Not to piggyback the thread below but I've been meaning to ask for a while. Would anyone with this setup care to offer their opinions?

I've been considering what to do when rebuild time comes, and would like to have a plan ready. I'm basically a driver, but really, what could a 35yr old 2.0 be putting out at this point...its a GC w/125 psi comp. 70,80hp? Other than the annoying oil leaks, I should get through this year fine.

Geoff, I think you've got this..would you do it again? I'm driving on Long Island...all the red lights and traffic you want.

Is 120-130hp all the difference you'd expect?


thanks,

Joe

I have a 2056 with D-jet and its plenty of fun without the "gee am I going to wrap myself around a tree?" performance. I think the combination of suspension and 2056 makes it come together...

Talk to McMark at Original Customs on here, since he has the exclusive to build the Raby 2056, & look at his website (banner ads & member vendors section posts). Also go to the Raby website to read up on the 2056 & up T-4's.

Some of what you can do will depend upon what NY will let you do regarding the smog set-up, cuz the crapalytic converter etc. really sapped the HP, but in CA for example the 76 MY is NOT smog exempt - so it must comply.

The 75-76 GC 2.0 only put out 88 HP - just 8 more than the 70-72 1.7's 80!
... that compares to 95 on the 73-74 GA 2.0, which is why in late 75 I passed on a sweet deal from a local P+A dealer on an unsold 75 2.0, and got my 73 2.0 in Dec. instead (with 100% financing, lower interest & longer term new vs. used it was almost a toss-up). I drove both and the extra 6 HP made some difference, but the higher Torque in the GA was the real killer!

With the Raby 2056 & other up-built Type-IVs the HP gain isn't the whole story, let alone the big difference - since the TQ increases so much more than HP. I don't have numbers off-hand, but the Raby site & McMark can tell you.

That said - & assuming that you can indeed legally change the motor in NY (or anyone's home state) - when going with a stock GC to a 2056 with the D-jet, even going from 88 hp to 110-115 HP (maybe 120) will be a huge difference - in addition to an even greater increase in TQ on the order of +/- 40%! You'd have to switch to dual Weber 40idf 2-throat carbs to get 125-145 HP from 2056, but they're much more touchy for DD duty.

Also IMHO you're better off with EFI (stock D-jet on 2056 or Pertronix/etc. on anything bigger) on any 914 motor for a DD, because proper Weber dual 2-throat carbs really are a PITA to sync & get right!

With a nice & what appears to me stock 76 2L like yours, I'd strongly suggest that you just keep the GC fully stock, and get a solid GA/D-jet/HEs/etc. to build as a 2056, that way if you ever sell it the NO can always swap it back to OE, plus the GA setup is a better base from which to build a 2056 or other big bore.

That's my 2 cents!

I have a Jake Raby 2056 engine kit on my 1976 914-2 . I did the rebuild myself. It was challenging but very rewarding. The difference in power is quite noticable. I opted to keep the D-jet FI . Im still working through bugs in the FI system. I highly recommend this set up . Jake and his team do not fool around . Technical support has been outstanding. The old saying goes "You get what you pay for" Aircooled technology lives and breaths that.

Thanks for the replies. Here in NY all that's required is a safety inspection, so smog is not an issue. And yes, I realize torque is the key, (a ballpark 40 pct increase would be awesome) but the question I have now- how is a GA different from a GC, besides comp. ratio? Can't one be made from the other?

Is the GC magnamanesium and the GA munimula?


This is all very interesting.


Joe

I am currently running what is another (retired) engine builder's (Dwight Mitchell) version of the 2056 motor. The 130 or so HP is plenty entertaining for a street motor without bad street manners. I would call it the perfect 4 cylinder motor for dual purpose street/autocross cars.
All the demeaning looks McMark gives me aside, he is a darn nice guy and a very good engine builder...

Hi, I'm Gus the guy that started the talk about a 914-4 or a 914-6, in my specific situation of having a 76 914 and living in California makes any engine upgrade a real pain in the A . I'm waiting for Galen Bieker from Werks II in Burbank Ca to call me back, he is the master mind behind the original build of my car so he can tell me exactly what was done to it when he did the rebuild on my engine... I know for sure that is not a stock engine but I need all the background possible so I can base my decision from there.
A 2056 is the best upgrade for the money, you keep your FI and have less problems, carbs are an issue to keep them syncro and tuned right but you get the best performance overall if you match them with the right size cams, my project is to light up the car and for that I need to remove the front and rear bumpers, the interior has been done already, 914's need torque not HP so take from there, any time you have the torque available from 3000 to 5500 rpm you have a very fast 914 for short sprints and you will top off at 120mph. I will keep you post it on my build if you want.

Rob and Gus, thanks for chiming in. Finished round one of chemo today, so have had lots of time to think about this very fun distraction. I'm really trying to be realistic about how I'll use the car, and this route just seems to make the most sense. Currently, the car starts and runs very well. 1200 or so rpm on startup, then drops down to wheee it should go. I like the djet.

Anyway, I'm a little way away from a rebuild, just trying to edumacte myself!

Don't think a set of Jake's heads would hurt nuthin' either....


Rob, that new engine must be incredible.


Thanks again,

Joe

It's incredible that it is still on the engine stand but McMark has gotten so busy that he has 12 - 14 cars in the shop at a time so the clock has stopped running so to speak. Once the harness is complete, we will fire it on the stand with the fuel injection having already run the cam in with carbs. Then, once the EFI bugs are squashed if there even are any, we will put it in the car and find out just how powerful she is!

Those heads are actually from Len Hoffman but Jake probably sells more of them than anyone, Len included...

here is a short video of my raby 2056 dual weber accelerating. the sound and performance are

914shifter, my old car sounds good! That one made 102 HP at the rear wheels on my chassis dyno just before it was sold :-)

The 2056 Djet combo is something we worked a long time to perfect and its very effective. The broad powerband, excellent idle, smooth running and flat torque curve are all the characteristics of this combination.

The 2056 engine is all about the combo when applying stock EFI, it took many years to get that camshaft/ CR and head combination perfected.


That statement topped off my week!! Thanks for the compliment, Simon!

Dang, that video's too short!


Joe