Chassis 304060 - Engine

[stuartbrs]

Hi Everyone, I am looking for information, advice, comments ont eh engine in my 1966 Porsche, chassis 304060.
The motor has been rebuilt, some time in the last 10 years, and has not been run since. Not sure who built it, but it looks like the rebuild may have been done in Japan (which at least rules out the fish rebuilders Meister).
I`m new to 911 motors, soi would appreciate any feedback, advice, criticism of the following photo`s.

I`ll take as many covers off as I can and post the pictures here. The car was built to race in Japan but was never finished. Some of the work had $$$ spent, some of it didn't... the roll cage was, um, creative, the panel fit on the Carbon Fibre panels was superb...

The car is being rebuilt as a racecar Chassis 304060 and I want to use this motor...

I am on a budget (and I hate to say that on a Porsche forum!),but... if you guys spot something seriously weird/wrong/are you out of your mind with these pics then please let me know! The idea with this car is that I can have years of enjoyment on the track, being left hand drive it wont be a daily driver but purely a track toy. Its been a life long dream to have a vintage Porsche 911 racing car.

Obviously the motor has sat around for the last 10-12 years so is dusty and a bit grimy. I`m not sure what that does to seals and gaskets and the like.

[304065]

Stuart,

For more detail than you ever asked, see here

Assembling 1966 901/05 Engine: Phase V- The Final Exam

One of the posts in that thread contains links to all of the build threads, from planning to teardown. The issues should be identical as our engines are only off by a few numbers.

Let me tell you what I see in the photos:

Firstly, you still have the original Weber manifolds and linkage. Hold onto those, they are different at the beginning of the production run and quite rare, they should go back on.

Along the way someone has changed out a few things-- your cam towers have 11 bolt lower valve covers, which was a 68- thing, along with the lower covers. Look to see whether your upper covers are aluminum which is what they originally were. This is actually better from a sealing standpoint, just not original.

Likewise the chain boxes are magnesium bits from a later car. Someone has mounted the oil pressure sender at the pulley end of the engine like a later one-- the early cars have the sender on top next to the thermostat. To mount this they probably tapped the case for the later fitting, so you are stuck using the later setup most likely. Which isn't terrible, because the early one probably leaks. Again, just different.

Your camshafts are early centerlube solex cams, see the hole in the base circle? These were used with special cam boxes that forced oil down the center of the cam and out through these holes. They aren't currently using that feature as the later cam towers have spraybars. In 67 the number of holes in the spraybar increased-- because you have the 11 bolt later towers you also have the later spraybars (they are usually integral to the tower).

Your rockers are later cast type, probably with a bushing inside. Once you get them off, measure the length of the rocker shaft. The early rockers were forged (and quite rare these days) and used shorter shafts, I post a photo in my teardown thread of the shorter type vs. the longer one. Probably when the engine was rebuilt with later rockers they used the later, longer shafts.

Is that a Marelli distributor or a Bosch? If Bosch, what is the number on the nomenclature plate on the side? If you look VERY closely you will see a TINY three-digit number on the distributor somewhere, that is the date code. A Marelli would not be original however and the caps are unobtanium, so I recommend a cast-iron Bosch 001.

The oil line is from a later car, probably an SC, which had a different heat exchanger design.

The "headers" are really heat exchangers with the clamshells removed, they probably rusted and were cut off. Modern SSI exhaust can't be beat.

Pulley is from an air conditioned car, you should replace with a single sheave type as these are lighter.

On the top of your fan housing there's a number, what is it? That will tell whether it's a later 245mm fan or the early correct 250mm version. I don't see coil studs to it's probably early but the number will tell.

That's about all for the moment, as you keep tearing down I will have more thoughts. Good luck and save everything!

[stuartbrs]

Thanks mate, once again, fantastic information!

The rockers had green writing on them, when I rubbed my finger over the writing it rubbed straight off, confirming my suspicions that the motor has never been fired up since the rebuild. How far, should I tear it down?

[stuartbrs]

Also, given the mods that have been done to the engine, does this look like whoever rebuilt it knew 911 engines?

[304065]

Stuart,

I would tear it down all the way and split the case. Its condition is unknown. Plus, water could have gotten in and rusted the cylinders, hard to tell until you are in there.

It's impossible to know whether the correct tolerances were observed and the right parts used. As you tear it apart we can tell certain things by sight and others by measuring.

Most self-respecting Porsche shops would not paint an engine in those colors! I assume it was done by an amateur, which is fine (I am an amateur) but you really should check it all out and make all the current mods.

[Spenny_b]

Now THAT thread title made me do a double-take...followed by "I wonder if a certain somebody will.....ah, he already has!"

5 chassis separation and half way around the world....deffo subscribing to this one, looks interesting. Good luck Stuart, you're getting great advice from John here.

[stuartbrs]

Some more pics.