89 911 LS1 Conversion

[Yan2947]

Well, time is here. I've been reading all of the amazing LS1 conversions of the 911 and I am about to begin this journey also. I am going to start by taking my 89 Carrara with its G50 01 tranny and 3.2 to the weighing station after filling up the car with 91 octane and get a true weight reading of the car with all of its factory stuff. I'm going to measure the height to the top of the wheel wells and see what the difference is once the LS1 is installed. I have a couple of questions that remain unanswered and hopefully someone can fill me in: 1. The G50 01 Tranny - Do I need to upgrade the clutch? My clutch is working fine. I plan on putting a stock 350 HP LS1 Motor. This will be a weekend driver car and not a track car. The upgrade seems pretty expensive and needed for 915 tranny's but what about the "bullet proof" G50 01? 2. Does anyone have photos of their engine cradle or motor mounts for the 911/LS1 conversion. I want to get the engine attached to the tranny as quickly as possible so I can look at it in awe. I know Kennedy Engineering has the adapter plate, flywheel, pilot bearing and a couple of people I found are selling a set pretty cheap at the moment but other then those parts one needs the motor mounts. Is anything else needed to get the engine in the car correctly? Also a note about my 89 3.2. I may sell it once the engine is dropped. It has 155,000 miles.

[Dottore]

Forget you ever posted this.

Then say 911 Hail Marys and go away and sin no more....

[GaryR]

Sell the 89 and buy a cheap 78-86 to hack up.... please.

[lindy 911]

Your 3.2 with some tweaking far less than that required for a V8 install will kick the ***** out of an LS-1 in a 911 chassis. Do what you want, but taking a perfectly good car with a rebuild-able motor and stuffing a V8 in it, will produce a TURD.

Just my .02

Lindy

[TWIN911]

It's his car to due with what he wants. I'm at the point, past it actually, of rebuilding the 3.2 in my 88. If I didn't live in California, I would consider the LS1 conversion, a lot of bang for the buck. I'll spend the same $ as a LS1 conversion and end up with the stock HP. Besides, how many articles have you read in Excellence about some super high dollar 911 hotrod where they end the article with one negative note, the 915 tranny. Using a G50 car is logical.

[Yan2947]

This car will not be hacked up. I've already bought a new lid for the rear. I've made a mock foam radiator and trying to decide on what wing to mount it under/in. I've done the research on a radiator for that location and with a couple of changes to some other rear radiator designs I'm hoping mine will cool without an issue. My foam radiator is 32 by 13" with 2 fans side by side. That is 416sq" of cooling. Plenty for up to 420 HP. If I keep it at 350 I can probably go down to 28 or 30" wide by 13 tall. I'm trying to stick to the narrower and wider as opposed to taller design in the radiator.

If it doesn't work perhaps the 3.2 will hop back in. So, without the negative feedback - there is always plenty of that - hopefully someone can answer some of the questions I've listed above. Any thoughts with the 350 HP Stock LS1 as it relates to the motor mounts and G50 without modification/clutch?

[Yan2947]

And Gary, after breaking down in Conn last year and towing my car back to the Hudson Valley I realized that all the open garages could easily have fixed any LS1 issues but the Porsche guys were no where to be found. That unexpected stress of being stuck in Conn with an eight year old was something I wish on no one. I love my car and no hacking will be done. $2500s later and still a wobble in my pulley - its a no brainer.

[86 911 Targa]

Originally Posted by Yan2947

Well, time is here. I've been reading all of the amazing LS1 conversions of the 911 and I am about to begin this journey also. I am going to start by taking my 89 Carrara with its G50 01 tranny and 3.2 to the weighing station after filling up the car with 91 octane and get a true weight reading of the car with all of its factory stuff. I'm going to measure the height to the top of the wheel wells and see what the difference is once the LS1 is installed. I have a couple of questions that remain unanswered and hopefully someone can fill me in:

1. The G50 01 Tranny - Do I need to upgrade the clutch? My clutch is working fine. I plan on putting a stock 350 HP LS1 Motor. This will be a weekend driver car and not a track car. The upgrade seems pretty expensive and needed for 915 tranny's but what about the "bullet proof" G50 01?

2. Does anyone have photos of their engine cradle or motor mounts for the 911/LS1 conversion. I want to get the engine attached to the tranny as quickly as possible so I can look at it in awe. I know Kennedy Engineering has the adapter plate, flywheel, pilot bearing and a couple of people I found are selling a set pretty cheap at the moment but other then those parts one needs the motor mounts. Is anything else needed to get the engine in the car correctly?

