LaughaC

Anybody heard of a diesel boxer engine or an electric motor fitted to a 911?

I've seen the 914 electric kits out there and wonder about a winter project with a 911 tub. A biodiesel turbo would be great but I doubt there's ever been a diesel Porsche boxer engine.

Interesting (maybe) side note: I found out the only speed record ever set by the Mercedes 190sl was a diesel land speed record back in the 1950's. Maybe I should look for another 190sl and put a turbo diesel in that for an interesting commuter car.

Amber Gramps

step away from the wrench

LaughaC

Now that I've started commuting again I have an itch to build a 50+ MPG turbo biodiesel tire burner, which would be safer than a light-weight electric.

Amber Gramps

can you get the biofuel. it isn't something we see alot of here is so cal. I did see a show on SPEED about guys from Florida that did the BAJA 500 on bio they made as they went. cool stuff, but ooh grose.

GothingNC

My brother just yanked the motor on his 73 914.

He was going the route installing a new VW Turbo-Diesal motor but decided to go with the EV conversion.

Motor is now being installed on his friends 914 track car.

http://www.jstraubel.com/944EV/EVproject.htm

http://www.electroauto.com/catalog/kits.shtml

John

veggiecar300

I have an '84 300D that runs on straight vegitable oil (or SVO or WVO) It has been a longterm goal of mine to use the highly economical 3cyl diesel that was in the VW Lupo (also SmartCar) as a generator or hybrid-electric setup.

You can't get those cars in the states though, so I was thinking that the best idea would be to put the hybrid 3cyl diesel engine that would run on SVO and power batteries in an older car that wouldn't require state inspection. I was thinking an old beetle, or old mini cooper, but a Porsche would be cooler.

I need to find an engineer to help me setup the diesel-hybrid rig though.

LaughaC

Yeah, regenerative brakes would be out of the question, but maybe you could connect a Honda generator to a diesel engine to charge the batteries?

I won't build a hybrid until something like the www.electrocharger.com becomes available to replace the alternator. It's such a simple idea and makes good sense.

veggiecar300

don't forget that Ferdinand Porsche had a gas-electric hybrid in 1903.

LaughaC

1903?!! Wow, I thought they were just working on horse-wagon hybrids back then.

http://autos.msn.com/advice/article....tentid=4022560

Mike Murphy

LOL!!

wwest

Personally the direction I would take is "salvage" a Boxster or Cayman (Cayman DEFINITELY preferred) and a Prius. Then transplant the Prius hybrid drivetrain. I would disable the coastdown regenerative braking, only have regenerative braking if braking was actually being used. Then I would add a ~15HP watt genset fueled by "homebrew" CNG, on a "tag-a-long" single wheel, swivel wheel, trailer to keep the hybrid battery charged on the hwy.

Rear drive, rear regenerative braking, no FWD or F/AWD wintertime adverse roadbed HAZARDS.

Oh, yes, STELLAR hybrid FE.

LaughaC

Wow, the Cayman idea blew my mind! No chance that I can afford it, though.

HarryD

Read here: http://www.ztac.net/porsche.htm

P76

I had contacted the guy at the Ztac website about 2 yrs ago. At that point, he had put that project on the backburner for a couple years. Something bad happened with the project, but I can't remember what. I think he got frustrated. I would be too if I as only getting about 9 miles on a single charge. It's kinda sad, but it was a heck of an idea. You might try emailing him again to see if he's thought about working on it any more. I bet some LiPo batteries and a forklift motor would help, but all that stuff's expensive. Plus the 911 is heavy. Maybe cut all that steel off, replace it with carbon fiber and plexiglass windows...maybe someone zany with a bunch of money and time could do it.

P76

Whoops, 15 miles on a charge, it had been a while since I looked at that site