will I have enough engine to have fun??

When Jake Jakefies the Soobs just imagine what $15k's worth will buy.

Outfront has turnkey 400-450 hp turbo subie's for that money. Course you'd need $6k-10k for drivetrain and about as much in chassis mods to handle it, but c'est la vie.

There's no such thing as a free lunch in "Speedster World".

 

Pity, that.

I dont have much isues with the vw engine putting out high hp when it's built right .but yes a turboed suby would be nice as would a winning loto ticket. for about $3500 you can have a scat zero mile 2332 cc motor too.

     but with the big hp## you will need more car to handle it, trans,mendeola suspension,tires, biger nuts, biger banker&accoutent. I dont plan on racing mine I just want plenty of power when I want it.and be able to handle it when I do.

Yes, a good balance between chassis and horsepower is a NECESSSARY thing, unless you want to wrap yourself around a tree.

 

I have 180 hp(type1) in my 1450 pound Spyder. It is very quick, almost too much so. Not trying to brag, just saying I think I am at or slightly over the hp/handling ratio. My car handles very well, the alignment is aggressive for a street car, so turn-in is quick but directional stability is there, as well as ride height and ride quality. A good balance between smooth ride and handling is essential, as well as great brakes. But, I can push it over the edge and if an inexperienced person was in the car when it twitched they may not be able to catch it.

 

 I wouldn't want my engine in a stock braked, stock ride height bug pan! 

My V8 Miata had a good balance-V8 power with track suspension.

Here's me on the verge of catching and passing a 930 Turbo.

He had lots of power, but it was very easy to catch him in the corners.

 

Exactly, Ron. My friend Jim says my Spyder has too much power, but I think it is because his '78 911SC has about the same power(a little more) but an extra 1000 pounds!

It depends on your personal idea of fun.....   Danny P. would probably start playing with turbos and nitrous if given the time and money....  Right Danny???   

Autobahngarage (do you have a first name?)- I've just gone through both pages and noticed you haven't talked about brakes or suspension; have you upgraded over stock at all? I wouldn't want to go much more than the power level you have now (you're at close to probably 40% more than a single carbed 1600) without at least front discs and the handling somewhat sorted out. If you're a fan of anything more than legal highway speeds, front discs are a must; a panic stop from above 70mph may find the stock drums a little lacking (a better description would be "hot and totally gone") as you get down to 40 or 35mph. I speak from experience; in a baja bug with stock brakes, a quick trip onto the highway median was the only reason we didn't end up as part of the carnage. 

 

While a 911 transplant seems like a nice thought, remember, it's very involved, expensive (used 911 stuff is not cheap), requires further brake and suspension upgrades to be somewhat safe, upsets the front rear balance even further and you have to go fairly hyper (or large, and both are even more $$$) to overcome the extra weight added to be able to tromp a decently powerful larger than 2 liter equipped tub. I know Intermeccanica does it, but at 60-$70,000, these cars approach what a new Cayman is worth. Very cool, but definitely not in the low cost replica range any more... 

 

For most people, a 140-160 hp larger than 2 liter in their tub with discs and sway bars (or front sway bar and camber compensator if it's a swing axle) is more than enough and still easy enough to take care of. Hope this helps.  Al 

Thanks for all the help guy's. The brakes are stock at the moment, but I will work on those later after I get it back on the road. I do have front and rear sway bars, this is an IRS pan. Im not looking to build a race car out of this, just a weekend cruiser that I can have fun with. I own a european auto repair business so I get to work on and drive alot of fast cars. 911 turbo's, Ferrari's, and a few AMG mercedes to give you an idea. As I have gotten older speed is less important to me. I would rather have the engine be problem free and run

well, then have it go like stink for a week or two. I dont plan on having to work on this

speedster every weekend. I hope you get the idea. If I can get around 100-110 HP I should be more than happy. I would guess that I maybe have 75-85 now??? I'm not sure you guys would know better than myself. I have to admit this in the 3rd VW aircooled engine I have rebuilt, But I have rebuilt over 30 911 porsche engines as well as countless 914's and 356's. I'm not new at this, but all your advice is very helpful. So a 1600 DP, with twin 34ICT carbs, 009 dist,#110 camshaft, and the ports cleaned up a small amount. Do you think I'm close to 75-85 hp?? I have my eye on a 912 engine for next winter. Not a huge improvement over the modified type1, but its a real porsche engine so I may go that way. Like I said I just want the car to run at maybe 70-75 tops and be able to cruise around with out a ton of issues

Henry and his IM elves do it right:  When he stuffs a 911 6-cylinder in the back of a Speedster or Roadster he also changes the entire drive train to 911 as well (transmission, brakes and more than a few suspension bits).  I have the CB Performance front disk brake conversion on my Speedster (basically, a 1970 Karmann Ghia brake, no more) and, while they haul me down from 80+ ok (sorta), they are by NO means "performance" brakes.  Keep that in mind when thinking about all the things you'll need with a lot of additional power.

