Has anyone looked into swapping in an entire engine trans combo from a FWD car into a 914? Something like Honda, Mitsubishi, VW...I was thinking that you could keep the transverse engine configuration and just transplant the entire drivetrain. The only issue I can think of is that the engine may need to be moved toward the rear of the car so the axles will line up with the hubs. I'm guessing this would require some cutting into the rear trunk area. I searched for this topic and didn't find much. Thanks.

I've often thought this would be an interesting way to go. the problem I see with a transvers mount is the limited distance between the trailing arm mounting positions.
We've got a screaming 2.7 V6 with an autostick in our Seabring that gets 28mpg on the highway going 85. For the automatically inclined, that would be interesting.
Then there is the Audi V8!

G-Man , . . .

I had a few years ago brought up the same idea about using say a engine/tranny from a Fiero and transplant it into a 914 . I was thinking about using the Getrag 5 speed tranny used in a fiero since the tranny linkage was already set up for a mid engine use .

Using a FWD engine 5 speed manual tranny Getrag/Muncie and putting it into the mid engine position would take a little bit of modification for the linkage/shifting parts . Check out some dude , Rodney Dickman I think , who is big time into Fiero parts and restoration . I think he's out of Illinois or Missoouri (sp?) . Also there may be a problem of width dimensions . But with the people who use a tubular chassis modification for the rear end of 914's , that route may be possible .

Also I had planned on using a GM V6 60 degree engine of the 2.8L - 3.4L range .

Why I didn't pursue that any further is that I wanted to keep a 914 a original as possible with either a Raby engine or a Porsche 6 cyl engine . Besides , I wanted to keep the GM stuff for maintaing my 2 Fieros anyway .

It's possible but it won't be cheap or easy .


GTP

As always, depends on how much YOU want to put into any conversion. Changing the configuration of a car is a big deal. Lots of downtime, welding, fabbing, things not working......sounds like R&D to me.

I've learned to leave what the factory set up pretty much alone. 914-6 conversions make sense. Fiero caddy conversions make sense etc.

Mounting a transverse config in a 914, nah, not for me anyway.

You want that, go buy a Fiero, grab a $500 4.9 caddy and do the swap. I did once, thing was a blast, got dam near 30mpg if driven "normal" and wieghed 40lbs less than the iron block V6 did!

Plus it was easy to do.

I think the biggest problem would be shifting the engine assembly to the rear of the car. This is necessary to line up the axles with the hubs. Most FWD cars have the engine and tranny centered over the axles. This would shift the weight to the rear and screw up the weight bias of the 914. It would handle more like a 911. Then there the fact that the engine is in the trunk not the engine bay and the transvers engine looks ugly.

I think a FWD Audi or Subaru would be a better choice.