1969 Porsche 912 with Subaru Engine

[CHRISDOBBINS]

1969 Porsche 912
with Subaru engine and adapter kit (not installed)


My wife has been accepted to law school out of state. I have done everything I can to try to find a house we can afford with a garage, but it is just out of our reach. I have to sell my 912 hybrid within the next couple of weeks. I’d love to see it find a good home.
Here are the details:
• Car Overview
o 1969 Porsche 912
o VIN: 129022484
o Located in Villa Rica, GA (just west of Atlanta)
o 5 speed transmission recently rebuilt
o Factory equipped with air conditioning (compressor in smuggler’s box)
o Piles of receipts and original records
• Interior
o Seats replaced with Corbeau Classics and 4-point belts. Original seats included with car. Original driver’s seat has a tear in the middle.
o Steering wheel replaced with Momo Monte Carlo. Original wheel is included, but the horn ring is a little loose.
• Exterior
o No modifications. Wiper assembly was recently replaced.
• Engine
o The original 616 engine has been sold
o Car comes with a Subaru EJ20G (240 hp) engine
o Adapter kit to fit Subaru engine to Porsche transaxle included. Kit contains a forged flywheel with a Subaru center, a larger clutch disk, a new throwout bearing, a new pressure plate, and a very nice adapter plate.
o New higher-hp starter included (still in box)
o The engine is not currently installed in the car.
I know that at least one other Porsche-Subaru 912 exists in the metro-Atlanta area and is it is a brilliant swap.
I must sell this car before we move! Make an offer. I am hoping to get $5000 for the whole thing.

Thanks,

Chris Dobbins
chris.dobbins@echostar.com

[kach22i]

That's not Tallbot Yellow is it?

[ZCAT3]

Do you have more picutres - interior, under carriage, trunk, engine bay, transmission, engine, etc? What is the rust situation?

[IROCPORSCHE73]

Yes , a few more pictures would be nice . Thank you

[CHRISDOBBINS]

With the exception of the adapter kit, I think most of these pictures explain themselves. Of course, I have had this car a while and I didn't know it too well at first...
Feel free to ask any questions.
You can e-mail me
chris.dobbins@echostar.com
or call me
(770) 459-9118 home
(404) 978-8121 work
Just note that work is getting a little crazy. I might not be at my desk when the phone rings, but I will return all calls. Oh, but we have scheduled down time on the work phones after 2:00 tomorrow. Who knows when they will be back up (told you it was getting crazy at work).

[IROCPORSCHE73]

Thanks for the photos

[adamb113]

What about the cooling system? Any parts or plans for install? How was it done in the other conversion? What Subaru is the motor from?
Any rust or bubbling?
Thanks,
Adam

[kpfoten]

Interesting--any resources on the web for this type of conversion?

[Soreback]

Kennedy Engineering....they make adaptors, My neighbor used one of their kits to mount a water cooled motor into a sand buggy

[CHRISDOBBINS]

Most of the sites on the web for putting Subaru engines in Porsches seem to center on the 914 community, but the concept is the same. Actually, I would think that limited access would make the 914 swap harder. There isn't much online about the 912/911 swap, but I have found out about at least 4 cars that have it done.
For cooling: once the engine is mounted and the radiator is positioned, someone would need to spend some time to match hoses between the two. It should be cheap for two hoses. I haven't picked it up yet, bt the radiator of choice is from a gen. 1 Toyota MR2. They are readily available. Pull-a-Part has them for $35, but someone would have to pick it up.
Keep the questions coming!
Thanks,
Chris Dobbins
(770) 459-9118

[CHRISDOBBINS]

I missed one set of questions.
The engine is from a JDM Subaru Legacy Turbo RS. I had it imported recently. I do have the ECU that matches to it and the 900+ page workshop manual. Many of the parts are identical to The WRX, but the EJ20G uses a better casting method, sodium-cooled valves, a closed deck design (banned from WRC), a more aggressive fuel map, etc.
Rust: small areas in the floor pan. If they are a major concern, I have a MIG welder. We can take care of them. There is some bubbling along the very bottom of the passenger door. There is no rust in any of the critical areas! No rust in the battery tray, no rust near the torsion bar tubes, no rust in the fuel tank area, etc.
Thanks,
Chris Dobbins
(770) 459-9118

[adamb113]

Chris,
Thanks for the response. Where does the radiator go? In front? Do you have to cut the floor? Has anybody put in other places liek the fender well's or engine compartment?

I am interested but far away (Boston) so it is going to be dififcult to do a deal.
Thanks,
Adam

[CHRISDOBBINS]

The radiator can go in the back or the front.
A radiator in the front is usually required for large engines, such as the V8 conversions. A front-mounted radiator does require modification to the trunk area or changing to an RS-style front bumper. It does cool better, but mainly because the long stretch of hose works as a radiator as well.
A rear-mounted radiator should be just fine for a four cylinder or rotary engine. Since the Subaru engine is just about as long as the orignial 616 engine, there is plenty of room to mont a radiator in the back and catch adeqate air flow.
Thanks,
Chris Dobbins

[CHRISDOBBINS]

I took some more photos today.







The car is still available with the engine and adapter. Anyone interested?
Thanks,
Chris Dobbins
(770) 459-9118

[jester911]

I wish I had the funds for it. I am going to one day have a longhood but I have 2 kids to put thru college first.

Interesting car.

[IROCPORSCHE73]

bump

[CHRISDOBBINS]

We are actually selling the car for tuition money! Think there is a way to make the purchase tax deductible?

[naparsei]

Chris - you have PM

[dcautomotive]

we buy porsche nationwide, call us to discuss if none of your other deals make it

regards

[CHRISDOBBINS]

I believe I have found a person interested in the car, but I promised some pictures of the battery tray, front suspension, and rear torsion bar areas.
Here they are:
The battery tray area:

The front suspension:


The rear suspension:


In the rear, you can tell the a difference in the areas I scrubbed tonight and the areas I didn't get to. A good cleaning goes a long way...

Also, I had a few people ask how to make a subframe for the engine. I started on one, but I cannot guarantee it for anyone else's car. I'll offer it as an "engine stand" just to limit my liability. If you want to use it as a mount, it is your call. Here is what I put together so far:


I intend to continue it with the blue lines I drew in so that It would mount to the original 912 mounting points: