I'm not entirely sure why I went to look at this car. It was on CL and the guy was asking $1,200. The body is in good shape with no damage but it was subjected to a bad color change and the interior is pretty nasty. I was walking away when I told the guy I didn't need ANOTHER project car but I'll give you $500 for it. I was shocked when he said OK. Now what???

Make a spec 944 race car out of it- just rip out the nasty interior, add a proper seat and cage, problem solved. Marginal re-paint/color change? Who cares, paint it pink with purple polka-dots on it if you want.

http://www.nasaproracing.com/news/944_spec_class.html

If I were slightly less married I'd be all over a deal like that...

Run it into the ground, finish last, and have fun!

LS1

'nough said

Mike

hows the motor? anygood?
i agree soup it up and race that mess.

Did you get a clear title?

I agree with what others have said for that kind of investment you could have a ball with the spec 944 group. no engine mods allowed just stock with interior ommit and a cage.

great buy!

Timing belt/water pump/seals, rollers/etc. NOW! Of course, that's gonna essentially quadruple your investment ......................... The Cap'n

You should spend $15,000 on NOS parts, bring it back to 100% stock, paint it and spend all your free time in the next year on it. Once you're done you can sell it to a collector for $6,500.00.

My first thought was ... "Renegade Conversion".
http://www.renegadehybrids.com/944/LS-1/LS-1.html

but then I read Crusty's thoughts and agree.



and like you said, you've already got too many projects. Or do you? LOL =)


This kit can go overboard though and suffer from "TMT"... "too much torque" so watch out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXcsC6vQgRg

Drive it like you stole it.......wait a minute, I guess you did steal it.

Good buy Tim. I still have some n/a parts around. if you need anything lat me know and I'll check. The parts bin is getting thin though

That's funny because the guy I bought it from was going to do the small block Chevy thing and decided it was too much trouble. I don't think he knew there was a kit.

The engine is supposed to run. He said it had bad miss on #4. The wire end was all broken up and someone had tried to tape it together. With no #4 wire, the alternator belt off, and a low battery I figured it was best to wait for better circumstances. Besides it was friggin COLD! My plan at this point is to get it running and see if there are any major bad noises. If it sounds OK I immediately put a new timing belt and water pump on it. That just sounds so wrong. Putting a water pump on a Porsche. EEEwwww!

I expect to be unemployed next year so I'm leaning towards making it a daily driver and selling my 2007 daily driver to get out from under the payments. I figure I could get the 944 on the road much sooner than the 914 and the 944 has A/C, cruise control, reliable heat, and power windows.

Thanks for the NASA spec 944 link. I saw someone else on the bird board was doing that but didn't have any data. Interesting idea.

I just got a tail light lens from e-bay. One of the rollers on the driver side window regulator is missing. There are no latches on the sunroof. I can just push it out of the hole with with my hands. The passenger seat is OK but needs a new cover. The foam on the drivers seat is shredded. I can't tell whether everything is a dingy color or if it's just really dirty. I'll know more after the holiday with some time to play. I hate the phone dial wheels. Even cookie cutters would be better. But now I'm getting ahead of myself.

Edit: Yes I have a clear title. 217k miles on the odometer. No documentation or history at all. The state inspection expired only 5 months ago so that's a plus.

Wow, Tim. This should be fun.

take it and set it on fire.
send it back to hell where it belongs.

so, uh, how do you really feel about water pumpers?

Nice find. There is a lot you can do to that for very little. I do agree with Cap'n on stuff to do right away.

Too bad your not any closer I have a 944T motor I could give you a good deal on.

Hide your wallet. That thing will be sniffing it out when you're not looking.

BTDT

Darn, I could have had a 928.

I'm finding that out already. A Porsche OEM ignition rotor is $124 at Pelican. $80 - $136 for 5 spark plug wires? Another $35 for a distributor cap?

Hey!

A $500 944 is really a $2500 944 and if you don't put the mulah into it, it'll quickly become a -$50 944 to have it removed for scrap.

It's been months since I visited, but there is a bone yard with some Porsches north of me. At any given time you can find 4-5 perfectly nice looking 944's that look like they should be on car lots with "Broken belt" writen on the windshield. Sad the cars have become that worthless because if you give me a stock 83' with manual SR and no PS, but it's a nice clean 944, I'm happy. They're nice cars. But not worth fixing up.

I still want another one some day. It's the only car to date that I've sold, and ended up regretting selling. I suspect the 914 would be the same way if I had the bad idea to sell it.

Wow! If you filled the tank its value will really would double

I not sure I agree with that statement. I loved my 88 944, only had it for a a year (last year) sold it to fund my 914 racecar project. I will have another one. I think they are just like any OLD car, it may not be worth the money to fix up, but then the same thing is said about the 914. I say if you like it spend the $$ if you have it and do it right. If not, sell it for a little profit.

I found $1.94 in change under the driver's seat so my total cost is now only $498.06.

I had an 84 944 that was one of the best cars I've had. I was lucky, the A/C worked great and it was very fast for an 84. I had it up to 140

T.C.

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Click to view attachment

Don't get me wrong, I'm not dissing the 944 at all. I really like them, the styling, the easy handling etc. I've owned a few and liked each one very much. Just saying around the PNW anyway, they have tanked so badly in value you can almost get rough condition/running examples for under $500 or nice non-running examples for $500. Sort of pick your poison.

I believe this is the bottom for 944's. As thier numbers decline and parts cars get crushed for scrap, thier values will being to increase over the years and I'll be one of those guys that said "Yeah, I use to have the coolest 944 once...."

So, purchase one of each and get one good one with lots of spare parts.

86 turbo way fast and fun.

I just got a call on a $5K 944 Turbo for sale. The cool thing is that it is an awesome $105K when new machine. The not so cool is that it'll take your cash faster than being married with kids.

Always loved the 944 look though.... but not enough to park one in my yard.

just to be a d*ck I wonder how many of the 944 detractors have ever actually OWNED one of them

I know it's the cool thing to do, by dissing on the water cooled Porsche, and most everyone is well aware of the problem areas on them ( usually a issue of improper maintenance ) BUT how much have you dumped into your 914 fixing RUST ?? I have yet to have a rust issue on a 944. I have seen them rust under the battery but no where else. Oh and how much $$ have you spent fixing some hack mechanics work on ytour 914 ??

In the end it's another really good car when right, and yes the values are starting to climb ever so slightly. Why the hell do you think A.A. now has a catalog for the 944 owner ?????????????

That's not possible.

that should be "it'll take your cash faster than your ex wife with kids"!!!

oh and your lawyer to deal with the ex!!!!!!!!

ive worked on too many to own one...
fun car. looks descent. isnt fast. handles kinda heavy.
not too bad when it works...

Next to the 914, the 944 is God's gift to mankind.

Keep the investment way low and you'll do alright.

Speaking of way low, I have a neighbor with a bunch of 944 parts stashed under his porch. Let me know what you need and I'll see if I can dig it out on the cheap. I'm after a set of fuchs he has under there and he'll be happy to see me pulling crap out to sell for him. He told me they were 911 parts and I got excited-nope, 944.

Any turbo parts under there ? I need a front bumper support and nose panel