Here's a good one to think about, on a Sunday night.
How about installing a Tatra V8 in your 914? No radiators, hoses, holes to cut because it's air cooled. LOOK AT THAT VALVE TRAIN!!!! And those combusion chambers. WOO EEE!! (Givin' you any ideas, Jake???)
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I even found a complete engine for sale on [German] eBay! Looks to be complete even. (The pic below isn't the one on eBay. The one on eBay "needs work".)
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Gotta love those dual cooling fans. No electric motors here- belt driven. The Tatra (in production until 1996) was rear-engined, so the heat exchangers would have to be rotated for our use. Or, it could be a new style cabin heater!
(latest ones went to a single fan, belt driven from below, sorta like a Porsche.)
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And, for those few of you out there who never heard of Tatra, here's a pic of an older (50's? 60's?) vintage Tatra! NOW I know where the inspiration for the '63 Corvette rear window came from!!! Where else??? If you squint just right... fastback... split window...
You can see the air inlets for the engine just ahead of the back tires.... By the way, this was the best angle of view IMHO.
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Well, I was intrigued, and I thought I'd share it.... Have a great evening!!!