Engine rebuild suggestions

[Tom71852]

Hello from a Porsche novice. I have a 1968 Porsche Targa project car. I want to get a rebuild on the engine. I don't have the time to do this myself. I need suggestions. Should I change to a newer model engine? I want to add A/C and cruise. Don't care about a big power increase (some increase would be good). I was told to try MM for the rebuild but reading the threads here I get the idea that would be a mistake. Why? I appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks

Tom

[JV911SYDNEY]

hi tom

from what i've heard you should steer clear of MM

having just had an engine built i know there are so many options to ponder

2 main points to consider are your budget and the primary use for the car ???

personally, my car is used 90% street and 10% DE so i opted to go for the torque of a later model & bigger displacement engine rather than having the 2.7 rebuilt

if you are planning on racing certain classes may have restrictions on mods and displacement

porsche aircon has never been very effective and aftermarket systems can cost big $

there are some very knowlegdeable guys on here

good luck

JV

[304065]

Tom, welcome to the forum.

What is the VIN of your '68? What model? The advice you receive is absolutely a function of what you have and what you want to do with it.

In general, a '68 Targa is not the best platform for anything other than a restoration project, if the car can be brought back. The reason is that the highest value of a '68 anything is in original, unrestored condition, and if the car's unrestorable, there are better platforms on which to build performance. If one were to replace the engine then the brakes need to be upgraded, then the suspension and so on . . . pretty soon the car ends up looking like a 911SC, but without the galvanized body and chassis rigidity and flared fenders, etc.

So, my answer is, if the car's in good shape, you should consider rebuilding the engine to original, or original-appearing, specifications. If you post your geographic location I'm sure you will get many recommendations as to good rebuilders in your area that can help with this project. Many of them are regulars here.

Good luck!

[Turbo_pro]

You couldn't do better than Supertec to rebuild your engine no matter where you live.
They rebuild engines for clients all over the world. They built my engine 4 years ago and I couldn't be happier.

Read this, it was posted recently by Henry.

"The nuances involved in picking an engine spec are generally determined by intended use, but there are other considerations.
All engine configurations (even F1) have compromises built in.
The question is or should be "where do I want to compromise?"
To respond intelligently to your question, there would need to be a plethora of questions asked and answered.
If you're asking "will this engine configuration work?" the answer is "yes".
If you're asking "is this the best engine for your needs?'' the answer is "who knows?".

A quick story:
I recently had a customer bring in a one owner 83 911 SC with 250K miles on it. He wanted an overhaul. We sat and talked and as is my usual MO I suggested some cool performance modifications. You know , the usual litany of higher compression, better cams, bigger ports....yada yada yada.
He thought it all sounded good. So I wrote it up.
He didn't have a ride home so I rode with him to his house and so I could drop him off and bring the car back. On the way home I noticed that he shifted his Porsche at about 3800rpm. I asked if he always drove like this? His response was " always". At that point, I decided that performance mods were not in his best interest. With his constant input, we ended up lowering his compression and advancing his cam timing. We also built a special distributor to take advantage of the lower compression. Now he can run regular gas and enjoy an engine that offers better performance at the range he has chosen to drive his car.
Is that engine choice correct for most Porsche enthusiasts? Of course not, but it is correct for him.

Budget, smog laws, collectibility, intended use and reliability are all necessary considerations when choosing the correct spec for your engine. Just like hot rodding old American classics, there is no "right way". Build your engine (car for that matter) to suit your needs, not some spec chosen for you by someone with an agenda or what you read in some book.
Cheers"
__________________
Henry Schmidt
SUPERTEC PERFORMANCE
Ph: 760-728-3062
Email: supertec1@earthlink.net

[Tom71852]

Wow. I greatly appreciate your responses. I'm getting an education. I'll get that VIN posted. The car is a 1968 Porsche 911 Targa, with Weber carbs. I'm in Fresno, Ca. (an irrigated desert). A/C here is a must unless you don't want to use your vehicle from May to Sept. My expected use of this car not as a daily driver but as a frequent driver. I'll drive it to work occasionally, to the coast/mountains occasionally. I'd like it to be practical, perhaps drive it about half time. I'm fine with the 1968 look. I've seen a couple of these restored and expect that the only updates I'll want to do will be the A/C and shoulder/lap style seat belts. I may replace the sport seats. Other minor mods. The body is good (some body work and paint needed). The Interior needs restoration. I plan on doing most of the body and interior myself. I'm sure that I'll run into things I haven't thought of. I hope my budget works out. I thought I could do all of this for about 15 grand. Let me know if that is unrealistic. I don't think spending much more than that makes sense on this car. I figured that most of the cost would be the engine rebuild.

I was advised by a Los Angeles supplier of used parts (and engines) that the engine in a 1968 wasn't worth spending money on. Since I'm just wanting a reliable use car, I'm curious if you guys have that same opinion or if you think that It is OK to do.

I'll check on that Supertec recommendation.

Thanks again.

Tom

[JV911SYDNEY]

Originally Posted by Tom71852

I thought I could do all of this for about 15 grand.

hey,

do-able but will depend on how much of the engine your you can do yourself and if your engine is within spec...if you:

are doing a standard rebuild;
dont need new pistons & cylinders;
and can do everything except the machine work youself, then it'll cost $8-$10k

if you arent doing the engine yourself, if you need new pistons & cylinders and if you want any performance mods things start to add up to $20k quickly.