944 v8 power questions and help

1984 PORSCHE 944. I LOVE THIS CAR AND ITS GOING DOWNHILL FAST, I WANT TO SWAP FOR V8 BUT HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. THIS IS WHAT I WAS THINKING AND I'M OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS AND ANY ADVICE.

ENGINE - V8 SMALL BLOCK

CONVERSION KIT (WHERE COULD I GET A GOOD ONE?)

BELL HOUSING AND ADAPTER (C5? GM SBC? CUSTOM? ANY ADVICE ON WHAT TO USE?)

CLUTCH COMPONENTS (1" X 23 SPLINE 11" DIAMETER DISC, 153 TOOTH FLYWHEEL, PRESSURE PLATE. ANY SUGGESTIONS ON THE BEST PLACE OR BRANDS TO GET?)

MOUNTS (ANY IDEAS ON WHO AND WHERE?)

EXHAUST (WHICH HEADERS TO GO WITH TO FIT AND ADAPT EASILY?)

ELECTRICAL HARNESS (I WANT THE LEAST AMOUNT OF ELECTRICAL AS POSSIBLE. SHOULD I USE THE GM HARNESS FOR THE V8 I'M BUYING? I'M NOT THE GREATEST WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTRICAL SO THIS IS ONE OF MY BIGGEST "I DON'T KNOW" AREAS)

I WASN'T GOING TO CHANGE THE TRANSAXLE YET, BUT WILL THE STOCK 944 TRANSAXLE BE OK WITH THE V8? HOW MANY POUNDS OF TORQUE CAN IT TAKE? I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND SPECS ON THE TRANSAXLE TO SEE IF THERE IS A SPECIFIED LIMIT OF TORQUE IT CAN TAKE BUT I'M COMING UP EMPTY HANDED ON THIS INFO.

THEN THERE'S THE BRAKES, I KEEP READING THAT THE BRAKES ARE DEFINITELY INADEQUATE FOR THE V8 AND I NEED TO EITHER CONVERT ALL BRAKE SYSTEM OVER TO THE 944 TURBO VERSION OR GET BIGGER WHEELS AND PUT A WHOLE DIFFERENT SET OF BRAKES ON IT. SUGGESTIONS?

IF THERE IS ANYTHING I'M MISSING I'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT OR IF YOU'VE DONE THIS ALREADY AND KNOW SOME GREAT SITES FOR PARTS AND INSTRUCTIONS I'M ALL EARS. I HAVE $7,000 RIGHT NOW TO START GETTING AT IT AND I'M HOPING TO HAVE IT DONE IN LESS THAN 4 MONTHS SINCE I HAVE TO MOVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY THEN.

I FORGOT...

I'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS FORUM FOR A WHILE AND JUST NOW REGISTERED SO I COULD POST. I'VE READ ON SOME POSTS THAT 944HYBRIDS BOARD MEMBERS HAVE CUSTOM PARTS SO I'M INTERESTED IF ANYONE IN THESE FORUMS HAVE THE DIFFERENT THINGS I NEED TO DO THIS SWAP.

I would get a complete kit from eric, and get an engine from a used truck or car and go from there. If you are going to keep it simple, you might get away with the 7k budget. I went a little overboard and have almost 28k in mine.

Make sure to look through the conversions forum on here, tons of great builds and information to look through.

Andy

yeah, i've realized this is going to be a lot more than 7k. i've been reading so many threads on here my head is going to blow. I want to start buying the parts and stalk pile so in about 3 months i can convert everything have it running.

Thats a good idea.

I would purchase the entire kit from Eric. And then start looking around for a motor.

who is eric? is that who owns and runs texas performance concepts?

If I was going to do a V8 swap, I would find an all aluminium LS1 engine. The old small block is a mighty fine engine, but my opinion is that it's a little heavy. These days, where the LS1 has been around for some time, it is possible to find one at a decent price.

It depends on how you build the Gen I. Mine without the alternator, p/s pump and a/c compressor but including the flywheel and clutch weighs 430 lbs. The LS6 crate motor is listed as 420 lbs.

Yes, Eric runs Texas performance concepts.

V8 carreraGTS: Really?
I'm interested in building a light weight V8 for my boat one day(not heavier than the 4.3 V6 I have today), and for some time I have only had the all aluminium LS1 on my mind.  I guess if you replace everything you can on the old small block with aluminium, there will be a good weight saving; cylinder heads, water pump, intake manifold.

I built my engine with a 1984 truck 4 bolt main block, a 1967 forged 283 crank, steel 4130 rods Icon lightweight pistons, Manley light weight piston pins, roller cam, timing chain and rockers, Procon aluminum heads, LT1 intake, aluminum water pump, mini starter, light weight SFI steel flywheel, 8" SFI balancer, Speedway Motors clutch. It came out to exactly 430# without oil and front accessories. I also weighed the cast iron parts that I replaced--heads, intake, water pump, flywheel, balancer, stamped rockers, rods and pistons and starter. Adding the difference the total weight came to 544# which is what all of my swap manuals say that a small block weighs.