CONVERSION ADVICE - SUSPENSION, From stock 1.7 FI to 5 lugs carb'd 6cyl Options

[HIPPIEKILLER]

Dear all,

I am enjoying my car as it is right now: all original and solid with the stock 1.7 FI working fine.

However, since I joined this community and met some people around SoCal, I just changed my mind for a 6cyl conversion and extra candies.

Today I am seeking for advice on suspension conversion. I have read this article that I found very interesting:
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=105728

Still I am not sure if the cost of replacing struts, hubs and everything is worth it when I see very looking cars with the simpler re-drilled hubs and BMW 320i calipers.

From a petrol head point of view of course I want top, but I want to take a compromise (performance/look/budget/time).

I do not mind keeping non vented discs as long as I change to 19mm master cylinder and better calipers (BMW or 911) but I think this option is not existing unless I go to the re-drilled hubs.

Anyway, I listen to experiences and advice from this excellent community. I am going on Sunday to the swap meet in Riverside hoping there will be interesting parts.

The 6 cylinders conversions will be another topic.

Cheers!

[mepstein]

You should read Eric’s thread again. You can’t do 911 calipers without 911 struts and hubs. Redrilled hubs wont change the fit of 911 calipers. The bmw “upgrade” isn’t much of an upgrade. Maybe just use really good pads and make sure all your other parts are 100% and see if you have enough brake with the six. Adding a small six engine is really just the same weight as a 200lb passenger.

Theres no way to do the 911 5 lug conversion cheap.

front-
struts
strut inserts
bearings
hubs
calipers
hard line
soft line
master cylinder
rotors
lug nuts
pads
caliper hardware

rear-
keep 914-4 rear calipers
drill hubs for 5 lug
5 lug rotors
bearings
wheel studs
lug nuts
pads
soft line

I almost forgot - wheels

[Coondog]

My six conversion was a 2 part process. Suspension & Brakes then a year later Motor.
Just the motor conversion is going to cost you $$$ so my advise is don't go cheap on Suspension & Brakes. Your going to be cruising on PCH so you know how important real brakes are.

Put together a list of the 911 parts and start buying. It may take awhile but it will be worth it in the end.

Good luck

[infraredcalvin]

My six conversion was a 2 part process. Suspension & Brakes then a year later Motor.
Just the motor conversion is going to cost you $$$ so my advise is don't go cheap on Suspension & Brakes. Your going to be cruising on PCH so you know how important real brakes are.

Put together a list of the 911 parts and start buying. It may take awhile but it will be worth it in the end.

Good luck

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I’m doing all at once... problem is it’s been in pieces off the road for almost 15 years!!!

[Larmo63]

Andres, it's only money......

[914_teener]

I'd say put some money in your suspension, new bushings everything, sway bar ect. Keep the 1.7 and slowly build a bigger motor while you are enjoying the car.

I did my suspension over a summer a couple of years ago. Probably $2,500. Did it all myself.

Conversion....20K and a min. of a year or more.

Jusy my .02.

[thelogo]

Yeh what these guys. Said

Your starting down a long painful expensive winding road

That some start down and never make it off the jackstands

And some get to nirvana.


They call it a sickness and thats the truth .

I would recommend paying someone insane amouts of money (pat motor sports ) to do everything right and on a schedule. At least that way it gets done right and you get to enjoy it.

I did a big 4 and 2.0 fuchs on my car and have never been so happy

But when i hear someone say gotta have a /6
I get chills because i know its a major labor of love time an money

I personally want to drive not restore (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)

I am single so that works well for me

But if you have the wifes permission then go for it .

[Spoke]

You've got the right idea by upgrading the suspension before upgrading the engine. Before you can go very fast you have to be able to stop very fast.

A 911 front end is a good way to quickly upgrade the front. Most everything is bolt-on and may even include an under-body sway bar.

The rear end can be 911 or re-drilled 914 hub.

The key is to find the parts economically from someone selling their 5-lug upgrade or someone parting a 911.

I found the parts below on ebay for $450 for my '74 914. This was a complete 914 5-lug setup. Just needed cleaned and tuned. For my '71 914 I found someone on Pelican Parts selling the entire suspension off of a '72 911 for $150. He even delivered it to my house!

Once you go 5-lug, then many wheel choices come into play. Euromeister makes a very economical fake Fuchs rim for your upgrade.

[mepstein]

You've got the right idea by upgrading the suspension before upgrading the engine. Before you can go very fast you have to be able to stop very fast.

