Tweaking my engine

[burnleytilidie]

Evening all

Couple of questions... owned my 1969 912 now for about 4 months. Want to know:

1. What is the most cost effective way of getting more out of the engine?

2. Where can I buy a new bonnet catch (the bit attached to the car not the bonnet/hood - every time I go over a bump or pothole the bonnet comes loose.

All responses eagerly awaited...Thanks

Rick

[DarrylD]

Hey Rick!

I'm in the same place as you, considering what I want to do to my 912 project's engine. From what I've researched, there's not much you can do to increase performance without splitting the case ($$$ ka-ching $$$). I'm considering a SCAT light-weight crank, big-bore kit, mild cam and having my Solex 40 PII-4 carbs professionally rebuilt.

If you are just getting started, I can recommend the best book on the subject: http://www.912registry.org/sponsors/complete912.htm The best $25 you'll spend on your 912 project.

[C. Clark]

I think getting more pop out of a 912 is a bit of a quandry. I know of guys who increased performance with a big bore kit, rebuilt carbs and updated dist. It depends on how fast you want to go, go real fast... get a 911. At best count on spending several grand even if you do the work yourself.
Parts are available here at Pelican, ************* and classicandspeedparts.com/
Ask this question over at http://www.912bbs.org/ they have more action on the site.
Chas.
356
912

[WFBowen]

Upgrading a 912, as Darryl mentioned, can get real pricey for what you get. One of the advantages of the 912 motor is that it already represents the final development of the 356 motors, which themselves were major upgrades on the VW engine platform. That said, my advice is to take your stock motor and (if it isn't already there) get it absolutely up to specs - carbs/ignition/piston-cyl - everything rebuilt. Anything beyond a stock 912 also brings it's share of baggage - the Porsche engineers probably knew how to get 250bhp from their 4-banger, but also knew at what point to stop.
As Chas mentioned, you could drop in a 911 motor, but then I know several 6 cyl owners who always want to move up "a letter" (i.e. T to E to S to RS 2.7 to Turbo & on up the ladder.) Also, you might check into a Type IV conversion, but , by the time you get the car off it's jackstands, it's not that inexpensive.
I've had maybe 75 sportscars of all kinds over the decades & probably my favorite was the 356A Super. Those of us who came from the 356 philosophy (read: old guys) seem to recognize the 912 as an extension of that car - it's not so much a speed/power thing as it is an efficiency/engineering package that works better that just about any car ever built. A really tight, sweet-running 912 is a fantastic driving car in its own right (even though any college co-ed in her new Civic can beat it - but that's why Porsche makes twin-turbos.)
JMO,
Bill.

[DarrylD]

Originally posted by WFBowen
Those of us who came from the 356 philosophy (read: old guys) seem to recognize the 912 as an extension of that car - it's not so much a speed/power thing as it is an efficiency/engineering package that works better that just about any car ever built. A really tight, sweet-running 912 is a fantastic driving car in its own right (even though any college co-ed in her new Civic can beat it - but that's why Porsche makes twin-turbos.)
JMO,
Bill.

Hey Bill! This is exactly the thinking that lead me to the 912 I'm restoring and I already have a nice fast 911. I especially love the '65/ '66 because it is so 356-ish that its like the "missing link" in the evolutionary tree!

[jpamental]

Rick,

Hood catch - there's a huge amount you can do just with adjustment to help, and also you can take the part out and check to see if the back plate is bent (mine was). Bend it back and that helps a ton also - it take a lot of the play out of the latch movement.

Engine - lots you can do before you spend money rebuilding. If you have good compression and leakdown (worth the $75-100 to have a good mechanic do the test for you), I'd spend your time looking at getting carbs rebuilts (gaskets, etc you can do pretty easily, more is better to send out) and adjusted well, and look at the easy stuff first - good coil, distributor (RSR0012 from Classic and Speed Parts, if you can get one, is worth it's weight in gold), good plugs and wires do a lot to get the most performance out of what's there. After that, maybe a Bursch exhaust to get a few more HP (and a great sound). That's all stuff you can do with not too much money and/or time if you've got a mechanical inclination. (You probably wouldn't have bought a 912 if you don't though...). Then see how you like it. From there, it's a bunch of money for a rebuild, put in a 911 engine (but you could have gotten one of those for about the same money), or if you want another interesting way to go, look at putting in a Type IV engine similar to what's in the '76 912E. There are a lot of nice conversions out there.

Seriously though, a well-put together fairly-stock 912 engine is a whole lot nicer to drive than an engine swap that's done poorly, so starting with evaluating what you have is the best thing to do.

Good luck, and post more info if you'd like more feedback!

Jason

[WFBowen]

Darryl:
I had a 67 911 S coupe several years ago that I restored to "local show trophy" condition. I cannibalized 2 SWB POS coupes for the restoration & ended up with a bin full of my favorite parts - the earlier SWB trim, etc. Then I found a rust/accident free 68 912 & decided to "retro" the car with just the trim I liked - 4.5 chromes; early interior mirror/door panels/green gauges;euro headlights. I drive it daily & even though it's no 356, it definitely has an "early" feel to it (maybe I'll chop the top, make the windows 25% smaller & let some oil/exhaust fumes permeate the interior for that true 356 experience!)

[DarrylD]

Hey Bill! That completely painted dash looks awesome, almost makes you want to fill-in the two smallest gauge holes and make it a 3 gauge car!

[WFBowen]

.....Or maybe a 2-holer? (like this early 901 prototype)

At one point I actually considered it, using early 70's MBenz VDO clusters, but sanity prevailed.

[jose luis]

Bill : That was a nice Car and Write Up !

I feel inspired to keep my 912 Stock.

JL Garcia
912, 1968
Toluca , Mexico.

[DarrylD]

Today I received a very tattered and stained (in about the same condition as my car) "III/65" edition of a 912 owners manual I won on eBay. Here's a picture of an early dash... makes me drool...

!

The paint scheme is exactly like Bill's "retro" edition!

COOL