Robby

...John Milledge, Scott Gomes, Bob Norwod, John Anderson, Powerhaus, SFR, Huntley, Vision, Garrity, etc...? I'm trying to find out how many people have engines built by these guys (& any other's) & how long they've lasted (miles driven) vs how much Hp/TQ they've made, how reliable they've been, whether they're street or track, etc... In short, I've heard a LOT of names, but in some cases, I've never heard anything from any of the customers...

I know there are many people who are wanting &/or needing to have their engines rebuilt who are not sure about where to go for various reasons... I'm hoping to rebuild mine soon & would like some HP/TQ mods (at least break the 300RWHP/TQ level w/93oct @ <17lbs) & have been given SO MANY contradictory opinions about SO MANY dif things, from complete OPPOSITE advice about turbos to complete OPPOSITE advice about whether or not to remove balance shafts to machining crank, FW, etc... I don't think a thread of this kind has been started, so I'd really like to compile some info for everyone... I would appreciate all of the above info as well as what boost was run (for turbo engines) & what octane fuel, etc, & any special circumstances...

Thanks a lot,

Alan C.

Chris White at 944enhancement.com helped me with my engine. 378 rwhp on 100 octane. Tec3, atermarket turbo, 83 LB injectors. Chris is currently working on some very interesting parts to make a dynamite 2.6 from a 3.0.
Worth a look. If you want to put a Tec3 in your car Chris is the guy.

Ken Farler, Farler Performance, in Cincinnati does good work and you get the car on the agreed to date. Not to mention that he stands behind his work even if it is a track car.

Craigg 88 has one of Ken's engines (Tec3, 83 LB injectors, Kokeln turbo, Lindsay Stage 5 intercooler and intake) running right at 400 rwhp at 20 psi on 100 octane. Soon to move up a notch with a Milledge head and cam.

Jeff Lamb

Please also make sure to add Neil Harvey at Performance Developments to your list. Tony Garcia and I are having PD do our engine work as are many other high performance 911 and 962 racers. Neil was kind enough to send me phone numbers of some of his 962, 911 and 951 customers. I was able to talk with a number of them and they all had very good things to say about Neil, his work and his background with Porsche Motorsports, TRD and an F1 team. I also made a personal visit to PD in August of 2003 and was impressed with what I saw and heard.

If you just want a standard engine assembled from readily available parts, you have many alternatives. However, if your engine project will involve some fairly high end machine work, Neil is one of the VERY FEW out there that I know of who has proven experience in this area.

My engine project is for a 951 track car to be running in PCA's GT3 class. I am using a 968 block with 16 valve head. It will be sleeved down to a 4.0 inch bore with nodular iron sleeves and possibly a deck plate will be installed. I will be running aftermarket aluminum pistons with custom rods. I am also dry sumping this engine and having to have a custom intake and exhaust fabricated.

I spent a long time considering my alternatives and I chose Neil at Performance Developments.

Jeff

Robby

Thanks for all the info so far guys... I had meant to ask you, Alan, about your's, as I remember e-mailing you when I first started thinking about all this- several years ago... I just haven't seen a whole lot of promise during this time... the 951 can be one annoying car to own b/c of all the completly opposing advice out there... I would like an extremely reliable >300RWHP/TQ on no more than 17psi w/93 oct & not have to spend a fortune to do it- good luck, right?

superjet.1

Ditto on Performance Development and Neil Harvey.

David Floyd

I good solid stock rebuild and a Vitesse stage 2 kit is one way to get what you are after.

Alan C.

For 300 you probably don't need stand alone. There seem to be a few good options out there on alternative engine controls. Add a decent turbo, make sure your fuel system is up to the task and you should be there. My only concern is the age of the DME/KLR.

m42racer

Many are now seeing what I've been telling for some time now. We have not seen the likes of Performance Developments, Neil Harvey and his crew in the 944 world before. To compare some of who you listed with PD is an insult. More people are now finding out the level of this company's abilities and what they are now starting to offer the 944/968 world. For years they have offered engineering, parts ans service to the rear engine/racing world, but now through the efforts of some, (Travis, included) we 944/968 customers have a very high end company in support of our cars/engines. Further to the point about Travis, he is pushing Neil to finish and make available the parts they are developing. Travis is going to be a tremendous help to the 944/968 world.

