v8 conversion???

[wannaberacer]

geez, you see every month or so a topic on v8 conversions for 944's, somewhat understandable, but a 911??!! I just went over the 911 board(I would link it to this bbs, but don't know how)There is actually a guy who put a chevy 350 in the back of his 911!!?? Kinda the epitomy off a hybrid if you ask me.

[diannone]

check renegade hybrids web site. 914 912 911 928 951 944, germanys fastest made faster.

[Bob's944]

All these weak azz conversions... anyone ever put an 800 HP 6 cyl Cat turbodiesel in their 944?? My friend has got 2 of them, I'm sure he can make due with one and let me have the other for a BIG project....

[AFJuvat]

That's nice and all, but as someone else stated in another thread, once you do that, it is no longer a Porsche. Call me a purist or even an old fart (age 32) if you will, but leave the car as it was designed.

Chipping it, updating the exhaust, minor stuff like that, fine - those are things I think the factory should have done to begin with. However, radical alterations to the engine are defeating the entire purpose of the design to begin with.

My 2¢

Let the flaming begin

AFJuvat

[josh912]

AFJuvat, you hit the nail on the head. And when you think about it, modifying and tweaking the engines is what factory did to the race engines. They were and still are aways changing the fuel system, modifying the valvles and heads, changing the cam, changing the exhaust, etc. One thing is for sure though, they still were and are Porsches. When you looked at the engine case, it had a porsche stamp and number. A Chevy is NOT a Porsche and therefore, when you put a Chevy in a Porsche chassis, it is no longer a Porsche car.

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Joshua Harrison
Porsche owner at heart

[yOnKiNaToR]

but, you have to understand that everyone doesn't care about what their car actually is. they just want brute prower or w/e they are looking for in a car. the porsche they have just happens to be the car they want do do it with. a lot people think hybrids are cool..i personally don't and don't understand them, but they are entitled to w/e they want b/c their car is their property. i guess they like the satisfaction of whooping a regular 951 in a drag race, even if there handling is diminished.

[AFJuvat]

You do have a point Yonk. this is a forum for expressing opinions.

We all do have something in common, there just seems to be a differing opinion on what should be done to the cars.

My opinion, don't heavily modify them.

AFJuvat

[This message has been edited by AFJuvat (edited 10-29-2001).]

[Moneyguy1]

So much has been said here about modifications and engine swaps. Personally, my take on it is that the history of the automobile and most other technologies is one of experimentation. The first successful aircraft was built in large part from bicycle parts. The first Porsche was built from a VW parts bin. Therefore the question with engine swaps becomes this: What defines the specific marque? Is it simply the engine? Many listers claim that replacing the engine with one from another manufacturer changes the car from a specific make to some kind of abortion. Why did Porsche decide on a four cylinder in line engine for the 944? We are told they started with a "clean sheet of paper". If so, why not a v6 for example? Cost? Probably. The 944 engine was derived from the already available 928 engine. (Pontiac did this too, years ago; deriving a 4 from an existing V8...imitation is the sincerest form of flattery). So, the bean counters probably controlled the engine choice more than the engineers. And, if engine swaps negate the lineage of the car, how about after market wheels? Other than original brand/size/model tyres? a non-Porsche battery? suspension bushings? These are all deviations from the original. I submit this makes any modified car a non Porsche by some folks definition.

Further, take a look at the build quality and overall durability of specific 944 elements: rear hatch design that is badly flawed and never, during the run from 924 to 968, addressed or overcome: switches and interior lights that are lifted in toto from VW. dashboards made of cardboard that crack. The list goes on.

I have a 944 (1984 and yes, it has the original engine). I like it a lot. However, I , despite being referred to as a "junior member" have been over under and around cars since the 60s. I have swapped engines, upgraded suspensions, rewired entire cars. Custom car shows still appeal to me because of the ingenuity and dedication to detail shown by many of these creative people. If I met someone who had shoehorned a v8 into a 944 I would admire this as well, and ask if he (or she) would take me around the block.

There should be room for all of us; the "purists" and the "innovators". Tradition requires purists they are the keepers of the flame; progress requires innovation; they supply the electricity. The two are compatable.

Just my 2 pfennigs worth

Bob S.

[lordgrommit]

Swaps can be a cool thing but in most cases long term maint and resale are a problem. Most Hybrids have no manual on how someone did X or Y or how to fix it when it breaks. Whats this wire lead to ? Even swaps that happen everyday IE Jaguar / Chev 350 with the same kit come out two diffrent ways. I only had this color wire so I did the whole car in it? I'm making generalzations here but people should think about it. On the other hand there have been some great factory and aftermarket Hybrids. Scarab Datsuns, Pantera's, Iso Griffos, Bizzarini Strada ( a personal favorite ). So do what you like these cars will prob never see collector status so what if one less is on the road ?

Matt

[EGSMachine]

i love America.
God bless us all, everyone of us.
thanks goodness for Sequential fire fuel injection, roots type super chargers and multi spark ignition.

this is nice and all, but don't ask me to do something just cuz you don't want to do it. i want a V8 in my porsche. but that is my want and my choice.

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84-9445m
Porsche, "Overtly Masculine Feel".

93-325is 5m;
driven daily.

87 Honda Civic DX
"yard car"

[stray15]

Why do you guys care what other people do to their Porsches. It is their car, they can do as they please. It is, JUST A CAR. What am I saying, its a Porsche, they aren't just cars...either way, don't be bothered by what other people do, to each his/her own. It just makes your car more rare, which is good, sometimes.

Tim,
Current 944 owner
Future 914 Porschevy Rocket

Hey all, I am not even going to get into the whole porsche engine swap deal, i dont have the time, but I will share th craziest hybid porsche i have ever seen. About a month ago on ebay there was a 928 with a chevy 502 in it! It was capable of 600hp and the guy even esigned a twin turbo system for it so it wuld have around 900-1000 hp. Ok, so it wasnt a porsche anymore, but who among us wouldnt want to at least drive that beast? Thats all for now.
Maciek

[MixMasterK]

You wouldn't even be able to keep that turd on the road. You'd be in the back seat the moment you hit the gas! That is if it actually was capable of the 9-1K HP.