A 911 front end is a good way to quickly upgrade the front. Most everything is bolt-on and may even include an under-body sway bar.

The rear end can be 911 or re-drilled 914 hub.

The key is to find the parts economically from someone selling their 5-lug upgrade or someone parting a 911.

I found the parts below on ebay for $450 for my '74 914. This was a complete 914 5-lug setup. Just needed cleaned and tuned. For my '71 914 I found someone on Pelican Parts selling the entire suspension off of a '72 911 for $150. He even delivered it to my house!

Once you go 5-lug, then many wheel choices come into play. Euromeister makes a very economical fake Fuchs rim for your upgrade.

Just remember that once you buy a used 5 lug setup, you will still be looking at another $1-2K to get it all up to par.
Overhaul calipers
new master cylinder
New rotors
new soft lines
new strut inserts
new rear shocks
new bearings
possibly softer torsion bars
ect

[Cairo94507]

I don't know what your plans on for the car in the future, keep it forever, drive and enjoy then sell it a few years later, etc. But, if it were me, I would make certain the chassis is solid first and foremost.

Then do all of the brakes and suspension. I would use all of the correct parts, master cylinder, wheels, hubs, rotors, calipers, bushings, etc.

Once the above is done, and you have the car driving and are able to enjoy it with the new suspension, I would begin he motor conversion parts collection phase. Be systematic and compile a complete list of the needed parts and post a WTB in the classifieds. I am sure you will find most of what you seek.

Really, you need to decide what you want for a 6 cylinder. 2.0 to 3.6 is the typical range. The bigger motors, really 3.0 and above, need additional cooling of some fashion. They all sound terrific. Webers? Fuel Injection?

Finally, if you do it right and ever find you want to need to sell, it will sell easily and return the most on the investment. However, you will never recoup your investment.

Have fund and enjoy the process. Tons of knowledgable, talented guys here.

Cheers,
Michael (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Chris914n6]

You've got the right idea by upgrading the suspension before upgrading the engine. Before you can go very fast you have to be able to stop very fast.

A 911 front end is a good way to quickly upgrade the front. Most everything is bolt-on and may even include an under-body sway bar.

The rear end can be 911 or re-drilled 914 hub.

The key is to find the parts economically from someone selling their 5-lug upgrade or someone parting a 911.

I found the parts below on ebay for $450 for my '74 914. This was a complete 914 5-lug setup. Just needed cleaned and tuned. For my '71 914 I found someone on Pelican Parts selling the entire suspension off of a '72 911 for $150. He even delivered it to my house!

Once you go 5-lug, then many wheel choices come into play. Euromeister makes a very economical fake Fuchs rim for your upgrade.

Just remember that once you buy a used 5 lug setup, you will still be looking at another $1-2K to get it all up to par.
Overhaul calipers
new master cylinder
New rotors
new soft lines
new strut inserts
new rear shocks
new bearings
possibly softer torsion bars
ect

I wish you would stop scaring people with your high end shop prices. I just paid $700 for an SC front susp, recent rebuild maybe 5000 miles. Still need to buy a 19mm BMC (914rubber). Got a set of 7x15 cookies for $100, need refreshed. Need to buy tires but that's expected. Locally machined hubs and rear bearings <$200.
A 5-lug swap/upgrade can be affordable for CSOB 914 owners (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

[mepstein]

You've got the right idea by upgrading the suspension before upgrading the engine. Before you can go very fast you have to be able to stop very fast.

A 911 front end is a good way to quickly upgrade the front. Most everything is bolt-on and may even include an under-body sway bar.

The rear end can be 911 or re-drilled 914 hub.

The key is to find the parts economically from someone selling their 5-lug upgrade or someone parting a 911.

I found the parts below on ebay for $450 for my '74 914. This was a complete 914 5-lug setup. Just needed cleaned and tuned. For my '71 914 I found someone on Pelican Parts selling the entire suspension off of a '72 911 for $150. He even delivered it to my house!

Once you go 5-lug, then many wheel choices come into play. Euromeister makes a very economical fake Fuchs rim for your upgrade.

Just remember that once you buy a used 5 lug setup, you will still be looking at another $1-2K to get it all up to par.
Overhaul calipers
new master cylinder
New rotors
new soft lines
new strut inserts
new rear shocks
new bearings
possibly softer torsion bars
ect

I wish you would stop scaring people with your high end shop prices. I just paid $700 for an SC front susp, recent rebuild maybe 5000 miles. Still need to buy a 19mm BMC (914rubber). Got a set of 7x15 cookies for $100, need refreshed. Need to buy tires but that's expected. Locally machined hubs and rear bearings <$200.
A 5-lug swap/upgrade can be affordable for CSOB 914 owners (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

Those aren’t high end shop prices. Just most of the list to do it right (forgot tie rods and ball joints). Labor not included. You got parts well below market and most used 911 front suspensions are worn out and need a pretty healthy refresh.