If you don't need heat I'd go with a slightly breathed on type 4-maybe something out of a 914.

I sure agree with Ros comment about a Type IV. Same size as a Type I but 2,000 ccs and over 140 HP in pure stock form.

 

 Some Type IV owners have installes Espar gas heaters for more heat than you'll ever need no matter where you live.

 

Jack- Excuse my ignorance, but when did a stock 2 liter type 4 produce 140hp? 

 

Autobahngarage (are you not going to share your first name with us? Do I call you "Auto"?)-75hp (give or take a couple) would be a good guess. A 912 motor isn't a lot more power for the money spent. My opinion; you'd be better off building a type 1 1915 with a W110, polished stock valve heads and a 1 3/8" header. It would produce about 100hp and be much more fun. A 2 liter type 4 would also be a great base to start from. Al

Jake is referring to Raby's 2.0's

Thanks, Marty--Yes, you are right. It's not exactly stock but still only 2,143 ccs.

Jake Dynoed it at 142 MPH but I've never been over 90 in it.

 

 

Those of you with a 2332 do you have 4 wheel disc brakes?  How does this engine handle on a pan based car with IRS?  Curious how much is too much engine.

Well I have had good luck with the type-4 engines in the past. It just so happens I have a core engine sitting in my warehouse. I think I may do something with that next winter. Oh I almost for got. My name is Tab Tanner

Tab--welcome to the madness from an old "Clevelandite"  Glad to have you on the SOC!

Thanks, I have been lurking for many years  but I decided to pay up and become a member. I'm a longtime Porsche guy. For the last 24 years I have worked on or been around

the porsche circles. I have owned so many I cant remember all of them, but the Speedster is one I plan on keeping !!! I had a 59 cab but I just could not see driving it on the open roads and risking getting in a wreck or any type of damage LOL. It was more of a curse than anything. I just want a car that when I'm done working on it I can drive it and enjoy it. Slow or not it's still a fun car.

 

The Speedster fits that perfectly.

Whycouldnt i have a cool name like Tab Tanner or Cole Trickle or Darth Vader.  Noooooo I had to have Todd.

LOL yes it is an odd name. I always get asked " is that your real name" "Whats that short 

 

for" I happen to like it even though as a kid it was HELL I  got picked on most every day LOL. 

A fellow pilot friend of mine name was Ace, I thought that was really cool. I asked him is that your real name, and he said yes. I said I wish that my parents were cool enough to know that I was going to be a pilot and would have named me Ace. I knew him for over twenty years, and went I went to his retirement ceremony he was getting several awards. When they read the official citation they started by saying ADOLPH........... distinguished himself by____. I was floored that his real name was Adolph !

"LOL yes it is an odd name. I always get asked " is that your real name"? "What's that short for". I happen to like it even though as a kid it was HELL. I  got picked on most every day LOL."

 

Named after Tab Hunter?

my parents called me by somany diferent names I think I was 15 before I knew my what my name realy was. then I got maried and it started all over again till the devorse.......will I never learn.

 Welcome mr tab!! Did you bring any cookies??? I sure hope your not a retierd spellen teacher.

Marksbug, way to be a smart A$$. typing on an Iphone is not always the easiest thing to do.

I see the spelling mistakes. Don't loose any sleep over it. I will correct them

 

I'm just teasing you LOL but no I'm not a spelling teacher

Tab, Mark is not making fun of you....that's the way he spells.

Tab, just FYI. My car has a stock single relief, SP 1300 case out of a '66 Beetle, with a single 34 PICT3 carb and vacuum distributor. It may have been re-cylindered to a 1600 at some point, I don't know. But there's nothing to it in terms of "build." My "dynolicious" app on my smartphone tells me I've got about 45 horses.

 

My car is a full-sized pan and shaped like an MG TD--so there's none of the streamlining you Speedster hooligans enjoy. Probably she weighs 1700 pounds wet.

 

OK? Got all that?

 

I have done 80 mph over short distances and there was more under foot. Not a lot more, but more just the same. I have driven the car to and from Virginia Beach from Baltimore, via I-95 and other nightmare roads, more or less keeping up with traffic without any problem.

 

You don't need any more engine than you have to do what you say you want to do.

 

Now you just have to ask yourself: is that really all I want?