I want to build Chevy conversion 928...Anyone have the conversion kit laying around?
 

I need a kit for chevy power conversion....if anyne has one I could borrow for a month that would be ideal.

After playing with a boat last weekend and hangin around the business end of a lobed up 502, I have to do this at least once in my life. Always wanted a hotrod and a '32 ford doesn't cut if for me.

PLEASE! :)

So you want to bastardize a Porsche??? Why not just buy a Vette and be happy for ever? I see plenty of Vette's around here, a dime a dozen, nothing special of a sports car! But to put a Chevy engine in a 928??? You are crazy!

What if you can't be happy with a Vette, or a Camaro, or a Mustang, or any of the other belly button cars. Maybe you want a power plant that has strong aftermarket following, but a body that is a little different, and has far superior suspension too boot. All the Porsche mills are very impressive for there H.P. per liter, for there time, but make mine an LS based GM engine. I'm not saying butcher up a clean, well maintained example. Those should be saved, and kept original, but what about the $1500 parts cars? The ones that would take more than $10,000 to make $5,000 driver? Yeah, while I'm day-dreaming, make mine 600H.P. NA 7.0 liter LSX with a 5sp. I'll upgrade the rest as it breaks.

If you had started this 3 years ago I would have donated a block and heads.

To be honest, have had two 928 for almost 10yrs now. One was bought as a parts car for the other, with chevy power from the start (the parts car). Both cars are auto, and I want a 5sp, and thanks to Mason, I have everything to change that now. I have both a LS 6.0 and an LT-1, torn on witch use. So I just slowly gather parts, and wait for the planets to Aline.

Try asking at this site, The Porsche Hybrids Board • Index page

You can turbo charge a 928 and get 600 Hp. I guess if you want to race you can do about anything. For the street, the stock engine is just fine. Ya, I can see a big block Chevy in a 928 with 671 blower sticking through the hood.....no I don't think so. Ugly and heavy like a Chevy!

There is a company in Las Vegas called Renegade Hybrids that has everything you need to make a conversion. Forget about the big block. Too much hack and cut. Go with a very reliable 400+ hp LS motor. Very streetable,easy to upgrade to more HP and looks sweet in the 928 engine bay.
If my supercharged 4.7 granades, that the route Im going. Have fun.

Believe it or not, its been done, saw pictures of it. Personally, I wouldn't,
the concept is unsettling. Not to denegrate Chevys (I own three, and my boat has one too). Just not a proponate of cross pollination.
-K

A cast iron block alumnum head small block weighs less than a 928. An all aluminum big block would weigh less than a 928 lump.

Fred your Carl car would be great for the project <:

Yes I know of course about renegade....was hoping to manufacture some kits of my own maybe.

I read the same thing about the weight of the motors, and have been too the Renegade site and the Hybrids board many times day-dreaming. Turbos and superchargers are nice, but I'd rather have 400H.P. & 400ft of trq, normally aspirated, pump gas power, that I know intimately, and that I can tailor to my own needs because they sell almost anything for it. I just haven't decided witch kit from Renegade I would be happier with. When you get that kit done Mason, I just might be your first customer.

This is a popular discussion. The theory goes that the Chevy engines are cheap to buy & maintain, better HP and lots of aftermarket options. (prob true)

The problem is there are very few cars with sucessful transplants. The so called turnkey system (e.g. Renegade) seem to actually have spawned few successful transplants (i.e. finished) and many projects in progress.

By the time you are done there is a lot of work to fit and correctly mate up the engine, electrics, transmission, exhaust etc quite a lot of extra expense and custom work and so it ends up not being an easy install at all and probably not really cheaper than fixing a stock engine - at least not initially.

Alan

The idea of installing an American engine in a 928 makes me think of people that get sex changes. It gives me the creeps.

this forum needs a like button....

I love the 928, but ignoring the weaknesses of the engine doesn't make them go away, a SBC or my preference a Ford mod motor does.

