914 V8 Conversion Companies Options

[germaneighter]

I nearly completed a '73 V8 conversion about three years ago but had to sell. I never really got it out of my system and now am thinking of doing another. I am planning a street, auto cross, DE car. I like the 283 with alum heads but I see more and more conversions with later engines so I am still investigating what I will use.

Who are the current conversion companies?

Kennedy is still around I think. I know Rod Simpson still advertises. Is Renegade still in business? Is Desert Hybrids affiliated with Renegade? how about Red Dawg? Jade Car?

My earlier experience was that Kennedy had it all together with their equipment. Quality was top notch and they knew their stuff. But they didn't offer a complete conversion. Renegade had some nice parts, water pump, alt and engine mount, radiator, but their front of the engine water pump plates and thermostat housing looked like they were cast in someones garage and they were not willing to take them back and refund my money. The quality of Simpson's stuff was excellent but I did not like a cast adaptor plate. His attention to detail was very good.

I would like to hear opinions on who offers the best. My last car was mostly Kennedy with an aluminum Renegade radiator, water pump, and mounts The engine mount and water connections were Simpson. (I kind of chose what I considered the best of each componant.)

Looking forward to hearing your opinions....

dave

'74 Delphi Green 2.0
(purchased from phantom914 here on the club)

[efeinsmith]

I'm currently in the middle of a Renegade Hybrids conversion (which got delayed a few years due to other commitments). They definitely are still in business, located in Las Vegas (Renegadehybrids.com) and are quite active in this market. I had purchased the complete conversion from therm in 2000 and while talking to Scott at Renegade, they have made some improve-ments since then. I've been to their facility and was duely impressed.

Eric

[GWN7]

Kenedy is who the others use to supply their clutches. Jade is out of business. Renegade & D.H. are not related. Don't know much about the other two.

I stared reading about the V8 conversions 4 yrs ago, bought a roller in Nevada to build one and started to save my pennies. Well, after hiching a ride at Willow Springs at the WCC05 I had to have one. I bought a almost compleated one from Camp 914 and have looked like this ever since.

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

[Andyrew]

wrote a long post and it got deleted.. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/dry.gif)

[Andyrew]

GWN was it me you hitched a ride in? I cant remember..


Laydown..

Renegadehybrids- great kit, great company.

Rod Simpson- great kit, great company, less volume than renegade

Desert Hybrids- has turned out a few very nice cars recently

Red Dawg flagship car. A nice writup on them to is there...


Best price would be mix and match... Kit would be easyer.

Did mine for just about 1500 with rebuilt engine(included in that price). Been pouring money into it ever since (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/screwy.gif). aftermarket programable FI, dizzy, new exhast.. then theres the non drivetrain related stuff...

Have fun!

[marks914]

I have a Desert Hybrid setup in my car. I was one of the first guinea pigs for his kit. David is very helpful and down to earth.

At one of the other companies the guy is very arrogant and standoffish. Even when I needed to buy a part from them I coldn't because he was being such an a$$hole. Who needs to buy a $100 throttle cable when I can get one from Terrycable for $35 or a $1000 radiator when the local shop can build the same one for $275?

DH, Renegade or Rod Simpson kits are all good stuff. I think the only bad thing about the Simpson kit is the wacky engine mount bar.

Just my two cents

Mark

[GWN7]

QUOTE (Andyrew @ Jan 15 2006, 01:53 AM)

GWN was it me you hitched a ride in? I cant remember..

Actually it was your dad that took me out.....so it's all his fault (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[neo914-6]

Dave,

Check out my signature to see how many conversions there are, much more choices these days.

Parts are available from the "big" three kit manufacturers and prices are comparable. You already know you can save if you go with the KEP adapter/clutch and a radiator and mounts from a kit mnft. I went from Jaide to KEP(returned parts) then to Renegade. Customer service seems to vary or depend on the time of day even with KEP. I don't know about DH but I hear he is very responsive. The best resource is the people on this forum or a guy who's already built exactly what you want to build...

Welcome and have fun with it! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beerchug.gif)

[germaneighter]

Can I get some opinions about propricer's 914 V8 book auctioned on EBAY?

Is it worthy the money?.....$69.14 I think

dave

[Crazyhippy]

My opinion is fairly well documented. And i will admit that i am a bit biased, but Renegade is in a whole different league than those others.

-Jaide is no more (had a great idea however)
-Red Dawg is a joke (i wrote the page linking to their "show car" (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) )
-Rod Simpson is a great guy, but is doing the work in his home garage.
-Desert Hybrids are like the chineese, the have reverse engineered everything they have. The car the did recently was really pretty, but it still had 4 lug brakes for the love of god (what other corners are they cutting??)
-Kennedy makes good stuff, btu they do not make a complete kit. They are the way to go if you are doing a "different" engine (Ferrari to 901 adapter anyone?)
-Renegade is #1 for a reason (and they are still #1, so it wasn't me (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/dry.gif) ). The 2 complaints you hear about Renegade are Price, and it not working w/ other peoples kits. Pay attention to both of these. You get what you pay for, so do it right the 1st time.

I worked for Renegade for 4 years. I have no doubt that i could build anything i need for my car, and make any of it work, and i still payed the bucks to know it is done right the 1st time. (Subaru kit is on it's way (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smilie_pokal.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) )Even bought the $1000 dollar radiator, because it works, it's proven, and it's guaranteed in these cars.

BJ(i have some less PC oppinions via PM if you're interested)H

[914GT]

QUOTE (Crazyhippy @ Jan 16 2006, 12:39 PM)

-Desert Hybrids are like the chineese, the have reverse engineered everything they have. The car the did recently was really pretty, but it still had 4 lug brakes for the love of god (what other corners are they cutting??)

