Cross roads between a big /4 and a big/6, Share your experience Options

[Montreal914]

I am at a cross road in my narrow body restoration project. This is not an original build, but rather a sleeper 914 with nice elements. The chassis will be reinforced with an inner kit and outer RD clamshell.

The car will be converted to 5 lugs using the right 3" 911 struts/hubs and drilled rear hubs. The braking system is Alfa Brembo calipers in the front and 914-6 reproduction rears with appropriate 19mm MC. Sport Bilstein all around and 140 rear springs. Front 19mm and std rear sway bar.

Wheels will either be Fuchs 15" x 6" or 16" x 6". I have no intentions of shoehorning 7" wide wheels in the back, no fender stretching.

My engine options are as follow:

I have all the nice bits to build a 2.3 4 cylinder (HAM heads, Nickies, rods, crank, block with large studs, Tangerine headers, yadi yada...). I would setup a modern EFI to it and should conservatively get 150-160 HP out of it.

I have an opportunity to get a 3.2 Motronic 6 cylinder, 200+ HP.

I plan on using a 901 gearbox and I already have the Tarett heavy duty CV/shafts kit.


Although it may seem obvious that the desired option would be to go with the six, again, this is a narrow body with 6" wide wheels. My concern is the drastic amount of power and the additional mass on this car's configuration.

A while back I remember reading a comment from Pete Stout @horizontally-opposed , where I recall him saying somethnig like he felt the 914 has a better balance with a 4 cylinder engine, but he was willing to make that tradeoff to have the sound, smoothness and pleasure of a 6 cylinder. That being said, his beautiful car (reference narrow body in my book (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) ) is equipped with a small 2.2 six.

I have some engine weight data that looks like this:

4 cylinder: ~321lbs
2.4 six cylinder: ~400
3.2 six cylinder: ~485lbs

I have never riden let alone driven a 6 cylinder powered 914, but I do have 10 years of daily California canyon driving mine (4 cylinder 2056). I know how the 4 cylinder car feels and I can probably picture how it would drive with a large /4.

I would like to hear what people have experience with their narrow bodied 3.2 conversion (I am sure there must be some), and what they prefer, their old 4 or their new six.

I appreciate and value all of your comments! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

Thank you,

Eric

[Cairo94507]

I have had a few original 914-6's. I had a stock 6 with the stock 2.0 911T motor. It was fun to drive but really no power and low torque at low RPM's.

I had 2 with 3.0 6's, one with Webers and 1 with FI. Both were fun drivers and sounded great and had all-around good power.

In my current 6, I had a reasonably stock 3.2 with Motronic injection, 964 cams, Steve Wong custom chip and Ben's heat exchangers with sport and stock muffler set-ups. The 3.2 ran great and pulled like a small-block Chevy. That motor would still be in my car but Chris posted an ad for a 3.6 I could not resist...

I now have a stock 3.6 with stock injection and a Steve Wong chip and of course, Ben's heat exchangers and a sport Dansk 2-in and 1-out muffler in my 6; I love it. Effortless power and greatly reduced motor noise due to the hydraulic lifters. More torque than you would ever need.

I am narrow-bodied, (stock) running 15" x 6" Deep Sixes with 195x65x15 tires. I am also running a 901 with tall gears. So at 75 MPH, I am spinning about 2700 RPM. I rarely use 1st gear as the 3.6 pulls well from idle. I did have Elephant Racing raise my spindles so I could easily lower my car a bit and not ruin the suspension geometry. If I were to revisit wheels, I would like go with a new set of Fuchs in 16" for the better tire selection. I also think I would do the RS finish; I really love that look.

I believe any CA car running a 3.0 or bigger needs an auxiliary oil cooler. I believe the best solution is the factory styled front cooler setup. All you need to do is get stuck in commute traffic (24 hours a day it seems) once, watch your temps quickly climb and you will add a cooler. Nothing kills air-cooled motors faster than excessive temps.

As for suspension, I have the Bilstein Sports all around with Elephant Racing rubber bushings all around with stock (later) 914 sway bars and 140 pound rear springs and my car rides nice and comfortable. No kidney belt needed.

All I did for chassis stiffening was the MadDog inner long kit. I detect no flexing in my chassis as a street driven car.

I love my 3.6 and believe my set-up is perfect for me. However, I do not race or autocross my car. I hope the above helps you decide your path forward.