Cost of a 908 Engine?

[fred cook]

Ok, ladies and gents, step right up and make your guess. What is the going price for a complete 908 engine? Go to the polls and be counted!

[724doorE]

Well, I am pretty sure you could build a fake for a lot less than someone is willing to pay for a "real" one. And the fake would use all P parts and involve some very trick fabrication. But then again, I think i can build anything

[HawgRyder]

I would think your main problem was talking some owner of a real 908 out of his pride and joy.
On the other hand....lets see...a big block of aluminum....mill big holes all over the place....obtain 8 P&C's....stretch some cams....yup...doable!!
Bob

[jluetjen]

Lets see, the last time that I checked in Vintage motorsport, 906's were going for $250K+, and 908's I think were in the $300K - $500K range (although I wasn't paying attentiont to them at that moment). 917's are definitely up in the $1M range I guess. So I'm guessing a 908 engine would be going for $100K up to $250K tops.

[TRE Cup]

i'm guessing $100k
there are a few built all up from new old stock parts along with a 907 motor or two (now THOSE are complicated!!)

[Paul Thomas]

Id sell this one but Im saving it for my race car project next year.

[Wrecked944]

Originally posted by HawgRyder
I would think your main problem was talking some owner of a real 908 out of his pride and joy.
On the other hand....lets see...a big block of aluminum....mill big holes all over the place....obtain 8 P&C's....stretch some cams....yup...doable!!
Bob

I'm also one of those nuts who thinks he can do anything and I've thought about the flat 8 idea a lot lately - especially after seeing that article in Excellence about Dean Polopolus making a four out of a six. If he can weld two ends of a six together and eliminate the middle, then why not weld together two fours to make an eight? Might be too long to fit in an 911 engine bay. But aside from that, you just need a custom case, crank shaft, and cams. Voila !! More air cooled ponies and torque than you can shake a water pump at !!

[RPMClassic]

One sold in our PCA region last year for $150k and was based on a replacement case using factory parts. Never seen another transaction like this to compare it too.

[Adam]

Wasn't Jerry Woods or somebody scratch building a replica one for a customer?

I think Wayne had pictures of the newly finished crankcase from some event or another.

[rhenriksen]

Not exactly a replica; the original engine had a cracked crankcase. He cast a replacement crankcase, and then proceeded w. a rebuild of the motor. The owner's son showed me the pictures of the finished product; I could probably get a set & post them. I don't know what the cost was -- more than $5...

[DanTheCat]

I bet it would be fairly simple to take two six cases, chop off the ends, and stick 'em together to get one eight...

Hmmm...

[Adam]

Hmm, imagine using 3.6 pistons & cylinders, but cast cam boxes and crankcases to suit... mmm, instant 4.8 liter 911!

Where would you get a distributor for 8-cyl engines? Imagine a twin-plug flat-8! I'd hate to have to change the plugs and adjust the valves!

[beepbeep]

Originally posted by Adam Chaplin
Hmm, imagine using 3.6 pistons & cylinders, but cast cam boxes and crankcases to suit... mmm, instant 4.8 liter 911!

Where would you get a distributor for 8-cyl engines? Imagine a twin-plug flat-8! I'd hate to have to change the plugs and adjust the valves!

Why not distributor-less ignition and wastefire coils? One per cylinder...would work like charm...

[rhenriksen]

Come to think of it, that is one price point I know:

distributor *cap* for a flat-8: $3,500
driving Steve McQueen's 908: Priceless

[pwd72s]

Fred...if you must ask the price...

[Wayne 962]

Ha, funny you should ask. I was recently hired as an expert witness in a case involving stolen 908 engines. Needless to say, there are a wide variety of factors involved with determining this value:

- What is the condition of the parts
- What is the condition of the rebuild (who did it)
- How many hours are on the motor
- What type of 908 engine is it (the hillclimb cars used a 8-cyl variant of the 4-cam 550 motor)
- Is it an original engine with history/chassis associated with it, or is it built from parts?

I came up with the following number: $80K. This was based on the following assumptions:
- Condition of internal parts unknown (typical swapmeet motor)
- Condition of rebuild unknown
- Manufactured out of sparce parts - not factory built
- 908 engine from the 908/03 or similar series
- No history

The 80K was the core price of all of the individual parts. I was also asked to figure out the same thing for a core 917 motor. Surprisingly enough, the 917 motors are probably worth less because there is less demand for them (more 908s are racing out there than 917s on a regular basis).

It's a fascinating story, perhaps I'll spill the beans at the poker game on Saturday!

-Wayne

[Wrecked944]

Originally posted by Adam Chaplin
Hmm, imagine using 3.6 pistons & cylinders, but cast cam boxes and crankcases to suit... mmm, instant 4.8 liter 911!

Yeah baby, yeah !!

1) Cams and crankcases? Easy.

2) Crank shaft? Hmmm...not too easy. Probably needs to be custom made ($$)...can an existing one be used? Unlikely, right? Are boxer crank shafts terribly different from V cranks? Probably. So factor in a couple of grand for cranks.

3) Footprint? Here is a real problem. Is there any way to fit a flat eight into the back of an SC and connect it to the existing 915 (or G50) tranny? Maybe use smaller cylinders and go for 4.0 liters? Make a flat eight that will fit in the back of a 911 without major reconstructive surgery and the "Glad to have a V8" crowd will build temples to worship you.

Muhahahahaaaaa...

[RPMClassic]

How did porsche fit the 908 motor in the back of Ferry's 914? There were 2 of these done the last I heard.

[Wil Ferch]

2 were done...one for Ferry Porsche, somewhat detuned...and another with close to racing hp...for Ferdinand Piech....

---Wil Ferch

[Wrecked944]

Originally posted by Adam Chaplin
Hmm, imagine using 3.6 pistons & cylinders, but cast cam boxes and crankcases to suit... mmm, instant 4.8 liter 911!

Call me goofy, but I sent an email to a radical air cooled tuner who usually focuses on flat fours. Their website is here...

http://www.aircooledtechnology.com

These guys sell HUGE VW motors all the way up to 2.7+ liters. So they clearly have the hutzpa to try anything (ain't HP a wonderful addiction?). Anyway, I inquired about the possibility of building flat eight's for Porsches and here was the reply...

"I have contemplated a flat eight VW engine, but the 911 would be even easier due to its design. I would be more than interested in the project.
Jake Raby"

Can you say "group buy"?