I have a 72' 914-4 w/ 1.7L and need to find either a better engine w/ a lot more horse power or the right set of parts to reach about 200 - 225 hp in the engine i have

Your choices would be:

3.2L flat six
V8 Conversion
A Turbo
A high end 2.6 type 4 engine (figure on about $12K)

In any case, bring lots of time and money to break 200hp in a 914.

any of these can i do with out cutting my car

My next purchase will be a header after the gremlins are gone. I have the same car as you (FI).

To hi-jack your post for a moment:

What do "they" recommend for a "street legal" header setup for our cars?
Not too legal

Whoever "they" are?

Oh, by the way, forget the 200 hp, and get used to the slow lane like me!

Instead of going through the routine of trying to figure out what you can and cannot do as far as more power. Buy one that some one else has already spent all of the time and money on. That way you can get in and stick your foot in it and go.
A few excellent examples are on the classifieds section of CARS FOR SALE, Mike Z has a Wild Thang V8 914 for sale, Felix has a Chalon 914 V8 for sale. You can also find examples of 4 cylinder cars with more power. All of these cars are extremely well priced for what you are getting.
CCLINYOUCANHAVEAV8

And then one day you'll appreciate the 914 for what it does best, the upper 3000 rpms, 2, 3, and 4, and a crackhead that says 'nice Fiat' at least once per year.


M

lol

"And then one day you'll appreciate the 914 for what it does best, the upper 3000 rpms, 2, 3, and 4, and a crackhead that says 'nice Fiat' at least once per year."

I had a guy compliment me on my Studebaker the other day as I was putting gas into the Karmann Ghia.

I get asked all the time what it is. Of course mine doesnt look like the rest but when I had my yellow one, I got a lot of what is that also. Nobody ever asked if it was a Fiat though.

the header has nothing to do with being "street" legal, it's the muffler you stick on it....too loud and you can be busted

see vendor section for European Racing Headers, I'm very happy with my setup from them....I have the street muffler, sounds good and is not too loud or obnoxious

back to the original thread: the only cutting for the watercooled conversions is a few holes in the front trunk, which can be repaired later on so that no one knows you've cut the car if you decide to go back to air-cooled

as to doubling the hp of your current motor, bring cash, a few grand at a minimum if you can do all of the work...

No, not without cutting the car.

Have you ever driven a 914 with 150 HP? You'll wet yourself... 200+ HP is a nice round number, but a 914 with even 120 HP is a damn quick car! And you can do that without chopping holes if you try. Be prepared to spend money, though.... For 150+, be prepared to spend lots of money.

Or swap in a water-cooled motor and cut up the car. Or a 911 engine and cut up the left side of the engine bay for the oil tank fittings. But either way, bring significant quantities of cash.

--DD

i have to dis-agree ...

no cutting needed if you swap in a 3.2L /6 unless you want the stock /6 oil-tank in which case you have to cut out the holes to the filler, lines and filter.
but i don't really consider this "cutting up" a car, as the factory /6 came that way ...

Andy

i love these types of posts...

Still considering selling my V8 car as well.
Bring $10,500
and drive away with an absolute rocketship!

Either way you go, a 914, well sorted with even minor tweaks is more car than most people know what to do with.


Michael