Hello 914 world, I've been lurking and learning on here for a while and I must say this is a pretty fuching cool place, that I look forward to becoming a part of.

Onto business... I'm planning a Subaru swap and have access to a fabrication shop complete with a Haas tm1 cnc mill, several welders, and a manual laith. So I plan on doing most of the random mounts, plates, roll cage myself... And what better way to offset costs then make duplicates of my work and sell it. For my first venture I was wondering if there would be any interest in a pretty much complete drive train swap. Including: 944 5lug set up, connected to a late model (05-08) subaru transmission, with all of the repacking, custom machining, converting, and cable shifting complete. I may even powder coat the 5 lug bits aswell.

Of course I would also be able to do the smaller bits seperate. Ie: the awd to 2wd block off plate, cable shift set up, machined/pdr coated 944 5 lug gear.

Any interest/suggestions? I know that most of the 914s on the run the 901 trans and are quite happy but hey I bet some out there would be into a cable shift conversion for the 901.

Basically I am beginning to fall in love with these little cars and would love to have the opertunity to fab some cool stuff for them. ( altho from reading the threads on here I fear I may have stummble onto an addiction rivalling that of cocaine with these little cars )

Ian

Yes, I think there is intrest but we are some cheap bastards... I think the main market is in the axle assembly. There is no standard for putting a subie trans in a 914. Some have made axle flanges and some have done custom axles. If you had a bolt in system from output flange, axle to 4 or 5 lug hub, I think you will find buyers

I think its a great idea! Selling smaller bits is MUCH easier than selling the larger bits.

Selling all the fab'ed work is really where your going to make your money. Make "kits" for people to buy their own used parts/new off the shelf parts from, and complete kits with parts slightly marked up from your discounted purchase price.

Lookin forward to seeing your products in the future!

I'm certainly interested in the idea of a cable shifter So what would the cost be.

One issue I see is I want to stay with the 4-lug. Will this be possible with your solution?

So are we talking 100s or 1000s?

Jeez! thanks for the quick feedback.

firstly, for the subaru axle assemblies i will probably be going with a custom axle with 914 outer and subaru inner splines, (modified 914 axle at first, but maybe a full custom set if those sold well and more importantly i could get a god price through our shops axle supplier) this would enable buyers to choose the 944 5lug or the 914 4 lug.

Secondly,
I figured that the smaller stuff would be more marketable, i think the 914 crowd has been best described (as seen somewhere on the site) as the "Cheap Elite." The full subaru/5lug set up would be more for subaru conversion guys who either want to switch from a 901 or are mid build and want a quick "set it and forget it" kit.

Thirdly,
The cable shifter, the scooby trans will be able to go with 5 or 4 lug, the cable shifter i was thinking would be a set up for the 901 and not interfere with whatever hub choice. oh and price for the cable shifter and pretty much everything but the full set up would be in the 100s

Absolutely for a "shift by wire" rig:-)

Costs?

Well the expensive part is going to be the cables for sure... we have bought some through the shop in the past but i remember them not being cheap. The mounting system should be easy enough but i would need to borrow someones 914, as mine doesn't have an engine or transmission at this point. Im betting it wouldn't be too hard to convince Jamie (Jrust) to let me use one of his... transmissions or cars he has so many of both!!!

I love the idea...If I was closer I'd let you borrow my car.
good luck and God speed

chuck

Ian,

I think the people who are interested in a cable shifter setup are interested in a 901 cable shift setup. I really think there is a big market for something like that in the 500-750 price range. If you made all the custom fab pieces and people could source their own honda accord pick n pull shifter for ~ 400-500 you could sell a TON of them.

I would be very interested in how a cable shift would improve the shifting of a well sorted 901 with new bushings etc and a Renshifter.

I really don't think a cable shifter would make any big difference on a 901 over the stock setup. I have shifted a 915 Transaxle in a 914 with a cable shifter and it was a POS.

Just like Donald Trump said this weekend its hard to make chicken salad out of chicken shit


Bob

Not me, I'd want to ditch the 901. Why would you want to stay with a 30 year old box only to switch something that may not really be an upgrade in shifting. You should switch everything box to shifter if you are goingto change anything.

Otherwise go with JWest His shifter is about as good as it gets for the 901

hmmm, well i feel like i could hit the 400-500 mark, it all depends on the cables tho, I would not half ass it and get the cheapo ones that will break down/melt.




I don't know about that, did you get a look at the set up? the design and cable choice can make a huge difference. But i do agree with you and trump lol, however this would not be a complete solution to the 901 shifting feel. It seems to me that to get the 901 to really feel positive it is a good idea to do a rebuild/refresh (or get dr evil to do it for you... or go to one his trans clinics and have him show you...) Really this solution is very similar to the renn shift option... its removing the slop/play from warn bushings, just with a cable instead.

Lol wow never has the wind been taken out of the sales so fast as what Google can deliver... http://www.cableshift.com/home.html someone beat me to i t...

well i guess Im back the original idea the subaru trans drive-train gear... oh well im sure there will be a couple subaru swap guys interested.