914 weight same as 911?

[rickeolis]

I just saw a chart showing various weights of Porsches, and I noticed the 914 weighing about the same as the 911's do.

I thought the advantage that the 914's have in over 911's were weight and a stiffer front suspension, but now I don't know.

On average, I find the 914's beating 911 in autocrosses, why is that?

[Dantilla]

Polar moment of inertia.

A 914's weight is centered in the middle of the vehicle, allowing for quickly rotating the car.

[MAS]

That depends which 911 you are comparing the 914 too. The first 911's were 700-800 lbs lighter than the later ones. Generally, the 911 became progressively heavier the later the year.


-MAS

[svandamme]

a 914 weighed about 200 lbs lighter than a stock early 911
and it's mid engined , like Dantilla said... also has lower center of gravity if i'm not mistaken
a wider wheelbase, and also a shorter wheelbase... so it's more like a gocart...

VW-Porsche 914
wheel base: 2,450 mm
length: 3,985 mm
width: 1,650 mm
height: 1,230 mm
weight: 950 kg


911 L and T:
wheel base: 2,211 mm
length: 4,163 mm
width: 1,610 mm
height: 1,320 mm
weight: 1,080 kg

[J P Stein]

Leaving the driver out of the equation.....which is tough, cause that's the most important part.....a stock Carrera (for instance) will out run a stock 914....both having decent tires.

Seriously prepped 911s & 914s ...including engine work, will run pretty equal.

In a "katie bar the door" prepped comparo, the 914 will win most all the time. Not many (if any) 911s are stripped down to 1500 lbs or so to play in the AX wars.

This is an oversmiplification of course, as are most of my opinions

BTW, the 914 is shorter in overall , but has alonger wheelbase.
Generally speaking, a shorter wheelbase is better for AX.

[Superman]

Yep, the 914 has a longer wheelbase, a wider wheelbase, is lighter and has better weight distribution. Their front suspensions are not stiffer, but they may be lighter, making them seem stiffer. The 914 front control arm appears to be identical to the 911, although I think there is a one-spine difference. They can be lightened to about one ton fairly easily. With a bit more effort you're down to 1800 lbs. The corresponding numbers for the 911 are probably 2300 and 2100 lbs, at least when you start with a later model. Early models are not going to be that much heavier than the 914.

Yes, the driver makes the biggest difference and yes, the 914 platform is the "bully" of the AX course. We've to a 2.9L 6-cylinder single-seat full-on race prepped 914 (flares to accomodate HUGE tires, for example) that comes to our AX events, and that thing looks like a jackrabbit on the course. It simply leaps from cone to cone. I doubt that Michael Schumaker could beat it with ANY 911.

[rickeolis]

Superman- That car sounds exactly like our local PCA president's car, and he easily wins every race he runs out here, but there are other nearly stock 914's that do quite well too.
I do see now that a longer and wider wheelbase will make up a lot, as well as the closer to 50\50% weight ratio.
Also, I know that the 914's have a stiffer front end due to the physical layout of the body.
One guy in our club that runs a nice 914 doesn't even look like he's trying while running the course, and yet turns in great times!

[Joe Bob]

914....AX Weapon of Champions....