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

[burton73]

As far as the engines go I have a six and I went through the building process on Mark's big 4 Jake Raby build engine that died after 20 or so years. If I was to build a car over, I would go with the Big 4 with FI and save the weight and the money

As far as the wheels go, these are the wheels my life long bud Mark Sonners is runny on his stock body 914 (the blue one that was mine for the last 20 years) with just the rear lips flatted (roiled). The wheels are deep 6s sixes and 7Rs nice copies. On the 7Rs the extra 1 inch is on the inside so the outer face is just like a deep 6. I can not find the tire size right now in my postings.

I love the way these came out. Wheels were supplied by PMB Performance (Eric) can make you a fair deal on the wheels. As my grandfather used say, (a phone call starts a deal)

Car runs Carrera front suspension and a 85 Carrera steering ZF rack, Rears are 914-6 reproduction rear calipers

Best my 914 brothers,

Bob B