Might be time to go get the 944

[Dantilla]

I've got an '87 944S sitting in a warehouse, up on jack stands under a cover.
Been sitting there for about five years or so. Engine is full of oil. Kept pouring in quarts until it started dripping out.
Whenever I am there (it's about 400 miles away) I exercise the brake and clutch pedals.

Yesterday an '87 944S sold on Bring-a-Trailer for.... $21,750!

At this point, I won't even turn over the engine before replacing the belts & tensioners, but perhaps it's time to wake it from its slumber.
Mine is definately not a 20,000 car. But with values climbing, perhaps it's time to order a bunch of parts from Pelican and get it back on the road.

[Scott Douglas]

My brother and his son have picked up a couple of '44's in the past year or so. My nephew has turned one of them into his other Porsche (he has a 912). They bought it from Jim at EASY, replaced the crashed front fender, changed the seats, did the belts, clutch, brakes etc to get it safe and on the road. It has changed my brother's opinion of 944's. He LIKES it, which is saying a lot about a guy who is a died in the wool 911 type of guy.
Here's a picture of the next one in line...after the 924's are taken care of that is...another story for another time.

[rfuerst911sc]

Some folks look at 924's/944's as red headed step children but I liked my 87 944S . Unfortunately snapped a new timing belt and there she went . Would love a 944 LS conversion .

[Scott Douglas]

When I was commuting to work oh so long ago, there was a guy in a white 944 that I'd see occasionally in the mornings heading North on the 405, usually down here in the OC. He had a specialized plate on it but I can't recall what it was now.
Really a cool looking car as it had Fuchs that were a little wider than stock, I think, on it.

I haven't had a chance to drive my nephew's car but I'm pretty sure it would be very similar to my old '85 325e.

[Nostril Cheese]

Ill never understand why people love these cars.

[Scott Douglas]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

Ill never understand why people love these cars.

Have you ever driven one?

[onewhippedpuppy]

I had two 951s. They were great cars but I also don’t miss them.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

Have you ever driven one?

I worked on them for 20 years. No more. Everything on these cars is a needless compromise.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

sell!!! sell!!! sell!!!!

You won't miss it one bit.

[rusnak]

I have yearned for a 944 Turbo S 951 for years and years.

[porsche tech]

I got a 944 for my wife that she drove for a number of years (white w white Fuchs) and we enjoyed it. The coolest one I've seen in our shop was a Euro model 924S with aluminum control arms, 85/2 dash with climate control and even had a 993 remote for the power locks. It also had the weird cloth seat inserts like the early 928. A lady Army officer owned it. It was very unusual and I've never seen another one like it.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

Ill never understand why people love these cars.

I've never driven one, but they look like great cars. The guys that drive them at DEs I've been to have a great time.
But front engined, water cooled cars just don't say "Porsche" to me. I'll bet they even come with functional air conditioning.
I don't see paying the Porsche tax for a car without an air cooled engine behind the seat.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Great cars but quirky and definitely need regular attention. Fun as heck to drive. My 951 was very hungry for attention (it had many things neglected by previous owners and was a cheap pick-up as a result). I put a lot into it before garbage ethanol gasoline destroyed the fuel lines from the inside out and the resulting engine fire destroyed it. All things considered it was still worth it. I was able to get it to 350+ at the rear wheels with pretty inexpensive (under $3k) bolt-on mods and it was exhilarating. I was sad when it burned up but I don’t miss spending hours of my life fiddling with it and taking things apart for the upteenth time to retrieve some dropped bolt or washer. That said they are very stout and well-made and unlike the domestic garbage from that era were fantastic examples of how cars could be rust-free and very tight feeling.

The n/a cars are WAY more user friendly IMO. They can just be driven with far less regular futzing... but are not fast. Fun, but not fast.

