There Goes The Neighborhood, Sorting out an adopted V8 build Options

[tomrev]

Can we get some pics of the fuel tank mods? Personally I would never do that but boy that is some fancy fab work!!!

Thanks! With the tank installed, not much can be seen, but I can try a few closer shots. A pair of 3in. curved exhaust pipe was slipped in and welded to make the channels. The guy who I bought it from did it, so that mod I can't claim; he made small, beautiful bits on a Bridgport mill, and tucked them all over the car, my favorite thing about the car, and spent a lot of time running the coolant lines on either side, as mentioned. I had to re-do all his wiring 'tho, and finish up the car. I'v been working on a pair of 914-8 projects for the last 6 years, one LS powered, and this one, but haven't done much 914 driving in 15 years, so am looking forward to having her back on the road!

[whitetwinturbo]

Thanks for the info! Here are a few photo's of the old girl:

Are those radiator lines running through the gas tank ? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

Now that would be exciting..........but NO...........they are self contained in boxed aluminum squares.......a very interesting and controversial design idea.

[whitetwinturbo]

Can we get some pics of the fuel tank mods? Personally I would never do that but boy that is some fancy fab work!!!

Thanks! With the tank installed, not much can be seen, but I can try a few closer shots. A pair of 3in. curved exhaust pipe was slipped in and welded to make the channels. The guy who I bought it from did it, so that mod I can't claim; he made small, beautiful bits on a Bridgport mill, and tucked them all over the car, my favorite thing about the car, and spent a lot of time running the coolant lines on either side, as mentioned. I had to re-do all his wiring 'tho, and finish up the car. I'v been working on a pair of 914-8 projects for the last 6 years, one LS powered, and this one, but haven't done much 914 driving in 15 years, so am looking forward to having her back on the road!

@tomrev

I want to learn more about your experiences.......and look forward to hearing more about your v8.

[whitetwinturbo]

Mike's wife said that he spent more money on the 914 in trying to get it how he wanted it than the Lotus Elise he bought her back in the day.

I guess multiple revisions of the car adds up to a lot of $$$

...........and a LOTUS guy too (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[whitetwinturbo]

Can we get some pics of the fuel tank mods? Personally I would never do that but boy that is some fancy fab work!!!

Thanks! With the tank installed, not much can be seen, but I can try a few closer shots. A pair of 3in. curved exhaust pipe was slipped in and welded to make the channels. The guy who I bought it from did it, so that mod I can't claim; he made small, beautiful bits on a Bridgport mill, and tucked them all over the car, my favorite thing about the car, and spent a lot of time running the coolant lines on either side, as mentioned. I had to re-do all his wiring 'tho, and finish up the car. I'v been working on a pair of 914-8 projects for the last 6 years, one LS powered, and this one, but haven't done much 914 driving in 15 years, so am looking forward to having her back on the road!

Love it...do you have a "build" thread going? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif)

[tomrev]

Nope, the silver LS powered car was finished and sold last Summer, so I could make space for the black car. I usually forget to take any photo's till it's too late, and things are covered up; hate to stop working! The black car only has 20K original miles, and has been a V8 car since it was almost new. Apparently, a small engine bay fire at 7K miles caused it to go back to the dealership, and then get sold cheap to a young guy in Chicago, who converted it to Chevy power. It stayed within a group of friends for all those years, but sat disassembled from around 2008, till I got her in March 2014, and started in. From 1984 till '98 I had a Six, which ended up with a built 3.0 that I really loved, and had the urge to get a project 914 again some years back, so Blackie is proving a lot of fun. I will post some detail photos when the 283 is back in. Thanks for your comments!

[whitetwinturbo]

Nope, the silver LS powered car was finished and sold last Summer, so I could make space for the black car. I usually forget to take any photo's till it's too late, and things are covered up; hate to stop working! The black car only has 20K original miles, and has been a V8 car since it was almost new. Apparently, a small engine bay fire at 7K miles caused it to go back to the dealership, and then get sold cheap to a young guy in Chicago, who converted it to Chevy power. It stayed within a group of friends for all those years, but sat disassembled from around 2008, till I got her in March 2014, and started in. From 1984 till '98 I had a Six, which ended up with a built 3.0 that I really loved, and had the urge to get a project 914 again some years back, so Blackie is proving a lot of fun. I will post some detail photos when the 283 is back in. Thanks for your comments!

Cool in black....and not seen a lot in CA.

