914-6 conversions

[Ian Gunney]

Was wondering the other day how many people are building / have built 914-6's around 4 cylinder shells. Thought that it would be interesting to see a) what people have done, b)how they have gone about it, c) what problems they have encountered and d) where they got the various bits from.

I bought my '14 from a chap in Holland where it had been sat in a warehouse for years after a rather large frontal accident - after agreeing to buy it in October 1998, eventually picked it up in September 99. The car had apparently been used for some form of racing - not really sure whether it had or not but the remains of the shell was cheap! After a couple of years sat under a cover, we started repairing the damage to the front. The shell repair was pretty quick (by the standards of the build up!) and the main things that have been done are to use f/g bonnet, boot, front wings, front and rear bumpers and arches. The bonnet, bootlid and bumpers all came from Barrie Martin who I would wholly recommend to anyone going down this route. The shell has been repainted in signal orange - as per the works cars.

Once the shell was built, we fitted a safety devices cage - which I have to say fitted amazingly well.

Moving on the rest of the car, fitted a mix of bits for the front suspension - but in the main it is 911 with the later type of a/roll bar but using 3.2 Carrera struts, 930 hubs, discs and calipers.

Rear suspension was a bit more involved given the spacing of the original calipers is different. After a bit of tinkering we ended up welding brackets to the trailing arm to take the 930 rear brake calipers and discs. Handbrake wise, we have gone hydraulic - which seems to be OK.

Engine - I bought this from Colin Belton at ninemeister where it had been fitted to a 3.0RS rep that he had there. Not sure of the exact internals but it is a 2.7 7R case, running on Weber's that at the time (we checked on the rolling road) 220 hp.

Gearbox - now here is the really marginal point - have a sideshifter gearbox in the car now - depending on who you speak to it may / may not be sufficient. Am working on the philosophy that if it breaks it wasn't strong enough and we will have to worry about what to do then. Michael Witter at Mittelmotor said that he felt it should be OK....

Oil system - here is where I definitely made the most expensive / time consuming mistake. Initially used a fabricated oil tank that sat in the space where the fuel tank originally went along with a reduced size fuel tank. However, I was never happy with the way that it was plumbed up, so decided to revert back to the standard set up. Bought as many of the parts that are now currently available (still haven't told the wife how expensive they were!) and have been slowly accumulating the rest. Have found Earls at Silverstone very helpful for some of the various fittings. I have a separate oil cooler to sit up front which Barrie Martin sourced for me but am going to run without this initially whilst it is all being bedded in.

Wheels - have gone for 7 and 8 inch 15 Fuchs - yes they will fit over 930 calipers but it is very close!

Interior - simply a pair of Sparco Ultra seats (amazingly light) and five point harnesses.

Would be very interested in hearing what others of you are doing / have done.

Ian

[porker914]

Any pics Ian?

david

[Ian Gunney]

I struggle with technology - I'd need some really simple instructions to follow have pics which I can mail!

[drummerboytom]

mail them to me

[Robster]

Hi Ian,

your car will be awesome when it's done. Any idea when it will be on the road?

I've given up on mine as you know. The realisation was that with 7 month old son, the chance of me being allowed in the garage for more than 4 hours a month were slim. By the time I would have finished it, petrol would have probably dried up!

kind regards
Rob

[drummerboytom]

[porker914]

now that i like!!

Have to say orange looks so good on a 14.

how long have you been working on the car and when do you think you will finish it?

david

[TheMonkey]

Morning!

Don't talk to me about time buddy! My pile of doo doo has been in the making for the best part of three years!!! I've had three damn job changes in that time!!!
However, i am beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel.
Project began as a rather ropey 1.7 purchased from Tower....ahem.
Yeah...thought I was getting a 2.0, but no....1.7 it was. Still, that will teach me to buy a car with my eyes welded shut.
Car went to Le Mans that year with only a swap to Dell'Orto's as a mod.
Plans to rebuild the 'four' fell by the wayside after hearing and seeing GT's at CLM in 2004. A 'six' it would be.
At the time, i was working at a Triumph specialist in Waltham Cross and so had access to all the necessary tools and equipment. However, i was short on the two things that any good conversion needs. Time and more importantly, cash.
I found my engine through DDK; a 2.2 on Webers. Alan.uk supplied the unit and aside from an oil leak blowing through the thermostat housing, the engine has been great. Below is a brief list of parts I accumulated for my conversion.
2.2 on Webers.
Mount from Patrick Motorsport.
Headers from Patrick Motorsport.
Dansk Sport muffler from Euro Car Parts in Muswell Hill. (Haven't got a clue about old Porsches but they are cheap!)
3.2 struts
'S' Aluminium calipers clamping vented disks. (Need 19mm master cylinder)
Drilled rear hubs. (Not ideal, but it will do for now)
Oil system - Modified 911 tank (really not ideal!)
Deep 6" Fuchs on the front and black Cookies on the back. (Don't ask, my old man had a spare pair of Fuchs, so i nicked them!)

