1972 Porsche 914 270HP Restomod | Subaru WRX Turbo Motor
1972 Porsche 914 European exterior Trim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkZ_1xEaLxg&t=238s
Over the past 40 years, I have owned five 914’s and have refurbished, repaired, modified and restored virtually every facet of a Porsche 914. I sourced the first four in the midwest and encountered the rust problems typical of cars in this climate. In July 2004, I acquired this 1972 914/6 conversion from a seller based in Lynwood, California. This car originally came off the line as a 914/4 with a 1.7 liter engine @ 80HP which lumbered from 0 to 60 in 13.9 seconds. Reportedly, two brothers partnered to acquire and convert this car to a 914/6 setup using a true 914/6 engine and tail-shifting transmission. Their conversion was well-managed by a specialty shop and the motor was sourced from a factory 914/6 with 110HP and a climb from 0 to 60 in a more spritely 8.7 seconds.
There was and is a lot to like about this converted 6 including the MOST rust-free chassis I had ever encountered and more power than any other 914/4 that I had owned. Though I had a deep and abiding love for the Porsche 914 design and layout, I always felt that it was underpowered, with braking that was sufficient, but without building much in the way of confidence. I found the clunky, slow-shifting, downy-soft ride and excessive body roll unbefitting of a Porsche sports car. After tracking a variety of cars as an SCCA autocross driver over the years, I hungered for more out of my 914.
Changing my converted 914/6 never crossed my mind until the June 2007 issue of EXCELLENCE magazine showed up. Though often thought of as a publication catering exclusively to the tweed jacket crowd and Porsche purists, there on page 114 of the issue was an article that changed everything for me. “Flat Fantastic” chronicled an automotive renaissance, following the journey of a 1973 914 to a new life by way of a 250HP Subaru WRX Turbo engine. Far from an outcry over the marring of a Porsche icon, the article’s tone was more than impressive and even noted this arranged marriage was as the 914 should have been built.
“[The 914/WRX] may provide a better indication of what the 914-4 might have become had Porsche continued developing the air-cooled Type IV four-cylinder engine in the way it did its flat six. With time, it might have gained a turbocharger. And it probably would have evolved into a water-cooled configuration as well.”Zachary Mayne, June 2007, “Flat Fantastic”, Excellence
What did I build? A sleeper. A beautiful 1972 914 sporting 270HP at the crank, bolting from 0 to 60 in around 5 seconds, and braking at 40% above the mean. The result handles more like a Lotus Elise or Alfa Romeo 4C than a stock 914, but still looks enough like a stock 914 to be welcomed at the local Porsche meetup.
Braking I acquired the car with a 911 19mm master cylinder and stainless steel brake lines. My mods included installing BMW 320i front calipers with 40% larger pads (similar to the rare 911 “M” style calipers). The rear calipers are true 914/6 with pads about 20% larger than 914/4 calipers. ATE Super Blue high temp brake fluid promises to handle the heat. Fun Fact: the rear calipers have the same part number as Ferrari 308 rear calipers. Suspension Delrin Race bushings front and rear. Blistein front shocks Koni adjustable rear shocks (adjustable spring perches) Weltmeister autocross springs Weltmeister front 19.3mm adjustable sway bar 20.76mm rear sway bar Wheels and Tires 1972 914/4 stock wheels are 4 ½’’ x 15” with a 4x130mm bolt pattern that only has only a few wheel options available, some of which are very expensive using a 165R15 tire. I changed the bolt pattern to 4 x 108mm (Common to Porsche, Ford, Mercury, Saab, Audi, Volvo,Peugeot, Alfa Romeo and many aftermarket wheels) My wheels are: 7 ½ x 17
The heart of my conversion:
JDM 2002 WRX Turbo engine
JDM 2002 WRX Manual 5 speed transmission
New head gaskets
Refurbished heads (machined at the best shop in Kansas City)
New timing belt, tensioner and water pump
Intake tumbler generator delete, port and polish
AC compressor and power steering pump removed
Racing header with turbo muffler
Water to air intercooler
Turbo rebuilt with new bearings (TD04HL-15T is larger than the US-model WRX’s and smaller than US STi models)
Haltech computer for engine management
Clutch Max stage 4 with a six-puck metallic disc rated for 500HP (dropped 13.5 lbs from rotating stock clutch and flywheel mass)
Custom drive shafts (rated up to 500HP)
A vintage 1972 914 review I came across described the shifting of the contemporary 914 as “mysterious”. Most 914 conversions often keep the Porsche 901 transmission, which was an adequate transmission in 1972, but falls well short of today's standards. In the autocross world, shifting from first to second and missing the shift adds time to your run. To benefit from the shifting speed, smoothness and power capacity, I used the WRX transmission and integrated a customized cable shifter setup that works like all modern cars, never missing a shift. Out of all five 914’s I’ve owned, this shifting is a dream come true.
With a mild tune by KC Maxx, the engine achieves 270 HP at the crank, but power could probably be boosted to 300 to 340 HP without getting into the internals of the block.
Interior
Speedhut Custom Programmable gauges, GPS speedometer gives you the correct speed no matter what size tire you place on the car. Also has a 0 to 60 time trap and ¼ mile time trap built in. Tachometer with programmable shift light and memory, Oil Pressure, Water Temp,
Vacuum/Boost, Fuel all have programmable warning lights. AIM wideband gauge, original VDO clock and VDO voltage gauge.
Five way racing belts
Heated seats
Center console with cup holder
Short throw sport shifter
MOMO race line steering wheel
Raised accelerator pedal (in line with clutch and brake pedals) (Yes You Can Toe Heal)
15 lb battery (50% of stock)
Exterior
Porsche “Racing Yellow” paint P3
Wheels painted German flag colors
Front and rear fiberglass racing bumpers
Headlights upgraded to LED
Fog Lights upgraded LED
Removed front side marker lights (to look like European 914s)
European style front turn signals and tail lights.
Removable custom decals
For comparables of other sales of this type of conversion. The closest I have found is a sale of a very similar configuration, performance, quality, year, make and model.
In August of 2022 Bring A Trailer sold a 1972 Subaru conversion for $65,500.00.
Go to Bring A Trailer and see complete information on this car.
More documentation to share with qualified buyers.
- Make: Porsche
- Model: 914
- Type: 914 Targa in European Trim
- Trim: European exterior Trim
- Doors: 2
- Year: 1972
- Mileage: 4972
- VIN: 4722915213
- Engine size: 2002 Subaru JDM WRX 2.0 Turbo
- Number of cylinders: 4
- Fuel: Gasoline
- Drive type: 2WD
- Interior color: Black
- Drive side: Left-Hand Drive
- Safety options: 5 point Racing Belts
- Vehicle Title: Clean Want to buy? Contact seller!
