Honda Reliability, Porsche Looks, Turbo Power

Reliability, availability and affordability are three words that can be used to describe the majority of Honda vehicles and motors.

As a result, Honda vehicles can be found in nearly every motorsport arena, and Honda motors can be found far beyond vehicles with an ‘H’ or ‘A’ on the hood. B-series motors in Minis, F-series motors in AE86 Corollas and K-series motors in, well, Ks have started to show up damn near everywhere.

Keiron Berndt - Turn 14 K-Swapped Porsche 911 - Speedhunters - SEMA 2018 - 10 - 30 - 2018-4628

It pains me to admit that while walking through the Las Vegas Convention Center, I didn’t give this car much more than a cursory glance. I took the quick snap below to capture the livery and Volk wheels, but didn’t peek under the open decklid.

Dave-Thomas-Turn-14-K-Swapped-Porsche-911-1

When Keiron flipped me this photo set a few days ago I don’t think I could have kicked myself harder for not taking the time to give the car a proper inspection. I love outside of the box motor swaps, and a K20 in a Porsche 930 is most certainly outside of the box.

Like so many children of the mid ’80s and early ’90s, the Porsche 911 was a poster car for Scott Girondo. After years of modifying a variety of imports — mostly but not exclusively Hondas — the 930 would have remained nothing more than a  poster car had it not been for one late night on Craigslist, where he found a V8 swapped example up for grabs.

With its original power plant long since gone, and much of its on paper value gone with it, Scott was able to pick up the car for a relative steal.

Keiron Berndt - Turn 14 K-Swapped Porsche 911 - Speedhunters - SEMA 2018 - 10 - 30 - 2018-4666

The V8 swap was a backyard job, with a lot left to be desired, but at the end of the day the car was still a Porsche. Black, and a little beat up, but still a Porsche.

Unfortunately the same night he brought the car home was the same night it decided to stop living as a Chevrolet / Porsche hybrid. A melted rat’s nest of an engine chassis harness proved to be the weakest link, but as an import guy at heart, Scott ultimately saw no point in repairing the harness and retaining the GM power plant.

Scott completed the swap for the first time two years ago. At the time, he had limited knowledge of K motors, and next to no knowledge of Porsches in general. But, as the saying goes: ‘where there’s a will there’s a way’.

Working with a limited tool set Scott not only completed the K swap, but he added a Garret GTX 3076 to the engine bay as well.

Keiron Berndt - Turn 14 K-Swapped Porsche 911 - Speedhunters - SEMA 2018 - 10 - 30 - 2018-4641

Version one of the car showed lots of promise, but it also had a few areas Scott wanted to tighten up. When the opportunity to bring the car to SEMA became a reality, he used this as an excuse to tear the car apart and fix the minor faults.

The first thing Scott addressed was the angle of the motor. In its previous iteration, the custom adapter plate resulted in the motor sitting fairly straight vertically. This resulted in a few packaging compromises including a turbo that was too close to the intercooler.

Now, the motor sits at an angle closer to how it would in a Honda engine bay, alleviating several clearance issues. Version 2.0 retains the GTX 3076 using Vibrant universal piping and HD clamps to plumb the system. Scott then placed a hefty order with K-Tuned that included an intake manifold, throttle body and fuel rail.

In the second revision, the K20 was cracked open to install Wiseco pistons, Eagle Rods and Prayoonto cams.

Keiron Berndt - Turn 14 K-Swapped Porsche 911 - Speedhunters - SEMA 2018 - 10 - 30 - 2018-4679

In the handling department, Scott converted from torsion bar front suspension to coilovers using a GT3 subframe kit from Elephant Racing. The addition of Elephant Racing ASP rear arms means the car can now run coilovers at all four corners.

Scott rounded out his suspension upgrades with 935 sway bars, Rennline upper strut supports, Rebel Racing rear shock tower supports and Elephant Racing polybronze bearings.

The wheel and tire package currently consists of RAYS Volk Racing TE37V wheels measuring 18×9.5-inches up front and 18×12-inches in the rear. Wrapped in 235 and 305-section Toyo Proxes R888s, the bronze wheels sit over Porsche 996 calipers. Two-piece Rebel Racing discs can be found up front with 930 rotors in the rear.

On the exterior, a GT Racing front bumper transforms the front end, and a modified 930 rear deck lid props up a 993 RS wing. Scott’s import roots come through with a Q45 headlight retro fit and Craft Square GT S2000 mirrors.

Keiron Berndt - Turn 14 K-Swapped Porsche 911 - Speedhunters - SEMA 2018 - 10 - 30 - 2018-4624

Scott’s plans for the car are to shake down Version 2.0 for a few hundred miles before taking it to the track this spring.

Keiron Berndt - Turn 14 K-Swapped Porsche 911 - Speedhunters - SEMA 2018 - 10 - 30 - 2018-4626

Obviously, we had to ask Scott what a turbo Honda powered Porsche drives like and his answer was simply that “it takes a little getting used to”.

Not sure about you, but I’d love the chance to get used to it.

Dave Thomas
Instagram: stanceiseverythingcom

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1

this car is everything I want in a porsche

3

The purist in me wants to hate it, but the thoughts of driving experience make me want it!

4

When you pick the best components, the build becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

5

That's a horribly inaccurate statement. You can pick the best components and they don't work from a setup stand point. Happens all the time in racing.

6

The K doesn't make sense to me. Well I mean it is the easiest but I feel like an F with a transaxle maybe better. Balance and stuff.

7

As in the S2000's F? How is that engine's balance any different from a K with the same transaxle?

8

I think he means the fwd f series with a fwd transaxle. like the f20b

9

If the H22, which the F20B is a de-stroked version of, is anything to go by, it's about 70lbs heavier than a K20.

10

But it would be mounted more transverse mid engine or inline with the rear axle line. rather than hanging out entirely over the rear end. But you could easily use a k series with a k fwd trans too. I think this longitudinal rear engine setup is just fine, just expanding on what i think the other guy is getting at.

11

The transaxle bit was what had me confused about the original comment, too. I assume this car, as it sits, is using the Porsche longitudinal transaxle, which the owner would probably have done with the F20C/F22C, too. I wonder if a transverse Honda setup would even fit in that car. The entire transmission still sits next to the engine. But a Honda G-series, now that would be interesting. It was a longitudinally mounted 5-cylinder that was still front wheel drive; I just can't find a picture of how that transaxle was packaged.

12

Those headlights are mouth melting to look at.

13

I'm usually all for bringing modern tech into an older car, be it to make it more comfortable or enjoyable to drive, but there are some things that will always look out of place.

14

Shame the output isn't great, for a HID projector.

15

The purists may hate it but as long as its being driven, i can respect it.

16

I concurr.
I don't hate on this kind of swap, but I wouldn't do it. I don't like the idea of swapping an engine from another brand.
Nevertheless, I do admire the work that is put into this kind of project, and I love seeing more and more different swaps. And on top of that, it the car gets driven and, better yet, tracked... hell, I'm all in.

17

How did they integrate a radiator into an air cooled car? What are the ducting in the back going to that we barely get see? These seemed like good questions to ask...

Author18

Hey Mook,

The Naca ducts provide air to the V mount Koyo NSX rad/ Vibrant intercooler. I tried to hit as much variety as possible in the text but some of the more technical hurdles do get lost that way. Let me know if you have anymore questions though and I can recheck my notes.

19

This is excellent!

20

It's amazing to me that, no matter what livery or vinyl wrap you though on it, the classic 911 lines still inspire awe and excitement. Both classic and innovative, it's a design that has endured over a century and continues to do so. Fantastic!

21

Im not ashamed to be the first to say it.... Pure and utter sacrilege. Now before you guys flame me I am all for crazy engine swaps and building a car however you want, BUT there HAS to be a line.... And a Honda engine in a Porsche has absolutely crossed that line. $3.50

22

There are more than enough ruined old 911s to let people do things like this. They're not rare, they're barely even uncommon. This isn't the restoration of Ecce Homo, lol. This is about as "bad" as K-Swapping a Corvette (which also sounds awesome)

23

Fair enough, but just because other people have "ruined" old porsches doesnt make it ok to keep ruining them... Thats like saying there are many murderers, rapists, and drug dealers out there, so it should be ok to rape, kill, and and be a drug dealer.

24

You'd really have to be an idiot to compare this to raping or murder... everybody know there's nothing wrong about rape and murder.

25

Given that this car was already lost it purity and value with the GM's swap. Why bother going with a Porsche engine (which cost more to build and maintain). Compared to the K series where parts are easy to get, maintain, and cheap to modify.

Author26

Renesis nailed it. K's are easy enough to come by especially thinking long game if one were to pop.

27

I love this thing, the flat 6 engines air cooled are good but not this good.

28

I have no words for this

29

Everyone has an opinion and I'm no exception. I think this car is a plate of turd sandwiches.

Ex: The wheels look great. The wrap looks like something a color-blind 3-year old would draw. The panel gaps are excellent.

Ex2: The NACA ducts and radiator integration are solid. The K20 in the back is as out of place as a hairy mole on the lip of a super model. The tires are nice.

Ex3: The exhaust looks great. Those headlights are as disgusting as three day old boiled brussel sprouts. The oil filter will be easy to change.

30

Even though I don't really agree with yor opinion and i do really like this build, I must commend you on your colorful use of language...

"as out of place as a hairy mode on the lip of a super model" :D lol

Author31

He's got a way with words for sure.

32

Porsche 91-2000

33

So I solely come to Speedhunters for the photography and nothing more and you guys always inspire me in my own work so don't take the wrong way but I can't help but think that the fade in these shots are too much and is hiding the beautiful detail in my own opinion.

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