914-6 Project
 

Hi Folks,

I have a restoration project of my 1970 914-6. Its an authentic 6 that hasn't been driven since the mid-1980's. The original 2.0 engine is long gone but it's got a 2.4 liter 911E engine that recently fired but hasn't run. I plan to build a 3.2 liter motor and am looking for any suggestions, performance mods, etc. Photos to come.

What do you intend for the car? Concours competition, track toy, vintage racer, autocrosser, street cruiser, canyon carver, non-original-but-fun street toy, or something else?

The E motor should be a hoot. If it runs well, you might think about keeping it.

If you are competing with the car anywhere, in any venue, step zero is always to RTFR--Read The Rulebook. That will let you know what sort of things are allowed or not, and what things are allowed but will put you into a "cubic dollar" class.

The 3.2 will be a whole lot of motor for the stock tires and trans to deal with. If you're gentle to the parts, you can probably keep using your stock transmission, though you will need a flywheel built for the 3.2 that fits your 901-based gearbox and (if you run the EFI) has the provision for the crank position sensor. Tires should be wider than the stock 165s, though. Most cars will fit 205s with minimal rear fender modifications (smashing the lip flat and possibly pulling them out a touch) though it varies somewhat from car to car. Going wider than that will require modified fenders, but isn't the worst idea for a 3.2 motor.

You'll need a modified on-engine oil cooler to fit in the 914 chassis.

Suspension upgrades are probably a good idea, but again your intended purpose for the car will have a major influence on what you can or want to do.

--DD

You would have to agree with Dave here the 2.4E is a great motor,it could be easily modified for a little more power,the 3.2 conversion is a lot more spendy due to what has to be done to fit them as mentioned,if you run carbs certainly more simple.

Thanks for the response guys. To my recollection, the 2.4 was running but not great when it was parked back in '84. Again, I got it to fire about 6 months ago.

Anyway, the car has steel flares back from back in the day and it currently has 205's on 15X7's and 8's and could perhaps take 225's.

Any thoughts on keeping the EFI as opposed to carbs? I figure I may be sacrificing some reliability if I go the way of carbs.

Its got 911s brakes on it and likely needs some chassis stiffening.

RD

The fuel injection is awesome, but it will be significantly more complicated to make it work. Lots of electrical work, adding the DME relays, and on and on.

Running carbs will be simpler, but you will have to change over to a distributor that will work without the DME; yours might be able to be modified or you might be able to have an earlier distributor modified to work in the 3.2.

Your heat exchangers will be under-sized for the 3.2 motor. You'll be leaving some power on the table. Headers are an option, or one of the folks on 914world is making exchangers for larger motors. (mb911, possibly? He used to build 911 exhausts, but sold the company a while back.)


A flared 914 should take 225s pretty easily, depending on which wheels you have.

There are a few options for chassis stiffening. A cage would be the best one for a track car. There are kits you can put on the inside of the longitudinals and across the firewall which seem to help some, or the "clamshell" reinforcements for the outside of the longs. I'm not as sold on the wheel-well reinforcements, but Zwart's 914-6 rally car did crack in that area. I dislike the trailing arm reinforcements, as I prefer the arm to bend rather than the chassis if there is any trouble. Though there are reinforcements made inside the trailing arm that are effective, don't weigh much, and don't make the arm any thicker to make the space in the fender even tighter.

The reinforcement isn't necessary just because of the engine upgrade, though. Again, it depends on the use of the car.

--DD

Sounds like a fun project! As Dave mentions, knowing the end use goal will help define the project and the extent of improvements that would be needed to bring it all together.

#9140432463 undergoing a full restoration in my shop.......completely stock..... accept for "E" cams with 2.0L "S" pistons and different Weber jetting.......
All black bits blasted and powder coated in a Cardinal #005 60/40 black
Gearbox rebuilt at G-Box
NOS wiring loom,
All chrome parts re-chromed
Rebuilt gauges at Hollywood speedo
New lenses, NO expense spared
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503158883.jpg

I don't think I've ever seen an Olyblau Six before!!

--DD

AV8Tor,

Great looking car. What color is that?

Ray, my six has 2.4 barrels and a 2.7 crank. I am running reground cams to S+ spec. It is really a fun car! IMHO, you don't need more than that. I would like something better than my early 901! That is the issue!

I'd opt to refresh the 2.4 and use it. You should be able to get a great running engine and shouldn't have to run a front oil cooler with that setup. A friend has a 2.4 in his '72 911 that has been refreshed with S Pistons/cylinders and MFI, and it's a rocket ship. With the value of 914-6s going up, I wouldn't cut up an early chassis. There's lots of 914-4s that deserve a 3.2 conversion, but I'd be hard pressed to give up my 2.7 Supertec conversion.

I believe pelicanparts will be carrying my heat exchangers shortly.. I sent all the info to Tom..

I purchased the car in the late '90s, it had an AWFUL Earl Shibe paint job, on top of a lousy cheap (sort of) restoration. I drove the car for several years before beginning the FULL restoration. The Metallic Red paint had to be removed and repainted so I thought why not repaint in a '70 color code. I took the car up to Chicago to Redi-Strip and had the tub, doors and deck lids dipped in an alkaline dipping process until they were completely CLEAN of any rust and paint, the metal was completely bare.
I rented a Penske van in Chicago and brought it back to Colorado Springs. The tub, doors and decklid were immediately POWDER COATED, yes the entire car. Why not??? Then it was left to the magic of Fogg's Auto in Colorado Springs for the paint and body reassembly.
This car is going to be as well preserved as possible, with NOS and recoverable original parts.
Two liter engine, and tail shift gearbox.

If I am not mistaken a 2.4 and 2.7 crank are the same only difference is cylinder diameter?



Anyhow let me know if I can help with any 1.625 heat exchangers oil tanks and gt rocker flares

AV8TOR, looks like Mexico Blue?

why paint the car if you already powder coated? just leave it like that!

Hi Raymond,

I think Dave may have misunderstood you when you referred to keeping the "EFI". You probably meant to say MFI which doesn't have a DME.

So the question is which did you mean? The 3.2 came with EFI and the 2.4 came with MFI. Which motor are you going to go with?

If you go with the 2.4E then my suggestion is to keep the MFI instead of a carb conversion. Once dialed in it is less maintenance than carbs as a general rule.

I was writing specifically about the 3.2L with its Motronic EFI. The 2.4 engines (except for the 73.5 911T) had MFI which is awesome but can be tough to deal with when things start to go wrong.

--DD