First of all, please don't kill me.

I've always wanted a 928, but I've been unsure that the performance/reliability & cost was there - especially with the Porsche engine for years I would like (early years). I am considering getting a late 70's 928 and swapping the engine. I was thinking also of using a Northstar. To me, that's in better keeping with the personality of the 928 as a GT. Thoughts?

Also, could anyone point me in a direction for conversion info, etc. Thanks.

 

How much do you think it will cost you to put a Northstar in to a 928?



Just buy a later model with more HP. They are reliable if maintained.

 

Early or late model with supercharger/intercooler.

Far less than a new Northstar. Or, a 'good' used one (ie, very low mile).

 

John - Best of both worlds....I have an '85 EURO engine for sale, and am close enough to you to consider delivery as part of the deal.. PM me if you are interested.

As to reliability - the 928 engines are considered almost "bulletproof"..the so-called reliability issues are typically electrical in nature.

 

The 16V engines are cheap and easy to work on. If you are budgeted for a Northstar swap (Can't say this would be less than $6k just based on the 944 hybrids) Buy a nice 80-84, rebuild the motor and supercharge it.

Details here: www.murf928.com

 

Plus - I'm not sure the Northstar will fit. I think there may be serious height restrictions. I would check with Renegade Hybrids...they're the main ones that make the conversion parts.
http://www.renegadehybrids.com/

 

If you purchase an early 80s car, I have a nice twin turbo setup you could install without too much work at all.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I had thought there could be a packaging issue - height I'm thinking - if there is one. I had started to think of dropping a crate LS-Chevy in there, but then I saw the Northstar is actually cheaper. $5k for the engine - brand new. There would be some fabrication involved, but some buddies of mine have welders, a shop, and more importantly, expertise.

The thing that got me thinking GM parts, frankly, is the cost. I've been buying BMW and Porsche parts for way too long (not that I'm going to stop any time soon), and whenever I pick up a Summit Racing catalogue I get so jealous that non-German parts are so cheap - so I want to leverage that. I'm only guessing, but based on supercharger packages for the 911 and my old M3, I can get a whole new crate motor for less.

 

Just keep one thing in mind, conversions like this don't resell very well. So unless you plan on keeping the car for a very long time or taking a big hit on the resale, you might think long and hard before going with this type of project.

 

some of the local guys here in Raleigh did a corvette engine conversion that turned out really well... not sure what fabrication was necessary but can give you an email addy if you want to ask them

 

If your quoting $5k for a crate motor, your guess is a bit off. Do a search in the 944 room for chevy swaps, quite a few have been completed.

Tim's kit's run $7695 for 90-95, and $7595 for 87-89. I suspect the 16V kits will be cheaper.

When you look over the list of components you would have to make from scratch:

TORQUE TUBE ADAPTER
MOTOR MOUNTS
PILOT BEARING
CLUTCH DISC
HYDRAULIC CLUTCH HOSE
THROW OUT BEARING GUIDE TUBE
MODIFIED OIL PAN
OIL PUMP PICK UP
PRESSURE PLATE
FLYWHEEL
HEADERS
COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENDING UNITS
OIL PRESSURE SENDING UNIT
HIGH PERFORMANCE ELECTRIC FAN


So unless your friends can do all the work for materials only, there is no way you will have this done for less than $7,500 when you are using a $5,000 motor.
Ever price custom headers? DEVEK gets $1,300 for a custom exhaust. A one off piece of any quality would likely be more.
The gauge sending units and fans will be another $500 (I should know, I have custom electric fans on my car and looked into different sending units for the gauges.
That right there puts you at $7,000 and you haven't even touched the drive train.
Even some of the 944 guys that bought the Renegade kit have more than $8,000 into their conversion using a cheaper Chevy 350.

I'd contact Renegade Hybrids about this. Buying their stuff will probably be cheaper than making your own.

I'm not saying it's a bad idea, but it sure isn't a cheaper one.


My 928 has cost far less to own over 10 years than my 944S has over 6. I've also put more miles on the 928, the 944S had a spotless, perfect maintenance history. The 928's was fuzzy at best.

 

An S4 has a touch more HP so why not save yourself all the aggravation and just by an S4? My dad has had several Caddys with the Northstar in the last several years. Good engine. He has had all sorts of compressor related woes though.

regards,

 

All good info. to mull over. I went to the renegade site. I need to read up a little more and chat with them. Thanks for all the thoughts.

 

I checked out the murf928 site. As you said, the supercharger kit is around $7500. What I'd be doing is pumping up an old engine, whose parts are expensive if they break. All the hoses, vacuum lines, and sundry other plastic pieces that could disintegrate while I'm installing the kit aren't cheap AFAIK. The $5k I referenced for a Northstar is for a brand new crate motor. Sure it will take some more parts - but I'd have up to $2500 to spend on additional parts before I got to the supercharger kit's price. Plus, I'd have a new motor.

I don't have my mind made up - other than I want a shark - but I'm just thinking aloud.

 

Using an american motor will not be cheap, but it will be cheaper in the long run, when you want to upgrade, or when you need to rebuild, or when parts break... Regardless, you can probably get more torque with an American motor, and you will also have a superb handling platform, with the 928... And it will look superb as well...