I have gotten a few e-mails about this, so I figured I'd just post something up here so I can just point people to it. I'm sure others will chime in with more info.

Things you should think of before you do a V8 conversion:

It isn't cheap, if you try to do it cheap you will end up with a car you don't want to drive.

Budget 8-10 grand minimum if you ware going to do the conversion on an original car. You can put a V8 in a 914 for less than 3k, but you will have a car you don't want to drive.

Buy the Renegade radiator setup for a thousand dollars, don't waste your time and money trying to use a camaro radiator. It costs a lot, but that is because it is very high quality and it works. If your car over heats if you get stuck in traffic or at a light you will not want to drive it.

I used Renegade Hybrids' kit for the conversion, everything bolted together with the included hardware. You can try and piece together a home brew kit using a Kennedy adapter and home made brackets, but you will probably end up with a car you don't want to drive.

Also the car will need bigger brakes, beefed up front and rear suspension, more rubber on the ground, bushings and all the things a 30 year old car needs replaced if you want a car you will want to drive.

Even with all of that you will probably still break your 914 transmission, so you will need to decide if you want to use disposable 914 trannies or budget another 3-10K to convert the car over to a 915 or 930 trans.

Buy someone else's finished sorted project, it's cheaper and you can start driving right away.

Well said my friend. I have preached the same thing for 8-10 years now.


B

Aaron,
You have any pics, or link to web page?

Do you enjoy driving yours?

They are worth a million smiles per hour. It is very difficult to wipe the shit eating grin off your face after you make a few 140mph blasts up/down the freeway. If you are a car guy and not a 100% pure Porsche guy.. then a V8 914 is the car for you. Imagine a Muncie 4 speed Camaro minus 500lbs and you have the idea of what a V8 914 feels like. Even a mild 350hp SBC with a stock tranny is fun.. but in the never ending quest for more power most people end up with 915 boxes or 930 boxes installed. Bring cash. I quoted a guy on Sunday 20k for a conversion. This included a 450hp pump gas SBC fuel injected and a 930 4 speed gear box. 10k down and 10k to be paid out over the build process.


B

Out of curiosity...

Does anyone know anything about the 3.5L V6 engine in the '99-'2002(?) Oldsmobile Intrigue? It is an all aluminum engine, 24 valve DOHC and redlines around 6500 RPMs. It's nicknamed the Shortstar since it's based on the Northstar engine. I can't remember the HP/torque numbers of the top of my head but I think it is pretty torquey.

Anyways....its a nice engine...wonder if it would fit in a 914. I would never tackle something like that......

There ya go. Thats what it looks like sitting in the driveway right now. Waiting for the threaded collers to show up so I can get the rear out of the air a bit.

Yeah it's fun, pretty quick and it still drives like a 914.

-Aaron G.

What springs you running in the rear?

Any pics of the conversion? It looks like some nice stealthy air vents on the side of the fenders.. flares front and not rear? Or do you have some flares on the rear that we cant see.. Mo picks would be good.

Nice looking car!

Andrew

The rears look flaired to me.

I'm in the process of wanting one (SBC V8). I have the flaired roller, 327/325 hp SBC, and a trans. I've been to Renegrades shop and been a member on the various porchev boards to read all I can find out, but I keep looking at all the ads for compleated cars and going Hmmmmmmm.

I went for a ride in a 69 Z28 Camero (302/4 spd) when it was new, way to put big smiles on your face.

Got to agree that it isn't cheap. The engine conversion is only the start.

When I started on my conversion buying a kit was not a option that I could afford. At the time I was unemployed. I had plenty of time to make all of my mounts and brackets.
I made my front engine mount like a renegade mount only out of larger and stronger tubing. When I made this I had to buy a section of tubing 24' long for $24. I has able to make 3 mounts out of this tubing and sell 2 on ebay for a little profit. If I had this to do over I would make it different and tie in the rear suspension mounts. I've seen some pictures from another member here that has made a lot nicer mount. Maybe he'll chime in.

I didn't want to use a standard v belt six cylinder harmonic balancer for the water pump and alternater drive so I used a serpintine belt system using custom brackets with a standard chevy V8 belt tensioner with a harmonic balancer from a 3.8 liter GM V6.
I laser cut these brackets out of 1/2 steel plate. ( no flex with these )

On the cooling I started with a electric water pump and thought I was having trouble and replaced this with the standard belt driven Mopar impeller pump. I used a 15 fin double pass aluminum radiator with 2 14" electric fans on a full shroud. The car runs right at the 180 thermostat all day long. Somethings with my system are similar to the renegade but I'm using a header and recoverey tank that self bleed the air from the system. Fill the system with coolant and run it thru 2 heat cycles and your good to go.

I calibrated my Tach for the V8 and used a function generater to check and figure out the circuit and would be happy to share this info with anyone.

It took me about 6 months to complete my conversion, but alot of this time was waiting on money to buy parts with.

I've got to agree with the using a 930 trans and have located one and hope I can save up the money before its gone.


I've been driving my car now for 8 months and 5k miles and have had no trouble at all that was related to the conversion.

All of the parts that I made mounts,brackets etc I made CAD drawings of and like the tach will be happy to share these with anyone.

Would I do it this way again HELL YES as a matter of fact I have already started on another roller that I picked up in Calif last summer. This time doing it with a LS1/LS6 engine.

Kinda off topic, but I'll throw it in anyway. A guy I know stuffed a Cadillac Northstar V8 into a Mk2 Golf. Now that thing really hauls ass! Here's a link to some pics, if anybody is interested.

V8 Golf

He did all the work himself, and he says that it handles just about as good as stock. It's a real sleeper, except for the loud V8 growl when he pulls up next to you.

Uh sure here ya go..

The car: http://www.earlyapex.net/images/914/

I took those this morning.. look at our awfull weather.

I probably have something around here from the convertion.. Have to go through my pictures.