I’d love to pick up an S2 cab or maybe a decent 968 at some point if I had the time and inclination to get back into the “fun car” game. Sadly I think I’m past the point in my life where I enjoy driving. It’s expensive and burdensome and more of a chore than anything else - and I have an adventure bike for fun. Maybe someday though... gotta figure out what to do with my 911 first... that’s mothballed back on the mainland waiting for “someday”

[fastfredracing]

Still love em . I have had bunches . 2 951's, and countless 944 cars . I like 86 and down, because you can still run fuchs on them .
Not that bad to work on , but definitely some silly german engineering in there . I will be finishing up an aborted timing belt , front seal job by another shop on one , right after the holidays .
I have a few friends hill climbing, and auto crossing in them .
They are too slow though . Id have to either LS one, or just put up for the turbo if I were to do another .
I should have held my turbo S . That was the pinnacle of that cars run in my opinion .
My good buddy who is not into euro cars , kept saying no way that little engine could be that fast. He has a 68 camaro 396 with a 4 speed . I took him out for a spin, and the whole time, he kept saying " holy sheet, holy sheet, this thing flies " I think he got if after that .
I always liked the 16 valve cars too ! I like the odd stuff .

[rfuerst911sc]

Fred I am curious why can't Fuchs be run on 87 and later ? Different bolt spacing ?

[LEAKYSEALS951]

^offset

130x5 bolt pattern same.
Also, turbo calipers get big enough to need modification to fit within 16 fuchs.
I've done it, but very involved.

[Dantilla]

I have owned a handful of 944s.
Still have the ITS-class I raced with the SCCA.
944 Turbo. Phenomenal car, but suffers from turbo lag, and it was obviously geared for the autobahn, not US highways. 5th gear is useless below 70 mph.
944 S2. I won a bunch of autocrosses with this car. Played cat & mouse with a Mustang one night, Mustang driver pointed to a parking lot, where we stopped and chatted.
"What have you done to this car? I've never had anybody climb up to my bumper like that!"
He was shocked to fond out it was only a 4-cylinder. And bone stock.
"You know haw much money I've spent on this thing to get it to go fast?" ...as he was shaking his head in disbelief.
968. Didn't own it, but drove a friend's quite a bit, both street and autocross. Very similar to the S2.

This 944S- I think my favorite daily driver of all time.

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

Ill never understand why people love these cars.

- Seating position. I get in a 944, and it is as if they built the car around me. Every control is exactly where my hand expects it. Excellent visibility.
-Neutral handling. Easy to drive the car hard. Very forgiving. Such wonderful balance. Just like a Cayman, get the tail to step out a bit, and one can steer the car with nothing but throttle. Such fun for occasional hooliganism.
-Practical. The huge storage area under the rear hatch has been put to good use.
Tons of Porsche parts and building materials have been in the back of this car.
Had a friend call- "Dan, I saw a Porsche at Home Depot with an air compressor and hoses in the back. Was that you?"
I dunno, Probably.
-Adequate power. Driving huge horsepower cars on the track is massively satisfying.
400+ horsepower on street cars begins to lose its luster for me, as I can step on the gas for only a few seconds before committing a felony.
Much more enjoyable to drive in a spirited fashion.

I bought this car to turn it into another race car. at 2498 (or is it 2489?) cc displacement, it still qualifies for the "Under 2.5 Liter" classes, but breathes exceptionally well at high RPMs with the 16-valve head.

Started driving it on the street and never got around to ripping out the interior and welding in a roll cage. Too much fun as a street car.

...and does a guy really need two race cars?

[scotricker]

I can't believe it, no one has posed the question to the OP, " is it well set-up ? "

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Evidently, "well set up" is still a couple of mph slower than a panamera at the track (in certain sections)

...and on that bombshell....

(also- completely agree with dantilla on 944 turbo gearing. fwiw- I hauled a dishwasher home in mine. Also made a jig and it could carry 4x8 plywood/sheetrock for short distances, and I've camped in the back, but I wouldn't recommend it.)

[Fast Freddy 944]

944 purchase, Have fun, don't see many on the road today, but if you can get it sorted you will have a pretty cool car.