A friend of mine told me his dad has a 914 parts car sitting in their yard and would probably give it me for 200 bucks or so. Now I haven't seen the car as of yet, and that's obviously the basis of how much it is or is not worth... but, i've looked into getting a beater 914 and converting it into a decent, ghetto track car.

Does anyone have experience converting a barely running 914 into a decent track car? If so, how much did it cost and is it worth the effort?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

My advice would be to start with a car that is already on the track.
You can find a solid car with running engine, stiff suspension etc for around $3-4K.

If this guy sell it as a part car, it is probably too rusted to be safe on a track.

 

no no, that wasn't what i was trying to say at all... if i were to do this, i would get another 914 to build up and fix with spares from this car... i know it's almost always cheaper to get a used track car and go from there... but i was hoping to experience the buildup outside of where i work (race shop in Virginia)

 

Unfortunately the 914 is not made from galvanized steel so it rusts easily, you always need to make sure the rear suspension console is intact before you go racing...could mean disaster if it broke off. I have seen it before on a street driven car with much less load and abuse that a track car would see.

 

Define decent track car. Mine is just a lapper as far as SCCA is concerned. And it took over 1000 hours and about $10,000 to get it to that point with me doing ALL the work. That's just for parts and outside services. As an autoxer, it'll most likely be 'decent' in the hands of a good driver. I don't know, haven't taken it to the autox course yet.

 

Milt,
your name sounds familiar. do you know my dad, Fred Hall?

Sean

 

im looking at 2 914s for $250 one of them has been garaged, no rust except the battery box. my dad is famous for his 2 camaros, that are "decent" lol, no, actually very fast, both built for under a grand a piece, not including wheels and tires.
3 transmissions, 1 engine (sposed to run)
the project would simply be to get the engine running reliably, gut every single unnecessary item, roll cage throughout the car (suspension, side to side, front to back), relocate the battery possibly, and replace the rusted metal in the battery box...then wheels and tires
w/ the xperience from the camaros...did i mention autoXer?...we wont be buying suspension and stuff like that, were using the simplest techniques...lighter, lower, stiffer...if that means cutting some huge beastly springs off an old muscle car to get stiffer, so be it, its gonna be inexpensive............
am i missing some fact about 914s that is gonna make this impossible?
i own a 924 and a 944, know very little about the 914s

 

I've been autocrossing and occasionally tracking my 914 on and off for the past 13 years and I like it a lot. I think a lot of people modify them a lot more than is really necessary for the level of performance they are looking for. Sometimes less is more.
That said, if I were going to start over, I'd buy a gokart and something to haul it in. You can really race, instead of this DE and time trial silliness, for a reasonable amount of money.

Kelly

 

Upfront you will have to get bigger torsion bars, atleast 21mm ones. There is noway to add knarly spings up front. YOu can add a sway bar again atleast a 21mm one. In the back 200lbs springs are nice.

Shocks are a must soo Koni Yellows are the ticket.
I would skip the rollcage for AXing as that just adds weight!
The 914 is a momentuem car and needs all the help it can get in speed. Adding weight is robbing hp as these cars are about 20 lbs per hp. Hmm, 2000lb car and 100hp pretty easy to see that you. To go faster is to LOSE WEIGHT!
Also sticky tires are nice soo figure Kuhmos Victoracers atleast and hopefully you have a set of light weight Fuchs to mount them on.

Once set up the car with amaze you with its handling!

Geoff

 

counterleaver slicks......i have no idea how to spell that..but on a 7x15 tire they measure 9x23...awesome
i could maybe go bigger torsion bars, konis, bigger springs....that and tires.... $300+300+600+100=1300...that might be too spendy
the wheels are 4 hole arent they????? like 5.5x14?
can i get a good low profile victoracer for some 6x14 wheels that i have located for $25 off an early 924 i think..will those fit?? how much for the tires?

 

I doubt 924 rims will work due to their offset. The Fuchs are 5.5x15 and good for AXing and will work with 205x50 Victoracers. Stiff shocks are a must atleast to stop body roll which will fling the car into a spin when you corner hard at a AX.

Geoff

 

i cant afford to buy wheels then.....doubt theres too many slicks available for 14 inch wheels too....hmm
well, new ? then....is this car worth it?

 

Unless it's an original six (five lug bolts) the wheels are 15", not 14". 205-50-15 will fit the original 5.5" wide rims. All the aluminum wheels were 5.5" wide, while some of the steels were 4.5".
There is a guy in CT who has built something pretty close to what you are describing. It's a stripped out 914 with basically stock suspension, stiff shocks, factory sway bars, and a 2.0L 4cyl with carbs and a cam. He modified the front strut mounts to get as much as 5 deg neg camber in the front. He took a FTD at a PCA autocross in '02 against several past CVR autocross champions.
Wheels are a big problem for 914's. The 130x4 lug pattern was only used by VW. Not exactly a big market for light, wide rims. You can use sandrail/off road rims you find in the VW mags, but the offset is 20mm less so you'll have to make some real big flares and just accept that there will be a lot of unused space on the inside. A 15x7 steel VW rim also weighs 22lbs or more. That's why guys go to the 911 5x130 pattern. If you have access to a machine shop you can re-drill, but if you are going to track it a lot I don't suggest it. Prone to cracking.

Kelly

 

I used to run a 914 with Goodyear slicks (23.0 x 9.0) on 15x7 rims. Since then I've switched to Khumo Victoracers (205x50x15) on 15x7 rims. My track lap times are the same. I'm not a tire specialist but believe that Goodyear has kept making the same design for 15 years and the "street" R-compound tires have cought up in technology. The reason I switched it the Goodyears are hard to get and the Khumo's are readily available.

As for building a good track car, I recommend you find someone who has a car running in the class you want to compete and talk to them face to face. Ask lots of questions what changes they made and why. Each car class limits what modifications are allowed. Some mods may be mandatory in one class but illegal in another. Before spending any time or $$$, I would consult the rule book and learn what you can and cannot change and then plan accordingly.

Rob