OTOH when your done a lot of the Porsche personality is gone, and realistically the street and track options become more limited. On the street you are spinning wheels, and on the track you will be classed with insane unlimited racing cars.

ship of fools
 

Ahhh, a lively topic. First of all...IMHO..blasphemy, and you are going BEYOND the Bad idea range. Secondly, you are far too conventional. A domestic v8! Like that hasn't been done to death. Blah blah bow tie, blah blah ford...sorry...Booooring!

Get yourself out of the box and research the options. Sorry to say the renegade hybrid does not impress me. None of the conversion kits do. Find just One example of the conversion done correctly and work from there. I am talking a daily driver with AC that handles correctly. Bonus points for reasonable mileage and double bonus points if you can legitimately smog it in California. Next...troll fleabay and Clist for all the aborted conversion projects and save a bundle by picking up the pieces while pretending that they can go together. Understand that conversion Kits are usually a scam and few, if any actually bolt into turnkey systems.

Lastly, make sure your war chest is about 20k and be good with the idea that when you are done it will be worth....oh 4 to 5. no biggie.

Ya know...for the labor and parts...you could have a nice 32v together and running well.

Your cost basis is off if you're doing the work yourself.... and the value of the finished project doesn't really matter, to some of us at least.

cost and effect
 

well....., yea, you might be handy enough to get away with 8 to 12. That is what I usually see invested in the abandoned projects when they come up for sale.

It is just that the track record on the conversions is so abysmal, I caution against such a dubious undertaking. Should you rush in where this angel dares not tread...I reiterate...Find a good conversion (if one exists) and follow that example. Please be cautioned that anyone who wants to sell you a kit has a motive to "stretch the truth" a bit. "yea...Plug and play!" "sure...everything is there"

And again...you are in the ho..humm...heard it all before...seen it all before...put a detroit mill in your (insert car name here) category. I am also a Jag aficionado, therefore, the whole American V8 swap thing just bores me to tears. I have seen such swaps dozens of times and have seen it done correctly in a small fraction of the cases. As the resale value, i.e. the "worth" of the car decreases, the amount of work needed to make it not worth fixing also decreases and they tend to be tossed into boneyards or languish half functional in barns or garages.

Years ago, it actually made economic sense with a fairly new v12 that, as a result of a bank failure required many thousands of dollars worth of motor to be brought back. Since then the V12 has become a very cheap engine and (thankfully) the madness has almost left the Jaguar world.

Similarly, the Porsche v8s are now (relatively) cheap engines...IOW there is no logic to the decision. You don't GAIN anything, or perhaps there is some gain, but it is offset by increased cost, or obtainable through other, more viable options.

I further contend that for the time and money spent you could have a nice running 928 AND a nice running Camaro. Hec, throw in a few v6 Camaro and Firebird project cars as well.

In defense, I believe if you have the knowledge and machinery it can be dome for under 3k. I know i have done a 350 chevy conversion on an mg midget and a Jag xjs for a couple grand. Providing you have the knowledge of electrical, that is the big one.

hell i dropped a 327 out of my 67 impala, with the 2 speed into my bros 83 ranger.
was the fastest little truck in town.

set the engine aprox in place on stands or chains, climb under and take measurements.
lay under there and look around and think about how it should be done.

apples, oranges, and nuts
 

Fred, yea, have done the jag conversion too. not a big deal. IMHO the wiring was a Piece of cake.

BWMac: yea, that ranger must have been sweet, the 327 is a great mill.

But guys...We are talking about a 928 here. Not a Ranger, Jag, or MG. There will be issues and they will be big. You can shoehorn a mill in there with a plate and glue it into the frame with an adapter plate on the cheap, yes. But, to do it RIGHT and professionally will take some time and head scratching. Like I said, I haven't seen it done right so far. Not to say SOMEONE hasn't done it professionally and competently. Lord knows there has been a few years to do so.

Find a good example of the conversion and simply ask how much it cost. I am reasonably sure it is more than 3K if it even exists. (funny how no one actually addresses that little point) Further...TIME IS MONEY. Blowing several months of your life on a transplant project just doesen't make sense when it could be spent chasing women, drinking excessively, or whatever floats your boat.

