up to you. I know I had a ton of fun going out to Laguna Seca two or three times a month with my friends to rape them on autocross and time trials.
Have a good one.

93 Rx7

I really laugh when I here guys knock the V-8 conversions. One trip to Renegade Hybrid and you would SH*T your draws looking at Scott's V-8 914. No one is saying cut up a 914-6 that would be nuts, stock ones are just going to be scraped anyway. Most of the conversions are hacked up junk, but do it correctly and you have a real car. The first thing I say when planing to do a conversion is to get the right transmission. The stock trans is not suited for a V8 because it's not robust enough and has the wrong gear ratios. The least you should do is have a 901 rebuilt and have the ratios adjusted for the conversion. The best thing is a 930 trans. Drive a nice one and then decide. I am a few months away from getting mine on the road. I got lucky and found a 930 trans and suspension along with the brakes to add to my car.

cantgo2fast

Mmmm I would never put a 350 in a 914, it will ABSOLUTELY screw your weight distibution and it will handle the way you want it to. I'm seriously considering getting a 914 and dropping a WRX engine into it with an STI turbo and some tuning 290hp to the crank, would be tons of fun.

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