904 on Forbes.com

[s_wilwerding]

Below is a link on Forbes.com about a 904 that recently sold. There's a little 904 background, and the guy suggests replacing the 904 engine with a 2.2 911 engine. Interesting read:

Forbes.com 904 story

[banjomike]

Man I sent that bone head a nasty comment. Who does that guy think he is!? Oh yeah just toss that cruddy ole 4cammer motor on the trash heap, they're expensive and unreliable. !?!?!?

In my opinion if you own one of these you have a responsibility to keep it original. I have seen with my very own eyes a 904 with that gorgeous 2 liter 4 cam engine trouncing a whole slew of 289 and 427 cobras.

Hell if streetability and cost are the big issues why not just do one of those porschev conversions on it, who cares those 904s are a dime a dozen!

[s_wilwerding]

I had the same kinds of feelings. How much more would that car be worth with the original engine? Also, why put in the 911 engine? For improved streetability? It's not like you're driving it to work everyday. I realize that the 4-cam engines are terrifically complex and expensive to rebuild, but how many miles are you going to put on it a year? 500? Besides the fact that anyone who can afford a $300,000 40 year old car can probably afford an engine rebuild now and again.

Neat looking car though.

[Jack Olsen]

It makes a good argument for the Beck replicas.

[s_wilwerding]

Originally posted by JackOlsen
It makes a good argument for the Beck replicas.

I've actually heard of people that own real Spyders who buy Becks so they can drive a Spyder on the street.

As much as I would love to own a 550 or 904, I couldn't bring myself to put any miles on one or drive one on the street. So, replicas make perfect sense to me, especially one like Beck's that very faithfully reproduces the original.

[Jack Olsen]

Or takes a faithfully-reproduced 904 tub and unfaithfully adds something like a 3.6...

[Superman]

What a terrible idea, Jack. Taking an excellent reproduction of, say, a Porsche 904 and installing, mmmmm, a 3.6. Why, that would be positively unsportsmanship-like. Like fishing with dynamite.

[RickM]

Kind of reminds me of the Dino....beautiful car.

I sure hope they kept the original engine on the side when they replaced it with the 2.2

[Wayne 962]

Ahh, who cares. The writer makes it sound like everyone is going to go out looking for a 904...

Anyone who knows enough to buy one of these wouldn't give up the 4-cam...

-Wayne

[Todd Simpson]

I don't know about the gobs of torque, but at least he got the sound part right.

These 2.2 S engines are short-stroke, high-compression powerhouses without substantial emissions-control clutter, and they have a powerband with gobs of high-rpm torque. With their mechanical fuel injection still intact, they make a spine-tingling shriek as they shoot to redline.

[cegerer]

The 904 was originally designed to accept the 6-cylinder 911 engine. Ten 904's were built with the 6-cylinder. At least a couple were built with the 8-cylinder engine.

But I agree, nobody today is going to yank an original 4-cam out of a 904 and drop in a 911 engine. Give me a ****** break! -- Curt

[Reg]

I've heard the four cam in an original Carrera a couple months ago at a PCA event. The sweet song it made won't soon be forgotten in my mind. It was amazing!

The 1970-to-1971 2.2-liter S with mechanical fuel injection is the absolute top choice. These 2.2 S engines are short-stroke, high-compression powerhouses without substantial emissions-control clutter, and they have a powerband with gobs of high-rpm torque. With their mechanical fuel injection still intact, they make a spine-tingling shriek as they shoot to redline

That tidbit sure makes me want the 2.2S MFI in my tired 2.2T