Safari 914 project, “Sufari” Options

[Retroracer]

Super nice work on the cooling pipe routing. Very clean solution!

- Tony

[East coaster]

Got the Main fuse box dressed up and mounted today. I had fab’d and welded a mounting bracket prior to painting. Starting to see light at the end of the tunnel with the wiring, just another couple of days and it should be complete (if I don’t get distracted by something more fun).

[East coaster]

Got the dash mounted today. I wanted to get this in so I can figure out my center console design.

[East coaster]

Worked on the steering column cover and dash wiring. I modified the Suby column cover to fit the 914 dash and it fits pretty well. There are some gaps on each side that I’ll address before I’m done. I also added a Porsche emblem to the modified Suby steering wheel to make it seem more at home.

[East coaster]

Working on finalizing the radiator install. I needed to mount my dual fans in the exit duct, so laid up a flat section of biaxial glass and cut the holes for the fans and outside dimensions. Then just bonded it in place with epoxy thickened with 404 and 406 fillers. The end result is very rigid and will support the fans well.

[East coaster]

Finished up the radiator exit plenum, fans mounted and wired to Deutsch bulkhead connectors (one for each fan, one on each side of plenum). I wanted to be able to pull the plenum for cleaning/etc, so the connectors will make that easy. The factory Suby wiring harness and ECU will power/control the fans. It runs one fan until the second is needed.

[davehg]

If there were ever a reason to swap a Subaru motor into a 914 it would have to be this.

Fantastic build. An AWD safari 914 will be brilliant. Your skills are terrific. Can’t wait to see where this ends up.

A thought for interior. Seat inserts should be cotton with a print like a Mexican poncho. I saw this in a Meyers Manx and it was brilliant.

[East coaster]

If there were ever a reason to swap a Subaru motor into a 914 it would have to be this.

Fantastic build. An AWD safari 914 will be brilliant. Your skills are terrific. Can’t wait to see where this ends up.

A thought for interior. Seat inserts should be cotton with a print like a Mexican poncho. I saw this in a Meyers Manx and it was brilliant.

Thank you! It’s been a fun project so far.

[East coaster]

In the theme of trying to wrap up the wiring, I added a 3rd brake light today. The hardest part was running the wiring so it exits the body under the sail trim. There’s no exposed wiring with this setup.



It’s pretty bright…..hopefully might prevent getting rear-ended.

[East coaster]

Took a break on the project to spend a week in Italy, which was pretty cool, but now back on the project. I’ve been doing many little things that aren’t picture worthy but necessary.

Today I decided to rework my shifter mount. The previous version was 3/4 steel tube, and frankly, overkill and heavy. I decided to scrap it and fab up an aluminum mount. The other issue with the previous version was that the harness would have to pass through it. If I ever needed to pull the mount I’d have to pull the harness back through it first. The aluminum version provides enough space to allow the harness to pass by on the outside of the mount.

I did clean up the mount a bit after these pics, but didn’t get too crazy making it look pretty because it will all be hidden in the center console when done.

[East coaster]

Decided to play with my radiator setup today (frankly, I was sick of wiring). I finished the final trimming/fitment of the radiator ducts and made the seals for the inlet and outlet ducts. The seals are a high temp silicone. I also put heat insulation inside the duct to help keep trunk temps down.

[East coaster]

Then I played with my water lines and made the alum tubes to connect all the various silicone tube fittings. I think I’m going to take stock in a hose clamp company! It’s a little convoluted but I wanted to maintain as much trunk space as I can. The lines will be nice and symmetrical once I get it clamped up.

[Shivers]

That is slick.

[East coaster]

Put the front valance on today. I had to trim it back about an inch on each side for the larger wheel wells, then work a lip back into it to keep it stock looking and add strength. I also made a grill for the radiator intake using some extra engine lid grill material I had.

[Chris H.]

Looking great! What size hoses did you go with?

[East coaster]

Looking great! What size hoses did you go with?

It’s all 1-1/4” except where it connects to engine and radiator. I have 1-1/2” to 1-1.4” converters there.

[East coaster]

I decided to reuse/repurpose the stock Suby air filter box. I think it’s hard to beat a factory filter and I had it on hand, so……..I cut off the intake tube feeding the box and made an ABS block-off for it, then cut the front off the box to serve as the new intake. It provides lots of intake area and will breath from the very front of the engine bay in the recess for the 914-6 fan.

Then, because I flipped my intake manifold, I had to make some support brackets for the box. One side I was able to reshape the stock Suby bracket to fit, but the other side I had to fabricate.

All done and ready for a fresh filter…..

[East coaster]

Worked on getting the front lighting completed. Installed and connected the parking lights/signals. This was as easy as putting brass spade connectors on the Suby harness ends and installing fresh rubber boots from 914rubber. I also wired the fogs and installed them. I’m using 4” led fogs in the bumper and same in the stinger bar. For the bumper fogs, I had to make some mounting brackets to position them correctly in the light grills.

Getting this done let me final mount my valance and bumper…..starting look like a car again.

[East coaster]

I’m exhausted (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[East coaster]

I had an early/deep rear valance (fiberglass repro) and I “tuned” it a little for my needs. I trimmed it down a few inches and added a gentle cutout in the middle to display the tail end of the Suby trans and add a little better airflow out of the underside.

Just need to punch my exhaust hole through it and give it a little paint.