My newest family member

[thatmacguy]

Here is my newest family member. It's a pretty rough car with next to zero parts availability for certain key components, I must be completely and totally mental:



It's a 1976 912e, #548 out of 2099 made. It is a 1 year only car, and is basically a 911 with a VW Type IV engine in it plus downgraded interior trim compared to the 911. But, it starts, runs, and drives, and is sure a lot of fun in the bends. It was also not very much money (a big factor in my decision to go for it). The engine put out about 90hp from the factory. It is a bit faster than my 40hp Bug, but not by much. It does cruise down the highway happily at 80+ though, so that is nice.

Do we have any Type IV guys here?

[Ruffuss]

Congrats a new baby is always special.

[bren]

Beautiful car. I love the 911/912 car. Always been my favorite car thought I don't know tons about them. Is this going to be autocrossed?
John Hanson has a 412.

[81pumagtc]

Nice cars, the bodies are pretty solid, and the motors are quite reliable. Parts should not be that much of an isssue...what do you need?

I had an early 912 soft window Targa, and a 914-6. I would MUCH rather have a 912 than a 911. They are a much sweeter handling car. The 914-6 was really fast, but pretty miserable to live with. It was very very hot, quite twitchy, and quite uncivilized inside. You never know how much you miss armrests until you don't have one. These babies had nothing but straps. I was quite happy when someone offered me way too much money for it. It would be worth a small mint now...

Hope you enjoy it!

As I recall, one of the tricks on the 912e's had to do with tire size...might have even used a slightly narrower front tire for ballance...I just can't remember.


Dave Riedle

[ghiastein]

Looks like Fun

Remember Buses 1972 to 1979 also use a Type 4 engine

[thatmacguy]

OK, some quick answers:

Yes, my intention is to run it in autocross, probably instead of my Bug. The way Beetles appear to be appreciating, I just felt I shouldn't abuse it so much, to try and maximize resale value if I ever decide to sell it. I could change my mind on this though, who knows. Maybe I'll just split them up and run each of them on occasion.

Tires: The 911s used staggered tires in many model years, but this car didn't. The lighter engine in the rear apparently means it isn't necessary. Mine does have staggered tires though, and they are regular "crap" street tires. Next spring will have to bring new tires for autocross.

Hard to find parts: Unfortunately, even though this is an engine common to the late-model busses and also some 914's, and even though most of the car is just a 911, there are also a ton of 1 year parts. The fuel injection, for example, is slightly different on this care alone. The heat exchangers are this model and this year only. Meaning that only 2099 cars were EVER made which require that specific heat-exchanger. I found some. They are, wait for it...... $1,300 EACH. So there are some major limitations to doing a proper restore (realistically, in the long run, it would be cheaper to drop a good used 911 engine & trans in there). Transmission is also specific to this car only (similar, but not exactly the same as other Porsche transmission of the same era).

I do know the 911's fairly well, having done a ton of research regarding them. AS VW people, you would all feel very at home crawling around under either a 911 or a 912. I'm repeatedly astounded how much these cars really are "beetles on steroids" as I'm sure you've heard them called (there are a LOT of similarities, the beetle DNA runs through these cars clear as a bell, including a lot of the same quirks).

Like I said, I really haven't decided what my goal is with this car. It seems pretty solid overall. Some rust needs to be fixed, but it is a galvanized car, so the rust is spotty where there was damage or where the galvanization process didn't take properly, but it doesn't appear to have systemic cancerous rust. I need to decide whether to remove all the unnecessary junk, give up on heat etc, and just make it a fun car for driving and autocross. Or (and this is what I would really like), get the rust taken care of properly, find a way to fix the heat (maybe a gas heater under the bonnet?), and then make it my daily driver - including winters. I absolutely LOVE a rear-engined car in the winter. I would love to spend my winters cruising up to ski with my skis on top of my little 912e. Realistically though, I think that might be too expensive to accomplish with this drivetrain. I would have to convert to another engine and transmission so I wouldn't be wearing parts which are effectively irreplaceable. That's why I'm thinking, if I decide to do a real "restore" on this car, I'll have to switch it over to a 911 drivetrain. Jake Raby also makes Massive Type IVs for this car, but again you are looking a tons of $$ and hard-to-find parts. The engine in this car was already replaced 2 owners back, so I don't have to worry about spoiling any "matching numbers". Leaves me pretty free to do whatever I want drive-train wise.

It's a real dilemma. I'll be doing a lot of research over winter before making a final decision on how I want to proceed.

[dansam]

Very pretty car.

No dilemma as to what Id do. Id build a monster motor (much like the one Im building) can the FI or switch to an electronic aftermarket version. Then go 911/camaro/mustang hunting

Dan

[dubfreak1]

Oct 30, 2009 21:48:56 GMT -5 thatmacguy said:

my intention is to run it in autocross, probably instead of my Bug.

Say WHAT?

Well, at least it's rear engined. Better than what some other guy did this year

[vwcurt]

thats not exactly a type IV motor, diff. bore, stroke, heads.

curt

[thatmacguy]

Just a quick update. Things are going fairly well with the 912E so far. I tracked down a lot of timing and ignition problems, and threw a spare set of Pertronix in it which I had for my beetle. Also did a bit of rust repair myself, had a small amount professionally done (more of that to in the future), and got new wheels and good winter performance tires. she also got tie-rods and quite a lot of serious elbow-grease on my part, including patching the outer-shells of the heat exchangers (took me a LONG time to do those), some new exhaust components, brake work, etc. etc. Also some electrical system work. A lot of late nights spent under this thing.

But, she's been a great fun winter daily-driver this winter as I had hoped! Goes in the snow like crazy - drives exactly the way I like a car to drive in slippery conditions. For the first time since I stopped driving my beetles in the winter because of rust I finally feel comfortable behind the wheel of the car I'm driving in the snow. I found a great alternate route to my favorite ski resort and now spend a day each weekend having fun on the back-roads up to the ski resort and back. Knock-on-wood she's been reliable so far and seems to be running just fine (if a bit "tired").

Assuming I don't fall through the ice this weekend at ice-racing I hope to bring her to a VW event next season for everyone to see. (Note, the pictures make her look a lot better than she is: I don't want this car to be like my beetle (me, obsessing), I just want to spend time in her and have fun :- )

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[dunedudex4]

Not a huge type 4 guy yet but... What is the engine code on this car??? Thanks Dave T www.tunacan.net/t4/reference/case.htm