Convert a 911s to 912. That's wasting money!

[1979-930]

You did what!
Yes he removed the 911 engine and replaced it with a 912E engine. Uhhh Whatever.


https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2199796


Porsche 911S with 912E conversion Price: $24000.
Porsche 1977 911S Targa with 912E conversion. s/n 9117210761
This is a totally rust and accident free AZ car that was purchased without an engine by the current owner 23 years ago. It has since been disassembled for a respray of the original copper brown metallic color.
All the exterior chrome and rubber has been replaced with original Porsche parts including the windshield. In addition, a nice set of genuine Fuchs 16” wheels have been added.
The list of 912E original parts used is extensive including transaxle, sheet metal, engine mount, heat exchangers, vintage Stebro stainless steel muffler, rear sway bar and torque weight block. The installation looks nice enough to be original.
The 914/2.0 engine has been completely rebuilt including Mahle European piston and cylinder set, new cam and lifters, rebuilt heads, new bearings. Fuel delivery is with the 914 2.0 Djet system.
The brake calipers have been rebuilt. New ball joints and “Turbo” tie rods were installed.
Very clean throughout. No overspray, no dents or rust. Drives great.
An interesting offering of a 912E Targa that was never sold but was pictured on the 912E sales brochure. Lower maintenance and repair costs than the 911 engine plus lighter weight and better handling.
Offered at $24,000

[Matt Monson]

First 74 I tried to buy had a built 912e engine in it. I should have bid higher. I was gonna put it in my 914.

If Brad built it it will be done right. But a big hit in value.

[Unobtanium-inc]

That's like buying a 912 with a bug motor, ask a guy who knows, ask me....

If you look close you can pick it out of this pic at the old shop.

---Adam

[SalParadise]

Price seems fair though considering it's a midyear - '77s are now looked on as the worst year instead of my year of '75. But you could get into this and look for a 911 engine and work on that, then sell the Type IV. It's not bad. Economical for sure. Price is not that awful, considering if you built a 2.7 from scratch all the way up it would cost you probably $15K to do it right. This way you get into a running, driving car. Maybe I should sell mine and get this.

[GothingNC]

I just checked the VIN and it was my brothers old Targa.

Back in 1990 he had the 2.7 rebuilt once and about 30,000 miles later it was leaking again even though the Thermal Reactors were removed and a front mounted oil cooler was added.
It had a few other issues, clutch was shot and the syncros needed replacement.

So instead of spending $10K for another rebuild at the time for a car worth $5 or $6K he installed a type IV motor and got his money back selling the original 2.7 motor for about $3K


He ended up selling it around 1995 because he got tired of flooring the gas pedal to keep up with traffic and now has an 84 Carrera.

[1979-930]

Thank you for chiming in. I think we all assumed it was something like that. It’s cool to get the story.
It is a funny swap now that the values have come up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GothingNC]

Originally Posted by 1979-930

Thank you for chiming in. I think we all assumed it was something like that. It’s cool to get the story.
It is a funny swap now that the values have come up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks !

He had a 901 trans, carbed 914 motor with VW 411 heater boxes installed before selling it.

600 pounds heavier than a 914 made it pretty darn slow, LOL

[Matt Monson]

People did what they had to to keep them running. My 75 has a 2.2e engine and type 911, instead of 915, gearbox.

[GothingNC]

Looking back , that was the first Porsche I have ever driven, it still had the 2.7 at the time.

I went to visit him in Tijeras NM when I was only 19 and he let handed me the keys to take a trip up Sandia Peak and later to Santa Fe. Felt like a rocket going up the mountain since most cars I have driven had only 60 to 75 HP back in the late 1980's.

That was when I got bitten by the Porsche bug.

[SalParadise]

Originally Posted by GothingNC

Looking back , that was the first Porsche I have ever driven, it still had the 2.7 at the time.

I went to visit him in Tijeras NM when I was only 19 and he let handed me the keys to take a trip up Sandia Peak and later to Santa Fe. Felt like a rocket going up the mountain since most cars I have driven had only 60 to 75 HP back in the late 1980's.

That was when I got bitten by the Porsche bug.

Buy it back. I think it's a great conversion - and someone went out a limb to do it during a time when everyone was parting '77s - or making them into some hideous backyard slantnose with vents and white gauges.

It saved the car for sure, and even seeing a '77 in this condition in 2018 is a treat.

[Mocker]

Originally Posted by SalParadise

Price seems fair though considering it's a midyear - '77s are now looked on as the worst year instead of my year of '75. But you could get into this and look for a 911 engine and work on that, then sell the Type IV. It's not bad. Economical for sure. Price is not that awful, considering if you built a 2.7 from scratch all the way up it would cost you probably $15K to do it right. This way you get into a running, driving car. Maybe I should sell mine and get this.

I agree with you--but why are 77s considered worse than 75s? 77s are galvanized, at least!

[SalParadise]

Originally Posted by Mocker

I agree with you--but why are 77s considered worse than 75s? 77s are galvanized, at least!

To many people nowadays they prefer the less optioned and emissions-dodging '74 and '75 - especially in California. Since '74 is the rookie card, and the '75 not that far behind, in general I have seen the market favor them - sometimes not by much.

[Matt Monson]

I would struggle to register that car here in Colorado. It still needs emissions to get into the state and with a 1976 engine in a 1977, that violates both federal and state laws, even if it has all the 912E crap on it. I would have to put a 3.0l in it immediately prior to registering it to make it work. And then smog it every 5 years. But like CA I never need smog a 74 or 75.

[Mocker]

Gotcha. No smog check around these parts; rust is our biggest concern with these old dogs.