[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Step Zero, as always, is to RTFR. Are you allowed to swap gears, or only R&P? Do you have to use parts that originally came in some 914, or can you use parts from other cars?

The 1.7 engines are much the same, except for the 1973 CA-only motor which was low compression. The other 1.7s were high compression and made 80 HP DIN spec, with a torque curve that was basically flat from 2500 RPM to 4500 RPM.

Can you change the fuel system? All of the US-spec 914s, and all of the 914-4s up through 1973, had D-jetronic fuel injection. That limits what can be done to the engine, especially the cam selection. If you are allowed to switch over to carbs, you can pick pretty much any cam you like at that point.

The stock exhaust is OK but not great. An actual tuned header setup will pick up some noticeable power, even on a stock motor. (Note that 5 HP is noticeable when you only have 80 to start with.) The least-expensive tuned-header systems that I know of start in the $600 range, and the best ones can easily be double that. The effectiveness generally goes up as the price does--the Tangerine Racing headers are the best, and cost the most.

Suspension options are pretty vast. We sell a few of the more common upgrades, but there are more out there. The 914 uses different splines on the front torsion bars than the 911 (sad to say!) but the bars are otherwise identical. Most aftermarket suppliers can get 914 bars, though demand is a bit lower so prices are often higher. If you swap in 911 A-arms, you can use 911 torsion bars.

The rear suspension on a 914 uses coil springs. There are threaded perches available that use a very commonly-available size of spring, so you can pretty much go to your local circle-track supplier and get springs in any weight you choose at that point.

The through-body sway bar in the front of a 914 is basically the same as used in the early 911. There are kits to mount bars in 914s that don't have them; cost and quality both vary. Weltmeister is a popular budget option; Tarrett is generally better and more costly. Rear sway bars were a factory option; some people like them and some do not. I liked mine with stock suspension (and both sways) but not when I started upgrading the suspension bits. The stock sway bar can bottom on the trunk floor on a significantly lowered car, which will cause problems. The bar can also unload the inside tire, which makes cars without a limited-slip lose drive.

LSDs were a factory option, but very rare. The factory ZF LSD is going to be very pricey if you need one, and may be hard to find. You can use one from a 911 (up through 1969) but that's still not common. Installation can be a lot of work (read: $$$) too.

Brakes are a subject that can spawn a lot of discussion. Swapping in 911 front brakes is easy; just use 911 front struts and you get the five-lug wheels and brakes with them. Rears are harder to swap over; we have a Tech Article on going 5-lug which details some of the options.

If the stock brakes are in top working order, they are pretty good. I know someone who uses stock brakes on the track and regularly out-brakes M3s. Good pads and fresh fluid are musts for that.

The proportioning valve on the firewall behind the driver's butt is difficult to bleed and often a source of sponginess. Some like to replace it with a Tee, but that defeats the purpose of a proportioning valve. It can be replaced by an adjustable valve, which is good if you know how to adjust it.

The 914 can be a real hoot to drive. You can also sink a whole lot of money into it...

--DD