Remember, it all very well having someone build/assemble your engine, but most still rely on some outside machine shop to do the machining for them. The quality is never there. With Performance Developments you get in house machining done by 2 or 3 master machinists who are machining parts for racing engines all day long.

I think the most important factor here still is the customer wanting or knowing the exact use of the car. This way the engine can be built to suit. Most of the time, the builder does not listen to the customers needs and sees his own idea of what the customer should have. Now the expectations of the customer and the ability of the builder to supply are far apart. typically the original costs are not held, nor are the delivery dates. From my own experience with PD, they will supply you with a written estimate, a project schedule with dates and other information. If they do not know the costs or what it will take to do, they will tell you this up front.

As for cost, its been said they cost more. Well thats no true. If the rest did the same amount of work as PD does, then it would be seen that the higher costs always reflect a greater level and amount of work done.

You get what you pay for, or sometimes we pay and never recieve.

Robby

Wow! I had never heard of PD or Neil Harvey, but, it sounds like a good place to consider- how do I get in touch? I'll do a search in a minute, so I may not need that info, but....

EDIT- I did a search- didn't come up w/much- does PD have a website??? How do I get in touch???

thanks guys...

reno928s

I had mechanics from all of NJ work on my car, and there all crap with the exception of one, European auto works. Lenny, the owner, does an excellent job when he works on cars. My biggest problem is that he is always booked. But he takes his time and double checks everything and not once did I have to return to him for the same problem. Reno

Jeff Lamb

Contact information:

Performance Developments (Neil Harvey)
1643 Monrovia Ave.
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Phone: 949-646-7461
e-mail: neil@performancedevelopments.com

Best regards,
Jeff

tifosiman

Let me just say ditto to any work preformed by Ken Farler of Farler Performance in Ohio. He stands by his given timeframes (honesty up front if he is behind or thinks that there is any chance of delay). He also is conciencious enough to call if he runs into any complication or if there is going to be any added cost to his initial estimate given. I know several people (mostly 911 guys) who are running engines he has built with no problems. He's pretty much the jack of all trades, He's had my trans torn apart on his floor during the same week he was doing body damage repair and painting on a 968 that hit a deer.

If anyone wants his info, I can get it from my book of receipts when I get home tonite and post it on here.

Robby

Jeff- thanks for the info...

Tifo- is Ken near Cincinatti? If so, that's not TOO far away from me really- yes, if you get a chance- let me have his info too- it's worth a short e-mail or phone conversation... I just don't like wasting people's time, but, I like to call when I'm serious about something & can usually feel someone out in a few minutes- a full engine rebuild is worth taking the time to make few calls IMO...

tifosiman

Correct, Robby, he is between Dayton and Cincinnati, close to Middletown. I'll get the info and post it tonite. Unless Alan knows it by heart .

Chris White

If you are near him I would also recommend Ken, I have supplied him with a sleeved block / pistons for a customer last year – Ken did the final assembly and the owner won his first GT3 race with it a week or so later – he was still breaking the engine in on race weekend!
A couple of tips based on earlier posts –
Jeff – if you are using JE pistons in your 2.6 go to the 102mm instead of the 4”. They are different castings and the 4” JE pistons have extra thickness in the crowns – its there for Chevy valve relief and will do nothing for you set up except add weight to the piston.
I keep hearing about PD but I have yet to hear about a running/racing example. This is not meant as a knock against them, they really could be first class. I hope they can establish a ‘track’ record of reliable, high performance engines. This business needs more ‘doers’ than talkers….
The 300rwhp mark should be pretty easy to get to (and not require too many specialized parts.) You should be able to hit that mark with engine management mods and a little exhaust/wastegtate work.

Chris White
www.944enhancement.com (sorry – I haven’t had time to update the site for a while)
Current projects –
3.1liter 16v twin cam (no chain!) Tec3 (lots of other bits a pieces) – Street engine
2.6liter 16v twin cam (no chain!) Tec3 (lots of other bits a pieces) – Track engine