Excellence Magazine 914 Valuations ..., prices are rising!! Options

[Mueller]

Wow, that sounds pretty good. Fiid and Jeff were very encouraging on Megasquirt. I've been thinking that I might do like Jeff and get MS all working on my current engine so that by the time I build my 2270 I'll have the experience and a working system and won't be experimenting on a new engine.

Is there a link where I can read about this? I don't see it mentioned on megasquirt.info.

Microsquirt

I plan on getting one for my Volvo 240 Turbo motor that I am building

[Jake Raby]

Actually I refer to my engine kits as "Raby Inspired"....
The only way to get a full Raby seal of approval is the complete engine that has made it through 10 hours of dyno work and has the pedigree worthy of the title..

[dmenche914]

i would thinnk a radiator car could be done right enough that if one wanted to, the removed front metal can be replaced. In many cases a collision or rust damaged car could be used, hence a bit of missing metal (as long as you save the pieces0 can be welded back in if one wiched to de-convert back to a stock motor. Look at all the cars with the AC hole cut in them, yet teh AC was removed years ago! Run the pipes carefully under teh car, and cut ans save the intake and outlet hole pieces, and you should in the future be able to "restore the car" many expensive 356's have had floors, fenders, doors, battery boxes replaced becuase of rust, and many of those panels are exterior cosmetic panels that are hard to get right looking, yet teh cars still sell for a lot.

With collisons, rust and such on most 914's 9and it will only get worse in coming years0 a good radiator install, with all the saved metal, would be a snap to return to stock look. if your trunk is already rusting, and the front already dented, the loss in value by adding a radiator would be minimal. The cost savings in buying ahigh HP V8 verses a simular HP flat four is substantial, maybe making up for any future loss in value, Sure there are higher center of gravity issues, but a V8 914 handles better than most V8 equiped cars. Motor to your passion I say, witht eh number of 914's produced far exceeding that of the 356's the values may take a bit longer to reach 356 levels. The only real big loss in value is a radiator conversion on a prestine original car.

[thomasotten]

I don't know, if I was looking at a car that had a radiator, and it shouldn't, it would tell me a lot about the car, and the previous owner. Particularly, that the owner simply gave up and joined the masses and went water cooled because it was the easiest way for him to solve the problem at hand (power, overheating, whatever). Then I would wonder what else he took "alternate routes" for. That is not to say that any modification can't be done right, and many water conversions on the club here have, it seems. But I would keep looking for "the right car".

[dmenche914]

maybe the 914 should have had a radiator in the first place??? Seems if Porsche had kept making them, they would have a radiator by now. The aircooled was a fine motor, I love them, but they do have limitations, the cooling can be an issue, they make more noise, and the design precludes the more modern multivalve design, that and other things forced Posche to add the missing radiator to the 911 series.
if anyone is looking for a radiator equiped 914 i have one for sale (don't need two) or if you want, buy it and weld up the holes in the front and go back to air cooled. If you want a modern high power in-expensive motor in the 914, adding a radiator is one way to go, maybe not the only way, but certainly viable. It like pick you own style. but the advice on keeping the parts you remove for radiator install will assure that if the 914 becomes worth its weight in gold in original configuration, you can put it back, and recover the value.

[Greg808]

Hey could someone just scan and post the valuation info from excellance
for those that don't receive it? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[anthony]

Seems if Porsche had kept making them, they would have a radiator by now.

Isn't that called a Boxster? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Of course Porsche would have put a radiator in the 914 by now.

I think the ultimate decision is whether you want a vintage aircooled 914 or some type of hybrid. Personally, I want the vintage car. A hybrid doesn't interest me but I certainly understand why for others the 914 is just a great chassis for the conversion of their choice.

[dmenche914]

Me, i am thinking of a way to get the radiator working in the engine bay. May not work too well with a tall Vee engine, not much room above,a nd the headers are close tot eh lid. A Subaru powered car should have more space above the engine, and allow this (maybe) . That would be nice, a conversion water cooled engine, with no front trunk modifications.

[JeffBowlsby]

A Subaru powered car should have more space above the engine, and allow this (maybe) . That would be nice, a conversion water cooled engine, with no front trunk modifications.

Its been done...and successfully. Search for Scott Thachers car or contact him directly. His screen name is his real name.

[aircooledboy]

I think the ultimate decision is whether you want a vintage aircooled 914 or some type of hybrid. Personally, I want the vintage car. A hybrid doesn't interest me but I certainly understand why for others the 914 is just a great chassis for the conversion of their choice.

For what it's worth, here's what I know.
I thought the "vintage feel" was important too. That's why I have a completely stock, pretty damn nice 1.7 as well as a very well done and sorted V8. I figured I would drive the V8 on colder days (with it's real actual hot heat), and on hotter humid days (with it's modern AC system), and drive the 1.7 on the better convertible sort of days. Reality: The 1.7 has been driven 3 times in 2 1/2 years. The V8 is a DD from April thru the 1st salt of November or December, and I get genuinely sad when I have to park it for the winter.

My observation has been that the overwhelming majority of those who say they don't care for the V8's for whatever reason, have never even ridden in one, let alone driven a well done example. I have been lucky enough to have had the chance to drive everything from a super nice old 240Z to a supercharged Mini to a 180k Bentley GT, with dozens of others in between. Without question in my book, none of them can come close to the fun of driving that V8. All the old crap about "too heavy", "higher center of gravity" and "screwed up front to back weight distribution" is all just that, crap. The real difference in "feel" between my 1.7 and V8: when I put my foot in the throttle on the 1.7, I can sense some aceleration coming on; In the V8, I'm pushed back into the seat HARD, and I have the distinct "feel" that if I let go of the steering wheel even a little, the car will shoot out from under me like a rocket, and leave me sitting in the middle of the road. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

I will have the V8 until I'm too old to drive it anymore. I'm not so sure about the 1.7.

[Brando]

Gee... I thought I was just being a cheapskate keeping everything dead stock....

Soon my plan will fall into place.. I'll own the only emissions legal '76 in California.

...........moo hooo haw haw haw haw....

And you will feel horrible when the car is sold to someone in Arizona, and they backdate the exhaust, install carbs, and trash the emissions equipment (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif)