So I came across this 944. Thought it was weird that it had no sunroof from the factory. Even weirder is it is a 1982 . I've never seen an 82? I thought they started production in 83 . Check out the interior. supposedly also from the factory. Car was imported 4 years ago from Germany. I only have a few pics & just wanted to see if what your consensus was

I love the color. Not sure if this is an extremely rare car? Or just a unique one?

I don't know how it was at the US market, but in Germany the 944 started at the end of 1981
the interior was available from the factory
the sunroof was an option, but there are also cars without

can't tell you if this one is very rare ... it just seems to be an early car

In the US market I don't believe they came out before 83. I guess it makes sense if they started there in 81. Maybe it is just a rare bird here. Not necessarily worth alot rare. I have literally never seen a 944 without the sunroof

I'm betting it is a grey market car imported straght from Germany by a private buyer. If I recall correctly I saw a 911 about ten years ago with the same interior and no sunroof that someone had brought back from Germany.

Yeah the guy was in the military & stationed there. Bought it from the second owner & brought it back with him. Kind of a cool history on it & he has paperwork dating back to the purchase. Of course most of it is in German . Doubt I will buy it but it sure has me intrigued

no power steering.

Mine doesn't either and it's an '83. For whatever reason, that doesn't bother me. I've thought about pulling the headliner and welding the top closed any number of times and I've only owned the damned thing for a month.

Yeah no power steering on it. Really looks to be a solid 944 especially for it's age. Hard to believe it is 30 years old . Damn I'm getting old

I've got an '83 as well and I'm fairly certain it has been through a number of DAPOs. Shortly after I bought the car, I was checking the fuses and saw that someone had soldered a blown fuse back together.

That one looks A LOT nicer than mine.

Nice looking 944, I like the Euro bumpers and side marker lights.
83 was the official intro model year for the 944 in the US, but there were a few 82 brought over by Porsche to show off with. I though all the 83's came without power steering and I've seen a couple non sunroof car but not many.

That interior made it into quite a few 924 turbos.
I figure it probably cut down on drunk driving.
One look at it and you're too busy to

Jim

In Europe most 944 don't have the sunroof... It was an expensive option.


I just checked on the french equivalent of Craglist . On 235 Porsche 944 for sale, only 13 have a Targa

...

My 80 Euro 928 had the same interior pattern. Pretty car

I looked at an '83 years ago...had the same funky interior. Maybe someone has said it, but check the VIN. You can tell if it's made for the US. More than than likely a gray market imprt.

Guys he clearly stated in his post the car was imported 4 years ago so there is no question about that. 944 started in Europe in 81. As stated most did not have a roof, also note the euro bumer trim. I have seen a few Am. cars without sunroofs as well, so they did come that way over here.

A number of years ago there was a local guy that was importing "Grey Market" cars.

I sent him looking for a dark color 930 with no sunroof and no A/C and no power windows. I wanted the car as stripped as possible.
He called me a few weeks later and sent pictures of a car he found in Germany... Rosewood metallic.. had power windows, but no A/C or sunroof. Interior was very plain also..
I don't remember seeing any early U.S. Spec 930's with no A/C or sunroof..
I was told the car was undesirable in the U.S.market..

No sunroof + euro bumpers = less weight and no leaks.

Several things about your car.....

I simply love the Euro look smooth bumper and unique interior '44's

That said:

Yes, you have a very early build car. Check the date of man. on the left front substructure by the hood strut attachment point. Black tag with Porsche stamp on.

You have what Porsche called Pasha Interior, we were told it also went by the name Strobe by our selling dealer.
The Sunroof delete cars made for America are VERY uncommon , but apparently not in Europe.
All Early cars had the lack of power steering. Manual only , as also the sunroof movement had. Power was an option for late 83's
I have an early '83, made only a few months after prod. started. Date stamp verifies the low VIN number. Non power steering , but a highly optioned Sport car with Sport suspension, Sport Shocks, LSD, Sport seats. It is VERY unique in alot of features in the later run cars, such as the 84. I have an 84 to compare it to and am blown away by the differences.
Also know of the whereabouts of serial # 213 stateside. Made in Feb of 82. Its a basket case parts car, that should have been saved. Orig, delivered into Denver like my early 82.
COOL FIND.....Buy it !

[/quote]
I have an early '83, made only a few months after prod. started. Date stamp verifies the low VIN number. Non power steering , but a highly optioned Sport car with Sport suspension, Sport Shocks, LSD, Sport seats. It is VERY unique in alot of features in the later run cars, such as the 84. I have an 84 to compare it to and am blown away by the differences.
Also know of the whereabouts of serial # 213 stateside. Made in Feb of 82. Its a basket case parts car, that should have been saved. Orig, delivered into Denver like my early 82.
COOL FIND.....Buy it !
[/quote]

When you get tired of your '83 give me a call- it'd make a really cool and unique autocross car...

What about those wheels? Did the base 944 come with those? They look like the wheels that were on my '89 S2. I thought most 944's came with Cookie Cutters?

Cool! I hate 944's but I would buy that one just for the interior.

