Power Steering?, ouch...this is gonna hurt! Options

[Sean_S]

Ok, I know I'll be walkin' the plank for this but I figured it's a good day for it.

Assuming I could find a place to mount a pump, can power steering be retrofitted into the 914?

Has this been done before?

I'll answer the obvious question I'm going to get...why?

Well, I'm not really sure what I'm building (finishing) here. My car is likely not going to race well (even if I could find a "class" to race in), and it's not really a classic anymore.
I guess what I'm going to go for is as close to a "mid-life-crisis" luxury sports car from a 914 as can be accomplished...a novelty I suppose but perhaps unique in it's own way. Another "flavor" if you will.

I'll use the V8 power to offset the weight of the DVD player, amps, extra sound insulation...blah blah blah. I guess you see where I'm going here.
I will try to do it with some sense of style and tradition though and not "pimp" it.

In any case, the car has 10's in front and 12's in the rear...it's a lot of rubber to move.

So, to protect my limp wrists (Sure that was coming LOL!), any ideas, links, sources, and thoughts on a PS rack in the 914?

Many thanks
Sean S (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[Sean_S]

Mueller and Bob, thanks for both the defense and the push. I took the poke as a joke from the start...all is good (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Mr Mueller does make a point though...this sucker is pushing the forearm envelope...at least pushing it around in my driveway.

I honestly don't know if the car will *need* it or not. My Lotus gets pushed around alot too and the 914 is definetely harder to turn than even the light manual steering Lotus.

One point I was trying to get across though is that since the car will obviously be fast enough for any kind of street driving, and since it probably wont be allowed in any sort of track race, I might as well give up a hair of that HP and make it a bit...well..."posh".

Going that direction could possibly include such items as:

Power Steering
Power Brakes
A/C
sound system
Sound insulation
etc.

I don't see this hundred or so pounds as having a huge weight/performance penalty on this V8...especially if it is doomed to the street and occasional run up the coast.

The car by the way is 73" wide at the *front* tires and sports 285/40/15's up front and 345/35/15's in the rear.

I'm speculating that this wide track and huge rubber combined with the V8 should absorb a tiny penalty in the car.

I haven't really seen anyone go for the "luxury" 914 yet...and I'd like to be at least a little unique. No, I'm not talking about a 1976 Eldorado, but if it handled as good as a nice Carrera afterwards and was a nice coastal cruiser with some ammenities, I think I would have met an interesting goal.

On that note, there was some mention of some post 89 911 PS racks bolting in? Has that been verified?

All the Best and..
Happy Halloweeeeeeen!
Sean