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

[mepstein]

I think the linkage affects the ratio of pedal travel to throttle travel. I haven’t measured but on my own cars, I’d like to get rid of the “coat hanger”

Try to get in a 914-6. Like I mentioned previously, you can’t just compare HP between the engines. Just like a 911 drives differently than a 914, the engine impacts the character of the car. I wish the six engine wasn’t heavier but the way you can use the engine to drive the car can mitigate a lot of the issue.

A big four basically bolts in the same way the old engine comes out. A six requires work to every system to get it fitted and running and realistically $10-20k in additional parts to get it done. But it’s a fun journey if you decide to do it. It’s hard to beat the sound of a six.

[930cabman]

I think the linkage affects the ratio of pedal travel to throttle travel. I haven’t measured but on my own cars, I’d like to get rid of the “coat hanger”

Try to get in a 914-6. Like I mentioned previously, you can’t just compare HP between the engines. Just like a 911 drives differently than a 914, the engine impacts the character of the car. I wish the six engine wasn’t heavier but the way you can use the engine to drive the car can mitigate a lot of the issue.

A big four basically bolts in the same way the old engine comes out. A six requires work to every system to get it fitted and running and realistically $10-20k in additional parts to get it done. But it’s a fun journey if you decide to do it. It’s hard to beat the sound of a six.

I like the 2.7 recently installed, took a bit over a year, a bundle of $$ and many details to work out. I used the PMS throttle cable with a slight modification, couldn't deal with the coat hanger. I kept the narrow body with 175-15 tires and she still has that light feel with a nice kick

[Montreal914]

I think the linkage affects the ratio of pedal travel to throttle travel. I haven’t measured but on my own cars, I’d like to get rid of the “coat hanger”

Try to get in a 914-6. Like I mentioned previously, you can’t just compare HP between the engines. Just like a 911 drives differently than a 914, the engine impacts the character of the car. I wish the six engine wasn’t heavier but the way you can use the engine to drive the car can mitigate a lot of the issue.

A big four basically bolts in the same way the old engine comes out. A six requires work to every system to get it fitted and running and realistically $10-20k in additional parts to get it done. But it’s a fun journey if you decide to do it. It’s hard to beat the sound of a six.

I like the 2.7 recently installed, took a bit over a year, a bundle of $$ and many details to work out. I used the PMS throttle cable with a slight modification, couldn't deal with the coat hanger. I kept the narrow body with 175-15 tires and she still has that light feel with a nice kick

2.7 with skinny tires, well that must be fun (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

I did look at the PMS cable, but from its description, it felt llike this was a replacement of the cable only and required the rest of the /6 mechanism. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

From what you are saying, is the PMS cable going directly to the TB/carb linkage at the engine and completely replaces the bell crank/coat hanger? If so, this seems much simpler, priced with the PMS tax, but still a lot less than $500, and mostly a lot simpler.


Thank you for the input (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)