Porsche 912/912E

[181]

I must admit, I am thinking about infidelity to VW´s. Since 1994 I´m dreaming about light ivory 912 on Fuchs wheel and now I feel the right time is coming. What are your experiences with any kind of "junior" class of Porsche?

What to look for, what to refuse?

How does it feel with a 90HP 1600 engine and how does it drive with a Type IV 2.0? Four speed and five speed?

Stories, experiences, thoughts,  everything is welcomed in this topic..

[kingsburgphil]

I owned a 65 912, and serviced several 912E's on a regular basis. In hindsight I'd say why bother?, just buy a 911.
In the long run the 4 cyl. cars aren't that much cheaper, just not as much fun to drive.  IMHO 

[Zach Gomulka]

Phil is right, not cheaper at all. If you're stuck on a 912 though, the 69 is the year to have. It has the longer wheelbase, and is probably the best handling of the long nose Porsche's. A coupe with a 5 speed & no sunroof would be my choice.

[181]

Yes, it´s kinda "stuck on repeat" situation. I´m in love with the design of the early 911/912 but I do not have any ambition of 6 cylinder engine..

[Diederick/DVK]

good on you, jan!
i too love that model and one day, hopefully, time will come that i'll own a 912. and truth be told on this side of the pond laddies the 912s are a bit cheaper...
nonetheless, making use of the cal-look way of thinking, by adding a few nice touches you could end up with a great looking porker!
i remember there being 1 or 2 sweet looking 912 at either EBI #2 or #3...

how about sticking in a hot type 1 engine? i should work, right? despite a little bit of custom tinware?

just wondering, why since 1994? did anything happen? did you get to drive a 912?

[Nico86]

how about sticking in a hot type 1 engine? i should work, right? despite a little bit of custom tinware?

That's a thing I'd like to do !

[Diederick/DVK]

that makes 2 of us buddy, i've got it all figured out in the between the ears 

[Zach Gomulka]

A type one engine in a 912 is a bit sacreligious, but it makes a lot more sense after you price out a stock rebuild on the Porsche engine!

They are prone to rot, so give the body a good check before committing on one.

[kingsburgphil]

I agree with Zach, the last thing you'd want is a Porsche "morphodite". My ex partner had a 912 with a Corvair motor, ran well, but looked
and sounded like crap. And most Porsche techs have seen equally hideous V6/V8 water pumper powered tranny shredders.

If your heart is set on a 356/912 motor, so be it. Personally in a SWB car I'd use a 2.5 911 with E cams, ported heads and 40 Ida's.  A LWB 2.4 or 2.7
with a few modern bits, is even better. Bear in mind those mods are with stock parts....and longevity is in the range of 150,000 miles.
Assuming you want to drive at modern speeds, an early 911 would be working hard. A 912 will have a short expensive life span under similar conditions.
 And remember both of these cars are forty+ years old, and fair game for most Audi drivers.

I sense you're a little unsure about the 911 motor, don't be. When properly built they're strong, reliable, powerful and long lived.
Along side a 912, it makes a 912 look like what it is, the culmination of 1940's VW/Porsche technology.

Bottom line, if you want your car to run like a 911...than start with one.

Just don't start with a rusty "Flintstone Special" like my first one 

[Nico86]

Just don't start with a rusty "Flintstone Special" like my first one 

 

[LuftsickTero]

A type one engine in a 912 is a bit sacreligious, but it makes a lot more sense after you price out a stock rebuild on the Porsche engine!

What about properly built (like in German Look VWs) Type IV then? Spiritually not too far from 912E.

[181]

In that year I have been on visit to a part of my family in London and one day I met a beautiful 912 on the streets of Islington. I was 14 at that year but I remembered the encounter very well.

No way I would stick a type 1 engine into a 912, I already have one in my Type 181.

What I want now is a cultivated, silent, bone stock car with underpowered feel of 90 Porsche horsies. I want a beautiful car to vac and polish on Thursday to take it on a weekend trip. I want a car that will meet my Type 181 to recreate the old fairy tale of "beauty and the beast"

 

[181]

A type one engine in a 912 is a bit sacreligious, but it makes a lot more sense after you price out a stock rebuild on the Porsche engine!

What about properly built (like in German Look VWs) Type IV then? Spiritually not too far from 912E.

yes, that would be my way if I consider the original Porsche 1600 to weak. Some nice Type IV engine with upright cooling.. hmmm

[Zach Gomulka]

What I want now is a cultivated, silent, bone stock car with underpowered feel of 90 Porsche horsies. I want a beautiful car to vac and polish on Thursday to take it on a weekend trip. I want a car that will meet my Type 181 to recreate the old fairy tale of "beauty and the beast"

 

Then spend the extra money to find a car that doesn't need much of anything. It will be well worth it in the long run.
I don't think the 912 with a 5 speed feels underpowered at all, but then again my tired VW has 133,000 miles on the clock, everything feels fast compared to it!