Type 4 build cost, educate me Options

[chrisg]

OK, I've searched and I'm tired of going through old threads so excuse me if this has been done too many time before.
I've been here for a while off and on and really hope to have time to get my car back on the road some day while I still have reflexes and my wits about me so I can drive. I am constantly thinking about how I will build it. I need more counseling in the motor department. Educate me again about what it is that make building a type 4 cost so damn much? I see where parts are becoming scarce and there is the usual machining and balancing to be done and maybe I am ignorant to building an aircooled VW motor, but damn!
I'd love to keep my car with an aircooled motor, be it VW or Porsche (fantasy), but I also want torque and hopefully FI (carbs seem so archaic, not to mention all the ethanol problems we experience; my carbed motorcycles hate the crap, I'm tied of cleaning jets!)
A six is very alluring, but every thread tells me it is out of my budget and I really am OK with keeping the Type 4. A 2056 w/ fi cam (most likely built by McMark) is really my most likely route but wonder if the cost vs. satisfaction will be there. A 2270 sounds more tempting to me, but then there is the fi problem (cost)
My real question is why does even the 2056 cost so damn much? or am I just not realizing how bitchin' a $5-6K 2056 w/factory fi will be. I've only driven my GA 2.0 w/ l jet, and it was foot on the floor slow.
I keep going back to the Suby conversion at that point but it just seems wrong and the radiator set ups I've seen just don't sit well with me.
Keeping it aircooled just seems like the right thing to do. Am I just being cheap?

[r_towle]

A 2.0 motor has Djet, not Ljet FI.

You may be driving a 1.8 liter Ljet which if I recall is the lowest HP of all the motors.

A 2056 can be built by the DIY person (depending upon condition )
1-2k for the head work
1200-1800 for the remaining parts.

30 hours to assemble.
50 hours to assemble a balanced, blueprinted motor.

Those are rough numbers, and I have built more than a few.
Not in business, but I do it for fun.

If you are going to compare a classic Porsche with a modern subaru, you will never be happy.
The shifting will always fall short, and the 0-60 times will always fall short unless you make a larger motor.

For the cool factor, an aircooled porsche gets cooler as it gets older.

And, aside from a race track, I cant find a decent place to really push a 914 to the edge...there are just to many other stupid people on the roads nowadays.


Rich

[chrisg]

A 2.0 motor has Djet, not Ljet FI.

You may be driving a 1.8 liter Ljet which if I recall is the lowest HP of all the motors.

A 2056 can be built by the DIY person (depending upon condition )
1-2k for the head work
1200-1800 for the remaining parts.

30 hours to assemble.
50 hours to assemble a balanced, blueprinted motor.

Those are rough numbers, and I have built more than a few.
Not in business, but I do it for fun.

If you are going to compare a classic Porsche with a modern subaru, you will never be happy.
The shifting will always fall short, and the 0-60 times will always fall short unless you make a larger motor.

For the cool factor, an aircooled porsche gets cooler as it gets older.

And, aside from a race track, I cant find a decent place to really push a 914 to the edge...there are just to many other stupid people on the roads nowadays.


Rich

current motor is a 2.0, motor was swapped at some point and original L-jet was adapted.
Definitely keeping it aircooled. I've pondered the Suby route many times and just can't go there.

[r_towle]

A 2.0 motor has Djet, not Ljet FI.

You may be driving a 1.8 liter Ljet which if I recall is the lowest HP of all the motors.

A 2056 can be built by the DIY person (depending upon condition )
1-2k for the head work
1200-1800 for the remaining parts.

30 hours to assemble.
50 hours to assemble a balanced, blueprinted motor.

Those are rough numbers, and I have built more than a few.
Not in business, but I do it for fun.

If you are going to compare a classic Porsche with a modern subaru, you will never be happy.
The shifting will always fall short, and the 0-60 times will always fall short unless you make a larger motor.

For the cool factor, an aircooled porsche gets cooler as it gets older.

And, aside from a race track, I cant find a decent place to really push a 914 to the edge...there are just to many other stupid people on the roads nowadays.


Rich

current motor is a 2.0, motor was swapped at some point and original L-jet was adapted.
Definitely keeping it aircooled. I've pondered the Suby route many times and just can't go there.

If a properly tuned 2.0 liter (questionable with your setup honestly) is not enough to make you smile, the difference between a 2.0 liter and a 2056 liter is most likely not going to be worth your efforts.
A 2.0 liter is 94mm cylinder, 71mm stroke.
a 2056 is 96mm cylinder, 71mm stroke.

You may want to go to a 2270 for more torque...
96m pistons (cheaper head work) and 74mm or 78mm stroke,,,,your choice.

Also, a fun motor is a 2.4 liter with 71mm stroke and 104mm pistons.
That power curve seems to fit the 914 nicely.

Power costs more in aircooled.
Power is not "all" in the heads, but they were not a great design to begin with and someone who knows how to port these heads will change your car...in a big way.

If its mainly a street car, dont go for super flowing heads, go for a longer stroke first.
To much flow and too much camshaft will move your power far too high in the RPM range to make it streetable anymore...it actually sucks to drive a car like that.

the 2270 motor is the easiest one to do, but research the rod ratio and keep it on the conservative side to ensure you dont get piston slap and potential binding with the wrong length rods and piston pin height.

EMW will steer you right for the parts...and they have a machine shop also.

price shopping go to European motorwerks....great guys.

I believe they will sell you a turnkey motor also, and so will FAT performance.

Keep in mind that the winning 914 at the Porsche parade, for many years is running a 2.8 liter type 4 motor built by FAT performance.


rich