Where did the 914-8 rear letter come from...I may like to get that too (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving-girl.gif)

[pdlightning]

Nope, the silver LS powered car was finished and sold last Summer, so I could make space for the black car. I usually forget to take any photo's till it's too late, and things are covered up; hate to stop working! The black car only has 20K original miles, and has been a V8 car since it was almost new. Apparently, a small engine bay fire at 7K miles caused it to go back to the dealership, and then get sold cheap to a young guy in Chicago, who converted it to Chevy power. It stayed within a group of friends for all those years, but sat disassembled from around 2008, till I got her in March 2014, and started in. From 1984 till '98 I had a Six, which ended up with a built 3.0 that I really loved, and had the urge to get a project 914 again some years back, so Blackie is proving a lot of fun. I will post some detail photos when the 283 is back in. Thanks for your comments!

Cool in black....and not seen a lot in CA.

Where did the 914-8 rear letter come from...I may like to get that too (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving-girl.gif)

I like it also!

[whitetwinturbo]

I have been working on the brakes since the fluid was probably not changed for 5 years. My brakes are all non-914 so the 14mm booster will be replaced with a sourced 19mm.

A problem surfaced when I decided to upgrade to these:



Here's the problem:



Notice the material "taken" by the threads? It was VERY difficult to remove this bleed nipple. I used a breaker bar on the wrench but only turned it slightly and then waited after a PB spray to keep cool....I did not want to break it off. I think the PO or service folks accidently overtightened it. I am hoping to retap/clean the caliper to install new item above but I have this repair kit if that does not seal correctly:

[ed11181]

I went crazy trying to get the temp under 200 degrees and then I decided to try reverse louvers. It worked! Car runs at 180 degrees and never goes higher even on a 90 degree day. Creates a low pressure system that sucks hot air out through the hood. I think that a reverse scoop would also work.

[whitetwinturbo]

That looks good. I'm probably going to punch out inner front wheel wells then "dimple" them for a finished look with this item borrowed from a good friend.

[sb914]

White twin,A guy approached me this am at cars n coffee he said he's your neighbor
Cool guy I forgot to get his name.

[whitetwinturbo]

Must have been "Jim".....that's his dimple tool AND here's some of the results!

1] Used small sawzal to cut dark grey fiberglass shroud that held duct tape to silver flex home heater piping!

Before:



After:





2] Cutting and dippling the cut out holes should provide enough venting and if not I will make more holes.

[matthepcat]

That should be more than enough venting to cool the motor. If you still run hot, start looking else where. I still think the 90 degree connection to those aluminum pipes running under the car is not the best for flow.

If the car does have a thermostat, make sure you drill an additional flow hole ( renegade sells them pre-drilled)

Get the air out of the system and you should be good to go.

[Andyrew]

Make sure you have a lip before the hole in the trunk to prevent air from coming in from the bottom of the car. You want that trunk to be a low pressure area to allow air flow naturally.
I agree about the 90 deg fittings. Might be a good idea to custom bend some metal lines to flow more naturally.

Also make sure your running some HEAVY guage wire with a relay to those fans. Seen many a v8 conversion with burned/melting fan wires.

[Mike Bellis]

If there is ANY path for air to get around the radiator, it will. Your fenders should be enough as is. Seal up the trunk floor.

You also need to check water flow and figure out the temperature differential at the radiator. Is the rad scalding hot? Or is the engine scalding hot?

You also need to vacuum any possible air out of the system. When you think you are done, do it again, and again.

[whitetwinturbo]

Got and installed the LED front upgrade from the 914World vendor.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

Note intensity of left vs right from the front. NICE!

[Hoppie944s2]

I went crazy trying to get the temp under 200 degrees and then I decided to try reverse louvers. It worked! Car runs at 180 degrees and never goes higher even on a 90 degree day. Creates a low pressure system that sucks hot air out through the hood. I think that a reverse scoop would also work.

what wheels are on this car?

[whitetwinturbo]

I thought I was so smart!

My brake Master Cyl DOES say "14" on the part that can be seen from under the car. So, I bought a new "19" to to compliment the Big Black 911 brakes.

Here's the new one clearly marked "19" at the red arrow on the part you cannot see when installed and no "19" is seen anywhere else on the main body:



Surprise!

I started to pull out the old "14" (see yellow arrow) and their is "19" (see red arrow) in the same location as the new one described above!



HELP! Is the old one a 14 or 19 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[matthepcat]

Its a 19mm. There is no 14mm version. (Stock was 17mm)