But, we are digressing here.... My point is that to do it right would consume more time and money than a straight 928 engine swap AND a nice Detroit Iron project, say a Camaro. IOW if you want a 350, by all means have one! and if you want a 928, have one! Have BOTH! it is a semi- free country after all.

$12k for a swap is fair point to start from if you do the work yourself. When your done you still have a 20+ year old 928 to keep happy the engine rarely is the problem with these cars anyway.

Chevy Conversion
 

Here is some information about the swap: Porsche and Chevy V8s combined

I have converted both 928'S & 911's, with that said, all I can say is that it is the most cost effective way to get great performance potential. I'm sure we will agree that Chevrolet parts are available everywhere, and are inexpensive compared to 928 parts. The level of performance available is only limited by your imagination.

I certainly do respect and admire all the folks who have worked so hard to provide parts and ideas to improve the 928. I have owned several 928's continuously since 1980, and have a stock one as a daily driver.

I don't know what anyone else would gain...But I would gain pushrods, and a huge (VERY AFFORDABLE) aftermarket.

There is no such (AFFORDABLE) aftermarket for 928. Show up somewhere with a tightened up 600hp small block powered 928 that doesn't have a huge hood or some other non-euro looking mods and now we're talking.... Heck , an LS7 is the boss... Who can dispute that?

Chevy Conversion
 

Mason,
There is really no need to modify the hood if you don't want to. Either carb or electronic FI will. It does sometimes take a little imagination to connect a fresh air inlet, however; these are also available. Just saw a show on one of the Hot Rod channels which showed the new low profile supercharger with inter-coolers from Edelbrock. Pretty slick, I may give one a try in the near future. It's a complete package and looks to be a natural with well over 500 foot pounds of torque. Just bolt on and go!

It is also very possible to make the torque tube adapter etc. if you have access to machine tools yourself. The parts are actually pretty simple. I did just that, most of these things were not available commercially until just recent years, let alone twenty. The only small pain was the oil pan, later I went to dry sump and eliminated that problem.

Hope you go ahead, you won't be sorry and will save many thousands of dollars compared to 928 parts, and get much more reliable power.

reason has left the building
 

There is the second shoe dropping! present a problem (or a perceived problem) and then deliver your solution. WOW! how original! I have never seen THAT before...:rolleyes:

Granted, sweet motors. But....Do you Really NEED 600+ horsepower? seriously? you will hand grenade the drive train. Your HP tourque curve will not match, the modified suspension will handle differently at speed and you will have a German car that sounds like an American car. Plus....It won't work right. There are always Gotchas on these conversions. You can't say it is a transparent and seamless job. SOMETHING will not work right. Don't bother debating the point. Just point out 1 (one) conversion that works right. Please don't direct me to a web site that has pictures. Tell me about a Daily driver that has many thousands of miles and NO compromises. IOW a transparent solution.

Aftermarket? If you really think that you need high performance parts for these cars you are missing the point. These Cars ARE high performance. If it isn't fast enough for you, It is most likely not running right.

Tell ya what...Focus on putting a proper domestic FI system on the OB 4.5. (Ford or Chevy, I don't really care) It is close enough to most American V8s that you could have LOTS of fun with that one and it is DO able.

And PLEASE do not degrade this thread with more advertisements for yet another Domestic V8 swap solution....It is getting stale to see. Renegade with all their faults at least has stuck around. All the rest tend to dissipate while the unfortunate customers are in mid conversion. I have seen it too many times to bite and potential victims of the scam should be aware of the deception. They are left with their genitals hanging out in mid conversion awaiting brackets or gizmos from a company that drops off the face of the map.

Don't believe me? Crawl Fleabay and Clist for a while You WILL see the aborted aftermath casualties. Pick one of them up on the cheap rather than butchering ANOTHER 928 in dubious battle.

