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

[nimblemotorsports]

I'm confused.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thisthreadisworthlesswithoutpics.gif)

Is the purple one your car?
Those are GT flares, use the stock suspension. maybe beef it up a bit for higher HP.

Yes the $200 purple car is what I just bought for this project.

Here is my $1 944 too, if you want more pics...
oh that is on my phone, here is my corvair....

[nimblemotorsports]

Green car in your 1st post has stock width suspension.

No reason to widen track. I question entire post now reading it again. Volvo FWD suspension? How did I miss that? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif)

http://www.patrickmotorsports.com/project/...onster/#image_2

I think you must have missed the entire point! I am putting another body on this 914,
and THAT body is 6 inches wider than even the flared 914.

I already said this is a stupid crazy project. Volvo suspension makes perfect sense to me! It has the perfect track width for my other body.

[Mueller]

Green car in your 1st post has stock width suspension.

No reason to widen track. I question entire post now reading it again. Volvo FWD suspension? How did I miss that? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif)

http://www.patrickmotorsports.com/project/...onster/#image_2

I think you must have missed the entire point! I am putting another body on this 914,
and THAT body is 6 inches wider than even the flared 914.

I already said this is a stupid crazy project. Volvo suspension makes perfect sense to me! It has the perfect track width for my other body.

I've tracked my '98 S70 T5, I wouldn't think of using anything from it for a hot rod (except for the engine since I made adapter plates to bolt that series motor to a Ford T5 transmission for RWD applications)

[Mueller]

I'm confused.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thisthreadisworthlesswithoutpics.gif)

Is the purple one your car?
Those are GT flares, use the stock suspension. maybe beef it up a bit for higher HP.

Yes the $200 purple car is what I just bought for this project.

Here is my $1 944 too, if you want more pics...
oh that is on my phone, here is my corvair....

I take you've seen this car?
Suspension from 2 different 911 series vehicles, I think he lives somewhere in the Bay Area as I've seen him at a few different car shows locally.

http://www.streetmusclemag.com/news/classi...che-transplant/

[nimblemotorsports]

I take you've seen this car?
Suspension from 2 different 911 series vehicles, I think he lives somewhere in the Bay Area as I've seen him at a few different car shows locally.

http://www.streetmusclemag.com/news/classi...che-transplant/

I've seen that article, not the actual car in person. Looks like some nice work!

To get back to my 914-based kitcar project, here are the swing arms, seems I can just splice in some more round tubing to extend out the wheel mounting. No opinions on this idea?
Seems just as good as wheel spacers or big offset wheels like we see on other cars.

I also need a wider track in the front too!

In regards to the Volvo parts, the volvo is like a 3500 lb car, it has big disks and brakes compared to the 914 parts. Also, no way I can afford to use 911 parts.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-11645-1451348707.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.

[ChrisFoley]

To get back to my 914-based kitcar project, here are the swing arms, seems I can just splice in some more round tubing to extend out the wheel mounting. No opinions on this idea?

Vellios used to make a replacement section for the trailing arms that did a little of what you have in mind. Their cast piece had a deeper bearing pocket for 911SC bearings and 3 1/2" bolt spaced ears for larger calipers.
I think you would be wise to incorporate a similar mod at the same time as you extend the tube.
You will have to stiffen the trailing arms to resist the increased twisting loads.

My raised rear suspension kit would allow you to spread the trailing arm mounts on the chassis, maybe an inch on each side would be possible without difficulty.
But I have no kits in stock and I'm busy enough that it would be a few months before I found time to build one.

[Jeff Hail]

I take you've seen this car?
Suspension from 2 different 911 series vehicles, I think he lives somewhere in the Bay Area as I've seen him at a few different car shows locally.

http://www.streetmusclemag.com/news/classi...che-transplant/

I've seen that article, not the actual car in person. Looks like some nice work!

To get back to my 914-based kitcar project, here are the swing arms, seems I can just splice in some more round tubing to extend out the wheel mounting. No opinions on this idea?
Seems just as good as wheel spacers or big offset wheels like we see on other cars.

I also need a wider track in the front too!

In regards to the Volvo parts, the volvo is like a 3500 lb car, it has big disks and brakes compared to the 914 parts. Also, no way I can afford to use 911 parts.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-11645-1451348707.jpg)

Howdy son,

Its not as easy as you think to just go and weld in some inches to the bearing carriers. Have you plotted the outer CV joint angles? Thought about axles rubbing the inboard side of the carrier tubes as you move the hubs outward?

