Does anyone know of a how to race prep your 914 book? I've been having zero luck. With as many of these out there I figure someone has to have written one. I've owned several cars, (datsun 510, fiat x1/9, Austin healey sprite), and I've always been able to buy race prep book. Please help!

Look at the 914World site as your book. Except instead of having a table of contents you have all the information that has been posted here for years.

Ask a question and you'll get answers.

And tell everyone what you plan on doing, i.e., autox, track days, race with groups, hill climbs or whatever.

If there is I haven't seen it. Lots of knowledge here to tap into to get you pointed in the right direction. Do you have tune to win? Great read IMHO.

Wow, someone here needs to record all this knowledge, contact a publisher, become the next new times best selling author and retire...or at least make enough to buy a new set of race tires.

Hey Pat57Woods,

If you've race prepped a 510 and an X1/9, then you should know the basics of
race prep and in particular, the ins & outs of semi-trailing link rear suspension.
It is critical to bump-steer the 914 rear suspension as it has huge toe change over the arc of its travel. BTW: The 914 TOES-IN under compression which is opposite
the 510 ,which TOES-OUT (raced one of them too!)

Also opposite the 510, the 914 has an EXTREMELY flexy chassis making a full rollcage MANDATORY! Most folks also run tubes for & aft to each of the shock towers to tie it all together.

I also highly recommend the Carroll Smith "------- to Win" books. I have all 5 and have learned a lot from each one!

Other than that, there are a bunch of folks on the site who have built and run 914s on-track, so ask questions.

Best,
Terry

Book? Where's your spirit of adventure?
I took my 914 on a trip from stock as a stove to fully AX preped without any book.....all within the confines of my garage......no books except tech maunals.....but with input from select individuals.

The car was/is relatively successful and the project is on going by the new owner....what else can one do with an old race car?

How far do you want to go?

JP, He wants to build a fast car in a year not spend a decade on a car that cant fight its way out of a paper bag.

As mentioned this site is good resource. Pelican Parts racing forum is good too.

Well, .............relative to your pathetic attempts (any and all of them) the car was HUGELY successful.

Don't know your tolerance for reading but...

http://comp.uark.edu/~jjrencis/fsae/resour...s-of-racing.pdf

The rest is mechanics and we have plenty of that here! As you build your car simply remember the following:

1. Install all equipment (fuel pumps, electrical where you can reach and replace it in a hurry
2. Always use the best quality stuff you can afford
3. Fabricate what you can but make it professional

There will be many opinions. Take your best shot and drive. Then let us know what happened!

good luck

I want to install a chevy 3.8 v6 from a 98 camaro, and enter it in the Grassroots Motorsports 2012 dollar challenge. I'm sure most of you know what this is being an autoX forum. The dollar limit is why I'm not going with a v8. The adaptor from kep is the same price for either and the 6 doesn't require any special water pump. I figure the v6 once de-smogged will put out around 250 hp. I picked up the engine for $200, and got my 74' 914 for $350.

I don't know how you make a decent handling 914 for that amount plus a conversion? Where did you find an intact solid 914 for $350?

Where else...craigslist. The rules allow you to sell unused parts to decrease how much you spend up to the amount of the car/ part purchased. So I can sell the 1.7 for $350 and the fuel injection off the engine for $200 and be back to zero. In theory at least.

Nothing like a challenge to get the creative juices flowing and it sounds like your on the way. I say go for it.

What are the rules for the Grassroots Motorsports event?

Better yet, keep it like it is and enjoy the live interaction to boot at no cost.

Rules are: Build a car for the dollar amount of the year, (ie $2,011 this year next year, $2,012), to compete in an autoX, drag race, and car show. It's all for fun so there's really no reason to cheat. You can sell parts off the car up to what you spent, you can buy a car for $1,000, sell the engine for $2,000 and be at -$1,000 to buy parts. Other than that all is fair except for buying a previous year's challenge car from you buddy for $1 and adding another $2000 to it. It's pretty amazing what some guys build. The top drag time is usually in the 10s.