Engine rebuild - 1.7 or 2.0 - carbs of FI, rebuild engine 1.7l 2.0l FI carbs Options

[Dtjaden]

Having just taken part in Dr. Evil's excellent transmission rebuilding clinic and having a "good as new" transmission I now want turn to rebuilding my 914's engine. I have 2 engines to start from, the 1.7l with dual Weber 40 IDF carbs that came with the car when I bought it a few month ago. This engine has low compression and leaks a LOT of oil. The internal details of the engine are unknown.

My second starting point could be a 2.0l engine I picked up a few weeks ago in non-running condition. This engine included all standard FI parts except the fuel pump. I tore this engine partially down today and found that it had a dropped exhaust valve seat. Examining the heads I also found hairline cracks in 3 of the spark plug locations and evidence that one valve seat had been previously been repaired. I would also need an exhaust for this engine.

My goal is to build a 2056 or 2270 cc engine, primarily for street use with the possibility of the occasional track day. I realize that the 2056 would most likely be less expensive to build but this not my primary concern. Reliability comes first and performance second (60/40%).

So....

Which engine would be the best basis?
Should I have the 2.0l heads repaired and use these? If so, who are some recommended shops for the repairs plus porting, etc.?

If I build a 2270 I assume that the stock FI will not cut it, so the Webers I already have would probably be my best choice. Long term I would like to transition this to Megasquirt FI but will I have an issue with a carb vs FI cam?

If I build a 2056 I would most likely want to use the stock FI.

What cam(s) would be a good choice for the two options?

What am I not considering?

Thanks for any help!

Darryl