A PO moved my battery to the front of the car, and removed the battery tray.

Will a 911 oil tank fit in the battery area with a 3.0L CIS or carbed engine?

Does anybody have dimensions of a 1974 911 oil tank? (my 911 is in another city)

I think it would. You'd have to find a way to secure it and run the oil lines. The return line would be easy because the new tank location would be on the same side as the outlet on the engine. That would be a pretty long oil line for the suction as the oil cooler is on the other side of the engine. It would probably be a 3-4 foot line. I don't have the dimensions but it's not much bigger than and aftermarket 914 oil tank from Patrick or DWDESIGNS. If I remember correctly, the 911 tank was wider at the bottom thus preventing it from fitting in a 914 fender. I saw an e-bay auction about a year and a half ago where a stock 911 oil tank was mounted in the front trunk on a car in Hawaii. The install looked very professional.

Noooooooo ...

I've seen 911 oil tanks used in 914s in several places. The front trunk, the rear trunk, the engine compartment on both sides. They all had one thing in common. They all looked like a total hack-job!


Please, if you must save a few bucks over a stock or repro /6 tank, go with a nice cylindrical racing tank which can be had from all of the usual racing parts suppliers. At least those look like they could belong into a 914.


For me, the quality of a conversion or build is not only in the function of the parts but also in the aesthetics.
Andy

It sounds like you're not a fan.

The problem isn't saving a buck...it saving $940+ bucks. Quite a lot.

Maybe it can be mounted to look nice. Will require further research.

Am i that transparent?


You find a way to make this fit and function and look good in a 914 and i'll never say a bad word about 911 oil tanks again!
Andy

Challenge accepted.

With all the cheap bastards out there, myself included, if there was a clean way to do it, you'd think it would have been done. That said, if you can find a way I'll copy it and save the $900 myself.

I agree with Andy I have never seen a 911 tank mounted in 914 the was done well. A friend on mine tried cutting and welding a 911 tank to reshape it enough to fit in a 914 (OE location), he gave up and tossed all the tank scraps after about a month in to the project.

That said, has anyone ever looked into using a 911 C2/C4 oil tank on the passenger side of a 914?
That would be the same mounting as in the 911 (ahead of the rear wheel on the passenger side).
IIRC it only has hoses connected to it, no filters or fillers.
The oil filler and dipstick are both in the engine compartment.

Jim

Some things are just not intended to go together. Beer and pretzels.. yes, A proper oil tank will look nice and be a reflection on your taste and skills not to mention help increaase the value of your conversion. I've seen 914-6 conversions sell all over the map. The ones that "settled" never bring the resale traffic even at a bargain price.

MHO

Actually, it's more like $1,400 with all the oil lines, filler neck and console. With that being said, the question was will it fit? Yes, if he puts it in this location it'll be a hack job but it will function. Maybe he doesn't care about aesthetics or resale. I think he should part out the 911 and keep the engine. He should have more than enough money to complete the engine conversion properly and be able to convert the suspension as well.

I do not care about resale value. This car is for me, and hopefully for a long long time. Aesthetics...yes I do care about the look. But at what point does price override aesthetics? Espesially when you won't be looking in the engine bay on a daily basis (hopefully ).

$1000+ bucks for engine bay aesthetics is a hard sale for me. Espesially when there are exterior aesthetics that need to be done.

I have an interesting option that I got with a 2.7L motor I purchased on Friday.

I will be home about 9:00 tonight and post a photo. It has been pressure tested and includes two oil filters inline with the line connecting it to the tank. It is not the most attractive but it was in a 914-6 and it is designed to bolt above the axels.

Still not "cheap", but sure looks nice ...

http://www.patrickmotorsports.com/part/401/

Andy

If you can weld, you can modify a stock tank. I've worked on a very clean 3.0CIS conversion done on a Karmann Ghia, where the 911 tank was cut, welded, and worked in the right rear fender of the Ghia (same spot as the 911's). Don't forget to pressure test it when your done.

I agree with Andy though, 99.9% of the time its a hack job. Mostly because people don't take the extra time to contour the tank to the chassis in the fender well. Most times they put it in the engine compartment, so now you've added a wonderful hot tank of oil next to the engine, one of the last things you'd ever want to do.

Cheers, Don

That's a great alternative. And, it's cheaper than $1,200-$1,400.

I completely agree with Andy and subsequent comments. Either buy original, build your own, modify 911 or use the Paterson Round Tank. They look better and I believe help value retention.

With the above said and done, I have used a 911 tank and installed it in the rear trunk. I did cover it and tried to make it meet some kind of aesthetic look. In addition it took place of some rusted out rear trunk flooring which I would have otherwise had to replace.

My car is not a normal type car but a working project which I am enjoying putting together. I have several modifications which is why I put the oil tank (911 type) in the rear trunk: using oil as heat source for cabin heating, running primary cooler under the car which is a hot rod type (finned aluminum cylinder with tubed air passing over it). I have also built in a front oil cooler with ducted fan outlets to the hood area and front wheel wells. Thus, My CAR is intended as a continuing engineering project and probably will never be completed. This car is a "junkyard special" and it means a lot to me to try to think through and install practical and aesthetically looking projects items.

Normal driver and racer, use the ideas that others have given. Other types of cars such as mine, let the imagination develop workable and aesthetic looking tanks. To save costs build your own as are in the drawings/pictures of another thread.

If you are going to use a 911 tank and put in in the same place as the original 914-6, do your modification at the tank and put ii in between the sheet metal. If you modify the sheet metal you are getting involved with stress unibody areas. Special bracing, sheet metal forming, and possible other areas have to be looked at. Could end up in a larger project which is more than just an oil tank.

There are many cars such as Andy's that can be used to determine what you need to do. Do follow their advice.

These are my thoughts.
Steve Hurt
"Junk Yard Dog" Special Project 914-6GT Replica (Sorta)
1987 Carrera 3.2 engine

Other projects completed over the years: 914-6 V-8, Alfa Romeo Sixer and V-8 conversions, orginal restoration on Lotus Esprit and several Alfa Romeos, other American car4s including 1940 Ford, Roadster build, etc.

This one came with a 2.7 that I purchased last week! It fits above the axel so it does not show in the engine bay! it looks rough but it can be had for way less $$$$! With a few lines you could put it where the battery tray is!

Do you have any pictures of your oil tank as a heat source for cabin heating, with the cover off? Sounds intriguing.

The Peterson oil tank is nice, but also requires a filter housing and dip stick setup?