Also a note about my 89 3.2. I may sell it once the engine is dropped. It has 155,000 miles.

Sorry,

Blasphemy!!!!!!

[cole930]

Don't mean to be negative but, I love these cars too much. To me it's like cutting the center out of a Picasso to insert an Al Capp cartoon.

I certainly respect your right to do what you want with your car but your either a Porsche guy or your not. Your not. I would respectfully encourage you to go buy a Corvette.

Cole

[lin7310948]

i have a Dart all aluminum sbc conversion with 930 transaxle and all the usual performance suspension stuff. my car is a daily driver. the motor is 434 cubic inches with EFI and develops almost 600 chp in a 71 coupe that weighs about 2250 pounds. i do not do track events so i cannot relate to those conditions...but on the street it is solid and it still looks and drives as a porsche to me. do the conversion and you will enjoy it for years to come...i would keep the g50 transaxle.

[hoyabear]

As a true Porsche guy (I've owned 3 of them) and a true Chevy guy (I've had 3 Camaros and a Vette), I think the marriage of the best of both should be a wonderful thing! Nobody does engines like GM (simple, sonerous, powerful, reliable) and nobody does the rest of the car like Porsche. I love each in its pure form, but can respect the desire to be different and have your cake and eat it too! I've always said I won't be happy unless I have a Porsche Turbo and a Z06 in my garage, this sounds like a much less costly solution...

[S. Carver]

[lindy 911]

Start with Renegade Hybrids in Cali. They make the entire kit for conversion. Be very wary of the wing mounted radiator, most that have tried that have failed. The Renegade stuff does the least "hacking" to the 911 and all can be converted back when you regain your sanity.

Most don't understand that a Porsche flat six makes power totally different than Detroit iron. In my opinion the SC chassis, the suspension components, half shafts and even the G50, can't handle V8 torque. Sure, they will for a while, but if you beat on it parts will break.

There's a lot of personal engineering that goes into one of these hybrids and you need to be pretty good to pull it off. I've been rebuilding my '78 for a long time and considered the V8 thing but it was more than I wanted to take on.

Lindy

[JMatta]

A 911 that sounds like a fart wagon? These cars were not meant for the "CanAm Thunder", unless you're driving a 928.

[quattrorunner]

Sell the car and build a cheeper one if you must, 89 is the pinnacle year of the best porsche has offered. It really is a sick thing to consider IMO.

[Yan2947]

I appreciate some of the kind words. Some of you clearly can think out of the box. I'm not here to bash anyone and reply in bad taste to the "true porsche guy". I except your opinion. If you have a bad day you need not take it out on me. That being said, in this posting I'm hoping that advise regarding my build can be given when needed. I'm moving ahead. 2002 Camaro LS1 with 65k is coming. I will be away for 2 weeks and it will be great finding it upon my return.

[Yan2947]

And Hoyabear I do appreciate your words and encouragment. Nothing wrong with a mutt. A little German and American engineering - I think that combo even helped get us to the moon?

[quattrorunner]

Hey don't get me wrong, I'm in the "outside the box" club. And I can see the merit of such a swap, but you have a real sellable car. Sell it to someone that's looking for it and get a nice roller, they're out there. Put a 930 transaxle in it to cope with the massive power that plant can push.

[Yan2947]

Just had the rust that was under the window (cowl) in two spots removed/cut out. Both door pillars had rust and now they are gone - cut out - new pillars installed/welded in. The passenger side inner and outer rocker had rott! Its gone. I've cleaned up this wonderful 89. Not sure that someone else would have secured its future survival like I have. That being said - I got this car because of the G50. Really don't need a 930. According to Kennedy Engineered Products

930 tranny - '78-88 423 - stock torque capacity
G50 tranny - '87-89 460 - stock torque capacity.

I don't think I need a 930 tranny. Not sure if I'm reading this correctly but why get rid of a G50?

One of the reasons for this swap is that following the trip to Conn with the car and the crankshaft pully backing out - following the cost to "kind of repair the flatness of the tip of the crank" for the pully to spin without wobble - the wobble is still there - perhaps worse. Has anyone seen the pully back off the crank? Obviously the pully bolt was not tight and I had no work to that part of the car in 3 years. Does anyone know the fix for this. Designing a tool that could shave the tip flat is the thought. Any other thoughts?

[quattrorunner]

I overlooked the g50. One more reason it's a wonderfull car. I feel stupid though knowing now that you've actually saved this car from cancer. I'm going to look forward to seeing your car transform into the cool combination that you decide to make it. Your car looks great, it's going to perform awesome. Good luck.