I put a Chevy LT1 in my 928 in 2000. The total cost was about 7K including Renegade kit, headers, rebuilding the LT1, all hoses, belts, fuel lines, cables, etc. All gauges worked flawlessly, as did the AC, even the warning system.
At first it had 347 HP and 330 lbs of torque.
Drove it for 9 years and had no issues with the conversion part of it. The Porsche radiator failed as did some other Porsche suspension parts.
Once the alternator stopped working on a Sunday afternoon. I picked one up at Pep Boys and was on the road again a couple hours.
The GM engine management system was PC based so I could tune it easily. I could also log all the various functions (AF ratio, timing adv. ret, throttle following, idle speed, temp, etc. quarter mile stats) as I drove and then flash the eprom with my laptop as I saw fit.
I never tracked the car except at a drag strip. The best time was 13.1. That was in 2003 or 4 I think.

In 2008 I had the LT1 bored, stroked and added LT4 internals just for $h_ts&grins. Ended up with a bunch more horsepower and loads of torque but sold it before I had it on the dyno.
Acceleration was neck breaking.

The OB 928s are underpowered. Especially the US version 16 valve engines. In 2000 there were no 928 superchargers or even turbos available and I wanted at least 350 HP. To me the Chevy conversion was no brainer.

The 928 is not in high demand and will not be worth much in my lifetime. IMHO, it was worth it then, and is worth it now. This point was debated on Rennlist extensively a while back. I don't think much has changed except that Porsche parts have increased in price and Chevy parts have come down. The Renegade kit is about the same.

The conversion is very easy and took the equivalent of two 40 hour work weeks. Nothing was cut. It was entirely bolt in. The old engine could have been put back it if I didn't sell it to a guy to use as a coffee table.

Some of you probably saw it at a few Sharks in the Mountains events. I sold it to a guy in Georgia last year when he saw it at SITM. He loves it and its still running strong.

Damn Rob, I have a new found respect for you..... Well said. I like it..... a couple more commentaries like that and I'll have the gusto I need to take it on ;) I especially liked the value of the 928 comment.... very accurate. I can only see myself using the LS7, it's the boss IMO.... so there is no possibility for any chatter. I would imagine the results will be conclusive :) :) :0 500/500 and less weight..... maybe 4" exhaust and the big cam for Z06.... would be untouchable. Funny.... This is where my whole discussion with the 928 began, talk about full circle!

Impressive...NOT
 

Wow! a chime in from a success story with a low post count! :eek: Funny that the actual car isn't around any more to actually PROVE the statement:rolleyes: yea, not believing it. Not even a little. Nice try though. ;) ya see I have HEARD people say this stuff before. When the rubber hits the road the cars are a wreck and nothing really works. Removing the warning light bulbs isn't really fixing the problem. Until i see one for myself. I will maintain my position.

Yea, the OBs are not the fastest things around. hence, put a decent FI system on them. Somebody PLEASE! Hell a good 4 bbll Rochester if you really need to go domestic. Nah, let's just put a Chevy mill in there. :confused:

Guys....guys...Address the issues. and dispense with the BS. I AGAIN contend that for the time and money spent you could have a running 928 (whatever flavor) AND a nice Camaro with the LT whosis in there. Sorry to say you won't be selling kits to suckers around here.

Plus...you would not anger the Porsche Gods with your Sacrilege and Blasphemy.

Hey! lemme try! Did I ever tell you about my Turbo Nitrous Jaguar V-12 conversion for the 928? Man! that thing smoked! Sorry i don't have pictures or details on how it was constructed, but you could probably do it yourself in a weekend for a few hundred bucks. just pull your engine in the mean time and throw it away...i will get back to you...really.

If you visit a LOT of conversion sites, talk to a lot of owners, and I did, you will get a range of responses from "yeah, works great took a few weekends" to project for a few years then tried to sell. Physically putting another motor in and getting the mechanical stuff of the drive line sorted is bonehead easy, and pretty much nobody screws that up. No issues with the electrical side or gauges is dream to owners of stock 928's, so I have a hard time thinking mixing in Chevy parts will make it work better.

If you make much power, an automatic transmission is the only reliable option.

If you make much power, reliable operation, becomes a relative term.

OTOH, thinking it over a bit, yeah jump in Mason a Chevy conversion is a great choice for you. ;)

You don't know me nor have we had the occasion to enter into discussion before this. So I won't take offense to the inference that the facts as stated by me have been made up.