Make it easy.
Almost every racer that has built a mortgage level race car has been able to utilize the stock configuration by simply reinforcing arms and pickups in one way or another.

Even the business class racers still use that configuration with the exception of custom arms and going north into tube chassis territory. Like my buddy Roger Sheridan and folks like Carl Amond when he built his car etc.

Couple of reasons -It does work and the racing rule book for certain groups says Gentlemen start your engines but you really cant mess with this, that and that thing over there. Then we have this group that uses what we call silhouetting. "Hey it looks stock configuration to me just a little beefier and safer, ya know it kinda does and everything is safety wired so we will let you run". Its much tougher to get past spec these days with scrutineers.

Then there are the free agents that just build what they want. Bat shit crazy we all love to see like Pandoras Box with the blown big small block, Tygas project, Danas Ankle killer speedster and many others here. Each has a madness to it but we love it because its different..its a form of art..

Vulva suspension on a 914? No - strut mounting is way to high on top and bottom and its damn heavy. You don't need tank parts on a 914. Lots of better options out there for suspension. You already have half a 911 now why change what still kicks ass today or you could go C5, Miata, Lotus, 996 with a lot more work. If you are looking to put 300,400, 500 HP on the ground it can be done with the factory configuration by strengthening the unibody and pickups. (cage, reinforcements etc)

Vulva engine and transmission. Most of the newer AWD's are sidewinder engines. That presents a space problem since both the engine and transaxles are fat to say the least. The transfer case is piggybacked or integral on any AWD. If you went with an older AWD option (since old Vulvas were RWD) that transaxle is something like 40 inches long with another 4 inches of slip joint sticking out the rear. If you can make it rain a new M66 six speed may work but hence its still a sidewinder and space is an issue for anything other than a 'longitudinale posteriore' layout.

Porsche, Audi, Suby transaxles are going to the best bet here. Volvo makes great SKF bearings but the boys at Gotthenberg didn't do so good in the racing arena as others did.

All sorts of options for powertrains from Porsche, Subaru, Wankel, Audi even a nice small block like a crate or used 350 which is about as cheap as it gets for the HP buck. Once you get into turbos and huffers open your wallet, it takes rain. If you are skilled and can do all the modifications yourself you will save a bunch.

Now about that body? You are going to put another body on this 914? I think we got that assuming a kit car body or some type of GRP material being grafted like a Lazer, Manx, Sterling or Colon Coachworks fitment BUT 6 inches wider. We are holding our breath -cant wait to see what you have in store.

Widening the track: Take a look at the examples. Most have gone with high offset wheels and spacers even the business class jets.

My neighbor upstairs Racer Chris Foley makes a bitch'en pick up kit. Its probably one of if not the strongest well though out modifications you might consider doing. Price is reasonable and quality top notch.

[nimblemotorsports]

I think we can sum up by saying super dish wheels is the way almost everyone increase track width on a 914. And since that won't work for me..

I have confirmed that everyone agrees using Volvo setup is a bad, stupid idea.
Perfect, then Volvo is what I should do!

BTW, just to add a pic, I snapped a shot of this vehicle where I picked up the $200 914.
I bet most would agree this was a bad idea! lol

[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

[Mueller]

A setup that is being used on the "real" RWD Volvos like my 242* is S60 rotors (330mm) and Cadillac CTS-V calipers which can be found as cheap as $118 at the dealers so figure even cheaper used.

*Mine is getting Cobra Mustang SN95 spindles with 13" rotors and bigger calipers once I figure out how I am going to tap the strut housing I cut 3" off of to make the Saab Bilstiens fit in them..... so yes many of us have oddball projects with crap from other makes and models.

[Justinp71]

I think we can sum up by saying super dish wheels is the way almost everyone increase track width on a 914. And since that won't work for me..

I have confirmed that everyone agrees using Volvo setup is a bad, stupid idea.
Perfect, then Volvo is what I should do!

BTW, just to add a pic, I snapped a shot of this vehicle where I picked up the $200 914.
I bet most would agree this was a bad idea! lol

Ha, does that have a v8 in it? Looks like a Tonka toy, but in a weird way it is a respectable build.