Conversion owners who has the most HP, Tell me your bad experiences Options

[736conver]

Besides costs of the conversion kit. Does anybody have bad experiences with a big HP engine.
Would you ever go back to a six or four. Or is it once you go 8 you will never go back.

I have been offered a 383 stroker for $1500 comes complete from carb to oil pan. Over 400 HP.

[nocones]

350hp, 390lb. ft.
No problems (due to power) so far.
Just make sure your transaxle is up to snuff.

As to going back... I would take a very nice 914/4, especially with a big RAT!

[iamchappy]

3.0 Turbo six soon to be 3.3 400hp, who needs a V8.
I believe Maltise Falcons twin turbo six has over 500hp. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif)

[736conver]

Yea a bigger six then my current 2.2 would be nice. This V8 is tempting though.

[skline]

I dont know, I believe there is an over the top line. I think a good well balanced 300 HP is more than enough for a little 914. Where are you going to ever get the chance to drive it to its limitations? How much fun could you possibly have? I like the power and acceleration of my 8 but I have seen some very quick 6's. A 383 in a 914 would be quite a handful when trying to perform on a track. You will need a much stronger gearbox than a 901. Even with modifications, the 901 wont handle the torque of a 383. You will need a 930 gearbox at least. It starts adding up in cost as quick as the car accelerates. Talk to Chris Jullian , he has a 383 in his car.

[marks914]

265HP SBC, No probs.
I am also running a tall gear tranny. Anyone done any burnouts with their 901? Im afraid Im going to break it.
Mark

[Mueller]

only negatives I've ever heard are transmission life (depending on use and abuse and which model)


and if driven very hard with lot's of traction, the chassis wanting to tear itself apart...of course this was on a 914 with a dyno'd 700hp (on nitrous) with 10+" wide slicks and flogged on the 1/4 mile a few times.....

[MikeP]

Investing in a good cage will help street the power and limit the amount of "tearing" your car will want to do. You will also want to consider good cooling for the 383 the more hp the more heat. My v8 is around 450 and my 915 isn't living but my RH radiator is performing well. My 930 conversion is going to run around $7500 but I'm paying to have a lot of the work done. 914s (trans excluded) will hold up well to around 400. 5, 6, 7 you start getting problems.

[jimkelly]

I look forward to more replies. For me - a first time 914 owner - my newly acquired 1972 914 needs some work before I can get it inspected - but once I do - I plan to replace bad items part by part. Once these things are done - I want either a Chevy 350 V8 or a 2.5 subaru in mine. I will continue to use a 901 transmission cause money is tight and because I have an extra side shift and tail shift in case I destroy one. The most basic crate V8 is about $1400 minus manifold/carb/dist/misc but pumps out 250hp. A 2.5 sub pumps out about 175 but the radiator can fit into the engine compartment which is real nice. The V8 would be low tech were as the sub would be relatively higher tech. I'm torn. If I had $5k laying around I'd probably be losing sleep thinking about it (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/driving.gif)

[nocones]

My chassis twists up when I get on the gas. That's why I'll be installing a cage and Engmans inner long kit. Should help bunches. Oh yeah, I do have lots of tire/traction.

Is it wreched excess? Of course, but it's sooo much fun to squeeze on the gas in a corner, light the tires and complete the turn sliding. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/burnout.gif)

I've never done dead-stop, burnouts on purpose, but it will spin the tires if I stomp on the gas in upshifts through 4th.
It's all abotu being smooth to be fast.
In the future I'll clean up the heads and shoot for an even 400hp.

If I ever have the $$$ I'll do a 930 but until then I'll just try to be nice to my 915.

A big six would be great, especially one like Chappy or Maltese, but the cost is prohibitive for me. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/confused24.gif)

[Andyrew]

Chris Julians car Wasnt really dialed in at the wcc. Mine was able to keep up with him.. but he didnt drive it super hard either. That was on the twisties...

But his 383 is making monster tq.. I dont know how much more that would feel than a 350.. My sugestion is to get a mild cam to move the tq up above 2k (mine is like that... its very streetable, and very powerful..) It also moves up the redline and usable power range.. Very helpful for the track... and makes good noise..

I'd love to have a four again... but trade it for a equally preped 8? Nah.. An equally prepped 6 with the same hp? Maybe...

But torque is fun.... Really...


Keep in mind im only running 240rwhp and 275rwtq. (roughly 275hp 315tq crank)

Your limiting hp factor is the heads... You dont want alot of hp? Get smog heads (like me!! only reason, I believe, that my trani has held up so far)

But, if you've got a 383 with 205 street tires all around.. who cares if you run it through a 901... lol

Andrew

oh ya..

