Got the engine & transaxle into the car, bolted up at the back, and ready to fabricate a few minor parts to make the new forward crossmember mate to the body. The forward crossmember was bought from Speedway Motors in Lincoln Nebraska for a grand total of $58 to my door (http://www.speedwaymotors.com/). The crossmember clears the shift linkage just fine.

And another

And another

NICE!!! And I don't think I have EVER seen such a clean transmission.. what did you do to it?

Looks sweet! Great job!

And another

That is one funny looking carburetor!!

Looks like a clean install! Congrats on a great install!

It looks to me like you bead blasted the transmission, how much does getting your transmission that clean cost?

Have you figured out how you'll make the bend off the header to clear the shift bar?

QUOTE (bondo @ Jul 5 2005, 09:06 AM)

NICE!!! And I don't think I have EVER seen such a clean transmission.. what did you do to it?

Thank you for the compliment.

I covered the input and output shafts, shifter, and vent hole with old socks and ductape then sand blasted it thoroughly using 30 grit silica sand. I tried just about everything else but nothing seemed to get it clean so I went the sandblast route. It worked out great.

very nice!

QUOTE (914GT @ Jul 5 2005, 09:12 AM)

Have you figured out how you'll make the bend off the header to clear the shift bar?

There's a little more room than it looks like in the photo for the header to clear the linkage. It'll take a tight bend of the exhaust pipe right off the header flange but that shouldn't be to difficult for a good exhaust guy, and we have a pretty good one here in Boise.

QUOTE (Rotary'14 @ Jul 5 2005, 09:12 AM)

Looks like a clean install! Congrats on a great install! It looks to me like you bead blasted the transmission, how much does getting your transmission that clean cost?

Thank you!

I bought a 40 pound pressurized sand blaster from Harbor Freight Tools here locally for $80, and a 100 pound sack of #30 silica sand cost $5. Even though I bought it specifically to do the transaxle it comes in very handy for many other projects.

Best regards,
Don

QUOTE

That is one funny looking carburetor!! lol2.gif

Funny Clay... yeah, it's a side-draft 3-barrel.

Nice job Don! Looks damn nice.

QUOTE (Rand @ Jul 5 2005, 11:27 AM)

QUOTE That is one funny looking carburetor!! lol2.gif Funny Clay... yeah, it's a side-draft 3-barrel. Nice job Don! Looks damn nice.

Iffin it's a 6 cylinder.. they youse is gonna need 2 of them there side draft 3 barrell carbonators.....






Seriously.. it's looking good. When do you expect to have it running?

QUOTE (ClayPerrine @ Jul 5 2005, 10:11 AM)

QUOTE (Rand @ Jul 5 2005, 11:27 AM) QUOTE That is one funny looking carburetor!! lol2.gif Funny Clay... yeah, it's a side-draft 3-barrel. Nice job Don! Looks damn nice. Iffin it's a 6 cylinder.. they youse is gonna need 2 of them there side draft 3 barrell carbonators..... Seriously.. it's looking good. When do you expect to have it running?

I thought it was a GT gas cap...

I have one to lift my V8 but haven't used it yet. I still have reservations about loading all that weight pulling on four studs in an aluminum manifold.

QUOTE (ClayPerrine @ Jul 5 2005, 10:11 AM)

[QUOTE=Rand,Jul 5 2005, 11:27 AM] [QUOTE] That is one funny looking carburetor!! lol2.gif Seriously.. it's looking good. When do you expect to have it running?

It'll probably be at least another month. I have the radiator sitting in the front trunk, but that's all it's doing, just sitting there. Once I get the finishing touches on the forward cross member/motor mount,
then I expect to tackle mounting the radiator and plumbing it to the motor. From there it'll just be wiring and a few other things that always crop up unexpectedly when doing a conversion.

QUOTE (Neo914 @ Jul 5 2005, 10:50 AM)

I have one to lift my V8 but haven't used it yet.  I still have reservations about loading all that weight pulling on four studs in an aluminum manifold.

