Anyone ever drive/ride-in a V-8 conversion?

vracer · vracer's Garage

While my '89 is bone stock, I think the P-car community generally embraces oddballs. I was just looking at "Bring a Trailer" and saw this very clean looking conversion from Augusta, GA listed on CL. I'm interested in thoughts, but please spare us all the, "It's a sacrilege" comments.

christiandk · christiandk's Garage

As a true disciple of Dr. F. (God rest his blessed soul) since childhood I hope that all non believes will be damned to an entire life with a Boxster, a Korean car or Ronnie as a boyfriend.

Matt Monson · 07-03-2015, 01:02 PM

I actually work a bit with the guys at Renegade and have had the chance to ride in a few on their 914s. Cool on some level but I feel like it is too much power for the chassis.

Saw that bat car and it looks pretty nice. I don't think I would ever want to own one though. I'm a disciple of the flat engine configuration. I'm not an air cooled purist but the only swap I would ever do would be Porsche or Subaru. I would really like a Cayman gearbox in one of my teeners. There is a kit to mate that engine to a Subaru heart so that would be the likely solution. However one racer is trying to get Patrick to make a kit that would mate the gearbox to an air cooled flat 6.

Christian wouldn't like that bat car. It is missing the books and toolkit.

LakeCleElum · 07-03-2015, 01:28 PM

Not a Porsche V-8 Conversion, BUT:

Years ago, a friend got a degree in Automotive Engineering. For a class project, he stuffed the running gear of an Olds Toronado (455) in the rear of a VW bug....He took me for a ride:

He had to feather the throttle to set the front wheels down for steering corrections. I was young and pretty impressed at the time.

I saw that Mid-year on BAT and agree it looks like it was done right.

JJK78-951 · 07-03-2015, 08:19 PM

Just got done stuffing an LS3 into a Boxster, it's pretty awesome. Not for everyone, but awesome.

Check it out - https://youtu.be/QkxzES1lbyU

ficke · ficke's Garage

Years ago there was a small group of guys who got the bug to put V8's in 914's here in Tucson. I went for a ride in one, very powerful and fun. The thing is they were always tinkering, fixing stuff, breaking transmissions, axles, cooling issues, to much cabin heat, etc.
The cars had totally different character, no longer the light nimble, throw around 914, more of a muscle car.
Which leads me to my evaluation then and now, If I wanted a V-8 powered muscle car, I would buy one. 1980's Fox body 5.0 Mustang is fast light and cheap amd huge after market go fast stuff for them. Corvettes can be had very reasonable and or sorted car that work well.
I would not bother with the headaches and stuff associated with backyard engineered cars, and buy what I want up front.
On most tracks a 914/6 is faster.

Matt Monson · 07-04-2015, 06:51 AM

Ficke,
They've come a long way since then. Renegade offers turnkey 914,911,944,Boxster,cayman and 996 v8 swaps. Pretty dang reliable with a new GM crate engine and a kit they can install or you can DIY. They are no longer a ticket to aaa frequent tower miles.

ficke · ficke's Garage

Matt,
I feel foolish, of course it would have gotten better in 25 years.
Funny I should take my own advice, I get frustrated when people give me outdated information and now I am passing it around!