Snipe, Dave, you guys are killin' me...

 

the only 350 conversion i would think of, would be a 5.4 or 6 liter 928 stroker engine.

The guys are right. 8k can buy you a sweet 85/86 or an S4 and you then can spend the extra cash to make that one even faster!

MK

 

I'd like to see somebody do a 454 or 440 or 460.

A blower would make a nice addition to a such an engine as well. I belive the stock 928 engine weight is about the same as the big blocks. And it might even fit!

 

I would love to see a ZR1 engine in a 928.

 

Gentlemen: thank you for your honest opinions and kudos. I was going to boost my 86, but then bought an 87 to get that little extra HP. While it is nice, I am a bit starved on the 0-45 lurch which is all the fun I can get around here in Orlando. These are cornering animals and autobahn cruisers at 80-120 mph, but we can only do the normal speed limit typically. Since I just got a ticket blowing out the carbs in another car, I am thinking this over.
The biggest blast I had recently was taking a 98 stock stick Corvette around an exit ramp. VERY cool. I do not track or race; too risky for my age! ha.
SO....
I have come upon a pretty interesting fellow over here who is a V8 type at heart but head mechanic at a rice burner shop.
I have an 84 380 SE, which has a dead engine and we were trying to come up with something creative. When he said he could drop in about 450 horses....well, it just started getting me thinking.
WHAT kind of older car would this make more sense to do?
The answer was of course....
and now you know the REST of the story!

 

If you already have a running car, supercharging would give you the HP and torque you crave. I also understand that these kind of conversions are fun and irresistable to some, so more power to ya !

 

I won't go into the politics of SBC Vs Porsche. That's been done many times in this forum and a search with bring up a myriad of opinions.

The model year 928 depends on what other performance/styling enhancements you want. Suspension, brakes, and IMHO the S4 styling are all better on the S4 models. Keep in mind you're matching or surpassing the S4's HP and torque curves so the added suspension and braking are important.

There are several SBC 350 models to choose from, but only the earlier models -97 will fit in the 928 without cutting the hood or lower crossmember.
The LS1 & newer models are higher and can be done with hood and cross brace modifications or going lower and modifying the crossmember.

There are numerous ways to modify a SBC and the HP/torque possibilities range from mild to insane amounts of power. The ZZ383 crate engine from GM Performance Parts for $5400 has 425HP and 460 lbs of torque. That engine coupled with a good engine management system would be ideal. This would put the conversion figure closer to 11K.

For 8K this is one way to go using an automatic 928.
Renegade parts including headers about 2.5K. You can pick up the bell housing from a wrecking yard for $50. You don't need the radiator.

Rebuilt LT1 or LT4 modified to about 380HP including ECU about 4K. This would include all the electronics and accessories.
A stock LT1 crate engine is $3600, less HP (about 300) but it comes with a 3 yr warranty.

About 2K for the Porsche and Chevy workshop manuals, parts manuals and wiring diagrams, software to program, log and modify the Chevy ECU, fuel lines, electrical connectors, hoses, linkages, sending units.

Do it yourself in about 3 weekends.

I'm not sure about a local mechanic doing it all for 8K. With a non rebuilt engine it may be possible, but I would have reservations.

 

Hi John,

Architecture was my first love also but alas, I threw it over for software in the early 80's when intrest rates hit the roof and jobs couldn't be bought with cash. I have regretted it every day since. Oh well, one thing i ask you to consider with this project. When was the last time you saw a chevy v8 with 270k miles and still pulling strong. Blow almost any Comero or Mustang (stock anyway) off the road. I would put a few bucks with it and go for a GT or even a GTS. There was one Hybrid that sold on ebay last year for $6k but still had bugs. I have never seen one that had all the kinks worked out.

Thanks and good luck
Frank Barnhill
79 Euro

 

I've got a 1959 Ford 292 Y-block I will sell you CHEAP. I guarantee you will be the only one to ever do that conversion.

 

Like the others... it's far cheaper getting an existing car converted and then modifying it further than going from scratch (I know I've done both) The Yellow car has (maybe $25,000 total... 600HP blower motor was $12,000) and the Orange one I did from scratch... and have will over twice that in it (with many other mods). The picture of the Black Car is actually the yellow one when we bought it on-line for $6,600 with 18" wheels and new tires, mostly refurbished interior, and a 383 Chevy engine... it was rough, but made the project far more enjoyable . By the way... as an architect check out my web www.rhsdplanning.com

Rick Harrison

 

Although V8 swaps are something that have always interested me to really do it right takes a lot of time and $. Too much.

The only big reason I can see for chevyizing a car is that you can build a cheap pink rod 350 chevy, bolt on some turbos and make some something like 900 hp.

To bad the 928 drivetrain gives up at 500-600 hp.

About the coolest swap I have seen lately was the guy over at the 951 forum that shoehorned a ls1 motor into that thing. Very clean.

Link........

https://rennlist.com/forums/944-turbo-and-turbo-s-forum/219770-v8-in-early-review.html

 

Look to the left. Its the red one in the picture. 5 years of trouble free driving. No kinks.

 

Of course if I had my druthers back then, this is the way to go.

360HP motor for sale

 

Another point... a Big Block will also fit fine and help with the weight difference (the Small block Chevy motors are lighter)... in hindsight, if I'd do it again, I would have gone bigger (more torque).

Rick H

 

Here's a shot of a log session I did on my laptop. Once logged it allows you to view, analyze, and export all or parts of the data to a spreadsheet.
The Chevy LT1 ECM is flashable, so I have a program to adjust fuel on each bank or individual cylinders, timing advance/retard, compensate for low octane, injector offsets, compression ratio, displacement, and a bunch of other things.
I'm sure this type of on board diagnostics is available for other makes and maybe even for the 928. The nice thing about the Chevy LT1 is that I can log and program on the fly, at the track or anywhere without replacing chips and the software to do all this is less than $250.