Options to get Wider Track, crazy stupid 914 hack car Options

[nimblemotorsports]

Hello, new guy here, I just picked up a donated 914 that is barely a roller, and will be used with a kitcar body and some offbrand junkyard motor/transaxle setup, for a super cheap road racer. To get this to look right, I need to use modern high negative offset wheels AND I need to widen the track width by 6 inches.

I know there are a lot of 'flared fender' 914s, this is probably a little wider than those, but can I just use 3 inch spacers to get the wider track? Seems a bit questionable for an actual road raced car. Not that I can afford good 3 inch spacers anyway.

Here is one that looks wide enough, not sure what suspension is in this v8 car.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/patrickms.s3.amazonaws.com-21793-1515830549.1.jpg)

I am thinking I should just go ahead and replace entirely the front and rear suspensions with ones that have the right width. I actually have a couple Volvo v70 fwd suspensions that are just the right width and can put them in front and back with all the necessary tubing welding, etc, etc.

Is there a simpler good cheap way. I need all three...simple, cheap, good.

This isn't the body kit i'm using, but to give an idea why I need wider track.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-21793-1515830078.1.jpg)

[Justinp71]

How much longer is the other body? Making it longer wheel base will alter the driving dynamics and you will need to move the transmission back as well. Also your shock mounting points will be in the wrong location if you plan to use those. Hopefully the new body is longer past the axle also?

If you want to eventually have ~500hp I would suggest an LS or Subaru turbo motor. Audi 4 cyl turbo is another popular option.

[nimblemotorsports]

The wheelbase is not being changed, just the wheel track, i.e. how far apart the wheels are. The car body is 12 inches wider than a 914. You could ask why use a 914 then, you idiot, use a Fiero or something else... but it must be older than 1976.
Because the 914 is smaller, I can put the body panels on without cutting up the 914 unibody structure, this is a requirement for the racing organization, otherwise, they will say it is a custom built tube-framed non-street-car and won't allow it.

I really don't want to say what the body is until it is done, cuz some moron who is dumber than me will do it first and that will really piss me off!

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/gearheads.org-21793-1516069903.1.jpg)

How much longer is the other body? Making it longer wheel base will alter the driving dynamics and you will need to move the transmission back as well. Also your shock mounting points will be in the wrong location if you plan to use those. Hopefully the new body is longer past the axle also?

If you want to eventually have ~500hp I would suggest an LS or Subaru turbo motor. Audi 4 cyl turbo is another popular option.

[Justinp71]

The wheelbase is not being changed, just the wheel track, i.e. how far apart the wheels are. The car body is 12 inches wider than a 914. You could ask why use a 914 then, you idiot, use a Fiero or something else... but it must be older than 1976.
Because the 914 is smaller, I can put the body panels on without cutting up the 914 unibody structure, this is a requirement for the racing organization, otherwise, they will say it is a custom built tube-framed non-street-car and won't allow it.

I really don't want to say what the body is until it is done, cuz some moron who is dumber than me will do it first and that will really piss me off!

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/gearheads.org-21793-1516069903.1.jpg)

How much longer is the other body? Making it longer wheel base will alter the driving dynamics and you will need to move the transmission back as well. Also your shock mounting points will be in the wrong location if you plan to use those. Hopefully the new body is longer past the axle also?

If you want to eventually have ~500hp I would suggest an LS or Subaru turbo motor. Audi 4 cyl turbo is another popular option.

Got it! From an engineering perspective it wont matter too much if you use deeper dish wheels, wheel spacers or extend the tube on the trailing arm (unless one of those items was a weak link itself.). You will still have the same moment force on the trailing arm from what I can tell. The only real advantage would be if you created a way to re-mount the trailing arm out farther (sounds like a lot of work!)

Fyi you can get up to 110mm studs, I think that will increase overall track ~5" I'm guessing. Then get another 7" from wider wheels. Then re-enforce the trailing arms like others have said.

914 is also pre-smog which is a huge bonus