Lurker, enthusiast, avid planner looking for what you would (or did) opt for if you had, say, 3 years to plan ahead and build a 914...

• Big 2.2l Raby Style or 6?
• Fuel Injection with optimized tune (MS, VEMS, ?)
• Conversion to 5 lug with later style 4 pot calipers
• Steel flares ('nuff said)
• Transmission - 901 vs 915?
• Factory A/C?

What are the features/performance you would (or did you) opt for?


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I'd leave that car as is, sways front is a must, good shocks, engine and mechanicals sorted.

But then I'm a 5-bolt six snob

Honestly if you want a 5-bolt, flares, big engine or /6 that's what I'd be looking for. Even with today's prices a sorted built /6 (or big T4) will cost less than building a /6.

My 914 1.8 is a narrow body, now a 3.0 six with fuchs. Here's my engine build thread, the last few pages show the 5- bolt and suspension build.
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=229913

Buy the one PMB has for sale and save yourself money, time, breakdowns and headaches

5 lug
Brembos
Narrow body with lots of tire
Six
No air

That's my ideal 914. I've got everything but the six now

If you don't have six money, then 2056 w/Rabycam, Len Heads,5 bolt, 911 front calipers, Fuchs, wider tires, Fuel injection (Djet, Ljet, Mega...) SSI HE's for heat.

I'm not finished building it yet. The build thread is in The Paddock under AR-14. All the stuff you dream of and front and rear wings.

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Registered and insured in '18, all the lights work even the license plate light which you can see the the pic.

I would do a. Big 4 narrow body
Ultra light or featherweight configuration

Or as f1 refers to formula e or f2

A drivers car

FWIW - the pic I posted isn't my Car - but ratehr an example I found and saved when I was researching Porsche Viper Green colors/images.

Looks like some really good suggestions - keep 'em coming guys.

PMB #008

or find someone else that has done all the sweat, labor and time already

Althoug, it still is a lot of money for a 914. Don't say expensive, just a lot

I was asking the same questions three years back. IMHO:

Go with the six - I found that the price difference between a Raby engine and a properly retooled six is minimal. The extra cost comes with the oil tanks and plumbing to cool a six, not needed for the smaller 2.0, 2.2, and 2.4. I know of a 3.2 owner who is using a rear electric fan cooled setup, and it works great in SoCal. I went with front oil coolers for my 2.7 6, just because. The 3.2 already had a front cooler and it rarely gets over 200 degrees - even in Palm Desert in the summer it was maybe 210 degrees. An 18qt tank is probably why.

You can always do flares later, but there is something about a properly set up narrow bodied street sleeper that I find cool. To the uninitiated, it looks docile and stealth. That s the direction I went with my 2.7 twin plug. Not until you are hard on throttle does the sound give it away.

Spend the money on the 5 lug conversion - opens up lots of suspension choices, lots of wheel choices, and better tire options.

901 side shift is fine but do the Tangerine Racing rear shift Rod kit and the bearing. More precise. A 915 isn’t needed until you are into a 3.6, and it adds extra cost.

That said, if I were going to do a /4, I’d save myself the hassle and buy the PMB car. Instant fun and power and you know it’s done right, plus you won’t be upside down like me with both of my six conversions. If you are headed down a build path, take your budget and add 50% off the top, and you can see it’s nearly always cheaper to buy vs build.

I've already got a rolling chassis so...

• strip & repaint factory Metallic Gold
• stock 2.0L FI (have)
• drilled 5 lug to use 15x7 Cookie Cutters (have), sticky summer tires
• rolled fenders in rear
• stock trans (have) -- no benefit to the 915
• A/C system of my design
• sway bars
• black or painted trim -- chrome is just too much bling for the color
• new interior & weatherstrip

On the 75 I've owned since 91, I've swapped everything but the paint

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(not mine)
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Here's one for you on The Samba



1974 Outlaw Porsche 914 Price: 15,500
1974 Porsche 914 outlaw 2.&L FAT motor, dual 45 dells, external oil coolers. 911 rims,brakes. fiberglass hoods , sport seats , no rust . 16 volt system.

where is the PMB car listed??

oops just found it below......nice!

That’s my car! Credit goes to its prior owner wndsrfr !

Not my style but not bad

Yep, still working on it…

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Every time I start thinking 17"+ rims would look good on a 914 I see a pic like this and it makes me even more happy with my 15" fuchs.

I think 16" is as big as you can go on a 914 body w/o doing something major to the body. On the blue car with the "twists" the wheels/tires just don't seem to fit well to me.

I agree with @Coondog and @Bleyseng . To me those are your two best options if you decide to remain with a Porsche drivetrain. Unless you are young and can tolerate the time to do a build, figure 3 to 6 years to build yourself unless you can just write a check and buy one that is already done.

I am at 10 years of ownership on my Six and 8 years of "build" time. 2 years were sitting in my garage while I decided what to do and then 5 years of wasted time with the car across the country, but that is the kind of stuff that can happen. For all the trouble I had in that 5 years, I was very fortunate the right guys, Kent, Jim, Andy and Bob, reached out to me and offered their expertise and skills. From that point forward the build was 3 years.

