I've been offered a 1.8 engine along with the full exhaust system and all the fuel injection components from a 1974 914 that is about to have a -6 conversion. The car has been maintained at a locally well known independent Porsche shop, and the owner of the shop is a friend so I know what I'm being told is reliable. At the moment there are some unknowns -- compression and leak down numbers. However the engine runs well, doesn't smoke, has been properly maintained under the current owner, and just had a $300 rebuilt AFM installed, so there is at least that.... I don't NEED another engine for my 1975 1.8, but I do have the garage room to store another engine so maybe having another engine and all the components as a spare is worth it I might get a bit more power out of my current engine if I swap out the exhaust components, or so I've been told. Given the above (granted, some key information is missing), any thoughts on what the value of this package is? I curious to hear what the hive mind thinks this would be worth.

I sold a complete running 1.8 engine (with Webers)earlier this year for $3.k I did not have compression or leakdown #'s, but had run the motor last year and was decent runner.

Sorry for the negative attitude about the 1.7/1.8L engines but they are turds. I would not spend a dime on a spare 1.8 but I would buy a 2L or larger engine. I've had a 1.7L and 1.8L in my current 914. At stoplights I couldn't out drag a minivan full of kids.

I dumped the 1.8 and put in a 2.056L. It's a hell of lot more fun.

If it was cheap, I'd buy it (sub 1K).

It looks like they can be worth 3K to someone who needs it.

Most of the parts on it have value.

The cases can be used for a big build.

The 2.0 is worth more but a 1.8 can be made into a 2.0 with the proper parts.

On a serious build I'm trashing most of the parts anyway.

I purchased a "core" 2.0 from 914sixer at $500. I got lucky and the engine is in reasonable shape, but it still had cracked heads.

It all depends on price of the engine.

I'll be pulling a 1.8l out of my 75 and replacing it with the 2.0 but I will be pickling the original engine and storing it to allow a future owner the ability to "make it stock" if they so desire.

Below 1K is a buy for me
Above 2K is a walk away for me.
I'm cheap however...

Actually a 1.8 upgraded with 96mm pistons (1911) are pretty good motors in my experience. My first 914 was a dual weber 1911. Loved it.

Thanks everyone for the feedback, especially as it relates to value. @spoke There's lots of room in the hobby for all of us, including those of us who value a well formed turd and don't go around looking to drag race minivans full of children

My 1.7 kicks ass. Then again I have a modified air intake system & I only weigh 165 lb.s.
Power to weight ratio is a huge factor when HP & your belt size negate each other.

Ha! My thoughts exactly. Pretty sure I could leave a school bus in the dust with my 1.8 though! Hahahahaaaa.....

Honda odyssey 0 to 60 6.3 seconds 914 with a 2.0 0 to 60 8.7 seconds

Seems I've opened up a can of worms with my 1.7/1.8 turd comment. I've had 3 different engines in my '71 914 in 4 different configurations. Also owned a '74 2L 914 at the same time then sold the '74 for an '86 930.

I bought the '71 in 2003 with the original 1.7L with single progressive 2 barrel carb. The only thing that combo did when i mashed the throttle was blow out black smoke.

About this time I purchased a '74 2L FI 914. Alternately drove both sometimes on the same day. The 2L was a world of difference where I could almost feel the acceleration compared to the 1.7L which just seemed to go faster.

Then I purchased a 1.8L engine w/dual carbs mainly for the SSHE's. I put the dual carbs on the 1.7L while I worked on the 1.8L. At least now when I mashed the throttle it went faster w/o the black smoke.

A 356 restorer in Allentown gave me the original FI parts from my '71 as he had worked on the 914 for his dad's buddy who I bought the car from. I put the DJET FI on the 1.8L and put it in my '71. Now I had a '71 with 1.8 with FI and a '74 with 2.0 with FI. The extra power of the 2L over the 1.8L transformed the '74.

When I bought the 930, I now had a Porsche with 280HP vs the estimated 75HP in the 914. I had a rocket and a go cart. Then I swapped the 1.8L for a 2.056L with dual carbs. Bought the engine off of Gerald w/dual webers for less than $1k. One of the best 914 purchases I made. That's the engine in the '71 914 now. That engine has grunt but pales in comparison with the 930.