[HIPPIEKILLER]

Thank you all guys for your words and time.

I have heard different opinions and while some say that it can be a painful path, others tell me that it is not such complicated if bought the right way (full set).

I am now searching for a complete 911 front suspension at a fair price. I will restore/replace parts upon request.

The car is stock. The body is straight and solid. When I saw this car I could not let it go. It is a very nice unit.

My plans are keeping the car for some time and eventually ship it to Europe by the time I will be moving - if I coming back...(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif).

For the engine, it is another chapter. I want to be reasonable and not going crazy as it can be too much money.

Most important thing: I want to enjoy the car by both driving and wrenching.

[burton73]

I remember back in 1979 I had a 1974 914 2.0 that I turbocharged. I bought a Full 911SC front end and being that it was 79 and only 4 years old it was fresh. I put on 5 lugs Original Porsche Mahle Magnesium Gas Burners for at that time $600.
And new 195 Pirelli P6 tires. I do not remember what P6s cost but it was ½ the cost of P7s. What a difference. My car stopped on a dime and the handling was so improved it was huge. I mean unreal. Breaking superb.

Do a two step and enjoy it as you are going

Bob B

[HIPPIEKILLER]

I remember back in 1979 I had a 1974 914 2.0 that I turbocharged. I bought a Full 911SC front end and being that it was 79 and only 4 years old it was fresh. I put on 5 lugs Original Porsche Mahle Magnesium Gas Burners for at that time $600.
And new 195 Pirelli P6 tires. I do not remember what P6s cost but it was ½ the cost of P7s. What a difference. My car stopped on a dime and the handling was so improved it was huge. I mean unreal. Breaking superb.

Do a two step and enjoy it as you are going

Bob B

You supercharged a 914? Wow! More info about that please!

[Racer]

Depending on the power of your -6, you may want to search for later 911 struts with the 3.5" spacing so you can run larger rotors/calipers. I ran 1985 911 front struts/brakes on a -4 car an loved them.. and yes, they were $$$. I was going to build a -6 from my -4, but after the brakes, suspension, rollcage and 2056 motor the car was too much fun. Eventually though, I sold my -4 to buy a 911SC.. which I then had to redo the suspension to make handle like a 914.. ahhh disposable income!

anyways.. figure out how my much -6 you are going to build, and make sure what you do now doesn't need to be redone later.

[turbonet]

Enter shameless plug

I’m selling a 5 lug conversion and 14 x 5.5 real fuchs with tires. Let me know if interested.

Real 5 lug conversion. Not redrilled

[Steve]

When I built my car 30 years ago, I just bought 3.5” boge 911 struts and bolted them on. I then installed aluminum “S” calipers then switched to 944 turbo and then converted all the brakes to Boxster. Down side to the complete 911 front suspension is that the 914 cover won’t fit, so you have to make a cover. You can also install 911 “A” arms to run stock 18.8mm torsion bars. Beware early 911 cars have the same size torsion bars as a 914-4.
http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/9...orsion_bars.htm
Bruce is a good source for 914 and 911 used Parts.
For the rear just get stock early 911 disk, stub axles and CV’s. Swayaway sells 930 axles that work with early 108mm 901 flanges for your 914 trans. Otherwise spend big bucks and go with a 915 trans.
For rear brakes I used to run 914-6 rear calipers with spacers to support ventilated stock 911 disks, but after problems with the calipers sticking, I replaced them with Boxster brakes and 911 emergency brake. NO, I do not still have the 914-6 rear brakes. Otto sold them off years ago..
Let me know if you have any questions. Since we are both local.

[BigFour1973]

Say one decides to just swap out the struts with 3.5" struts. does it matter if i go with pinch or wedge style? will both bolt up to my early style ball joint?

[mepstein]

Say one decides to just swap out the struts with 3.5" struts. does it matter if i go with pinch or wedge style? will both bolt up to my early style ball joint?

You would need wedge style. Early pinch bolt ball joints won’t work on later wedge struts. There is a pin on the wedge style that acts like a cotter pin. The early style has a semi circle cut out to accept the through bolt.

Edit - I’m not aware of any 3 1/2” struts that use pinch bolts but ....