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

[gereed75]

I have a factory six with the stock accelerator linkage. Never liked it. After much adjustment and fiddling it works barely ok. It is necessary to get all of the lever angles just right or you loose travel. Then there seems to be a lot of friction in the thing even though all my bushings are correct and in good condition

If it weren’t for “keeping it original “ I think I would do the simpler direct cable.