conversion questions

Eat-um-up · Eat-um-up's Garage

I was sitting around thinking about what do do about my bad engine luck.. While pondering about differnt kinds of power plants i could put in my 914 i thought Corvair..

Has anyone ever put a corvair engine in a 914? if so how well does it fit? how much cutting is needed? and how about bolting up to the transaxle?

mejulihn · mejulihn's Garage

Ahhh, Corvair -- my first car! It was a cute little Monza coupe with a four speed... well, enough of my stroll down memory lane. You think a 914 engine leaks oil... wait til you see a Corvair six!! Interesting question but as I recall, the engine is pretty big in the engine bay.

DonNewton · DonNewton's Garage

. . .and as an added bonus, it (the Corvair engine) rotates in the opposite direction of the 914-4. You'd have one of the fastest (in reverse) cars in your neighborhood, however!

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

It's been done.

Crown Engineering used to sell "reverse cams" so you could get the 'Vair engine to spin the VW direction. Or, if you have a tail-shifter, you could simply swap in a tranny from a 911 or 912.

The Corvair engines are uncommon enough and old enough now that this swap doesn't make that much sense. I think a hotted-up Type IV motor would blow the stock Corvair motor away, unless you're talking the turbocharged Corvair. And that's a whole different breed of problems...

--DD

Jim Smolka · 03-12-2002, 01:26 AM

IMHO, one of the nicest conversion is to flat six. Not to say that other power plant are not nice, a 6 cyl Porshe motor still allows you to PCA race.

Germain · 03-12-2002, 06:05 AM

You can fix the rotating backwards bit by putting in a VW trans.

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

Why would you downgrade the car with a VW trans?? Just slap a 911 or 912 tranny in and be done with it. Start with a tail-shifter 914, and you can just swap over the "nosecone" so it bolts right up.

--DD

SteveStromberg · 03-12-2002, 03:34 PM

Go to the914club and post your question there ,There is a guy in the midwest who has a turbo monza corvair in his 914. He checks out the adds and I'm sure he will contact you. Steve

John2kx · John2kx's Garage

Have you thought of a v8 chevy powerplant? Renegade offers the complete kit concept with no cutting involved in the engine compartment...........though you would have to cut a opening in the front for radiator.

I chose this route.......dial in just about any HP you want with excellent reliability (my number one concern), and lots of support from the owner with a dedicated BBS for 914 v8's. As much info there about conversions as what you see here on Pelican with respect to 914s.

Eat-um-up · Eat-um-up's Garage

I thought about doing a conversion like a V8 or mazda rotary.. Problem is that i dont want to do any cutting to the main body. Thats why i thought a corvair might be nice.. Wouldnt have to cut a hole int the trunk for a radiator.. plus i actually use that trunk and ALL of it

I want to convert it but a porsche 6 is not a very nice motor in a 914 when it comes time for annual maintenence

JayDarden · 03-12-2002, 06:53 PM

I would give up my glovebox if I could gain 300 more hp. If storage room is more important than go-fast, get a minivan. If you love the type 4 stick with it. If you love the Corvair, get help

.

Have fun whatever you do - don't get a minivan.

DonNewton · DonNewton's Garage

I'm not sure I understand the "annual maintenance issues" with a -6 in a 914. I have a 2.7 in mine, and there are no issues. The plugs are all on top (I change them for every track event). The oil filter can get a little messy (it's in the OEM position), I used a Pertronix rather than points (no issues there), and I really don't have any timing issues (that's the great thing with the Pertronix, of any other electrical timing system). So, other than cubic dollars, what's the real issue? Understand that any conversion effort moves you to "Porsche Dollars." They're almost like Monopoly money, but they spend much faster.

Speedo959 · 03-12-2002, 08:13 PM

I would just get a nice running 4. I thought about doing the conversion stuff too till I was blue in the face. I finally came to the conclusion that it was either going to stay a 4 or become a 6, nothing else. Why? I was a Road Glue meet and seen this UGLY franken14 with a V6 conversion. It made wanna put my foot through the side window. I'm all for doing stuff different, but this car was a piece. The guy beat on the body with a sledge to make things fit

and had half started sawed out holes where he changed his mind. It ruined my outlook on conversions forever. I know that there are plenty of nicely done alternative conversions, but I would just keep it simple and go with a nice running 4. Cheap, Easy, Reliable and possibly Fast