Auto_Werks 3.6

I recently pushed my 911 slightly closer to being a "track car", and I am tossing around ideas for a street only p-car. I don't regret my recent modifications to my car, but at 10 miles per gallon & 40% race gas, I do miss having something more cost effective to drive.

I find myself in the position of having a perfect / dry stock 964 3.6 in the garage sitting next to a 90% rust free 1971 914. I have been planning on combining the two to make a relatively docile street car, but the more I have been driving my 911 this year, the more I relize I love the feel of the 911 chassis.

Who has any impressions on relatively powerful 914-6 conversions? I know if I ask the 914 guys they would say go for it, but I want to know what the tail dragger crowd thinks. If I go the 914 route I need a flywheel / clutch, drysump, modified rear hubs / axles, and I am almost locked into blowing up 901 trannys because I refuse to dump 10k into a transmission for a 914. Part of me wants to find a tired 911T coupe to be the custodian of my spare engine. I think the residual value will be higher, and I really only need a flywheel and front cooler to do it....and I have always wanted a long hood car.

I already have a 911 front suspension setup with modified 944 turbo brakes waiting, but this could be swapped onto either a 914 or 911.

What do you guys think. I would hate to go through all the effort to build a 914 only to find myself wishing it was a 911. I would love to drive one, but I don't really know anyone who owns one.

Thanks for the advice guys.

GothingNC

My brother owned a 914-6 back in the late 70's and loved the car.

On one trip he drove it from NY to TX to FL to TX and back to NY in a week.

The only complaint is the lack of sound deadner (motor next to the ears), rust, rear trunk is an oven and more rust.


Excellence is running an article converting a 914 into six with a 3.6 motor. They are using the 915 tranny to handle the conversion.

conversion guide on Pelican

http://www.pelicanparts.com/914/914-...info_guide.htm

914-world

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/lofiver...php?t4319.html

John

GothingNC

Another conversion thread

http://www.914club.com/bbs2/index.ph...ode=linearplus

aeshultz

Ryan;
You might want to track down Dick Snyder and his son Rick - from our region - they both race Rick's 914-6 conversion (PCA and Vintage). Dick Thering also tracks a nicely done white 914-6 conversion.
They might be able to give you some insight. Other than that- just DO IT! You'll love it. I had a stock '74 2.0 4 cyl that was my first P-car - loved driving it.

Michael N

How about an opinion from a former 911 owner who now owns a 914-6? I had an 82 SC which was a comfortable ride and bought my wife a 2.0 914-4. After driving her car I loved the handling and thought only if this car had more power. I sold the 82 SC and bought a 914/6 with a 73 2.4 MFI 911S engine in it. I know it isn't a 3.6 engine but it is still fast enough for the streets. I sometimes want a more comfortable ride but that goes away with a fun run on a back road.

rusnak

I have both a 914-6 (factory stock) and a 911. I also have owned an 911SC and have a 356 Cab that is totally disassembled, um....ready for restoration...someday.

I don't know where to start to make comparisons. Totally different cars. Totally different driving feel. If I had a stock 914-4 that was in decent running shape, about the only thing I might do is yank the FI when parts became unobtainable, but other than that, I'd leave it stock. You are contemplating a very expensive conversion that will equal the cost of buying a nice 911.

As you know, the 914 has a much shorter wheelbase, and in my opinion you can't put enough rear tire on there to make it driveable on the street if you put a 3.6 motor in the back. From the rear bulkhead back, the body is made of paper mache, so you will need to do a lot of reinforcing. Then there is the fact that the fenders are too narrow, you need to add an oil tank, fab or buy a motor mount, and on and on.....

Buy a car already done that scratches whatever itch you've got. Dave in San Luis Obispo (owner of German Parts and Restoration, may he rest in peace) had a nice 3.2 with DME conversion on a silver 914. That is about as wild as I would go. It ended up being a nice streetable car. You might also talk to the folks at Patrick Motorsports.

tlarocque

+1

Need to do a lot to strengthen the chasis, particularly if you're thinking of putting a 3.6 in the back. My mechanic showed me a car that was literally being pulled apart by having a 3.2 in the back.

As mentioned above, Jim Patrick knows a lot about these conversions and I bet he'd be willing to give you a few minutes of his time. He also does a lot of 3.6 conversions on older cars and could talk to you about what that would entail. Steve at Rennsport would probably be another excellent source of information.

Would be one heck of a rocket sled though. Good luck!

Auto_Werks 3.6

Thanks for all the feedback guys...
Alan I need to find someone to exchange rides with for a few minutes...

Rusnak and others... too much practicality for this time of night! I'm actually very comfortable with the conversion, and what it take to pull off from where I stand. My problem is that I have almost all the expensive individual components. I'm almost 100% positive that with an investment of $4k, I could be on the road. I'm not afraid of the welding, or making aeroquip lines etc etc. My only concern is whether I will concider the project worth my effort with it's done. And there is a tiny part of me that is afraid that I'll make mistakes driving it, because I'm used to (and enjoy) the way my 911 drives. There's no doubt in my mid that a 911 would be easier to do, but I'm not sure that it will really be cheaper at this point. I'll have at least $7k in any roller that I would be interested in... I have also concidered a 930 roller. I don't know, keep the feedback coming guys. I'm taking it all in.

rusnak

If you can get the suspension geometry right, and make the chassis stop flexing, then you might have a shot at a good car. My 914-6 at 120 is a white knuckle affair that will make your eyes as big as saucers. This may be due to old suspension bearings, or it may be that the car is just not as stable as a 911. The 3.2 911 is a one-handed car up to around 90, then at 140 is still more solid than the 914-6 at 100.

My own opinion is that the 914 is sublime in a 356 kind of way due to it's light weight and agility. All of that is thrown out the window with a huge motor. You are making the car into what it is not, a stump puller or a rocket sled. The car is more like a samurai sword than a battle axe. I think the car to test drive would be a 3.2 into 3.6 conversion. Now that might be a car that you can take anywhere in the country, or at least on a weekend trip and not get beat up along the way.

Auto_Werks 3.6

In the words of Homer Simpson.... Doh!!.... Thats what my 911 was before I modified it. That's where my stock 3.6 came from. In that state of tune I drove the car from Columbus, Ohio down to Tennessee for the Tail of The Dragon and back. No complaints, except that I got used to the ~260hp, and found myself wanting more. I found about 90 more hp for my 911, but lost my cross country ride in the process.

aeshultz

Ryan;
You might also try talking to Scott Mann at Renegade Hybrids / Las Vegas. Yeah, I know, he now stuffs V-8s into everything, but started his business off by putting large motors into 914s. Could be worth the call.

Peter Zimmermann

I can safely say that a 914/6 can be summed up with one word - FUN! I owned/drove an original "6" for more that four years, and my oldest son owned an original "6" for about 6 years. I can't speak to conversions, but my son and I went different ways with our cars. His was powered by a 2.2S, mine by a 2.6 w/Solex cams. Both cars had M,S,X gears, both had Webers, my car had a front cooler, both cars had Bilsteins, a big front sway bar, heavy rear springs, and "A" front calipers. My car was better in town, the 2.6 produced a ton of torque, his car was faster on the top end. Both cars were a blast and I certainly wish that I had not sold mine!