Grantsfo

Ok I'm about ready to invest about $8K in my existing 74 914 1.8. Would like to make the car a clean street/track car. I would like to rebuild the engine to bigger displacement, but keep street legal. Unfortunately I am attached to this car and would like to use it as my base. Car has no rust and is very clean. Want to drive POC short track and SCCA Solo events.

I have a few questions.

1. What would you reccomend in terms of the engine? Find a 2.0 and rebuild or use 1.8? What would you reccomend in terms of displacement and fuel delivery?

2. I have 19mm master cylinder and stainless steel brake lines. What would be good brake upgrade?

3. I'm a big person - 6'3' 260lbs. I dont fit in car with top on with my helmet. What are my options in terms of roll cage. Is there an option that could be bolted on for track events which would allow me to run with top off. Roll bar extention?

4 I live in Santa Cruz/ SF bay area. What/where are best places to help me build this car?

Any other recomendations?

Chris C I was thinking of something very similar to your new track car.

billlynes

As far as fitting in the car with a roll bar/cage I have the same problem.

We are planning to drop a small section of the floor pan under the drivers seat so the race bucket will drop and tilt back.

This is the only area of the pan with any major rust damage so no big deal, had to be repaired anyway.

I can post a picture when complete.

Good luck keep us posted on your progress.

Charles Navarro

If you need any engine help or someone to bounce ideas off of, don't hesitate to give me a ring in the office or drop me a line. I'd be more than happy to help.

fusionsport

On the engine I would highly recomend obtaining JE pistons to fit 2.0 litre or bigger cylinders(much more available now that the VW guys are into Type IVs), talk to Web-cam regarding camshafts once you have selected bore and induction/exhaust head strategy. for a really good street/track car I suggest Dellorto/Weber carbs(or efi if the budget allows), Ported heads from Speedwerks in North Carolina, and a Kerry Hunter exhaust. Would highly recommend the upright fan conversion, but this isnt absolutely needed.
A good brake upgrade for you car without overdoing it would be either the BMW caliper swap discussed on this site, or a set of Wilwood calipers with a custom mount. Anything bigger is a waste of money in your car- not to mention wieght
Dropping the floorpan isnt a really good fix, as it reduces your ability to get the cars ride hieght down on the mat. A different seat might be the answer, but without seeing you in the car I cant answer really well
In the Bay Area I cant think of anyone that isnt outrageously priced, though there are some good people out there. A. Bauer Porsche is out on the West Coast somewhere, and he runs a good outfit.
If your budget allows I would do EFI with individual throttle bodies and a DTA ecu.

I have other suggestions and a ton of 914 racecar experience, so any help I can give you feel free to ask. I work for 3R Racing and would be glad to do your engine for you or help you spec it out. visit the site at <a href="http://3r-racing.com/" target="_blank">http://3r-racing.com/</a>

Bleyseng

Go to <a href="http://www.914Club.com" target="_blank">www.914Club.com</a> and ask for Tony C. as he does the best roll cages in the SF area. Ask Brad for more info on what you want to do. Chris C. uses that BBS too as its more of a racers BBS.
Geoff

Chris Campbell

One of the first things you should do is sit down and read the rule book(s) for the groups you want to drive with. Then read them again, maybe twice. Figure out what class you want to be in. If you care about winning and/or keeping up reasonably well with other folks in that class, contemplate what they are driving and if your target car setup will have similar capabilities.

It is really, really easy to make one little bitty change to the car and completely blow yourself out of the water, so to speak, in terms of race classification.

That said, there are obviously tons of things you can tweak and upgrade on the 914. I'd be glad to chip in whatever tips I have learned (I, and Brad R. and numerous other guys, mainly hang out on the 914club board lately, as Geoff mentioned.)

Probably my best advice is:

(1) Do not compromise on safety equipment. Tony C (http:://www.tcdesignfab.com) did my cage - welded 8pt - and it's fabulous. I bought a full setup of Sparco nomex driving gear, a Bell helmet, Schroth 5pt harnesses, Koenig race seat, and Amerex Halon fire extinguisher. The plumbed fire system and Fuel Safe cell are coming shortly. All this stuff costs a fortune, but I've gotten attached to this body, and spares are hard to come by.

(2) Especially when starting out, focus on seat time and reliability as opposed to trying to make your car the fastest thing on 4 wheels. Go over EVERYTHING on the car and refurb/replace whatever is not up to snuff. Crawling around under a broken car 150 miles from home, while everyone else is out on the track, is not fun. Speed and consistency comes gradually. (At least that's what I'm hoping - I'm not there yet myself <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> )

(3) Do not believe the stories that you need Big Red brakes, a 915 trans, a bunch of reinforcing plates welded every which way on the chassis, and so on. Numerous guys have proven the various 914 myths to be greatly exaggerated.

Have fun,