J.P.

Abduln, what type of engine did your family's station wagon have? A big block 427 or 454? The reason I ask is because I've never seen any such high powered station wagons. For the most part all of the GM stationwagons I have seen had a 307 or 350 with a 2 barel carb, choking emisions equipment, and barely made 180 h.p. Now if you want to talk about serious factory hotrods, from back in the day, sure, there were a couple of really high h.p. ones (special edition mustangs, camaros, and assorted mopars), however, those w/ all that power did not last friggin 300k. There is no way. I'm a mechanic and I see these cars every day, so I know. W/ regard to porsches, the engines last a very long time for a performance car. I work on a carrera w/ over 200k that's never had any overhaul work, and is still running strong. My brother has a 930 w/ minor mods (k27, I/C, cams, etc.) with 83k that's also running strong. The reason you hear so much about porsche overhauls is because the owners are so damn ****, they expect the car should run exactly as it did from the showroom - not because they need one.

ViperRockness

Thanks to everyone for the advice.

I think I am going to stick with a German engine just to make my life easy and simple (or alternatively, do the unthinkable, sell the car as is). I don't know enough about cars to do this "heart transplant" and I don't have the wallet or time to play with it.

Thanks for the helpful comments George, Schuey, Nate and Abduln.

A Quiet Boom

[quote]Originally posted by t.p.:
<strong>
P.S. a 400 h.p. V8 will not last 100,000 miles - maybe 25,000.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Wrong! My 400+ HP 460 runs 87 octane and has well over 125,000 miles. Just how long do you suppose a 400hp NA Porsche would last? I'm not gonna knock on P-car engines because I happen to love them but don't knock on American V8 engines unless you know what you're talking about. In the right vehicle either engine excels.

J.P.

Quiet Boom, I think TP was referring to 350 ci motors. You got a 460 big block which can pump out 400 horses more easily - it flows more air and fuel. Therefore it doesn't have to resort to higher compression/revs to achieve the horsepower, which is what wears down an engine. There is a huge difference between a 350 and a 460.

abduln

jp:

My dad had an old 71 Chevy Kingswood station wagon with a 350 hp, 350 cu in., 4 bbl Quadrajet. It was nice with power windows, jump seats in the cargo compartment (that was the coolest), and an electric sunroof. It could seat 7 people, 11 if you put kids in the jump seats. It was basically a Corvette engine in a huge bomber station wagon. Ahh, those were the days. My mom gave it to me to wrench on when I was 11 years old, there was nothing wrong with it but she bought a Caprice Classic to drive around in. That is when I became addicted to cars.

Okay, I'll grant you that most engines won't last 300k period, but our abused station wagon did. Our Ford LTD station wagon was in the 200 plus area as well. However, those are limited experiences, and my impressions actually come from a much broader base. In my broader experience, 200k+ miles on a properly maintained engine comes easy on US V8's.

Obviously we have both spent a lot of time wrenching, I won't deny you your experience. In my experience I just found that American V8's tend to last a bit longer than their competition. However, they do have their flaws like poor tolerances, heft, bulk, sometimes poor rocker arm quality, etc...

As far as high horsepower and reliability goes, the only time horsepower affects realiability is when the engine is not properly engineered. When you increace your potential horsepower, you have to make sure that ancilliary components (cooling, oil, head gaskets, etc..) can acommadate the increace. 400 hp is not a problem for a small block v8, you can buy off the shelf small blocks that approach a proven reliable 500 hp.

I am definitely not trying to knock german engines, I like Porsches, BMWs, and have a very high amount of respect for VW engines... I think the VW Rabbit Diesel is probably one of the most durable engines ever produced. When this economic downturn ends I want to build up my own 911 with a proper 911 engine

Abdul

Dean

Here is my take. The 911 motor is one of the finest motors in the world. Any other motor would be a downgrade. Nobody wants to downgrade. Even if you have a 6000 hp V8, it is still a downgrade.
Say you where dating Anna Kornakova and her head fell off. Would you put Cathy Bates head on her. ;-)
Dean

j959

first of all, both engines can last a long time at 400hp, providing they are built up properly and not abused....(a well built v8 should last longer at higher hp than a porsche, higher discplacement=more torque,so less rpms are needed=less stress on engine)

that is unless yourve thrown 200k into the engine or built it out of titanium

still, 400hp for either engine should be a breeze....even 500, 600 should be reliable providing the proper internals are used, and it is built professionally

i know from much research modding a v8 (american or jap) is MUCH MUCH cheaper than modding a porsche engine....

this is due to porsches being much rarer, higher prod costs, not as many after market parts etc...

that is the price of owning an exotic car...

getting a v8 in a porsche is hardly a downgrade...

Flying Finn

[quote]Originally posted by special tool:
<strong>Flying Finn - ballast. And that's what I am going to use the 10,000 mile old 6 liter Chevy in my new p/up for now that it is already slapping its pistons - that or an anchor. This thing has 300 h.p. from 6!! liters and still detonates with 87 octane fuel.</strong><hr></blockquote>

So you add weight to your car..? <img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" />

cheetah chrome

i have the buick version of the alum. v8 your talking about in my triumph. if your interested in a complete motor try lanocha racing, i cant remember their web site, but for about 5k he'll build you a wild 215 (w/ an sds system). although im not sure how about a tranny in a rear engined application, but if people are stuffing piggy 350s in 911s this thing will definatly fit. those engines are really hot w/ engine swappers because of its weight and performance capabilities. (ive seen them stroked and resleeved to 4.0 liters and even turbocharged (one model of the engine even came factory turbo charged, but i think production figures were real low)). anywho engine swapping is a real pain in the ..., if you think your gonna save money you might be mistaken (tons of hidden costs). i would drop a line to motormiester and see what they have in an "ecomony" model

ValveFloat

I'm just curious, has anyone jumped on a Corvette or Mustang message board and asked about putting a flat six or some other “furinn” motor in one of those cars?

Might be interesting...

George 911-V8

Valvefloat: The vette or mustang groups would laugh their *** off. I'm personal friends with Jeff Stone owner of Kelly Moss motorsports and he thinks the small block is the best move you can make for brut hp in a 911 bar none. Porsche should have put the 928 engine in the 911 in the 1980's.

<a href="http://pws.prserv.net/4play/911chevy/index.html" target="_blank">SWAMP MONSTER</a>

Flying Finn

Goerge, still interested...

How did you managed to achieve that 50/50?

You have sandbags in front or?

George 911-V8

FF: Whats the deal with your salty comments. I have and proven that I can make a small block chevy out perform a 911,930,993tt and 996tt. I have a top notch 911 with the best porsche race parts money can buy on my car. It weighs with me in it 3167lbs. My motor weighs 440lbs, the turbo motor weighed 560lbs. The brakes are 993tt, the wheels ruf speedline with complete ruf racing suspension front to rear. The only time I think of sandbags is when I'm drilling 993tt's on the track, it seems they have sandbags in them maybe thats why I'm 2seconds faster per lap on street tires with the a/c on. FF: Don't hate the players hate the game.

<a href="http://pws.prserv.net/4play/911chevy/index.html" target="_blank">SWAMP MONSTER</a>

J.P.

Flying Finn, George's front end is made of led

Flying Finn

George,

I'm not trying to be salty and I never said that you can't outperform 996tt or whatever.

But since 911's weight ratio is about 40/60 (front/rear) I'm interested how you achieved that 50/50 of yours? I'm trying to achieve that as well and I know it's not easy.

You saved about 100 lbs rear weight with your engine so that makes it about 43/57.

I'm interested what else have you done to achive that 50/50?