Cross-country road trip in the 924S sometime in the foreseeable future

[irish44j]

(This is a carbon-copy of my thread on Grassroots Motorsports forum, but figured it might be of interest to people here and/or people here may have good suggestions and advice). Feel free to comment here or on the GRM forum if you're a member there!

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I've gone cross-country twice in a car. Once in 1975 when I was one year old, riding in the back of an Audi 80 from Newport RI to Seattle. Then back the other way in 1979 when I was four, riding shotgun in a 1970 Triumph GT6 with my mom driving (and my dad and little brother in the same Audi 80, towing a sailboat). I ended up owning that GT6 and always wanted to go cross-country in it, but never felt that the car would be that fun (or safe) to do it in, in this day of fast traffic and big SUVs everywhere.

So I sold the GT6 and bought a 1987 Porsche 924S for $1k on craigslist. Well, more accurately I bought two for $1k each. One with a good body and interior but a blown engine, and the other with a good engine and crap everything else. Put them together and now I have an '87-bodied car with the desirable 160hp '88 engine. Over the past year-plus I've been refurbishing it, and making it better (while keeping it mostly stock), and it has turned into my favorite road-trip car. So far I've put up to about 500 miles on it in a day with basically no issues other than a few miinor things. I consider ever-increasing "local" road trips here on the east coast as shakedowns, to find the problems and build trust. My ultimate goal is to do a cross-country-and-back trip to visit places and friends, someday when money and time (and family) allows.

So anyhow, this is a thread I'm starting now and will maybe finish in a few years, in which I'll occasionally talk about the car (otherwise detailed in my e30/924 build thread in that section), talk about plans, solicit ideas, and stuff like that. More importantly, I need it to keep myself motivated to actually DO this someday. I'm by nature both adventurous and cautious at once (I carry way too many tools and spares on road trips already), and do have real-life limitations ($400k+ left on my mortgage, wife, and two kids) that make this all a tall order for me to actually pull off. Plus the thing about how much time I can take, and who or if anyone would come with me (my wife is not that kind of adventurer, plus not sure we could survive each other for that much time together haha).

The "general" goal, since I've been up and down the east coast many, many times, is to start at my house in the Washington DC area, and end up somewhere in the Pacific NW, drive down the west coast via PCH, and then drive back across the country by a different route. I'm notoriously a "goal-driven" road tripper: "most efficient" way from point A to point B and not good at making impromptu stops to see cool things. So I'm going to try to change all that.....take my time, see the sights, and not be in a rush to get anyplace. I've knocked some things off the bucket list (road racing, stage rally - which I continue to do), but this is the one thing that always stays in the back of my mind -especially as I see my friend Chris Nonack and other friends taking epic trips.

The idea of fly-and-drive is certainly more time-efficient, but I love the build as much as the driving and really want to do this in MY car, this car that I bought specifically for long-distance touring. So, bear with me as this thread starts SLLLOOOOOOOWWWLY and maybe someday gets interesting.

[irish44j]

As this thread proceeds, I'm going to be hitting a few key categories:

1. Time. Time isn't *really* an issue. I don't take long vacations, so I have a lot of (paid) work leave on tap to take whenever. Taking 3-4 weeks off is doable with some light planning. My wife and kids go to the beach with her parents for 3 weeks each year (I rarely go), so that would be a good time to make the trip without disturbing family life too much.

2. Money. Money is what I don't have a lot of to spare, especially if I want to keep doing stage rallies here and there (which are not at all cheap). First order of business is to quit a few bad/expensive habits (no,nothing illegal) that probably would free up the budget for a trip like this.

3. Car prep. As it sits, most of the big reliability items are good. Since I built the car last year, it has a new clutch, new engine bearings, new timing/balance shaft belts, water pump, and hoses. Most of the things that are trouble points on these cars. I also now have working A/C, which is a huge plus. Almost everything works on this car. I'm tracking down the last few rain leaks (mostly sunroof-related) and a few minor electrical gremlins, but generally consider the car reliable at this point. One major outstanding issue (and my next project) is to replace the original fuel lines into the engine bay, which are dated 1984!!! I also want to get better seats. The stock 924 seats just don't fit me well and I dislike them after a few hours. Looking into options (boxster seats, perhaps). Gotta be comfy. I know from the internet that a ton of people have done this trip in old 944s, and this is the same car mechanically so I'm confident the car can do it as long as I prepare it well.