For me, Coondog's car (Greg) is perfect. I would love a PMS built car with a 3,6 or 3,8 in it but at my age that is not happening and not practical unless you intend to track the car in some fashion or another.

Anyway, just some thoughts. I look forward to driving my car very soon.

I’m happy with my build. I wouldn’t change a thing except for maybe ITB or a 3.6
Check out my blog in my signature for build specs.
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Having built a narrow body big four on ITB's and standalone fuel injection theres only one thing I would do diffrently and that is going for a six. Why? the sound.

and reliable horse power. How big can you go with a four before it becomes unreliable? I had a 103x71 2.4 four and it lasted about 10k miles before something went wrong. First time it sucked a valve, second time was a piston ring. However that was in the early 80's. Builders and parts have come along ways. After the second four banger failure, I installed my first six which was a 2.7 with webers. It never left me stranded and I abused it every where I went.
However sixes have gone way up in pricing. LS swaps and Subi's are very tempting if you are building a car today.

Having something you can drive and enjoy as a street car is a loaded topic. Everyone will be a bit different.

Here in the PNW, heat is a must along with all the factory working vents and little dash fan etc. You get caught in rain, spray from wet roads and so on. Any good, clean working stock 914 (4 or 6) with good seals does just fine.

The 914-6 I bought has 993 heater boxes, CIS and CAT's, it sound great and is quiet. I'm leaving power on the table with this configuration, but it fires right up, idles all the time and has nice clean heat.

But I'm also 47 now, 20+ years ago my 914-6 didn't have heat and sported a gutted muffler. Times change.

Not quite what I was thinking...that's getting pretty close to the ghetto look IMHO. The flares...arrrggghhh....may as well just use sheetrock screws!

The pricing issue is why I went big four. I got a new built big four longblock + standalone and itb's for the same money a questionable condition six would have cost here. Add in the rebuilding cost of the six and I just couldnt spend that kind of money. I went with a reasonable build 78x96 mm that should last me a good while as in a good summer I may do 3000 miles.

Have a narrow, "mild" six conversion with a 2.2 and like it a great deal. A lot of time and miles with this car as well as emotional attachment (I've been driving it since high school) have shaped its build...so major deviations don't feel right to me.

If I was building a 914 from a clean sheet, and we are talking fantasy builds, my ideal 914 street car would likely have GT flares and a 2.5-liter STi engine—built to be as light as possible on the street (1800-1900 pounds or less).

I would choose a narrow body, stock looking car.
A 2.5 or 2.8 SS engine, More likely. 2.5 because
finding an early 3.0 or Turbo Case is getting pricey
and less need for additional oil cooling with the 2.5

As long as it has a 66mm Counterweighted crank.
Lightened flywheel and if possible MFI, if not.. Weber’s
with tall manifolds and solex or modified solex cams.
3.0 or later oil pump and JE Pistons with twin plugs.
14” 5 bolt Fuchs and maybe GT rear brakes..

Looks stock and hopefully drivable in traffic
without overheating if needed and revs like crazy
when you want.

I have three builds going
Narrowest car has hand formed all metal flares. It will have 7 inch panasports with non vented BMW calipers, coil overs, lightened where ever possible. Front sway bar with powder coated suspension parts and boxed rear arms. Fresh bushings and bearings. Maybe FG lids if the GB goes through. Side shift. Low mileage 1.8 with carbs and an exhaust system. Minimal interior.
Leave paint and big motor to the next owner. This one will be sold to finance other builds.

Next car has metal GT flares FG lids. 7&9 American mags. Twin plug 2.0 w/906 cams and 46mm Weber’s. Side shift. Vented BMW calipers. Sway bar in the front. Stiffening kit and added bars here and there. Keeper

Widest car had an old IMSA body kit from Wayne Baker. It will get a 2.65liter engine with side shift. Wide wheels unknown at this point. Gutted interior. Full lights and street license. Boxed arms raised suspension points stiffening kits. Roll cage. Street and race legal.
Will be sold too after we have some fun with it.

@Steve - I would be very happy with your car- it is beautiful.

swap the wheels for 15's or16's, adjust the stance and your back in business.

I was thinking it was the flares mounted too high on this car, not the wheels

I LOVE the wheels on this car!

I only wish they would fit a non-flared model.

Streetable is easy...

Thanks - staying with a 901 will save me headache and $$$$.

Fun question. One I've thought of a lot. I'd take a '70 914/4, light ivory, with the /6 suspension and Fuchs. Powered by a Polo 4.

That engine....

That would be interesting.... the Polo motor was built for the 356 but I don't see why it couldn't be put in a 914.

If you have the bucks, just buy a 356 Carrera 4 cam motor and put it in a 914. Add Megasquirt EFI to make it perform better.


Then take it to Parade and watch the 356 guys have seizures when they look in your engine compartment.

I was at a local PCA event years ago when Denny Akers (Seattle mechanic) pulled up in his mid 60's VW bug with a Type 547 four-cam wedged in it.

Looked great!

The Polo motor is sweet. It would make sense in a 914 if you went the route of super light weight - glass doors, lids, bumpers, plastic rear window, lite battery. Litning holes everywhere. Gas burners Shoot for sub 1900 pounds. That would be the ultimate four street fighter.