I had the same reservations until I saw a guy lifting a big block Chevy engine with the same setup and, seemingly, no concern at all. I'm not sure I could be that brave with a big block, but what the hey?

Don,
How did you end up modifying your front mounting bar to get the engine to sit up higher? Looks like it fits in there real nice. Did you have to cut off the end of the waterpump shaft for any extra clearance at the firewall?

Paul

QUOTE (dbledsoe @ Jul 5 2005, 12:02 PM)

QUOTE (Neo914 @ Jul 5 2005, 10:50 AM) I have one to lift my V8 but haven't used it yet.  I still have reservations about loading all that weight pulling on four studs in an aluminum manifold.   I had the same reservations until I saw a guy lifting a big block Chevy engine with the same setup and, seemingly, no concern at all. I'm not sure I could be that brave with a big block, but what the hey?

A single 5/16" stud torqued to just 25 ft-lbs is already preloaded to about 6200 lbs. So basically you have nothing to worry about.

QUOTE (Phoenix-MN @ Jul 5 2005, 11:17 AM)

Don, How did you end up modifying your front mounting bar to get the engine to sit up higher? Looks like it fits in there real nice. Did you have to cut off the end of the waterpump shaft for any extra clearance at the firewall? Paul

Hello Paul,

The cross member came with two 1/4" thick uprights welded to it and a 3/4" tube welded into the upright that that extends about 1" from each side of the upright, fore and aft. The tube is what the rubber engine mount bolts pass through when bolting the engine in place. Luckily the uprights are off set about 1/3" from the centerline of the cross member (as viewed when looking down on the cross member). I cut off 1" of the 3/4" tube on the forward side of the cross member. Between that and the approx 1/3" off set I was able to get the cross member in place when bolted to the rubber engine mounts and slid all the way to the forward end of the rubber mounting blocks. That places the cross member slightly aft of the centerline of the original cross member. I then cut a pair of replacement bars to bolt to the engine cross member body mounting points from 1" wide x 1/4" thick 4140 steel bar stock (they replace the stamped steel pieces that the original cross member bolted to). I now plane to drill the mounting holes in the 4140 bar to match those of the body mounting points and will then drill a hole in the bar stock to mate up with the new cross member centerline. Since my cross member sit on top of the body mounting point, rather than hanging below it, I will have my machinist make a pair of round bar stock spacers to raise/lower the engine to the correct height for proper orientation i.e., level with the car fore and aft. I also cut a pair of 1 1/2" round bar 6" long that slip inside the tubular cross member. Those can be slid in or out to get the correct width to the mounting body points (the cross member as bought from Speedway is too short to span the full width of the centerline to centerline of the original cross member bolting holes so had to have its width extended).

It sounds more complex than it is. Once I get all the pieces fabricated I'll snap some photos of it to give you a better idea what I'm talking about. Right now the front of the engine is actually supported by a 4x4 block of wood so I can get the cross member in and out to fabricate the additional pieces to complete the forward mount.

I took your advice and cut 1" off the front of the water pump shaft. I did that before trying slip the engine up in there. That is some very hard material they make the shaft from. I started to, or should say attempted, to cut it with a brand new 32 teeth/inch hack saw and blade. Didn't even make a mark on the shaft! So I got out the trusty die grinder and cut-off wheel and went to work on it, and even that took some time. I'm glad you mentioned that in your other message because I would have found out while trying to lift the engine into the body that it would need to come out again to cut 1" of the shaft off.

It looks like the best place to mount the alternator will be on the lower left side front of the engine. I suspect I'll need to fabricate a bracket for that.

Best regards,
Don

awwww. i was looking for a grand national turbo laying on top of that sucker! Super clean install though.

wow, super clean....another person I don't like very much, LOL

the V6 looks great in there, I always thought a nice V6 seemed like a better choice than a V8 in a 914

QUOTE (xsboost90 @ Jul 5 2005, 12:54 PM)

awwww. i was looking for a grand national turbo laying on top of that sucker! Super clean install though.