No 'corners' were cut on the project and it was built to our goals and intent to build a quality basic V8 conversion car on something that resembled a budget. I challenge you to build a V8 conversion combined with a total restoration and then try to make a profit on it. I seriously doubt that you can. If you include a 5 lug 911 suspension conversion and wheels, non-stock transaxles, etc. you only add much more to the build costs and you will not recoup those costs when you try to sell.

My opinion is that Desert Hybrids is not like the 'chineese'. The parts that they build, such as water pumps, brackets, hose fittings and radiator assembly are high quality and in most cases superior in design to other suppliers. Not that there's much reverse engineering required for these basic parts, but there's nothing wrong with looking at what someone is selling and then improving on it.

[germaneighter]

How about that propricer's 914 V8 book auctioned on EBAY?

Is it worthy the money?.....$69.14 Has anyone purchased one?

Oh yea, I thought I would try to track down my last V8 project.

I sold it to a guy from Kentucky. He had the longest trailor I've ever seen. Put the orange V8 car and the black parts car end to end on it. He loaded the engine/trans and all the misc parts in the back of their pick-up. I think I had two sets of 2.0 fuchs that went with the deal.

The engine was a .060 over 283 with AIR aluminum heads, street demon carb.

I can't remember the guy's name but he got a smokin' deal.

Does anyone know if this car ever got finished? Maybe the owner is here?

[Crazyhippy]

I would pass on the book personally, all the info you want can be found here if you ask.

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

[neo914-6]

QUOTE (germaneighter @ Jan 16 2006, 06:44 PM)

How about that propricer's 914 V8 book auctioned on EBAY? Is it worthy the money?.....$69.14 Has anyone purchased one?

I haven't seen it but Ed's a sharp guy and is works with the local Ultima manufacturer. The cost is "negliable" compared to what the overall project will cost. If the information saves you from spending or loosing $69.14 within the projects scope, you got it for free... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/burnout.gif)

[Root_Werks]

I recently acquired a 73' 1.7 that I would like to put a V8 in. I would actually like to go the route of the 215V8 or a Rover 3.5 or 3.9 V8 'cause they are light and cheap to build hp from. I see Kennedy has the adapter plate for a 215, but I wonder if anyone makes one for a Rover V8? Or is it the same bolt pattern still as the 215 it was dirived from? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/idea.gif)

[andys]

QUOTE (Root_Werks @ Jan 17 2006, 09:43 AM)

I recently acquired a 73' 1.7 that I would like to put a V8 in. I would actually like to go the route of the 215V8 or a Rover 3.5 or 3.9 V8 'cause they are light and cheap to build hp from. I see Kennedy has the adapter plate for a 215, but I wonder if anyone makes one for a Rover V8? Or is it the same bolt pattern still as the 215 it was dirived from? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/idea.gif)

Can't say with 100% confidence, but I suspect the bolt patterns remained unchanged. Rover bought the 215 from Buick. Do some surfing; there's a site (or forum) in the UK for Rover performance stuff. If you get the four barrel version of the Oldsmobile 215 (which has better heads than the Buick), it is rated at a very respectable 195HP with 10:1 CR. I think all the major's still carry performance goodies for these motors. Years ago, I saw two 215 cu in motor 914 conversions; sweet, I always thought.

Andys

[Mueller]

QUOTE (Root_Werks @ Jan 17 2006, 10:43 AM)

I recently acquired a 73' 1.7 that I would like to put a V8 in. I would actually like to go the route of the 215V8 or a Rover 3.5 or 3.9 V8 'cause they are light and cheap to build hp from. I see Kennedy has the adapter plate for a 215, but I wonder if anyone makes one for a Rover V8? Or is it the same bolt pattern still as the 215 it was dirived from? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/idea.gif)

Dan,

I'd bet money (not a lot (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif) ) that the bolt patterns are the same and that Kennedy has done a more modern engine already.....

as for the

QUOTE

and cheap to build hp from.

that might be false economy...of course I've never built one or bought parts for one so I could be dead wrong.....

.............................

back to the original post....

QUOTE

$1000 radiator when the local shop can build the same one for $275?

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/bs.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif) 'cause I highly doubt that $275 includeds the fans, the sheetmetal and the ducting (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smash.gif)

As with anything, it can be done cheaper, but a lot of the "cheaply" done radiator setups, look cheap....granted there are a few homebuilt units that came out really nice........my homebuilt radiator setup looked like cr@p....I think I've deleted all pictures to protect myself from ridicule (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/screwy.gif)

I'd stick with one of the main 3 companies for for parts....I'd lean more towards Renegade mostly due to it seems they'll be around longer or are more focused on the business......I've never seen the Dessert stuff up close, but it does look nice on the web and I have yet to hear anything negative about them except from CrazzyHippy.

I do like the engine/transmission mount from Redawg, I helped replace a clutch in a ZZ4 powered 914 that had this setup and it was very nice to work with.

[Hybrid_Teener]

Has anyone done a northstar 914 conversion?

[Mueller]

QUOTE (Hybrid_Teener @ Jan 17 2006, 11:49 AM)

Has anyone done a northstar 914 conversion?

common (or used to be) motor used in dune buggies....over-rated engine with problems...newer Chevy V8s better choice (lighter, better value) if you need to go with a modern V8

[Root_Werks]

I like the 215 or Rover V8 idea. I knew a guy years ago who had a 215 in a 914. Well done conversion. The car still felt light and nimble which I also like. If the Rover 3.5/3.9 family bolts up, those engines can be had for almost nothing. they are 220hp stock I think? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/idea.gif)

If not, I will go with a 327 with alumimumumumum heads and intake to try to keep things as light as possible. Build it to rev, not torque. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/driving.gif)