Bored with my 944

dean1484 wrote: I think the best way to describe 944's is a love hate relashionship.

In my experience, that describes owning a German car in general... maybe a few others as well...

I find the 944 intriguing... although the buy-in price is still too high for me... although maybe I'll stop and look at the one I pass on the way the work that has been for sale for $4K for about a year now... was kinda sad when I saw it after the last snow storm... and the owner didn't even move it from the side of the driveway... he just buried the poor thing in snow...

GRM people are much better at finding cheap cars than me... I could really go for a crusty $1000 Miata right now...

Oh lord that 968 is sexy!! And I do like the lights. Something vaguely Aston Martinish about them. Rear wing actually suits it too, and I usually hate wings that are not on a Cosworth Sierra.

In reply to midknight:

The problem with 968s is that a contemporary 300ZX is a better car for less money.

The rear wing on that 968 is a semi factory piece. It is an 968 Turbo S adustable rear wing. The 968 Turbo S was a very limited productin Homologation special using the 3.0L motor and Turbo. Power was 305 hp and Torque was 350lbs or so. The interesting thing is that the power was well below what the car could do, but given the rules were the race cars were intened to run was plenty. Anyway along iwth Turbo S the developed the adjustable rear wing.

Not sure if that wing is real Turbo S wing or a replica. Either way that car looks nicely preppared.

Otto, I still go back to the idea of making the 86 944 a track car.

Here is my reasoning.

The normally aspriated 2.5L 8 valve 944 is not a fast car on the street any more. It can get out dragged by a Prius with a stuck accelerator pedal. Even so they make nice drivers, but can get stale after a time.

The cars are also not really collectable in any sense. They made a number of them and they will aways be overshadowed performance wise by the Turbo or 3.0L cars and since these cars are simply better.

However where the 944 comes into is own is on a race track. Not because of hp as it does not have that much, but as track rat. The virtue of the car is that BEACAUSE it is mostly a throw away car you can turn it into a track car and increase the fun and value.

My 84 944 was a junker 1 step away from being crushed when I got in 11 years ago. Really the thing was in bad shape and there was little point in doing anything with it. So it was pretty easy to build it into a track car. Well let me tell you that today it provides me more fun than any car I have every had. I beat the snot out of it at the rack and it just keeps going. It is not a powerhouse, but turns some very respectable lap times. Plus being so "worthless" I have no concerns about minor damage.

The point is that by tracking this car I have given it new lease on life and made it MORE valueable. At one time I had a very nice 84 944 show car. It won a number of conocur events, but was really too nice to drive. I got bored with concour and just drove it for while. It was ok, but then just sold it back othe original owner. Despite being nice and low miles it just did not excite me. Now turing that car into a track car was crime, but an average nice 944 that has turned stale? Nah... those cars are a dime a dozen so don't bother worrying. Just start tracking it.

OK, I am back from spring break now.

I like the track car idea. Do most people take out the interior for a track car? Any major upgrades required?

While I was away, a prospect came up. My father in law knows of a friend's Datsun 2000 for sale that has been mechanically reburbished and only requires a new paint job. $3000 is the price.

As you know the 944 has very little hp. So the best way to make it faster is put the car on a diet.

That makes the car fast and makes event the stock spring rates stiffer.

The major upgrades for the track really are just shocks, springs, and sway bars. Pull out 300lbs and put in 30 mm t-bars and 350-400 front springs and bang the car the car is a very tight nice handling car.

Beyond this you want to consider saftey gear and standard maintence work. The 944 NA is a solid platform and does not need alot of race mods. THe only weakness in stock form is no much hp (which weight reduction helps) and a soft suspension. A good driver in 944 NA on R-tires can easly pass 944 Turbos and even GT3's on the track if they are not driven well.