hello i just wanted to say hi as i will likely be on this forum from now on. I am a bmw fanatic that just recently purchased a 914. with plans on converting it to a 6 and using it for track purposes. i am knowledgeable about bmw's but when it comes to porsches i know nothing! so please forgive me in advance thank you

Are you familiar with new or older BMWs, or both? Do you know much about the first-gen M Coupes?

That conversion's not going to be a simple bolt-in, but lots of guys have done it. Do your research and don't overspend on the engine.

indeed, sir!

You in Washington State or Washington DC?

Zach

Sounds familiar ... that was me about 5 years ago.

I have a 914/6 track car (conversion) and a '88 BMW M5.

By your screen name, I'm guessing you have an E30 325.

Got any pics?

Hope to see you around if you are in Washington State (and not Washington D.C.).

Eddie

haha thx for the welcomes guys. I am in Washington state. i mainly have knowledge on e30, e36, and e46's. and I used to have an e30 325 and thats how i came up with the screenname nice guess ><

i am buying a 99 m3 soon to replace my 99 323is m-package. the M will be a show car and the 914 is for the track

I will post pics of teh porsche and M within the next week.

hey guys i found some pics of the new 914 hope you like it

looks like a great car! congrats!

are there any suggestions you guys may be able to help me with on deciding which engine to put into this thing? i know 911 engines are good but which one is the best for the car?

I've never done a conversion, so IDK what is best. I think the best air-cooled flat six is the 3.2, but it may not fit since it uses the G-50 trans instead of the 901...

1) it's your car so our opinion really has very little weight...

2) that said, it looks like a very nice stock car... I'd keep it type 4, maybe make it a big type 4, but this is an easy, reliable, "cheap" option. cheap in comparison of course... a water cooled engine requires about the same money, but a LOT more TIME... time that the car is not on the road. a good -6, like a 3.0 or 3.2 adds More money and TIME... and the complexity of the engine is another level that I cannot even attest to.

again, it's your choice tho...
what's you budget? timeline? personal experience with the choices (type 4, SBC, Subaru, 911 engines)?

what do you want the car to be when it grows up?
a street car? auto-x demon? daily driver? concourse?

i did a little bit of digging and i found a 1986 911 3.2L 6 that i am thinking would be plenty of "fun" for us. also there is no time cutoff this is simply a winter project that hopefully if we work on it everyday can run it next summer.

from your experiences is this engine choice a good choice? what transmissions go best with this?

probably the most powerful -6 that you can use by normal conversion... should be very reliable but I would still have it checked out by a good 911 mechanic.

my guess is a g50, maybe a 915... either will have to be worked on to switch the R&P and get the linkage set up. you might be able to use a 901 for a little while tho. I know some chevy guys use the 901 and are just gentle starting out.

what do you mean "gentle starting out"?

"Gentle Starting out" means no dumping the clutch - no jackrabbit starts.

As far as trannies, a 915 would be good, but you have to flip the Ring&Pinion. You would also need the WEVO kit - $$$
The G50 is a great tranny, but I don't thing you can flip the R&P, so you would have to run it upside down. And a cable shifter.
Another choice would be a 930. Again run upside down w/ a cable shifter. This would be a 4-speed.

T.C.

I see you found it to the world. Welcome.

I run a 901 behind my 3.6. Andy does the same on his. That's the cheapeast, easiest option, but you do have to be easy on first gear. So far it's surviived for about 20,000 miles and a dozen or so autocrosses. I did have a bearing fail in the trans, but who knows if that was just old age are not. Otherwise, it is okay.

A 915 is a little harder to do, but not that bad - just more $. A 930 is more money and bulletproof. A G-50 is quite a bit more involved. I don't know of anyone ever having done it, really. I know that Clay Perrine is planning to, and I will eventually, but there is a lot of work involved there. You have to run the transmission inverted because you can't flip the ring gear, and that interfere's with the rear trunk floor. Shift linkage is all different. Yada, yada.

A 3.2 with a 901 would be great. You can always upgrage the trans later.

So far, so good. The 901 is holding up well with the 3.6L motor. I don't use 1st gear at all anymore, i take off in second.

I used a KEP Stage 2 Clutch and Pressureplate plus a ringgear adapter and bolted the 901 straight to the 3.6L motor running a (lightened) 993 flywheel.

That seems by far the easiest solution and works well if you don't insist on 1st gear burnouts.
Andy

Bring money. Lots of it.