I love the look of the 911 5 lug fuch's, I want to know if it's as easy as just changing out the rotors and buying some 5 lug fuch's.
What would be the preferred rim and tire size of the 5 lug fuch's and what exactly is involved with this conversion. I have owned my 914 for exactly 5 days and am very excited to know everything there is to get to know.

A good option is located in the 914 Resources, Parts and Products, under Eric Shea's 5 lug conversions.

It is really simple actually, but can cost some money. You can get the entire front suspension..EVERTHING: A-arms, crossmember, struts...etc...etc... Just unbolt the old and bolt up the 911 suspension. The rear is a little more complicated. You have to buy new 914-6 rotors, and 914-6 rear calipers, or 914-4 front calipers (loose the e-brake) . You also need the 914-6 hub. Eric Shea sells them in the resources forum. While you are in there (just kidding....) You probably should go ahead and get new shocks all around, and new rear springs. The wheels cant be any bigger than 6"....there is also a 5.5" 911 fuchs wheel. The usual diameter is 15" but the stock 914-6's used 14" rims.

Just sold my 5 lug fuchs with new pilots yesterday


Seems the 225s on the back would fit with a little fender massage
205s on the front should fit fine

The 911 front end you buy MUST be from a 1969 or newer. Most folks like the 911SC units because they have nice big rotors and pads. The rear is simple. You buy wheel bearings, redrilled hubs and rotors. You'll need a set of lug nuts to go with it. if your car uses the ball joints with the curved slot, you'll need new ball joints to match your struts (assuming you buy 1972 or later struts). Plan on a grand, possibly more, depending on the cost of the front end, and whether you need shocks or not. Plus wheels. The Cap'n

I just did the rears and you don't need to go quite that far. I just did this in may. The key is locating early 70-71 914-4 rear hubs (the part the rotors bolt to. Easy in emeryville ca has them for $50 each. They have the boses on them for a good machinist to drill out and press in 5 studs and they fit the 914/4 axle hubs. The difficult part for some people is pressing out the old hubs/bearings and then pressing in new bearings and your new hubs. By doing it this way you use your stock rear brake calipers, and if there is enough material on the rear rotors (near new) have a machinist drill the 5 bolt patern, otherwise replace them with 914/6 rotors. A much cheaper and just as strong way. Good luck!

What if you had a good machine shop weld up the 4 lug pattern and drill and tap the 5 lug pattern on front and back?
I'm also wondering if it would make more since to keep things as original as possible, Would a porsche purist think this conversion is pure blasphemy.

No welding

A Porsche purist would already think you were driving a VW.

Easiest method up front is to drill and add studs to the front rotor/hub assembly... but you need to do this any time you need new rotors.

Rears are the same as mentioned above.

any drilling should be done professionally, not with a hand drill or even a drill press


See the resource section, Eric Shea has professionally re-drilled front hubs with press-in studs at pretty good prices, he also has the rear done already for purchase. Unless you have a machine shop or have access to one, I don't think you'll beat his prices by much.

Does Eric Shea have a website? How do I get a hold of his services?

Here

Welded and drilled rotors....work.....then figure you have to do it again if ya bugger up the disc or wear it out....

Do it right the first time.

What is the difference in the "A" arms and the struts?
Is the track (width) different with the 911 suspension bolted into the 914?
Why do some switch them both and others just redrill the hubs?
Will the boxster rims fit on my (flared) 914 with this conversion?
Tx

?? 911 struts have larger wheel bearings?? or is it 911 hubs??
Will the 914 shock/strut fit into the 911 wheel/hub assembly?
Tx

I went the easiest and cheapest route and bought some wheel adapters.
Cost me about $200.00 with the empi repro lug nuts. 14x5.5 Fuch's with 1 inch wheel adapters. Better pic's in the morning.Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment

Well....the good part about where YOU live....is that you probably can't go fast enough on the island to hurt yourself.....4-5 lug adapters aren't the most accepted way to do it. Most if not all race scrutineers would fail you at tech inspection.

To me, the construction of most of them reeks of bad chesse....

So, I would periodically check them.

I'll be here when you want to fix it

BTW....I'm gonna be in Oahu on the 17th....then Kona on the 22nd.

That's only 5 days warning!!

HIDE YOUR WOMEN AND CHILDREN!!!

Ah Blow me....

BTW, another clubmember will ALSO be there with their family as well.....

Let me get right on that!



HIDE YOUR FARM ANIMALS AS WELL!!

It's not Miles....and Howie is on a cruise.....

Oh...

My mistake. I thought it was Howard.

we need a 5 lug conversion How to in the classics...

it is tiring to answer this over and over huh eric?

and grasshopper - you dont need 914/6 rear calipers (they dont exist anywhere....)

Click to view attachmentClick to view attachmentClick to view attachmentI have a friend that has a yellow turbo charged Meyers Manx that has run 10 second quarter mile times. He is running adapters going from VW wide 5 to porsche 5x 130mm. Been that way for 15 years. His buggy is scary fast and feels more like flying than driving. I'm pretty sure I'm safe in my 90 horsepower 914.
Adapters never looked so good....IMO. I also have the option of going back to my 4 lug Fuchs when the mood strikes, Options are wonderful!

HUGE differance between a 5 to 5 adapter and a 4 to 5 adapter...no comparison, don;t even go there

that being said, the cheesy 4 to 5 adapters do "work" just as long as you don;t have any plans to auto-x or track your car...they are not allowed by most organizations...........

Have any of you ever bought or installed these Adapters? I would suspect the front wheel bearings would go before these adapters ever let loose.

There is a "reason" they are banned from auto-x and track events....and it has nothing to do with premature wheel bearing failure

These cars are 30+ years old, which also means that there is 30+ years of experiance with them with regards to what works and what does not work.....

oh yea, I am running 1.25" spacers on the front of my 4-lug car, I don't expect to see any problems from it...

Just make sure you have a tube of loc-tite, jack and lug wrench when you travel about.

Don't ask... BTDT back in 1996 in the TN mountains. Seems like you want to learn on your own, which is cool but, have that stuff in your glove box.

You had mentioned purists and that is important, however, the Purist Minimalists are by far better suited to answer any question about any modification. As Purist Minimalist I must answer the question of them spacers. We here at the club have an affinity with light, fast and well designed. Some are experts in the racing department and as many know, I don't know squat about racing. Structuraly with a five lug patern, it is okay to shim with adaptors for pushing the wheels out but four to five lug structuraly is a no no. Though you may only drive your beast occasionaly this option is only for LOOKS and not function so don't rely in it's functionability to far without continual inspection. To go five lug or four lug Fuches is truely great but the swop thing is not the best even if only for looks. You won't loose anything going five lug and Eric Scott Shea will take you to heaven bro!

Either go hot or cold bro but not warm!