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

[horizontally-opposed]

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.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

Thank you, and so many good inputs on this thread from people with solid experience with these cars. Also like the way you have laid out the inputs you're considering, particularly with an eye to powertrain weight.

You really can't go wrong with either of your choices, and I got down to the very same choices until an old high-school-era friend offered me a deal on a 2.2 six and conversion I couldn't pass up—which was nice 2270 money plus a list of parts and elbow grease to convert the car with him on nights and weekends. Worth it for the last item alone, and the engine hasn't had to come out for more than a decade now and still makes me smile often. You also remember my takeaways from owning the car as a (slow) four for 20 years and then a small ~190hp six...it was lighter and handled a little better (more about momentum and more "flickable") as a four but the six adds so much more dimensionality to the car—it goes from simple sports car intended for the segment served by Fiat 124s and MGs back then and Miatas today to something much closer to a 911 or Dino (but still not same due to layout and materials/finishes).

I'd still have a tough time making the call now, and it would probably be tipped one way or the other by the same inputs it was then: What's the better deal? What will I enjoy more, more of the time? I am completely satisfied with the 2.2 E/S for how I use the car, but could also see loving a big four or a 3.2 in a narrow 914.

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.

^ So that's the setup that's been in my 914 for the last 10 years and not enough miles since new everything but the rear springs, save Bilstein HDs instead of Sports (recommended by everyone I spoke to, from Eric Shea to the late Billy McNair to Marco Gerace).

It works well, and worked well when the car was an 80hp four and works well with a 190-hp small six. Because I'm dumb and/or have a damper fetish, I may be moving to an "overkill" brake and damper setup. So, depending on your timing, my complete strut/damper/rear spring/brake/MC setup could be available.

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 can't help with a good big four, but you'd be welcome to visit and go for a ride & drive in the "reference" car (careful about meeting your heroes and all that, as it's really just another old car/work in progress). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)