Glad to have a V8

[Stinky 911T]

My wife says she does not worry about me running off with another woman - she knows that I am very devoted to her. But when I hear an air cooled Porsche go by, my head snaps around instantly!

So, what is it that appeals to me about Porsches? I like the sound of the air cooled engines, the body styles (I like all Porsche bodies), and the fact that they do not look like every other car or SUV on the road.

I would not put a Chevy engine in my Porsche because I would lose one of the things I love about the car. However, I respect the right of others to do whatever they want to their cars.

I am thinking about replacing the 30 year old Blaupunct radio in my 911 with a modern CD stereo that works. Does this make me a hack? What if I repaint the car, replacing a tired chipped paint job with a new shiny one? If I replace my Sportomatic with a 915 transmission, does the value of the car go through the floor? I replaced the tired Marelli distributor with a Bosch - I guess that was a sin, wasn't it?

Even though I do not want a Chevy engine in my 911, I guess I am not a purist either because I am not too concerned that all of the parts in my car match.

The bottom line might be that some of us are purists, some are hot rodders, and some are in between. All of us want to enjoy our cars, but that means something different to each of us!

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Bob Thayer
1971 911T
rthayer@hdrinc.com

[howie944]

Sometimes to gain perspective you have to look at the problem from the reverse side. I dearly love my 79 Sc for what it is. Would never think of doing the V8 conversion. That doesn't make the conversion wrong. However, my point is: (reverse)...How many Camaro or Mustang conversions have you heard of where they have taken the Chevy or Ford engine out and replaced it with an engine from a 928 (v8)or tried to stuff a 911 engine in one? Or dear God...American sacrilege...stuffing a 928 engine in a Vette??? I think its because the name Porsche and the distinctive styling (not to mention the high price of admission) make the car desireable (very). You stick a V8 in to replace a blown engine...(low $ replacement for a hight dollar one)...So you drive a "Porsche"...(ummm maybe!!!) Sort of like glamour shots photos...can make a real "dog" look great!!!! (hope I didn't offend anyone...just my 2 cents)

[77911s]

isn't the next generation of 911 going to have a v8?

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77911s

[RarlyL8]

So far to date the only stock production Porsche engine to exceed the power of the stock Corvette V8 is the 993 Twin Turbo. This is why the swap only goes one way. If Porsche made 400+hp motors for less than $10K then someone would find a way to swap it into a Chevy. Human nature.

As far as general cross-make swaps are concerned I've never heard anyone call the original 427 Cobra a bastardized AC Ace.

[Matt Holcomb]

Originally posted by 77911s:
isn't the next generation of 911 going to have a v8?

It's possible, but I don't think the next incarnation of the 911 needs a V8; they seem to be doing just fine with the current iteration of the venerable flat-six.

What will a V8 do that the current flat-six can't?

Porsche are certainly bringing back V8 powerplants for the SUV and this proposed supercar, but there has been no indication that a version of these V8 engines (which are all going to be based on the old 928 engine) will ever find its way into a 911.

If one does then you know that Porsche value the precious North American market more than their own ethos, which admittedly, is the market that allows them to afford their ethos, and the market that may (finally) force Porsche to kill off the car that defines them in favor of yet another gratuitous attempt to create one more interpretation of the Corvette.

Personally, I see no advantage of replacing the rear-engined 996 with a front-engined car - both are imperfect, or rather, less than ideal.

A V8 Boxster, well, now that's a different story...




[This message has been edited by Matt Holcomb (edited 08-27-2000).]

[Kurt B]

Stormcrow defines the resistance to your conversion and why I can't swallow the idea of the butchery. Go to autocross sometime and you'll see Vettes smoking the place. Good old American Iron. Honda S2000 with 240 horsies and all the RPM you could want if that's your thing.
I picked Porsche for the whole package. The same guy who goes to a junk yard weekends to dig up old 356 gauges rather than put gauges from AutoZone in his car is the same guy who wants, with all its imperfection, an air cooled boxer engine in his Porsche. By design, with reasonable mods, driving the Legend.
The problem with your post is where it's posted. Here. There's nothing magical about the butchery. You could also bolt a rocket on the rear or turn it into an electric car. You could put a lawnmower engine in it, or you could take a baseball bat to it. We'd all think the same thing: One more member of the family just passed away. In my mind, it's no longer a Porsche....it's a kit car

[Jim Smolka]

Sorry for the delay, but at the request of leon, I have posted a couple of pictures of the conversion

[RarlyL8]

Jim - VERY NICE JOB!! That is just beautiful. Looks like a first class installation. Man do I wish you could get the V8 torque out of an F6 that the small block chevy supplies for the price of a set of Webers! You may have just pushed me over the edge. Anyone want to buy a freshly rebuilt 3.3L 930 motor?

[Jim Smolka]

Please to understand, this is NOT my 911 (I wish it was). This 911 belongs to the originator of this post. I just placed a picture of his car at the request of several folks in the post. Keith was nice enough to help me to convert my 914 from a 2.0 to a 3.0 SC engine. I don't wish to think what it will cost me to keep up with him on an autocross course or drivers ed. I would probably need 350+ HP

[65-911]

Looks nice..

