914 engine replacement options - Advice and Opinions please, What are my best and easiest options? Options

[UberElectricEagle]

Greetings,
I'm new to the 914's so please forgive my ignorance.
I have a 1972 1.7 with dual carbs (weber 34) that is slowly giving up the ghost. I'm going to keep driving it until it quits or I find a replacement motor. I'm trying to figure out what my best and cheapest option is to put a good and solid running engine in my 914. Yes, more power would be awesome, but just a working motor would be great too.
What I was thinking I would like to find is a decent and solid running engine that someone has removed from their car for whatever reason.
-What are my plain stock options? 1.7 1.8 2.0 ?
--Can all my 1.7 components switch over into a 1.8 or 2.0 or would I have to get some different items like bigger carbs or a different distributor?
-What kind of fair price can I expect to pay for a fairly complete and running motor?
-What could I expect to pay for a rebuild if I went with that option?
-Can I just use any type 4 engine (say from a VW whatever) and switch all my tins and components over, or are they set up differently for the 914?

I'm looking for all opinions or what you would think you would do so I can look at every angle here. Any guidance in the right direction or ideas would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Sam

[tat2dphreak]

I know the Cali guys have a place called EASY that has verified running engines for your budget, but they are used... so they may last forever, or die soon.

smoking and knocking is NOT good... that sound could be a dropped valve clanking around... you'll have to tear it apart to see...

bare minumum, you might find a shop to re-seat the heads if they are in good shape, new rings if the pistons are good/ in spec, and you might be ok for a while with this top-end refresh...

if you have to split the case you could be in for a lot more...

if there are any places local to you that are like EASY, you might get a running engine for less, or EASY may even get you one there with shipping near 1000. I'm not sure.

if there's a local shop to you that specializes in these cars, they may have more options. I would want to buy local if possible, with a shipped engine/kit for a respected member being a close second

local you can hear an engine run and get a compression(and leakdown) test.

[UberElectricEagle]

I know the Cali guys have a place called EASY that has verified running engines for your budget, but they are used... so they may last forever, or die soon.

smoking and knocking is NOT good... that sound could be a dropped valve clanking around... you'll have to tear it apart to see...

bare minumum, you might find a shop to re-seat the heads if they are in good shape, new rings if the pistons are good/ in spec, and you might be ok for a while with this top-end refresh...

if you have to split the case you could be in for a lot more...

if there are any places local to you that are like EASY, you might get a running engine for less, or EASY may even get you one there with shipping near 1000. I'm not sure.

if there's a local shop to you that specializes in these cars, they may have more options. I would want to buy local if possible, with a shipped engine/kit for a respected member being a close second

local you can hear an engine run and get a compression(and leakdown) test.

I'll try and figure out if there's a place up here like the EASY one in CA. Maybe someone local can chime in and let me in on the knowledge.
There is a member selling a 2.0 and some carbs, but it's a long drive from where I'm at. Probably cheaper to ship it. But it again has the unknown factor to condition and it might have it's own issues. It would be nice to put a bigger motor in though.