Starter ring gear question

[slc215]

I am in the process of getting my 1972 911 sbc conversion back on the road. I initially did the conversion back in 1997, but needless to say that as a 19 year old at that time with high ambitions and delusions of what it would actually cost me to do the project, it pretty much sat in the garage for the last 18 years with an occasional push start to keep the fluids moving in her. Luckily I held onto the car, even though I was pressured a few times to sell her, and must admit even considered selling her once or twice over the years myself, but I am happy to say that ultimately I did not pull the trigger and sell her and now have the opportunity to bring her back to life and enjoy her the way I really never got to back when I was 19.

Here is a pic shortly after I purchased her in 1996




The road to bringing her back to life has been a slow and tedious process to say the least. It doesn't help that I have only been able to work on her maybe 5-6 hours a week since I started back in Jan. of this year (2015), but I have learned so much since I started and hopefully she will be road worthy again here soon before much longer.

Here are some pics of how she sits now






So far I have given her a new battery, new plugs and MSD wires, new MSD distributor & cap, new high output alternator, new High flow Meziere electric 55-gpm water pump, and had the high torque starter totally rebuilt to better than new quality.

So, I go to start her up, and although initially she did the first few times, there always was a funny not so good sound that went along with the start up. So I pull the starter yet again to take a look, and you guessed it, the starter ring gear is not looking so pretty and it looks as if even one of the teeth on the ring gear has actually been chewed right off :-( Oh and to make things worse, the teeth on my freshly rebuilt starter are ground up and need replacing as well.

So my question, is this something that is common place with the high HP/high torque v8 conversions? Also, if so, what have others done to fix this problem?? Is there a custom ring gear that is out there that is stronger than the stock ring gear?? I did see on Renegade Hybrids website that they sell a hardened custom ring gear, is this what most people are using and ultimately what I should buy?? I just don't want to go through the trouble of replacing the starter ring gear with a new OEM replacement just to have the teeth break/grind off again, as that is exactly what I have read has happened to a few others with who had similar issues.

Second question, is there a way I can replace the starter ring gear without having to take the flywheel, pressure plate and clutch off?? Or am I going to have to take everything apart as I fear I may have to??

Any Advice, help, or guidance is greatly appreciated and welcomed. Thanks

Here is a pic w/ the starter out looking in at the ring gear



and here is a pic of the freshly rebuilt starter, it actually had nice gear teeth in this photo, not that way any longer unfortunately :-(

[I'mThatGuy]

The torque required to turn over a sbc is a lot more than a Porsche, renegade has billet rings

[slc215]

I think what I am ultimately going to do is purchase a starter ring gear from Kennedy or possibly look into the Renegade Hybrids ring gear and see if there is a drastic difference between the two. Needless to say, it looks like I have no choice and that I am going to have to drop the engine & trans to replace the ring gear, something I really am not looking forward to having to do. Oh well, I guess that's why they call it a labor of love.

[Sapientoni]

Is the starter gear for sure "NOT engaged" all the time? If it's already engaged when installed, it can't pull back and will eat up both gear and flywheel ring. Had a buddy did that !