By Tim Odell
Simply put: yes. A 415hp turbo pancake six, plus six speed transmission, plus suspension out of a 2001 996. Maybe not the simplest would-be transplant (or the cheapest at $25k), but if it were easy everyone would do it, right? Along the same lines, while more than doubling the output of an older 911 (or 356?) might be tempting, an intra-Porsche swap is no good here.
The options are manifold, but obviously lean towards rear-engined examples. Personally, I’m sure the Baja Ghia could use a few more ponies. More absurd: something like a Corvair Greenbriar. Most absurd? Up to you.
Porsche 911 996 Twin Turbo Engine Transmission – eBay Motors, from LA Dismantler, which looks like a place we may need to visit.
Hat tip to DamnElantra!
Jeff Glucker
Renault Dauphine or maybe a Hillman Imp or better yet a Bond 875
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Bond_875_Van_1970.jpg" width="600"> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bond_875
Here's one for sale! <a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160464159871” target=”_blank”>http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160464159871
I think Jeremy should buy it and put it in an NSU.
hush, hush!
*cough*sand-rail*cough*
Brilliant! Watch as I climb this hill… and then launch myself into suborbital flight on the next jump!
The answer is…….Porschvair
<img src="http://automotivehistoryonline.com/1965%20Chevrolet%20Corvair.jpg">
I am rather pleased that you beat me to the punch. A Porchvair would be awesome, but I think I got something a little awesomer.
An Uber914/6 has a lot going for it.
But a Porschvair (Porchvair…hmmm) would offend Corvair AND Porsche purists, which appeals to my instagatorial nature.
I know of a certain 4 door that was raced in lemons that could use the power plant. Now just to make Mr Motor Trend and That Saucy Minx to look the other way at tech inspection…
I betcha there's a dull or battered Subaru just waiting for more power.
Or maybe just shoehorn it in a Corvette, either to piss off the faithful, or to to build the rear-engined 'Vette that GM never will.
Revenge for all of the SBC motivated Porsches?
That's a good point, it'd piss off the PCA too, and I can live with that. Although, I'm now thinking of a Jag straight six dropped in any number of Chevrolets, for the same reason.
I would put it in a ZAZ 965. Add the Porsche's front suspension to the mix and you would have an awesome little toy, all wrapped up in a cool vintage Soviet wrapper.
<img src="http://www.yourautostuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/porsche-914-green.png">
Shiiiiiiiiit
Damn you! That was my first thought too.
This cannot be topped.
Whale tail, meet dorsal fin.
<img src="http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt237/jskitter/jalopnik/Tatra603.jpg">
<img src="https://hooniverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/275px-Automotive_diagrams_07_En.png">
Refer back to my mid-front-engine/front-drive post. A couple of steering knuckles and you're golden.
Mid-engine Subaru Brat. You would lose the jump seats but it would be worth it.
Just move the jump seats where the original engine used to be.
The Cayman that should have been from the factory.
<img src="http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2007/05/Rabbitamino_LH.jpg" width="475" height="242">
Drop it in where the stock rear axle lives, hide it under a camper shell or hard tonneau cover and go Lambo hunting.
i approve of this idea.
And leave it looking exactly like that. As boring-bone-stock as possible.
<img src=http://vlane.com/img/blogs/mb/feat03ford_shogun.jpg width=600>
Hmmm… Apparently that didn't work. Anyways, it was a Ford Shogun.
I want that exact phrase on a T-shirt.
<img src="https://www.wordans.com/wordansfiles/ordered_products/2010/8/4/7e0bf1bb6aa9fe2851d4b2242f0c2580/7e0bf1bb6aa9fe2851d4b2242f0c2580-front.jpg?1280936064">
I couldn't find a very good shot of the Shogun and I didn't look very hard. It is really hard to see on this shirt but I is supposed to be Leno's 1989 Shogun.
Race Taxi 2?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeWDqY7cdX4
Now I'm confused…a Vette convertible or something else?
Did the image come out incorrectly? That, sir, is an X1/9. So I guess it falls into the "something else" category.
No, you got hotlink cockblocked. It's a boring silver Vette.
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/Fiat_X19_1978.JPG/800px-Fiat_X19_1978.JPG">
OK, let's try this again.
That time it worked, and I like your idea both for the light weight and strange taste. How long do you think you would drive that before a fiery death cuts short your life? I'm thinking that I would get a bit too comfortable with it after a week or two, then one wrong steering input coupled with a bit too much throttle would result in a spectacular, interstate-closing crash (and my obituary).
<img src= "http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:yjnN54XNclnxSM:l">
My neighbor's beachbuggy could use a little more grunt…
<img src="http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/341/img3657s.jpg" width=500>
There's a large, out-of-focus beachbuggy roaming the countryside. And to me, that's extra scary. Run, he's fuzzy!
It's not the photographer's fault. Beachbuggy is blurry.
Quick, run before he uses lens flare!
Golf clap for the Mitch Hegberg references.
Were you taking a picture of Big Foot and a beach buggy got in your way? 😉
I told you I lived in an edgy neighborhood. It's always that blurry around here.
Or I'm always very drunk. Either way.
Arg! Its coming right for us!
My son, bless his heart, wants to make one of these mid-engine, right-wheel drive.
<img src="http://o.aolcdn.com/commerce/images/U9DTGEK2_Regular.JPG" width="500">
He's already got the donor – our totaled one w/280k on the clock and a caved in drivers side. All he needs now is $25,000 and some practice with a slide rule & a Sawzall!
You seem to be raising a fine young hoon.
I approve. Photos and video needed.
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/1987PontiacFieroGT.jpg>
Well crap supposed to be a pic of a Pontiac Fiero.
Pontiac Fiero?
Many awesome ideas out there…. kinda surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet: Renault Clio Flat6
http://jurajos.blog.auto.cz/files/2008/10/2005ren…
with big enough sway bars, I think we could make this work. <img src="http://www.postaljeep.net/images/jeep1.JPG" width=500>
This will be extremely offensive to many people but give it a moment's thought before you grimace.
<img src="http://www.motorgen.com/pic/data/533/836_1981Ferrari308_01.jpg">
Keep it red or go German gray?
If only I could fit that in my Elise (backwards of course – with the engine in front of the axle).