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Posted by: dsphoto Jul 3 2013, 07:21 PM

hey guys
i'm in no position to be even consider it but was day dreaming today when a stealth r/t passed me on my way home from work.

do people convert 914's to all wheel drive? i was just thinking how awesome that would be with a 6 cyl. I mean if there are people doing big block conversions to pt cruisers, there must be people doing awd on 914's right?

if so, what do they use for drive train? i'm guessing it takes a ton of custom mods, but curious how its done with a rear engine and tranny.

didn't see any clear threads on it so if there is one, please point me to it and i won't bother asking anymore questions.

happy 4th! keep your fingers and extremities safe, wear goggles if you're getting serious.

Posted by: r_towle Jul 3 2013, 07:54 PM

Tranny is behind the motor, so routing the driveshaft would be very hard to do.
Not that I have thought about it

Posted by: kg6dxn Jul 3 2013, 08:17 PM

If you could live with a VW/Audi transverse engine, it it doable. There would have to be some diff flipping and the engine would sit a little rearward. But it could be done.

I would rather see a AWD Bug or Karmann Ghia using a Subaru setup...

Posted by: balljoint Jul 3 2013, 08:18 PM

Need a particular kind of donor.

Posted by: kg6dxn Jul 3 2013, 08:23 PM

Nice but out of reach for most of us...

Posted by: cwpeden Jul 3 2013, 08:47 PM

I'm sure its possible.....


This one isnt too out of reach

Posted by: dsphoto Jul 3 2013, 10:32 PM

lol interesting... after i posted i started thinking more about the tranny being behind the motor which i didn't before. definitely not an inexpensive option. i guess its really not a major focus or temptation with the mid-rear engine and weight distribution stock on the 914s. i suppose if really desired on a smaller budget and if you have some major metal work and engineering abilities you could move the motor up front and go with a more traditional turbo I4 or small v6 to just put the drive train of an eclipse gsx, subaru or something into the frame of the 914, but that would be blasphemous (and defeat the whole purpose of having a 914) and might even take more money and effort than the r8 donor. either way not gonna happen here. rwd is a-ok. i was just curious if anyone had done it. Maybe one of the rear v8 conversions would be easier to make into 4x4? I still don't get the idea behind putting a v8 in a 914 but hey, to each his own. i'm sure they are fast as hell.

Posted by: Shindog1961 Jul 4 2013, 02:02 AM

Of course it's possible. Every AWD or 4wd car I have ever owned the tranny is behind the engine. I can't think of a car it's not. The transfer case would just be really far back, you need a long connection between the transfer case and the front diff for 4wd. Maybe a Suby swap engine/ drivetrain /with just a 914 body? I don't think you could do it cheaply. It would be interesting to see if you get significant handling changes. If all that fits behind the engine, you could get a custom shaft for the transfer case. Else like dsphoto says put everything up front and you have a 4wd or awd setup like most cars or trucks.

Posted by: r_towle Jul 4 2013, 04:25 AM

Has anyone seen an AWD vw beetle, a classic beetle?

A Subaru powered beetle seems almost workable...

Posted by: Jon H. Jul 4 2013, 09:01 AM

The German army had all wheel drive Beetles in WWII as staff cars. Used parts from the Kubellwagen and Schwimwagen.

http://volkswagenbeetle.goyalive.com/1942-volkswagen-beetle-4wd.html

Jon

Posted by: sixnotfour Jul 4 2013, 09:04 AM

Dave LaTourette in North Bend Washington, has built an early and late beetle AWD

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=446174

another
http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=134436

Posted by: Andyrew Jul 4 2013, 09:14 AM

Unless your planning to make over 300hp, you really cant use AWD. With wide tires the 914 handles the power fairly well.

Now if you wanted like 400-500hp, awd and use a subaru or audi powertrain, I can see it done. I have thought about it myself, but realize the rear trunk would be gone and a lot of the weight would be in the rear. Also there really isnt a way to put the engine in the front either so unless you have like the R8 engine mentioned above that puts a propshaft through the physical engine, you wont retain proper weight balance.

Posted by: plays with cars Jul 4 2013, 09:41 AM

How about a Porsche? Carrera 4, C4S, Turbo Don't you hate it when the obvious answers elude you?

Posted by: tomeric914 Jul 4 2013, 06:38 PM

Posted by: Dave_Darling Jul 5 2013, 02:01 AM

But the engine has been in the front, hasn't it? So the transmission is in the middle of the car, and you can run a driveshaft straight back from it to the rear wheels.

The 914 has the engine in the middle--so any driveshaft will have to go through the engine, or around it. Neither of which would be easy...

--DD

Posted by: Chris Scott Jul 5 2013, 10:44 AM

Build a hybrid, use an electric motor to drive the fronts

Posted by: 1973_1.7 Jul 5 2013, 03:30 PM

Here is an old norwegian rallycross 4x4 beetle

http://www.finn.no/finn/car/used/object?finnkode=42507360

T1 engine case, 3 litre porsche heads, kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection, 400 hp.

Nice car! Rumours have it they were fast back in its day, built in the 80s.

Posted by: BajaXJ92 Jul 5 2013, 08:09 PM

You are joking, right?

Posted by: Chris Scott Jul 5 2013, 08:46 PM

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204224604577027960328012908.html
Above is the link to the Porsche GT3 R Hybrid a 670-horsepower, all-wheel-drive, 2,860-pound gas-electric cyclone with the fronts driven by 2 electric motors.