Well, the whole thing went together slowly but surely until it was ready for Le Mans last year. It went down fine apart from the oil leak. Pulled well, didn't break down and sounded awesome!
However, upon my return, Dad's race engine from his 2.2E (Defender47) was smoking like a chimney and finally gave up the ghost at Snetterton. In my infinite wisdom, i gallantly offered my engine as a replacement. Fool.
I still haven't got it back yet!!!
It is currently with Mr Mike Bainbridge being given an overhaul and replaced back in the car. However, this time, the engine is going back in with a proper oil system....courtesy of somebody else on this forum! You know who you are!!!
Just one minor problem...it won't be ready until mid may. I go to Le Mans 28 days later. Worried? Moi? Pfff!

There we are, a brief but VERY interesting story of my 914!

By the way, it appears to have been hand painted in Dulux emulsion. Don't laugh, i can't afford the bloody spray job!

Ian, your car looks awesome and that is exactly how i should like mine to look if it ever gets finished. However, i would like mine to be Light Ivory just like Jeff Moyes car which I saw at Goodwood and fell in love with.

Anyhoo!

Come on you lot, where are all the other conversions???

Actually, i know why we're not hearing from them, they can't afford broadband anymore. Well, it was that or an oil tank. What would you choose???

Ta ta!

Mark

[abm914]

Mark - got any photos???

Ian - yours looks really good, remember, you're on a promise to get it finished by the next Husborne Crawley! And you too James!!!!

Ad.

[Ian Gunney]

Have stopped giving a deadline for completion - as Rob says having a young son (7 months) has really slowed progress from the previous crawl!

Anyway, really hoping for the summer (this year!)

Now that this thread is going I will use it to put pressure on myself to stir things along!

[fourteener]

Nice looking Machine Ian, the flares look a really nice fit were they a lot of work?
I am also looking for 'this summer'. If it was a case of just slapping in a six/tank/mount I reckon it could be done quite quickly, but all the other 'while I'm in there's and weeks + weeks (months + years) to the build time.
I may have a 'running' car this year but don't think it will be finished to my liking until next year (or maybe one after).

Ian I used Earls + Think auto for oil fittings, they both stock all the Porsche sizes (even M22 male to -16male for scavenge fitting -running -16 line for return + scavenge as I bought a long length of AN-16) Jury's still out if I can Squeeze a -16 fitting under the headers, if not I'll buy the Patrick scavenge hard line, or try and fabricate something locally.

BTW is that a 'PORSCHE VW 914-6' badge on the dash? + you have wipers parking on the right. Is the other car an SL or a Cobra?

[fourteener]

On another subject and slightly off topic. mark (The Monkey) I was at CLM this year and met Dave from Picton Sportscars as my cousin owns a GT6 and we stayed with the Triumph lot. That chopped Spit with the 2.5 six is a great machine to follow at 3AM around Arnage -what a sound!
Dave told me about this guy who was doing a 914-6 conversion I thought that the 914 guys are pretty fraternal so the owner is bound to surface sooner or later.

[Robster]

Hi James,

don't mean to hijack the thread, but if you want a hard line (see photo) I've got one in my garage (patrick motorsport - unused). Pm me if you are interested.

Regards
Rob

[Ian Gunney]

Fourteener - yes that is a 914-6 badge on the dash - can't decide whether to fit it or not.

Other car in the garage is a '55 190SL race car.

[fourteener]

Ian, can I have first refusal for the badge if you decide against fitting it?
(you may want a nice keep sake of course:) )
What engine mount did you use Ian (i've used Rich Jonsonn bulk head) and did you hack off the old four cylinder mounts?

Rob you have PM