Suby-engined rustoration, 22-Jun-2025 update: even more racing-related carnage! Options

[strawman]

Hi All --

This is my second post, but I've been lurking on this fine website for a while now. I've wanted a 914 since I was in high school, but always seemed to stumble upon other projects... until recently.

My neighbor gave me this 1973 Porsche 914 about a month ago. He told me he blew a head gasket and parked it in his parents' driveway in 1992. When his parents finally told him to move it or they were calling a local junkyard, he offered it to me since he knows I'm a gearhead. In for a penny, in for a pound...

I hauled it home, knowing that it has some rust issues in the battery area and rear trunk. But it appears to have never been in a wreck and it is complete. It turns out that an exhaust stud pulled, so he coulda fixed it for a couple hundred and probably kept another 914 from languishing but I guess all things happen for a reason (namely, so I would undertake this project!).

I sold the engine to a local Craigslister for use in his Meyers Manx dune buggy, and bought a wrecked but running 1993 Subaru Legacy turbo wagon. This is the closed-deck 2.2 liter engine, and 250 hp is easy with boost control and an open exhaust. I've already done a Subaru into a VW Vanagon and my daily driver is a 1992 Suby Legacy, so this won't be too much of a stretch for me. I plan to use the Suby 5-speed transmission (out of a 1998 Suby Forester) with the Aussie-sourced RWD elimination coupler and custom-mated 914/Suby axles.

I've got a suburban home with a crowded two-car garage (my 125 shifter kart and my daughter's FJA kart will likely get lonely!), a MIG welder, and a wide assortment of air/power/hand tools -- so the adventure begins! This project will likely take a year to finish, so please be patient.

I've attached some pics of the car as found in the driveway, some rust areas and the rear trunk repairs I've started. I'll chronicle the build as I go, so feel free to chime in!

Geoff

[charliew]

Hi Strawman, Good work sofar, I hope you don't get discouraged on the rust challenges. I'm also accumulating all the subie stuff.
Mind explaining the 99 forester tranny choice? I have a 96tt tranny I have done the Bremar conv too and just got a helical lsd to put in it. I'm pretty sure I can make the spline adapter on the bremar conv. out of the old parts by welding them up. The plate is just that but their's is prettier. I kinda hate to tear up the center diff though. I was hoping the tt tranny would be stronger since it was one of the first higher hp versions. (260/280) I also have a 02 5k miles wrx tranny but it's a early version and supposedly has weaker gears that they updated in late 02.
My 914 is pretty rust free. You might consider while you are fighting the longs putting the cooling tubes in them and it might also add strength to the tub. You might even consider some 3x3 thinwall tubing to replace the long and save the money on the replacement parts. I haven't got a good answer on the front of the long for the radiator tubes into the front trunk.
I'll be watching, good luck.
I've used lots of por 15 products. I wish you could sandblast all the places that you find rusty and use PPG DP epoxy primer. Paint sticks to the epoxy primer much better than the por 15. I have a jeep truck that I have used a lot of por 15 on and am going to need to redo some of it. It's about 5 yrs old now. None of the rubber undercoating has stayed on over the por 14.
Charliew

[strawman]

Mind explaining the 99 forester tranny choice?

It is what came in my donor car. The PO replaced the stock wagon auto with a 5-speed transaxle & rear diff (4.11 gears, IIRC) out of a '98 Forester, which also uses a hydraulic clutch actuation system like the Legacy Turbo sedans. I'm considering picking up a FWD Suby trans, since it is cable-actuated and I would not have to buy the Bremar kit. But I can't find any info on NASIOC on the strength of that unit. Do you know?

I've used lots of por 15 products. I wish you could sandblast all the places that you find rusty and use PPG DP epoxy primer.

I've never personally used POR-15, but my old 4WD buddies swore by the stuff. But they generally used it on their frames to ward of the Utah salt. I have a HF pressurized sandblaster; I'll have to do some research on epoxy primers vs. POR-15 -- thanks for the tip.

You might consider while you are fighting the longs putting the cooling tubes in them and it might also add strength to the tub. You might even consider some 3x3 thinwall tubing to replace the long and save the money on the replacement parts. I haven't got a good answer on the front of the long for the radiator tubes into the front trunk.

I'll have to do some research on this, too. This is strictly a fun car, since I know I can't compete well against the big bucks SCCA SM2 autocross guys. So the 3x3 idea might have some merit. But how do you tie well into the rear longs with this setup?