912 Motor
10-27-2004, 06:42 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
912 Motor
At the risk of starting a bru-ha-ha....
I've got a friend in the military who is planning on doing a project when his tour of duty is up. It's one of those projects that he thought was cool when he first heard about it when he was a kid and now he wants to do one for himself. He wants to put a Porsche 4 cylinder motor in a Karmann-Ghia. He's located a good chassis and now is looking for a good motor.
Are there any "Gotchas" that he should know about before he plunks down cash on a motor? What tranny options does he have (901, 915, something else)?
Thanks in advance for any help that you can provide!
I've got a friend in the military who is planning on doing a project when his tour of duty is up. It's one of those projects that he thought was cool when he first heard about it when he was a kid and now he wants to do one for himself. He wants to put a Porsche 4 cylinder motor in a Karmann-Ghia. He's located a good chassis and now is looking for a good motor.
Are there any "Gotchas" that he should know about before he plunks down cash on a motor? What tranny options does he have (901, 915, something else)?
Thanks in advance for any help that you can provide!
10-27-2004, 10:38 PM
#2
The Hoffinator
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
901 is probabaly the easiest optioon for gear box. probably want to buy the units as a package from a parts car.
these motors are picky. everythings gotta be right with em or its a pita. cant really get a rebuild for less than 5 or 6.. most likely 7k (thats what a good rebuild from a reliable builder costs). these are not vw motors, and costs are nothing like vw motors.. (ie pistons for a vee dub cost 175.. that same money wont even buy rings for these cars!). they have to be put together right, tolerances are always tight and have to be just right.
if you dont know anything about the motor youre buying, look forward to a rebuild.. half that have already been rebuild have been done buy guys who think they know how to do it cause theyve rebuild vw's.. completely different ball of wax. gotchas are internal, and how things were put together.. how good an engine is depnds on that. mostly the bottom end. also if the top end wasnt done right, they most likely half assed the bottom end as well.
things to check out.. compression, leak down, the valves, rocker arms, oil cooler (if not clean youre gonna over heat like a bitch!), carbs (solex's or webbers.. good solexes are better than brand new webbers)
so many things to look at and talk about..
also you may want to check out www.912bbs.org as there is a motor for sale on there right now out of a 66.
these motors are picky. everythings gotta be right with em or its a pita. cant really get a rebuild for less than 5 or 6.. most likely 7k (thats what a good rebuild from a reliable builder costs). these are not vw motors, and costs are nothing like vw motors.. (ie pistons for a vee dub cost 175.. that same money wont even buy rings for these cars!). they have to be put together right, tolerances are always tight and have to be just right.
if you dont know anything about the motor youre buying, look forward to a rebuild.. half that have already been rebuild have been done buy guys who think they know how to do it cause theyve rebuild vw's.. completely different ball of wax. gotchas are internal, and how things were put together.. how good an engine is depnds on that. mostly the bottom end. also if the top end wasnt done right, they most likely half assed the bottom end as well.
things to check out.. compression, leak down, the valves, rocker arms, oil cooler (if not clean youre gonna over heat like a bitch!), carbs (solex's or webbers.. good solexes are better than brand new webbers)
so many things to look at and talk about..
also you may want to check out www.912bbs.org as there is a motor for sale on there right now out of a 66.
10-28-2004, 09:46 AM
#3
A completely rebuilt ready to drop in 356 SC motor was posted for sale yesterday on 356talk (Registry's listserv) - $7500.
Don't know what your friends finances are like, but it may be cheaper/easier to build up a hot VW engine...
Don't know what your friends finances are like, but it may be cheaper/easier to build up a hot VW engine...
The following users liked this post:
Superdave312 (06-13-2020)
10-28-2004, 11:06 AM
#4
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks guys.
I've been through the cost thing with him and it's not really a factor in the decision making process...it's something that he WANTS to do and his wife isn't going to deny him of his guilty pleasure.
The other thing is that it's OK if the motor isn't in very good shape. I've done a 3.8 race motor and he's very mechanically inclined (and a perfectionist to boot). I think he wants to go through the process of building the motor up.
I'll start trolling the sites mentioned above but if anyone hears of a rough motor/tranny, please post.
I've been through the cost thing with him and it's not really a factor in the decision making process...it's something that he WANTS to do and his wife isn't going to deny him of his guilty pleasure.
The other thing is that it's OK if the motor isn't in very good shape. I've done a 3.8 race motor and he's very mechanically inclined (and a perfectionist to boot). I think he wants to go through the process of building the motor up.
I'll start trolling the sites mentioned above but if anyone hears of a rough motor/tranny, please post.
