I have been gifted with a 914. Don't know the year or exact condition yet but Iknow it will need a bit of work. I'll be doing everything myself and will try and post pictures along the way.

I'm wondering about engine choices. I have a feeling that the car will need engine work. Either a rebuild of the existing or a replacment.

I'm looking for anyone who has put the ecotech in a 914. I've read alot about them in buses amd rails but I can't seem to find anyone who put one in a 914. Does it fit? (I'd think so if you can squeeze a 350 in there, with cutting). How about performance? 170 HP should make this little car a fun ride.

What about rebuilding the existing 4 (I can't even hope it is an origional 6cyl). What kind of power can I get and how much will it cost? I know "speed" costs money, How fast you want to go? But what have you guys paid and what have you gotten out of them?

Is there a better transplant for cheap than the ecotech?

welcome.....

before even thinking about an engine...make sure the chassis is structually sound...

I've never heard of anyone doing the ecotec swap, 1st thing you'd need to do is see if someone makes an adapter plate for it (Kennedy Engineering would be the best bet), if not, then you'll have to fab it yourself.....

Second, you'd need to take good measurements....this is where I screwed up with my VR6 swap.....I bought everything and then put the motor in the car without taking measurements...it fit, but it was ugly and more cutting than I wanted to do was needed (or I just screwed up and didn't try hard enough to find a better solution)(adapter plate with flywheel is ~$600)

stock rebuilds (90ish-hp) can range from $2,000 (parts only, you do the labor) to $5,000 (170hp) if you want one bad-@ss /4 motor (no labor included as well)

I know they make the adapter for the ecotech as the rail guys are using them and I've seen some posts about them in a bus. My biggest concern there is fitting it in a 914. I knnow it can be done as the 350 chevy fits with enough cutting.

Another project!

sorry to hi jack your thread.... but Mueller you did a VR6 swap? How was that? I've been thinking of doing that myself. I love my VR in my GTi and thought that would make a great combo in the light and nimble 914.

Let me be the first to:

I'll be the second....


AND if you want more HP do the thing that will save you the most $ (if you sell) put in a flat 6

QUOTE (SoCal Driver @ Feb 27 2006, 05:53 PM)

sorry to hi jack your thread.... but Mueller you did a VR6 swap? How was that? I've been thinking of doing that myself. I love my VR in my GTi and thought that would make a great combo in the light and nimble 914.

sending PM

Any dollar figures on the flat 6?

Welcome to the club. A few guys are doing subaru conversions. That seems like an inexpensive way to get 200 hp. click search above and type in subaru conversion - you should get a lot of material, with prices.

I'm going to pick up the car in DC on Sunday.

I'll let you guys know the condition after I get back.

Subaru conversions are the latest craze here. The reason is that with a naturally aspirated Subaru flat 4, you can get the power of a 2.4-2.7L 6. If you want more than about 200 HP, you can put in a WRX engine and get up to maybe 280. Beyond that a WRX Sti engine will give you all kinds of power.

A Subaru conversion, if you fabricate stuff on your own can run as little as $2-$3k. If you are going to buy a kit of parts and do it mostly with off the shelf components it will cost something like double that or a bit more.

Check out the various Subaru threads here for more information. In short, the Subaru is good for the following reasons:

1. Its a flat 4 - results in low center of mass of the car
1.5 Its light. Weighs less than a type IV
2. Its cheap
3. Engine is physically small, fits well in a 914
4. Lots of aftermarket parts/mods support
5. Good matching of RPMs to the stock transmission
6. Reliable
7. developing knowledge base here

If you don't want to race competitively in Porsche clubs and don't mind having a non-Porsche engine, its probably the best bang for the buck out there.

-Tony