The rims you have pictured are called Design 90 wheels, which Porsche placed on S2's and 911's of the 90's era cars. They were a cast alloy.There is also a similar looking wheel that Fuchs made, by machining larger openings in the face which closely resemble this wheel. The Fuchs are forged alloy tho and very strong in comparison.

The standard rims coming on 82 thru 85.1 cars were the black centered cookies.
Cookie Cutters were made by ATS and employed a cast manufacturing process. For 944's and 911's they were made in 6 and 7 by 15 inch and also came on 911's in an unpainted satin finish.

The 7 by 16 Fuchs , which I have on my early 82 build car also, were an option. Later an offering of 7 and 8 inch by 15 and 7 and 8 inch by 16 in color coded centers made an appearance. Black, white and platinum were the most commonly seen colors, but I have also seen red and yellow......do not think these were a factory option tho......but maybe were available thru the special wishes program Porsche offered.

The later wheel options also consisted of the phone dials and the flat faced Fuchs which were mostly seen on 924 Turbos, 944 S and 928's. This option came available with the different wheel back spacing found on 85.2 thru the end of the 944 lineup.
Hope this clarifies a few wheel answers on Cookies, Fuchs, and Design 90 wheels.

Don

Too bad, and I must comment here , your loss.

I love ALL Porsches, and find the more diverse they have become, the more entertaining.

I thought long and hard on the Panamera and the Cayenne's role in society, but must say, they have their places, maybe not in my garage, just yet........

The 944 line has its detractors, but I will say, it led me to take a look at other models of Porsche lineage in comparison, and bang for the buck, are un-beatable in their merit / versus / cost / versus longevity. To say nothing of their undeniable road holding and track capabilities. I love our 2.0 teener, but have just as much love for my other Porsches......even the 944.

In many ways they are my most favorite Porsche. When we choose a long tour, involving more than 500 -1000 miles, I much rather drive a 44 than our 911 or the 914. When one gets out after a long drive, you feel like you could really start all over again.

mrgreenjeans

Yes he did replace the cookie cutters on the car. I have a set so that isn't a big deal. I still like the car but have decided not to pursue it. It's in Boise if anyone wants to go buy it. http://boise.craigslist.org/cto/2790524145.html . IT really is a cool looking 944. I'm just sticking to 914's

Cool...I learned a few things with this thread.

after 2 914's I got a new 83 off the showroom floor. everyone else had a 9 month wait but we were able to convince the dealer that their demo with 4k miles on it needed to be replaced and cash (my dad's) prevailed.

In 83 944 was a "rock star" car...meaning that it got the looks from everyone. out of the 14 P cars I've owned, it was the only one that was not used.

Officially when I actually had my name on the title it was used...my dad was the one who did the deal with the dealer...but b/c my brother had a new 944 (he waited 9 months) and I was a poor dude trying to raise my dad's 2 grandkids, dad did a very kind, cool thing; he shared the car with me.

I had a set of keys and permission to drive it when my dad was at work...he worked the 2nd shift so I had access to it from about 2:00 pm to midnight everyday.

While I can appreciate someone who "hates" 944's. I not only like all Porsches, I like almost all cars. but the 1983 944 will always be a very special car to me.

My question about those wheels is, they are late offset? That offset didn't show up (in the US anyway), until 1987. As already stated (US) 83-86 had early offset Fuchs, Cookies, or Phone Dials. Those D90's would only fit on an early car with some spacers.

He is running some spacers with those for sure

Yes, they would be probably a 55 ET , and the early cars wheels in OE fitment were at 10 front and 23 rear for offset. Meaning spacers to take the wheel out far enough to fill the wheel wells and not run too close to the brakes, tie rod ends, etc.

And it would look funny too, narrowing up the track of the car without the proper width achieved thru a spacer.

So, doing the math, 55 minus 23 and a guy would need 32mm for spacing. Requiring a longer bolt to safely do the correct torqueing in for the lug nut. The lug nuts need at least a 5-7 ??? turn down to safely secure the wheel to the hub. Please check the forum and the spec charts at your local wheel retailer to verify this info.....as I am shooting from the hip here ....close, as I recollect, but don't wish to mis-inform, just want to state that when a larger offset rim is placed on a earlier car, a guy has to be careful in the area of safety.
Its not all about the looks.

I was stationed stateside near a large military base in 1981-82. The used car lots were full of the nice Audi's, VWs, Porsches and Volvos.

In those days, guys would beg for a Germany assignment for the car options to ship back. Like Scotty said, not uncommon at all, especially then. Rare now, but common knowledge then...

The lots were loaded around the large East Coast bases for sure - I shopped till I went blind

I'm mildly surprised,
I had merely presumed a Porsche owner appreciated all things from their drawing boards.
I like to think of the 944 as similar to a Daytona Cobra,240Z or a 250GTO.
As an economy 4 seat sports tourer and seller for a decade,a success.

Click to view attachment

The Renegade conversions can be a monster GT.

http://bringatrailer.com/2010/09/08/1-of-5...ts-lightweight/

More a treatise on why I like the 924/944/968 bloodline.