Aside from the cache, why a six over a four with same h.p.? Smoothness?, 1970-1976 914-4, 914-6 Options

[unpolire]

I have never driven a stock original 2.0 914-6. I have driven properly converted 914s with 2.7/3.0 transplants and my own stock 1.7Ls. Aside from the cache of a six in back, if you can have 200-250 h.p. from a four, why convert to a six? Is there a noticeable difference in torque and smoothness over a properly modified four? Can you feel it on the road? A serious question seeking the definitive answer that could save $10-20K later. Let's hear from both camps, pluses and minuses.

[brp986s]

I miss my -4. It was so nimble compared to my 3.2/915. You could toss the -4 around with ridiculous abandon. But if you're gonna do a -4 on the cheap, be prepared for: blown galley plugs, cracked heads, dropped valve seats, disappearing cores, disappearing djet parts, and an accumulation of damage from ham-fisted repairs over the years from knuckle dragging, mouth breathing troglodytes. I have an otherwise great 2L head laying around on which PO used split ring lock washers under the head nuts. Hmmm, mo' tight mo' gud. Totally gouged and destroyed the recesses. Can't quite bring myself to throwing it away.

[J P Stein]

I miss my -4. It was so nimble compared to my 3.2/915. You could toss the -4 around with ridiculous abandon. But if you're gonna do a -4 on the cheap, be prepared for: blown galley plugs, cracked heads, dropped valve seats, disappearing cores, disappearing djet parts, and an accumulation of damage from ham-fisted repairs over the years from knuckle dragging, mouth breathing troglodytes. I have an otherwise great 2L head laying around on which PO used split ring lock washers under the head nuts. Hmmm, mo' tight mo' gud. Totally gouged and destroyed the recesses. Can't quite bring myself to throwing it away.

Put a big block of wood under the loud pedal and you can toss it with abandon. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

BTW, you forgot broken cranks.....not that has happened to anyone around here.