Custom axles for my 1.8t 914, where can I have them made? Options

[Mueller]

front to back set up.........much better than the side to side since with those setups, you lose the mid-engine configuation since the motor is really sitting on top of the axle centerline in most cases.......

I hope to go see his car this week, I'll snap some pictures if he allows it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[914_1.8t]

Is this engine a side winder or front to back set up (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

Front to back...similar to the way the 914 enigne/tranny sit.

[914_1.8t]

depends on a few things:

the OD of the shock, will it allow the sleeve to slide on.

what kind of rear shocks do you have?

the rate of those springs??


for that price, it would still be a good deal if the sleeve fit and sell off the springs and get new ones (about 80 to 100 per pair)

The springs that come with it are ~300lbs. I wonder if that is driveable in the 914, I would like to very stiff anyhow....but maybe too stiff.

Anyone running springs stiffer than 200lbs?
Currently I have KYB shocks and springs the car came with....I'm thinking they're stock springs.

[corpselaurel]

Finally someone doing the same conversion as me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smoke.gif)

How did you mount the engine and trans? Would it be too much trouble for some specs and pics of the mounting etc.? I was thinking of making adaptors from the stock mounts on the 914 to the 1.8t that way I could take it out again etc.

I would love some pics!
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(IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool_shades.gif)
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BTW I hear with springs around 300 (even less) you need to reinforce the shock tower. It starts to separate over time. There is someone on here who has 450# front and 350# rear I am sure he will chime in.

[Scott Carlberg]

it's interesting (ok, maybe just to me! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wavey.gif) ) but 914 _1.8t is using alot of the same things the guy back in NY did. His 1.8t-powered 914 racecar was in European Car last year.


Part of his email to me:

"The car is a semi-tube with a 935 Porsche E.R.P. front suspension, RSR-Bilstein coil-overs, Carrera coilovers in the back, modified swing arms, but the attachment points stayed the same. Some think that you should raise the pivot up about 2 " to improve the geometry with a lowered car, a colossal project. The front suspension points where raised with welded in boxes right up to the hood. Custom axles, Audi 5 speed front track, welded diff., Boxster shift cables & bracketry, custom radiator, Willwood calipers & pedal box, Carerra OEM rotors, 911 front spindles, custom 5 lug rear wheel flanges, rewired Audi ECU with an APR 3+ program, 4 different body suppliers, A.I.R., Sheridan, GT Racing, etc. Bogart wheels.
At the moment I am changing the IC into a liquid/air with a Spearco IC and a Sirocco radiator mounted by the passenger door".

and

"The Engine choice was easy, I had one out of an A4 I put in the wall at the Glen. The engine I had already built, but the car was to heavy and not safe. Some of these cars in DE these days are pretty scary with 3800lbs+ and 450hp+ no safety equipment and bad drivers. The 1.8T is like the small block Chevy of Germany, it is in about everything and abundant.
I melted my first one playing around with a thick head gasket that screwed the quench zones. I replaced it with a new engine, valve cover to oil pan, no induction etc. for $3000.00. Try to do that with Porsche.
There are a lot of tuners playing with this engine, a 100hp increase is simply a bolt on affair. It fits in the 914 very nice with about the same weight as the 4cyl Porsche.
I used a 5-speed front wheel-drive tranny out of a 96 A6. It will bolt to the 1.8T.

It is noted as an 012, however the older ones, which this is, have smaller bearings on the diff., so the Quaiffe won't slip in. The newer ones it will. A plus side to this A6 version is that it has tripods instead of CV's. You could weld the tripods to the 914 axles eliminating the need for custom axles. I use the stock 914 outer CV's with success. I just replace them once a year.
I would replace the 5-spd with the Boxster 6-spd if I had the funds. I THINK it will bolt up to the 1.8T".

and finally:

"I might consider looking at horizontal version of the 1.8T. Might get more weight centered and a better selection of gear ratios. That would probably wouldn't be hard to shift as it is a cable anyway. Might even be able to get the radiator in the rear between the engine and the back bumper. Even with the longitude engine I think with proper planning it could be done. Engine management was a challenge, but in the end not difficult. Get the wiring schematics to the ECU and just light up the power supplies".


Sure sounds like a fun project, huh?

VR6 - 1.8t? 1.8t - VR6? Decisions Decisions. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap56.gif)

[corpselaurel]

the article was my inspiration, though I won't be as extreme with my setup - at least not initially.

Any pics of the mounting? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad2.gif)
Would you be interested in selling me a mount kit? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[914_1.8t]

the article was my inspiration, though I won't be as extreme with my setup - at least not initially.

Any pics of the mounting? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad2.gif)
Would you be interested in selling me a mount kit? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

I had the opertunity to get an a4 engine/tranny for really cheap and was thinking for a lightweight car to put it in. I was checking out a coworkers new 914 and got the idea and the same day just happened to see a 914 on ebay in my area for $200. So I figured why not, lets try it.

Later on, while looking for more info I came across the EC article and that's where I got the idea for the cable shifter from the Boxster. Although the tranny is different than the one he used, I'm hoping i'll be able to get the cable shifter to work.

For mounting, I used the 914's mounting points along with the 914 rubber mounts. I just welded together a sub-frame (so to say) that mounts the 1.8t motor and the frame bolts up to the original mounting points on the 914. This allows me to drop the motor out just as easily as the 914 motor. Perhaps I will have to convert to stiffer mounts later on (I guess from a 911?). It was really pretty easy to make, as long as your measurements are good/accurate.

I can't find my digital camera, so no pics for now.