After purchasing this 914 as a project car, and determining that the cost for an original 914-6 replacement motor was too great, the owner, Mike De of New Zealand, decided to shoehorn a GM turbocharged LS1 V8 into the space normally reserved for a flat-four.
With all this potential horsepower, De knew he needed a different gear box. After a little research and some custom fabrication he decided on a 6-speed Subaru transmission with a customized clutch, pressure plate and a flywheel cnc’d out of “chome moly and then gear cut and hardened”.
With the transmission in and mated to the motor it was time to mount up things like the intercooler and piping.
Realizing his new turbo charged 914 would need better than average stopping power, De worked with a friend and managed to fit a set of Nissan Sylvia uprights that had GTR discs adapted to them with vented rotors and 4 piston calipers.
Another friend then happened by and suggested the project would look much better if it were fitted with a different front clip. As luck would have it, one of their friends had a clip from a GT1 that fit nearly perfect.
At this point, the foundation of the project is in place, but there’s still months and months of work to do. Fortunately, the entire build was documented in this thread on 914club.com.
The Result Of All This Hard Work?
Is this 500 hp track beast that pay homage to its Teutonic heritage and American power.
Mike wanted to be sure to pay respects to “all the different countries that supplied parts that helped get this car together”. So, together with a friend, they painted the colors of Germany on the front and covered the back with an American flag “to let everyone know where the heartbeat comes from”.
And while Mike De’s 914 isn’t the first we’ve seen with a LS1 stuffed into it, It is the the first one we’ve actually heard on the track. Watch below to see what he created.
Other Porsche Blog Posts You Will Enjoy
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Is The Porsche 914 Finally Getting The Respect It Deserves?
914 West Coast Ramble Invades Lake Tahoe
1970 914-6: The Forgotten Porsche
View Comments (4)
Beautiful car and superb workmanship....I do admire it, but as a Porsche enthusiast, I don't consider it a true rebuilt Porsche, it's a hybrid, which is fine if that's what you're looking for. But as far as value, I would think only half, than if he had put in that flat-six.
Thanks Steve, I totally agree with you there. If it had been a 914 6 there would be no way I would have done this-but as it was only originally a 1.7 with no papers, imported as a rolling body with lots missing, I couldn't bring myself to spend 10k for a motor, 8k for a gearbox and still only end up with a medium powered race car ( our rules for registering something without any paperwork are very very difficult here in New Zealand) Yes it is a hybrid and I don't think for a moment that PCNZ would let me come play with them anytime soon but that's what the C2's for. Like you, I am also a Porsche enthusiast. Cheers
Mike de Malmanche
Good reply Mike and no worries - you did it for the right reasons. You wanted to drive something formidable that you built and could burn the competition with! Let the haters turn up their noses - you're welcome to join us at 914 Outlaws on Facebook anytime...
Nice build and keep on getting under others skin!
Thanks Michael, I'm there already, near the start and a great page it is too