OT: Working on my shop car, The wagon Porsche never built. . . Options

[aircooledtechguy]

I've had a long term project going now to turn my '67 Squareback into my shop car. While I love driving my 914, it has limitations as a daily parts hauler. I love old styling with new technology and updates, so my goal is to turn my humble Square into the wagon that Porsche never made. I want it to drive and handle more like a Porsche than a VW wagon and it's got to be a true "Sleeper" (not a real problem; since it's a wagon). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/images.thesamba.com-9730-1324689630.1.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/images.thesamba.com-9730-1324689631.2.jpg)

This has been a 4-5 phase project.

Phase-1 - Convert it to Porsche 914 2.0L motor. Make it physically adapted to the car and running MS2 w/ Ford EDIS ignition. Get it tuned to be a daily driver. DONE!!

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/images.thesamba.com-9730-1324689631.3.jpg)

Phase-2 - Make the motor look good and freshen it up with new P&Cs. The heads were freshened only about 2K miles before I got it, by me when it was in a clients 914 that he converted to Subie power. I noticed that once I had a few miles on it myself, it was using a bit of oil. So I upgraded to a new set of 96mm P&Cs. So now it's a 2056.




I had my local powder coater do all the tins in black and the plenum and runners in grey for a stock look. I'm running T-4 H/Es with a modified bus header and a Summit Racing Flow Master clone muffler. So I had those ceramic coated in black so they are not attention grabbers from the back. This car is a sleeper (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)



DONE!!

Phase-3 - Convert the rear suspension to the later style IRS and install a Porsche 923 trans out of a Porsche 912E. The rear suspension is DONE!! While at it, I upgraded it with 914 rear brakes, urethane bushings, adjustable spring plates and a rear sway bar. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/images.thesamba.com-9730-1324689632.4.jpg)

Since the trans is taller than a stock 4-speed and cutting into the car can't happen due to rear seat issues. I gained the 1.5" I needed by spacing the body off the rear suspension with spacers. So here I sit, on the final leg of phase-3. I now need to couple the motor/trans and lift it into it's final place and fab rear engine hanger mounts for the rear bar. It's late and I'm tired. . .

Phase-4 - Front suspension upgrade. Currently in-work

Phase-5 - Paint so it doesn't look so crappy, though it does add to the "sleeper" persona. . .

Stay tuned for more later. . .

[aircooledtechguy]

So I've logged about 60 miles on the Square since getting the 5-speed installed and I LOVE it. Cruising down the hwy, I have less engine noise and we'll see about the fuel mileage when I get the bugs out of the speedo (needle sometimes works flawlesly; other times not at all).

Some things that I definitely need to do to make it a solid driver are:

- rear-end alignment. I can tell it's out. It drives perfectly straight, but becomes a little "twichy" as speed increases. It's O.K. below 55-60, but the couple times I sprinted to 85-90, it was beginning to feel dicey. Don't want to crack this thing up because of a simple alignment issue. . .

- I need to replace my rear axle bearings. Probably should have done that during mock-up, but i didn't think of it.

- Rear brakes slightly drag. I may need to do my Porsche brake MC upgrade sooner than later. . .

- I need to get the wider tires on this before I even attempt another high-speed run over 80mph!! The 155R15s(!) that are currently mounted are wholly insufficient for anything other than drifting (which is quite fun BTW), and don't add to the stability in or out of corners. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

- The speedo works only about 1/3 of the time. I'll have to investigate that. I may just have a wire that is grounding on the back (they are really close to the chassis).

- The lights for high beam, park lights and blinkers don't work or don't work correctly. I just LOVE wiring. . . (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

- My oil pressure gauge is not reading right. I may have the wrong sender. I also need to re-wire all the grounds for my gauges. I daisy-chained a few of the grounds together for simplicity of wiring and I think they are insufficient so some weirdness is going on.

Other than the alignment problem, the axle bearings and the brakes, the rest is more convenience stuff that I will just have to get sorted as time allows.

The ugly and unassuming "Squarsche Type-3/P SS" (Super Sleeper) is now mobile and prowling the roads for winged H*nda f@rt-cars to embarrass and demean publicly. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)