Porsche 914 - 101, I need the basics... please help Options

[Carlitos Way]

I'm thinking about adopting a 914. I have average mechanical ability. I think I have found a car I like, which finally does NOT seem like a rust bucket. But there are some concerns I have. THis is a 30 year-old car, after all. Not everything feels "just right" about the car. I would like to turn this into a nice "regular" driver, not just for weekends, not for every day driving. Just something to have fun in, but reliability is a factor/concern.

Now, here's the tough part. It seems the car will need the following adjustments/upgrades:

1. Tires... PO has some CHEAP tires... not even low profile, just 165 R 15's
2. Brakes. IT seems the breaks are rather spongy... and the car takes a while to brake. Since I'd like to run a couple of canyons for fun, brakes are an important part of the equation... what's the "right" way to do the brakes?
3. I hate the (steel) wheels in the car... want to put bigger (wider) tires... what's the max I can put in a "stock" wheel well... without having to massage the fenders?
4. Engine seems fairly GUTLESS. I know I will have to replace the engine at some time... perhaps sooner rather than later. However, I am not sure what's the best way to do this... I've read about conversions, upgrades, etc... from a Chevy to a bigger VW/Porsche engine... Is there a way to make a stock '75 (1.8, I believe) engine peform better without spending an arm and a leg? and if I should consider upgrading... shoud I go ahead and find a 2.0? if I stay with a 2.0, do I have to change the whole injection system as well, or is it a "bolt-on" from the 1.7?

I think these are my biggest concerns so far... if you have some light to shed, please feel free to do so!

Carlos

[ArtechnikA]

1. Tires... PO has some CHEAP tires... not even low profile, just 165 R 15's
2. Brakes. IT seems the breaks are rather spongy
3. ...want to put bigger (wider) tires... what's the max I can put in a "stock" wheel well...
4. Engine seems fairly GUTLESS.... Is there a way to make a stock '75 (1.8, I believe) engine peform better without spending an arm and a leg?... if I stay with a 2.0, do I have to change the whole injection system as well...

1) 165-15 was the original tire specified for the car.
2) there are many articles here and elsewhere on maintaining the brakes; the stock brakes are just fine for a stock car, when they're working as the factory intended. if you have no history on the car, you're probably due for a new master cylinder, rebuilt calipers, new pads, new flex hoses, and of course, new, good, brake fluid.
3) varies a lot by manufacturer and specific tire. something in the 195-60 or 205-50 range.
4) 914's are not about power, they are about handling. if you are determined to drag race the car, find a conversion already done. most 914's are quick enough if they're tuned properly, although if the engine is just worn out that'll affect things.

it sounds as if the car is pretty original, so you have to decide how much you wish to retain that originality, and how many modifications you want to make. if it's a lot, you may be better off buying a car that's closer to your image and goal.

the 1,8's AFC injection can be made to work with more displacement. if you were able to find a COMPLETE 2,0 with all the injection parts that'd be cool - but you chould know that a lot of people are looking for that same package ... you've mentioned all 3 engine sizes in your post, and only made one reference to a year. what size is the engine in question, actually ?

for some reason, people new to Porsches in general and 914's in particular seem to be under the misconception that Porsche left a lot of power on the table. that like a factory Chevy, "all you have to do" is slap on a new intake manifold and some headers and pick up 50 HP. like most Porsches, 914's were built to be driven as hard as they'll pretty much all day and thank you for it later; they are reliable. the big reason Porsches won all those endurance races is that they were still running at the end after all the faster cars broke. you can add as much power as you like, but it will come at a cost of time, money, effort, and reliability. (you may be able to buy reliability if you are willing to spend lots more of the first three...)

do you know what you want to do with the car? is it a driver ? a show-quality restoration project? a race car ? you can make it anything you want. some paths are more realistic than others, and some much more expensive than others.