QUOTE

Is it wreched excess? Of course, but it's sooo much fun to squeeze on the gas in a corner, light the tires and complete the turn sliding.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/agree.gif)

Mark, I havent done any purpose built burnouts (tried a couple times... but it just hooked up... darn 255's... I didnt use enough throttle.. i was scared... lol) but from a stop.. turning on to a street? I do that all the time...

[andys]

Terry Steward's car, that blue winged monster at the Camarillo Friday night '05 WCC, has a 500hp 383 and 930. His car was built for that kind of power from the get go. Full cage, big tires, etc. It's predominantly a track car (with license plates). It is reasonably well behaved on the track....rode around The Streets of Willow with him, and on the street. Having said that, I doubt it wold make a good daily driver......I think you'd get tired of it pretty quick.

Balance......build your car as a balanced package, otherwise it'll handle no better than an blown nitrous big block '32 highboy with wrinkle walls.

Andy

[neo914-6]

I rode in Chris Julians car at WCC and it handled amazingly well on the Mulhulland twisties but I'm sure the super wide slicks helped. His 383 didn't launch as fast as the another 400+hp 358 V8 914 I rode in. Both had the Pantera ZF which could take the stress but it's probably because Chris' 383 was built with older performance parts. There are no negatives unless this power is not matched to the rest of the car/components for durability and safety.

[JmuRiz]

QUOTE (736conver @ Jun 29 2005, 08:37 AM)

Yea a bigger six then my current 2.2 would be nice. This V8 is tempting though.

If you've already got a 6 conversion, why not just buy a bigger 6, easy swap. Either a 3.2 or 3.6 hopped up. Then again you could sell your 2.2 6 and use all that money to make a v8 conversion with $ to spare probably.

[736conver]

QUOTE

If you've already got a 6 conversion, why not just buy a bigger 6, easy swap. Either a 3.2 or 3.6 hopped up. Then again you could sell your 2.2 6 and use all that money to make a v8 conversion with $ to spare probably.

Like I said a bigger six would be nice but $$$$. Its a hard choice.

[rick 918-S]

QUOTE (marks914 @ Jun 29 2005, 08:39 AM)

265HP SBC, No probs. I am also running a tall gear tranny. Anyone done any burnouts with their 901? Im afraid Im going to break it. Mark

Me and Ed Morrow came out of the car wash at the WCC "05" side ways! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/aktion035.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/driving.gif) I thought I had 300 hp until We did the leak down test.... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/sad.gif) I can't wait until my motor is fresh! We'll be going from this... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/aktion035.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/driving.gif) to this!!!! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/driving.gif)

[Maltese Falcon]

Nathan's got the right idea, do up a 3.2 motronic--you can reuse your sheetmetal etc.
A 3.6 is better yet-but you'd need a shopping list of parts from (Patrick's). You could sell your 2.2 to the early 911 resto guys and recover much $$ towards your upgrade.
MFalcon

[redshift]

I had a 383/425 that I didn't build, made with early Renegade stuff, and an early Camaro cooling rig.

It didn't cool very well, I tore up some CVs. Mine never really was dialed in very well.

If you have the cash, or luck to go ZF shopping... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)


M

[turbo914v8]

Good day all,

Chris Julian’s car at WCC had motor and carb jetting problems that he was unaware of. He is now, or has already corrected the problems. He will be a holly terror the next time you see him.

I currently have a twin turbo charged, twin intercooled 355 Chevy mated to a Pantera box in my 914. The motor puts out 1000HP and 1039 LBS or torque. Monster power. Yes I know its stupid to have so much power in such a lightweight car. I just got carried away. After corresponding with Chris Julian and examining his car I have realized that I really need to further strengthen the chasse and install a proper cage. So I have recently purchased a new virtually rust free 914 and will be starting form scratch. In the future I will post my progress. Monster 914.

I am just a MAD Canadian Eh........

[neo914-6]

QUOTE (turbo914v8 @ Jun 30 2005, 06:41 AM)

Good day all, Chris Julian’s car at WCC had motor and carb jetting problems that he was unaware of. He is now, or has already corrected the problems. He will be a holly terror the next time you see him. I currently have a twin turbo charged, twin intercooled 355 Chevy mated to a Pantera box in my 914. The motor puts out 1000HP and 1039 LBS or torque. Monster power. Yes I know its stupid to have so much power in such a lightweight car. I just got carried away. After corresponding with Chris Julian and examining his car I have realized that I really need to further strengthen the chasse and install a proper cage. So I have recently purchased a new virtually rust free 914 and will be starting form scratch. In the future I will post my progress. Monster 914. I am just a MAD Canadian Eh........

He's working on the new exhaust before he tackles the engine internals and blow by problem, I just spoke to him last week. After his intense work prior to the WCC, he's made family time a larger priority so work has not progressed as quickly.
Paul,

There's a guy in our area building a twin turbo 427sbc...He has several high hp rides.