What did you do for the exhaust?
Custome headers? Stock manifolds??

Just wondering how it was done.

Thanks
Bruce

[Jack Olsen]

http://www.oz.net/~daveb/project.htm

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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T sunroof coupe

[This message has been edited by JackOlsen (edited 09-15-2000).]

[juan ruiz]

Where i come from i have see rotary engines on suzukis,toyotas,datsun, i have see chevy engines on this same cars but for some reason this chevy in a PORSCHE is just hard to understand.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

From http://www.oz.net/~daveb/project.htm :

Range
Best so far (5/17/97), 15.1 miles. The end point for range is rather subjective. Near the end of the charge, performance drops off fairly sharply but the car will still go, albeit slowly, for quite a while. Poor range thought to be due to wheel/brake drag.

------------------------------

HAHA! And you guys were complaining about 14 MPG....

blue

[ks911]

I have not followed this post in a while and am suprised to find that it is still running.

I will start new post after the Drivers ed at CMP in oct.

New modifications include the swap to Trick Flow G2 twisted wedge aluminum cylinder heads that yeilded about 50 or 60Hp for around 1,100.00 talk about cheap Hp. Now I can smoke the 255/40/17 S-o2's with a prod of the gas peddle.
Brakes are to be updated to four piston Rebco Outlaw calipers and Carrera rotors, will post info about how this turns out. The conversion should only cost about 500.00 and should really improve the brake system.
Added an oil cooler to help lower oil temps on the track. Discovered though research that the oil can run 70-80 degrees hotter than the coolant and 270 degree oil temps are not acceptable.
The only event I have attended was the NCAC auto cross in Ashville, NC. Although I was not the fastest Porsche there I was a lot faster than before the conversion. There was no tail happy monster just great torque out of the turn, even kept its manners thought the slalem.
Will keep you all updated.

Keith

[Titanium Pipe]

If you ask anyone to be 100% honest, they will tell you that they will or have done a V-8 conversion for economical reasons. It is true that for the money you can get more hp gfor the buck. I asked a my best friend who is doing one in a 914. If you were well off would you still do it?? He said "no, I'd put a 3.6 in my car." I have a 79' 911 SC that eventually will be specatular, I am having anziano do a one of a kind strosek body conversion in metal that i have been designing for nearly 10 years, 993 Intrior with WORKING modern /c and heater system, REAL steel center tunnel, interior, 19"x13" rear rims etc. I will NOT put a V-8 in it but rather have Todd at Protomotive buld a 700HP motor. a V-8 with thta HP would coast half, but, well, you got the idea.

DWB

[Bob Goding]

I had better return my leprosy model 2.7 back to original. anybody got a set of thermal reactors?--185/70 tyres? I'll drain the Mobil one and put some recycled oil from the gas station in-- oh and the swepco will have to come out of the 915-- damn.!! I'll also rip off the pax side rear vision mirror so I cant see. all that should double the value!!!!
Bob g.

[Yargk]

I can't help but to have an actual physical reaction of disgust in seeing two rows of 4 pistons pointed upward in the back of a 911 no matter how clean it looks. I guess to each his own, but ick. I think people should be able to do what they want with their cars, however it would be more respectful to the marque and it's enthusiasts if they only used the base, common models as a beginning for any major projects.

Keith Ray
79 930

[VIPRKLR]

Ditto all RarlyL8 has had to say.

ks911: I have a couple of questions for you, if you do not mind.

1) have you done anything so drastic that the car could never be returned to stock? - providing that you kept all the Porsche stuff.

2) I believe that Dr. Porsche used a flat six to keep the motor mass low. Has the V8 changed the bias of the car very much? I am not just talking decreasing radii here, but rather overall driving comfort.

3) what do expect your final costs to be?

I know very well that Porsches engines are a marvel and put together like a Swiss watch. But it is hard to imagine needing to speed several thousand dollars to get 350 HP out of such a fine motor. That would ruin the original configuration, would it not? Hell, you can accidently build 400HP out of a LS1 for little more than lunch money.

I must admit, this string has my blood running a little hot and my dreams are becoming littered with bow ties... I just get tired of needing to adjust valves every time I start the car.

[Automahn]

Well I am a fan of porchev if the motor in my 911sc was to blowup that would be the most cost effective swap. Nice job on the conversion. And to all you purists out there I think it was all summed up in a short sentence "its only a car". The poster of this message just shared his experiences with us and did not brag about his swap or even mention anything about being superior to the flat 6.Please keep us posted on how the car does on a daily basis...is it reliable??? Any chance of posting some pics of the undercarriage. I have pretty much been flamed by some of the purists in the corvette club when I bought my 911 but I am a car enthusiast not just a porsche or corvette enthusiast...different strokes for different folks.

[pbs911]

Solution: If you are installing a v-8, pick up a project car that nobody wants. Don't cut up a good P-car merely to increase cheap HP.

While a v-8 "p-car" would be a fun novelty item, but it could never replace my SC as The Driving Experience.
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Paul
78SC Targa