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Take a Stand

With so much time taken to research what I could do with this engine project, thanks to a neck injury sustained in a rear end shunt from a saxo driver, you'd suspect I'd given up and bought a turbo... which seems to be the standard answer given to anyone wondering what to do with a normally aspirated Porsche engine.

While there may be some logic for that argument, it doesn't help an owner of a nice NA who doesn't want to buy someone else's bag of beans and bondo. And what if you want a little adventure in your life, perhaps even learn a thing or two?

My current engine is still running fine where it is sitting snugly in the engine bay - albeit with some oil blowby under off throttle freewheeling. I've tried to arrange for a mechanic to do a leak down test to establish whether it's rings or intake valve seals that are the culprit - but that's yet to happen despite one visit. I may have to search for another friendly wrencher who wants to earn an hours wage.

I have however established with that one visit that my replacement block is in very good condition with the cylinder walls being in excellent shape, so too the other components, including the assembled head.

Having taken pics of all the bits that I have so far accumulated for this engine build - a new bright red engine stand is proudly on display in my dining room - where I hasten to add it will shortly be removed from to the garage. I wish...

Some friends will assist in mounting the block this weekend before beginning to clean everything prior to assembly.

There'll be some nice spangley bits arriving shortly that will find there place on this engine that should help in achieving some HP gains as well as quench the thirst to a small degree for something a little different from buying another run of the mill turbo 944.

And yes, there's some weight loss going on too... Just as Colin Chapman directed.


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