So I guess I'm jaded about the 1.7/1.8 engines.

its the old saying.
it may be a turd but its our turd.

there are other reasons for preserving a 1.8 apart from its tyre shredding, neck snapping, get up and go.

i would offer just that it is technologically significant.

i think the engine may be worth more than not much if its any good and is entirely intact.
esp since its a 74 not a 75. its the first L jet.
if i lived stateside i would consider buying it.
unfortunately given my location amidst melting ice sheets and across half the world with a pacific ocean in between with a currency spriralling in value i have to pass.
but i am sure those with an interest in L jets and with room to spare in a garage would be seriously interested.
make sure its got all the components. esp the relays that live below the battery.

Even if it looks like, maybe smells like, if it runs decent it does have some worth.

If it's running like a turd, maybe it's just worn out. I sold a running 1.8 to a guy earlier this year, he needed a running motor and that's what he got. Not everyone needs/wants a hot rod motor. Often a running motor is all it takes.

Lol @Spoke . Talk about not anticipating the audience!

Also, Spoke as the self acknowledged CSOB you are, you never seem to have enjoyed at real 1.8. Proper L-Jet is what makes the car remarkable.

To the topic at hand, I think there is probably decent profit in the parts, if you’re willing to take the time.

If you really want it, $500-1000. I’ve given them away to get them out of my garage but a decent running engine can make a roller into a driver so there’s value to the person who needs one.

Have you finally put the 930 turbo motor into the 914?

For me, a 1.8 is 500-1500 depending upon condition

Hopefully the motor will be out of the 930 soon. Just finished installing my lift. Besides stripped #2 plug the motor leaks oil virtually everywhere there's a pipe.

I thought about how the motor would fit in the 914 but not sure where the turbo would be located.

Very nice lift indeed. You can eliminate the overhead garage door opener by going with a rig made by Chamberlain. It mounts on the wall & attaches to the door's torsion bar. It's $500 at Home Depot. CTTOI, does your door have a horizontal torsion bar? I don't see one.

I just mounted the door opener next to the door with the motor at the top. I made a bar to connect the shuttle to the door. So now it doesn't interfere with the lift and I didn't have to buy a different door opener.

Is this what I see in your pic? I'm most interested in your modification.

No just the typical coil springs on each side.

I got that opener from Home Depot. It's by Sommer and is the quietest opener I've ever heard. It is a direct drive opener with a 24V dc motor in the carriage. The control unit is just a ac/dc power supply and ECU. The carriage picks up power from a stationary chain.

You know you want to.

I would not buy the 1.8 unless you needed it to get your car running.

Like others - the 1.8 is the worst of the three engines the 914 came with. Unless you are planning to use it to build a larger, better engine (and you can totally do that and retain most of the l-jet) I would not touch it. Just another engine you would have to store somewhere.

Zach

That's an interesting design. It's counter intuitive I suppose. Here's a pic of my wall mounted rig. It's super easy to install & nothing drips on the car.

If you have a nice 1.8 with original injection and can pick up a spare fairly cheap, go for it. I have both a 1.7 with original injection and a 2.0 with the same. Sure, the 2.0 has more HP but in good tune the 1.7 and 1.8 can move these little cars along just fine. My little 70 1.7 is plenty fun to drive. I've raced FV for several years, so the definition of a "momentum car" :-) I'm used to trying to move a low horsepower car along as fast as it will go.

Yes, lucky enough to have one of the cleanest 914's I've seen. Looks like the previous owner kept it in the garage with a cover. Picture is from when I first got it two years ago. It look exactly the same today as then. (One long needed change is in the works with a set of Fuchs about to go on it.) One owner for 44 years with all maintenance records. Not the original paint, but a really high quality paint job that has held up really well over the years. I also like the look of the early 911 mirrors. Having a low horsepower car has not been an issue for me. I just love having a car that makes (almost) everyone smile and is not a major project. Yes, it "speeds up" when you push the accelerator rather than "accelerating" like the 2.0 in my bumblebee does, but so what At least I get to drive it rather than having a debate about which type of jackstand is the best to keep it on Having another drivetrain and all the components to make sure I have everything I need to keep that part of the car roadworthy seems like a good idea.

The engine and everything that comes with it is priced well (thanks again to everyone who chimed in on value) so I think I will go ahead and commit to the deal. Clearing room in our second garage this week-end.

OK, we can go back to our discussion about garage door openers now

Click to view attachment

Very nice looking 914. Good move with the Fuchs.

"OK, we can go back to our discussion about garage door openers now."

I always wanted to hijack a thread. Finally, at last...

If you plan on building a 2056 with Ljet, then go for it. You still need a 2.0L crank & rods.