What would Jesus do? 944 vs '89 Formula vs Starquest?

Ok, first of all I'm sorry but I'm completely torn and need some 3rd party perspective. So I bring you yet another thread with the subject of "which car"?

Option 1 is an '89 Formula 350 with a survivor instint that has never let me down, I've owned this car since 2001 and have never had much trouble with it. The good thing is that I already own it. It has SLP headers, Magnaflow catback, AC deleted, delsphere panhard, airfoil, and bilsteins on the rear. Now the bad is it has a 700r4 slushbox, a blown out rearend, and let's face it, F-body brakes suck! On top of that I've had a couple kids so the car has taken a backseat and has sat in storage the last 4 years. I love the way this car drives but she's starting to ge a little cancer, T5's are cheap but weak. TKO's cost what the cars worth and then there is the cost of swapping to C5 brakes.

I vote option 1!

Widebody Starquest!!!!

944 is my favorite of the bunch, but a car that you know and already own is almost always the best option.

Option 1 will be the most reliable... even in its current form :)

Wasn't there a big brake setup on the front of 3rd gen's if you ticked the right boxes on the order sheet?

All three of those seem like good options but they're older cars now, so it would be part project part restoration. Starquest seems highly interesting but I think I'd plan on a head and intake/ECU swap to get rid of the crack-prone factory head and the throttle body injection, with a side of Megasquirt & Spark/EDIS.

944 is probably the most "classy" of the three. Really can't go wrong here.

Option 1!!!

Probably the cheapest route too. There are tons of aftermarket (and junkyard!!!) solutions for just about anything on that car you can think of. More 3rd gens need to be out on the tracks.

Now the Quest is a rust free, no sunroof, taken apart basketcase that will need a lot of work to put back together. A close friend offered it to me for cheap. I have owned an 89 SHP car in the past and these cars are fun and man I miss a turbo. The good is that it's a 5spd, has factory excellent brakes, and I would have access to 2 parts cars and a slew of parts. Would need to replace turbo, wiring, and motor rebuild would be in order. I would have acess also to an SHP parts car. The bad is that these cars are possessed and finicky! If I built one again it would have a standalone EMS. Three words though. Wide body and boost!

Turbo the Formula.

You won't miss the turbo then. Hell, throw two on there while you're at it!

I would say stick with the Formula. It will be the cheapest to fix the problems and it seems like you have a connection with the car.

Option 3 is the Porsche and by far the hardest to convince the wife of. Would get a boosted car without the starquest injection headaches, and personally favored in looks over the quest, just seems more timeless. Has ton's of aftermarket and club support. Although I'm unfamiliar with the platform and in the long run parts and maintenance would be the highest. Is seems to be the best out of the box option though. However for the boost fix I do have a new in box never used turbo that could be used on the bird.

Get one of each?

I had an '89 Conquest that I swapped a 351-W into. It can be done, but to be honest, an LSx swap would be cheaper, easier, lighter, and make more power in the long run. LOL

Jesus told me he drives a older Peugeot. Something about penance. Go figure.

Jesus would probably ride some ass.

I always figured Jesus would ride a Ducati 998.

pres589 wrote: Wasn't there a big brake setup on the front of 3rd gen's if you ticked the right boxes on the order sheet?

Ah yes, the unicorn 1LE brakes. By checking cloth seats, no AC, and I think std radio. You got slightly better than stock brakes that are arguably on par with LS1 factory brakes. For the same cost if not cheaper you can swap C5/C6 stuff and never have caliper issues. However, Those cars also received lighter bumper supports, a baffled tank, and I can't remember what all suspension stuff. I think factory Bilsteins.

pres589 wrote: I always figured Jesus would ride a Ducati 998.

Na, Triumph Triple (Father, Son, Holy Ghost)

So one of each, and a TT kit for the bird. See that's the advise I can completely agree with! Can anyone else help me convince the wife?

Conquest351 wrote: I had an '89 Conquest that I swapped a 351-W into. It can be done, but to be honest, an LSx swap would be cheaper, easier, lighter, and make more power in the long run. LOL

The idea to LSx this car has crossed our minds before. Actually it's the reason it became the shell it is now. He just lost motivation to see it through and sold off the donor car. Me personally the turbo 4 is what gives the starquest it's personality.

Starquest hands down, they're possessed, but damn are they fun

I just realized that I've sort-of owned all of these choices. I have an 86 944 now (N/A, 5-Speed, LSD, Sport Suspension), and I used to own an 89 Camaro (RS, V6, 5-Speed), and a few DSM's but I spent some time driving and wrenching on my Grandad's late wide-body Turbo Starion (Auto).

The 3rd Gen F-bodies are neat, but they don't hold a candle to the 4th Gen in handling/driving dynamics, plus they are heavy. That said, I nearly sold all my crap to get a 90 Dark Green hardtop Formula 1LE...

I've also lusted after a Starquest, but the TBi and OE heads are total turn-offs and I'm already over the 25-year-old obscure turbo car phase (Turbo Coupe TBird's, XR4Ti, Talon TSi, Probe GT, etc).

I think the 951 would be your best bet from a get-in-and-drive prospective. They are fast and handle well out of the box, unlike the other two, and still have great aftermarket support.

But if you're looking for a project, do the Formula up. JY 5.3, Mustang T45, 4th Gen brakes, Strano suspension...

yamaha wrote: Starquest hands down, they're possessed, but damn are they fun

I honestly think this was the most fun car I ever owned. Also the biggest PITA. My last one was an '89 5spd artic white SHP with non-jv marnel head, aftermarket mystery cam, not sure what it was but it wasn't stock, exhaust, DP, and 17-18# on a super 16g. Did some serious weight reduction on it too.

I've never has so many odd reactions to a car, from the wtf is that's, to the mistaken hey nice Porche comments. The best was a race against a fox body where the passenger was doggin it at one stop light and the next light after a cruiseship win, he was yelling out of the window asking wtf is that thing? That's turbo'd? Holy explitive that's fast!

Third Gen F Body all the way. Not the lightest or the most unique but it will be the cheapest to own, easiest to increase power in and "fastest" in a straight line. They can lose a ton of weight (looking for a set of manual window doors and adding an aftermarket power window kit was my favorite way to save about a kajillion pounds) If you want to add huge reliable power an LSx swap is like ten bolts away. The Achilles Heel is the exhaust routing which I suggest bypassing with a pair of Holsets and "BOOM HOLES" (copyright Team Gutty 2009) coming out the fender dog leg ;)

Javelin wrote: The 3rd Gen F-bodies are neat, but they don't hold a candle to the 4th Gen in handling/driving dynamics, plus they are heavy. That said, I nearly sold all my crap to get a 90 Dark Green hardtop Formula 1LE...

Dude I think my auto/V6 car weighed 3100 or so from the factory. A bit more with the V8 we swapped in, but heavy? It's like 1000 lb lighter than the current Camaro.