While I owned that 928 I received many favorable comments, some from staunch Porsche folk. Never did I get anything beyond a slight head shake when I showed the engine to be an LT1 Chevy.

The car was at the Frenzy in DC 2 years ago and at SITM in 2007 and 2009. And I'm told it was at SITM in 2010 with the new owner.
It was at Sharks in Hell, 2007 and 2009.
Too bad you didn't see it yourself.

There's some old pictures here
The Porsche Hybrids Board Gallery :: 928 Chevy Power

If you do a search on that board and Rennlist you'll find a lot of information including some past debate on replacing the 928 engine with a Chevy engine. Much of which I participated in.

While I concede that more conversions end up wrong than right, I know for a fact that a 928 can be done right.

If the proof you want is the actual car then I have none, only my word.
I find that regrettable. I really miss that car.

Rob, is this the car? Pictures taken in June. Folks told me this was the former Rob Budd car with the LT1, but I ddin't get a chance to talk to the owner.

Next to a nice early silver car from Canada:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280728743.jpg




http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280728777.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280728790.jpg

Porsche Carnage
 

Glad you don't take me seriously. I have just seen too many bad conversions it seems. As I said previously, I am sure someone, somewhere has done it right. It doesn't surprise me that there MAY be a few good ones out there. There are exceptions to every rule it seems.

However, there are a LOT of aborted projects and the average conversion is not pretty Or well implemented IMHO. This could be the skill and expertise of the converting mechanic, as is the case with Jaguar conversions I will just stand with the statement that the time and money could be better spent. Continue the statement that an abandoned project is the place to start for saving dough and not violating an existing 928. Of course the pre - molested aborted projects are PRETTY scary, and so I can see Nancy girls running for the hills on that one.

I will Also maintain the opinion that it will take AT LEAST 8 grand, by the time you put a good motor in there and have it working right. As this nice man has done it, and apparently done it well, It seems reasonably accurate. That Doesn't include Labor, give that at least 200 hours of head scratching and down time securing parts. Probably more.

And PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! Finish what you start! It is so sad to see the projects come up for sale halfway through. So...Do what you want....But, KNOW what you are doing and don't quit half way (or less) through.

Well, all this engine swap talk has inspired me. I think I'll start taking measurements on that old cummins 4bt I've got laying around. Maybe even install a stack!:D

Wish I could find one of those "aborted" projects. I believe Rob. If it makes anyone feel any better, this car was last tagged in the 90's, was bought for a parts car, and is not complete, so I don't feel the least bit bad about gutting it, and putting what I want in it. Better than being sold for scrap, isn't? As far as my experience, I have been involved with swapping two different Toyota Land Cruisers to SBC power, don't think they were DD, but prob-lee could have been. Then we also did a few Jeeps to SBC power. Wish I could claim all the credit, but I just worked there, so I don't feel I can claim doing the conversions by myself. As far as compromises, I've had 300 degrees duration cams, and solid lift cams, and 3000 stall converters, would want to drive them every day, but could have. Still got the Camaro, and a Mustang, just want something different. Would you rather see one parted out then on the road?

If you visit the conversion sites its easy to find a 90% project with only 90% left to go.

What about an OB with a hybrid DOHC 5 liter Porsche engine?

I know Rob and saw the car several times he is talking about it. It was very nice and well sorted.

Not really much of a conversion if it can be done completely with factory Porsche parts. With an OB, 78/79 CIS car using the Euro S 80/83 cis intake, its going to be hard to tell it isn't factory without looking at the numbers on parts.

Mechanical part of conversion is almost always simple.

Building a hot rod is simple, as long as your OK with a light switch on the dash to start it, PepBoy gauges with the wires running out the window, wire nuts under the hood, radiator sticking out of the hatch, etc etc.

Hard part is getting it to a turnkey level of operation, starts right away hot or cold, all the sensors work, all the gauges work, drives smooth, nothing dripping, nothing making funny noises, and no amateur plumbing projects under the hood. In short behaves like a normal car except fast.