Which would you choose?, Subie w/325 hp or 2.8 massive IV with 225 hp Options

[hot_shoe914]

Okay I have come to a point where I am in a delima. I have a '73 2.0 car with the appearance group package that has had all 911 suspension upgrades and I will also be adding GT flares. I was originally going to put a 2.8 IV in it with about 225 horses but now am considering a subie engine putting out about 325 horses or more. I have always been a purist but there is something to be said for smoking the competion through the curves and also being able to dust the muscle cars down the highways. I can get into the 2.8 for around 7000.00 for motor and tranny minus installation. I can get into the subie for about 4800.00 minus installation.

What are the thoughts and opinions out there along with the pros and cons for each. All input would be greatly appreciated.



Donald

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[DBCooper]

You can get a 220 hp 2.8 from Jake for seven grand? All in? I think you might want to check that again.

Keep it "original"? You're suggesting that I make sacrifices just so I can keep that original VW 411 motor? Hmmm.... OK, I can see your point, but I'm not seeing why I should be looking forward to that. As for going TIV because you're old, I guess that means I'm older, because I've adjusted valves, changed points and cleaned idle jets all my life and I think I've had just about enough of that. And for good order's sake nobody drifts Subaru's. They're four wheel drive cars, so too much traction to drift. Try drag racers and rally cars, more like it. And there's nothing uncool about rally cars.

I've always thought that "you know you can't race a Subaru" was a specious argument. Yes, you most certainly can race a water cooled 914, but since you'll be in a higher and more competitive (cubic dollars) class you're going to have some very formidable competition. So if you go Subaru you probably aren't going to be racing to WIN, but you can certainly go racing for FUN, which is why you're doing the conversion anyway. Isn't it? And with 300 horsepower you'll be waving bye-bye and thanks a lot to those aircooled fours all day after they wave you by. Now THAT'S fun! Can't race PCA? Since they don't much like my NARP anyway that doesn't bother me too much.

Either engine will give you more than enough horsepower. With flares you already won't have an "original" car, so that's not a consideration either. Even a used Subaru will give you twice or three times the miles that you'll get from a big four, with less than half the hassle. And if it breaks after 100,000 miles just get another used $2000 motor, they're all over the place, and bolt it in in an evening. No hassles. With either engine you'll be breaking transmissions more often than that. But that bnings up a consideration not mentioned, that the Subaru might have too much horsepower. No kidding, with that much HP you can spin the tires pretty much at will under sixty mph. So unless you have maturity and some skills it might be prudent to dial it down a bit and go with Jake's motor. Easier to control.