Not this one, unfortunately. This is a 3.8L pretty much stock except for the Edlebrock intake, Edlebrock Performer cam, Sanderson headers, and MSD distributor/ignition. This is, for lack of better words, sort of a "proof of concept car." It'll be my daily driver. I've got a 4.1 liter bare block on the engine stand in the garage getting ready to go to the machine shop for hot tanking, line honing, boring to .030" over, and decking the block head surfaces. When that one is built it'll be a bit more radical than the 3.8 and will go in my 76 914 (The 3.8L is in my 75 914).

QUOTE (Mueller @ Jul 5 2005, 12:59 PM)

wow, super clean....another person I don't like very much, LOL the V6 looks great in there, I always thought a nice V6 seemed like a better choice than a V8 in a 914

The V6 is defintiely a much easier conversion than a V8, and as most know a V6 can make a lot of horsepower if one wants it.

I did the engine installation into the car (lifting and getting it in place) completely by myself yesterday... well I did use an engine hoist and floor jack.

Wow ... absolutely gorgeous work ... I'm jealous !!!

QUOTE (propricer @ Jul 5 2005, 01:25 PM)

Wow ... absolutely gorgeous work ... I'm jealous !!!

Thanks Ed! I consider that a a great compliment coming from someone who appears to have been around a lot of conversions.

Best regards,
Don

Here's a picture from the Speedway Motors web site showing what the cross member looks like.

Very clean job, really can't imagine anything cleaner. All due respects however sand blasting a transmission as you did in my opinion is not a good idea. Again its beautiful.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

LOOKS like a good idea too!

Don,

The best pics I've seen (clarity) on this site. Thanks for not using a camera phone.
What kinda camera? (I'm back in the market after lens failure due to tripod fall).

QUOTE (Brent @ Jul 5 2005, 05:28 PM)

Don, The best pics I've seen (clarity) on this site. Thanks for not using a camera phone. What kinda camera? (I'm back in the market after lens failure due to tripod fall).

Brent,

Thank you for the compliments on the pictures.

The camera is a Pentax digital SLR (*ist DS) with their SMC DA 16-45 ED-AL lens. That lens is definitely a far cut above, when compared to the 18-55 lens they supply with the camera if bought in kit form.

I've owned Canon digital SLR's and a number of Canon lenses, but prefer the compact size and features of the Pentax, not to mention that it will accept all Pentax lenses dating back to the screwmount lens days. But my favorite cameras and lenses are Leica M and R of the 35mm film generation. Should be no surprise to anyone who likes German autos.

I'm by no means a professional, just am enthusiastic hobby photographer, same as with my 914 projects.

Best regards,

Don.

QUOTE (drive-ability @ Jul 5 2005, 05:03 PM)

Very clean job, really can't imagine anything cleaner. All due respects however sand blasting a transmission as you did in my opinion is not a good idea. Again its beautiful.

How come?

Maybe I missed it on the posting, but what do you put on that "beautiful" transmission to keep it the same way as it is now?

All in all nice work; looks like a show car.

QUOTE (dbledsoe @ Jul 5 2005, 08:19 PM)

QUOTE (drive-ability @ Jul 5 2005, 05:03 PM) Very clean job, really can't imagine anything cleaner. All due respects however sand blasting a transmission as you did in my opinion is not a good idea. Again its beautiful. How come?

There's the good possibility of sand getting into and past the seals. You could have oil leaks or worse, like damaged bearings and races. But you know all that and you protected sand from getting into those areas. The magnesium will look nice for awhile but will eventually turn dark, and dirt/oil/grease will adhere to the etched surface. But it does look great now. Hope you can keep it that way.

Wow! I really like the looks of that V6 in there....very pretty!

Bill P.

QUOTE (dbledsoe @ Jul 5 2005, 08:17 PM)

Pentax digital SLR

I didn't know Pentax even made those. I thought Cannon was the popula choice, nice to hear some realistic point of view.

