Considering converting 930 to Normally aspirated street killer

[sscates]

Hey guys, need your help. I have a really nice 1982 930 that has 50k original on it. I have had it for almost 7 years now and have had a great time driving it, not as a daily driver though.

I really want a normally aspirated, wide body car. Something that is very spartan, set up to DE if I want or autocross. I have always considered selling my 930 and getting something else. Family keeps saying no, don't sell it, but I would rather sell it and get something different. I really don't want the 930 to be family heirloom. Already done that with a 61 Vette.

Am I outta line thinking to rip the motor out and sell it, to pick up a spiced up 3.8? Take out the interior and make it light? It already has the good brakes, or atleast good compared to my sc track car.

What are the cons from your point of view? This is obviously a euro 930, so it's value is less than non euro. Another point is that my car is in california but smog exempt due to historic plates, so it won't ever need to be smogged again unless laws change, which is feasible I guess.

I'm ready to tear into this thing, but have some serious hesitation due to the condition of the car. It's a completely unmolested car. Bone stock and original everything. What do you guys think?

[jpnovak]

Life is short. have fun with the project.

[Kevin Stewart]

i dont know man you can get some serious hp out of a turbo, Kevin

[petevb]

I'd been thinking along the same lines.
More expensive than the turbo crowd to be sure, but to quote Ferris: "if you have the means..."

I'm clearly the wrong person to ask, but do it. That's probably the platform to start from...
Unless of course it's a clean, low miles, light, non sunroof euro coupe, in which case it's sweet enough that I'd be tempted to leave it alone.

[Flieger]

Do it

[sscates]

So I was thinking 400whp at 2300#s. That would be a goal. Very spartan inside with two seats. What motor and injection to do this?

[dzls rok]

how about getting an m491 carrera. turbo body and suspension with an n/a 3.2 engine. sell the 930 to someone that desires a clean low mileage car.

[sscates]

I think a clean turbo look, which I assume the M491 is would be as expensive as my 930. It does seem a little selfish to destroy a 930, but....

[petevb]

Originally Posted by sscates

So I was thinking 400whp...

Hmm. Doable, but if it's a Porsche based motor hitting that power figure will cost you significantly more than the car's worth. The cost curve for a normally aspirated motor starts to get steep north of 200 at the wheels.

[sscates]

What if I went with a newer water cooled motor? More reliability and hp.

[Blackie911]

Sell it and buy the car you really want. You will spend major $$, plus your time and frustration, and will end up with an unoriginal car likely worth less than it is now.

[aigel]

Ripping into an original 930 to do this is BS, IMHO. Of course you can do with it what you want, since you own it, but to build a 2300 lb / 400 hp car, you can't just take the seats out of that 930. You would have to go through it - starting from a shell, basically. You might as well start with an early body (75 or earlier to avoid smog) and build it to the lightweight widebody of your liking. You will also pay less, selling the 930 and starting with a fresh project building it from scratch, as the fact that this car started as a 930 will be irrelevant after you are done ...

If you search this board, you can find a lot of widebody builds. Lots of RSR / IROC type stuff. None of these cars were built on an original Turbo ... there's got to be a reason.

Cheers,

George

[sscates]

And yes, it has to be a Porsche motor..

[Geronimo '74]

Originally Posted by aigel

Ripping into an original 930 to do this is BS, IMHO

IMHO too.

Leave the 930 alone and buy a project car to work on. It's like pouring water into a Chateau Pétrus '68. It's just not right.

[sscates]

Originally Posted by aigel

Ripping into an original 930 to do this is BS, IMHO. Of course you can do with it what you want, since you own it, but to build a 2300 lb / 400 hp car, you can't just take the seats out of that 930. You would have to go through it - starting from a shell, basically. You might as well start with an early body (75 or earlier to avoid smog) and build it to the lightweight widebody of your liking. You will also pay less, selling the 930 and starting with a fresh project building it from scratch, as the fact that this car started as a 930 will be irrelevant after you are done ...

If you search this board, you can find a lot of widebody builds. Lots of RSR / IROC type stuff. None of these cars were built on an original Turbo ... there's got to be a reason.

Cheers,

George

I understand that it would have to be gone through and everything unimportant, pulled out. I figure that my 930 is worth 25-35k if I sold it. That may be on the high side. Your thoughts were mine originally, but I was thinking the suspension, brakes, widebody, etc was worth the difference when considering a non turbo car. I also know that I will have much more into this car that it will be worth. I'm up for a good discussion on this though.

I could get an sc for 10-13k. By the time I did all of the widebody, suspension (trailing arms), brakes, etc, I might be under the 15k difference potentially.

[Flieger]

The Turbo already has the great brakes, wide track, raised rear roll center, anti-dive/anti-squat suspension geometry. I think it would be easier to strip everything down to the bare minimum than to try to find and fit all those parts. Taking stuff off is easier. And all the Turbo guys will be happy you just made their cars a little rarer and more valuable.

[JeremyD]

M491 carrera - start from there - don't kill a good low mileage turbo -

[jonesb930]

I agree that you should leave the car as it is. I know everyone is saying do what you want, but hey, you asked. As for a 930 being a good starting point, well, there are a lot of aftermarket updates that would minimize the benefit that you have. As for the Brakes, a Brembo GT kit would be better, and the entire suspension could be swapped for ERP stuff. The way I see it, as soon as you start to track the car most of the stuff that is better in the 930 will slowly be replaced anyway. It is like a sickness with these cars.

so +1 to keep it original and find another car to track.

[PcarPhil]

sscates,

Got pics? Is it a euro non sunroof coupe? If so perhaps we should chat!

Good luck on your adventure!

[herman maire]

400+ N/A hp is going to cost a friking fortune to build with a air cooled engine, $40-50k at least.

Your best bet is building up your turbo engine, you need to go drive a properly built turbo car , they will blow your mind when set up right, with the correct compression, turbo's, cams, injection ect... it will be a night and day difference. Throw in a 5 speed transmission to really make things come alive.

A water cooled engine is not something I would consider. You should post this question the the turbo section to get some really good feed back on what a well built turbo is like. I say KEEP the turbo or sell the car.

good luck