If you could...

[auh]

If you had unlimited resources to spend just on upgrades to your porsche what would you do?

Personally, I would put a Cayenne turbo engine with a GT2 tranny and some low profile tires. Who needs a wilks chip with that combo?

[bluebullet]

I'd buy a 959. Who needs a cayenne turbo engine and a GT2 tranny with that

[Moneyguy1]

Sticking with the 944 geometry, I would engineer a way to install a late model VW narrow V engine, upgrade all the wiring, replace the rear hatch with a more rational design, relocate the rear view mirrors to the windows like more modern designs and have the original holes sealed. I would probably leave the brakes alone; they are more than adequate for general street use. Since I have the early model, I would also have the alarm keyhole welded over, remove the antenna and install a Passat/Jetta type roof antenna.

[auh]

actually, there is a kit on rennbay todo that jetta style antenna

[MoonBoy]

Install the motor, tranny, suspension, brakes, interior, and rear hatch from a 968 Turbo S. Also get a euro front and rear bumper. Is that too much to ask?

[Moneyguy1]

Would really like to get rid of the 944 engine in any of its iterations..too many engineering problems that never were resolved completely.

Think waterpump, balance shafts/belts, interference design w/ probable expensive belt failure, limited access to many parts/sensors, cooling problems, the list goes on.

Body design (except for the rear hatch) is timeless. Still looks good.

[Brando]

I'd get a 968. Best of the FE-watercooleds.

[tifosiman]

I love these "dream a little dream" posts!

Here's what I would do:

1. Sell my 944.
2. Find a low-mileage 968, preferably in black. Sunroof Delete would be a bonus, but not likely on a US-spec model.
3. Drop it off at PowerHaus in Arizona to have the 3.0 TurboS motor conversion done to it.
4. Delete the torsion bars, and outfit the suspension with Ledas to approx a 400lb effective spring rate on the front and rear. Add in weltmeister front and rear sway bars. 968 M030 brakes.
5. Interior: remove most of the power garbage, add a nice set of 964RS or 968CS seats, and a Matter Cage copy (or a real one if I got so lucky).
6. Exterior: Add the 968 TRS rear wing, front bumper cover, splitter, and venting on the hood.
7. Wheels: 3-pc 3.6 turbo wheels.

That would be about perfect. Should look something like this (except for the red calipers and bumper trim that are in this pic, I would prefer black calipers and no rear US-spec bumper trim) :

[mattdavis11]

Get it back to brand new condition.

[AznDrgn]

I want a copy of tifo's car but with different rims.

[Lawrence Coppari]

Originally posted by Moneyguy1
Would really like to get rid of the 944 engine in any of its iterations..too many engineering problems that never were resolved completely.

Think waterpump, balance shafts/belts, interference design w/ probable expensive belt failure, limited access to many parts/sensors, cooling problems, the list goes on.

Body design (except for the rear hatch) is timeless. Still looks good.

Can't agree with this other than shape is timeless. Mine has 153K miles on it, puts out considerably more hp/torque than stock, and has run over 50 DE's in 7 years. Never a belt failure, no cooling problems (especially now with second oil cooler which is only needed for track events). The water pump was replaced at 120K. Turbo was replaced at 95K with a bigger on to make it go faster. It's on its third distributor cap/rotor.

The lack of an expansion joint on the 1 - 4 header was an oversight.

[bryanthompson]

Originally posted by mattdavis11
Get it back to brand new condition.

Same here. Us 83 guys are pretty easy to please

[Dave L]

Turbo front end, Fikse wheels, glass sunroof, decent stereo

[Moneyguy1]

Bryant..

The basic engine design is OK..well, except for the #2 rod bearing problem, but the front end of the engine is a disaster. I don't like the idea of having balance shafts with their attendant seals, belts, bearings, etc. (an in line five would have eliminated that) and I would have much preferred to see a chain drive for the timing. Changing the clutch is far more difficult on the 44 than on most other cars, solved, so I hear on the 968 iteration.

What started, according to legend as "Let's cut a 928 engine in half" turned into something where few parts were actually used in the '44 from the '28. Hence the "need" for a $500 tool for setting the tension on the timing belt. No other car, in my experience (and I could be wrong) requires such a tool. I wish they had cut it in half the other way and made a V4!! That would have been sweet!!!!

Respectfully,

[speedracing944]

Hmmmmm. Option1) Take my 83 and add all the 968 goodies like brakes, suspension, engine, tranny but keep the car simple with the manual sunroof, seats and door locks. Look for places to lighten the car and drill holes. It would be fun to have a 2600 lb car with full interior sporting 240 of N/A power.

Option 2)(don't kill me!!!!!!) remove the motor out of the front of the car and weld in a floor. Use the front as the trunk. Cut out the rear trunk and maybe the back seat. Slam a twin turbo 3.6L 911 motor in the back ahead of the rear axle to turn it into a mid engine 420 HP screemer. Keep the glass hatch to show the motor off in all its glory.
This is fun!

Speedy

[sasquatch]

Find a way to wedge the V12 from my BMW into my 944...