Keep up the pics though, the more of yours is the better my six will look. I always wondered what my 231 would look like with Edlebrock intake and such.
-B

What kind of hp/torque will the six make?

I finally got around to completing the forward motor mount/cross member (see photos below). Since I couldn't find any already made I came up with my own design using the cross member for a Buick V6 into a street roadster available from Speedway Motors ( http://www.speedwaymotors.com/xq/aspx/disp.../qx/product.htm ) for $50. The photo shows a close up of how I adapted it to fit the 914 chassis. My cross member sits on top of the 914 forward frame/body mounting points rather than hanging below them as do other V6/V8 conversion forward cross member/engine mount set ups. And because mine sit atop there must be a provision in the mount to make it narrower for installation and removal. To accomplish that I used 1.5" steel bar stock to slip inside the cross member allowing the mounting pad to telescope in and out for installation. Once installed they are held in position by a pair of 3/8" bolts running though the cross member and the bar stock tying both together. Total cost was about $80 for the complete motor mount/cross member.

Tonight I'll paint the end pieces and do the final installation in the car. That will complete the engine end of the car and then I can concentrate on the colloing system.

Close up of end piece.

OK!!! We have ignition.

After six months of working all my spare time (I work two jobs so spare time is at a premium), I lit off the Buick V6 conversion in my 914 last night (Friday September 30th). I like to think that it is in honor of James Dean since it was on the 50th anniversary of his untimely death.

Damn it sounds good. Open headers and no exhaust system on yet. I let it run 30 minutes at 2500 rpm to break in the cam and lifters. No over heating problems, oil pressure very good at 60 PSI that slowly dropped to 40 psi as the engine came up to operating temperature, held at 40 psi throughout. The electric fans kicked in at 180 degrees (my own radiator and fan setup, not the high dollar RH system) and every thing stayed between 180 and 190.

It's still up on jack stands in consideration that I have some additional things to do beneath the car but I hope to let it down about mid-week, weather permitting, and take it for a test drive. I'm hoping to get the remainder of the work done before next Saturday so the wife and I can attend the PCA Silver Sage Region Oktoberfest run in Eagle Idaho. I'll do my best to make it, man I sure would love to!

A ton of thank yous’ to all who helped me here on 914world.com to get through this conversion, it's my first conversion. And to everyone who answered my multiple 914 questions unrelated to the conversion.

I’ll post additional pictures as I get the chance.

Don

WOOHOO!

Bet THAT was loud!




M

Great news Don! Looking forward to more pictures.

do you have any photos to document the radiator / fan / and water line setups? Most interested to see them.


nice ride!

More pics!

Don:

What carburator are you using? Also what type of air cleaner are you using?

From the looks of the pictures you do not have much room to close the engine lid with a carburator and an air cleaner.

Thank You!!!!!
Phillip J. Haun
Oak Harbor, Wa.

Hey

This post shows clearly:
Clean work
Amazing pics (I noticed this right away)

I bet you have an amazing appartment or home ...correct?

Your my HERO

Later

QUOTE (redshift @ Oct 1 2005, 08:47 PM)

WOOHOO! Bet THAT was loud! M

Oh yea, it was. But it was a nice loud.

QUOTE (914GT @ Oct 1 2005, 09:46 PM)

Great news Don! Looking forward to more pictures.

Guy,

Thank you for you help on my questions and thanks for posting so much interesting and valuable info on your conversions. They really helped me out, and were inspiration.

I've been working all weekend so haven't had time to do any more work or take additional photos. I'll do that tomorrow after work while I still have good light and post them on Tuesday.

Don

QUOTE (dmenche914 @ Oct 1 2005, 11:01 PM)

do you have any photos to document the radiator / fan / and water line setups? Most interested to see them. nice ride!

Dmenche,

Thank you for the compliment. I'll take some detailed photos of the (mostly) completed radiator/fan setup tomorrow after work and post them on Tuesday. Work keeps interfering with my hobbies.

Don