4. Car "trip" prep. How to pack stuff I need. Shouldn't be an issue. These cars have an amazing amount of cargo and storage space. Two deep wells in the back for gallon jugs of coolant/oil. Full-size spare (replacing the mini collapsable one), huge hatchback area. And I'm going to remove the useless rear seats and build a form-fit storage area in their place, to hold tools and other "on the road" gear, spare parts, etc. Do I get a roof rack and a little cargo box? probably not needed, but do I want to carry a tent to camp, or are cheap hotels the way to go? I do like a real bed and a shower. I like adventure, but not a huge camping type. Again, we'll see.

5. Planning. I have a general start and route in mind, but will want to find the best drives and places that I've always wanted to see.

6. Co-driver. Do it alone? Take a friend one way or both ways? We'll see if anyone wants to do it, or can, once the time gets closer.

[irish44j]

TOOLS AND PARTS

The plan will be to build a self-enclosed compartment replacing the rear seat area in this car that will hold tools and a selection of spare parts. I have a good idea of what tools to bring to do most anything on this car other than major repairs, and that'll all fit in a smallish tool bag. Obviously will want to keep the total weight down, so nothing too beefy. The car has a lot of hidden storage space and a lot of hatchback space, so can probably take a good bit of stuff as long as it isn't heavy stuff.

Tools:

Basically, the kit we carry in the stage rally car, except with a couple different socket sizes for Porsche vs. e30





Spare parts:

- A few light bulbs

- Good full-size spare that I can run for long-distance

- If there's one heavy-ish thing that might be worth bringing, perhaps a spare alternator. I have a newer one on the car, but not sure how difficult it would be to source one in rural America. Will have to see how much crossover there is with basic VW parts here. At very least, perhaps some alternator repair parts (new brush, etc).

- An extra of all belts.

- Any coolant hoses that would be hard to find at a random auto parts store - though the hoses on this car are all fairly basic designs, so that may not be an issue. At least, a big roll of hose repair tape for emergency use.

- perhaps a front and a rear wheel bearing



Fluids:

- Gallon of coolant/water

- Gallon of oil (this car does burn a quart every couple thousand of miles). Buy a filter when I reach the west coast and do an oil change!

- Small bottles of other fluids that may be needed.



Supplies:

- Small box of various tape (electrical, aluminum, duct, hose repair)

- JB weld, epoxy, silicone

- wiring and wiring connectors/soldering stuff

- A big tarp

[irish44j]

CAR "TO DO" List before this trip happens:

1. Engine bay fuel lines (replace). Because I don't trust 30-year old fuel lines running 40+psi. This is the first order of business, waiting for Len to finish his move so he can make them for me.

2. Regrease CV axles (inner and outer)

3. Build cargo/gear enclosure to replace back seat

4. Figure out a way to add a couple of cupholders up front. Because Germans....

5. Possibly add oil cooler

6. Track down a single D90 wheel and buy a good matching tire to put on it

7. Fix crack in washer reservoir

8. Think about re-installing cruise control and see if it actually works (will need a switch to control it)

9. Get some nice plush floormats for up front

10. Install 1" steering wheel spacer for better wheel position

11. Calibrate fuel gauge

12. Replace fuel filler hose to get rid of fuel smell with full tank

13. Rebuild window switches so they're more reliable, if that's even possible

14. Get windows tinted (35%)

15. Think about indexing rear suspension higher to compensate for cargo weight and/or upgrade torsion bar to slightly stiffer

16. Add a lower front valence spoiler to reduce front-end lift at high speeds

17. ????

[edredas]

Awesome! I just got back from a cross-country trip in my 1988 924S. I went from Charlotte to Los Angeles with a bunch of stops along the way. I racked up about 7k miles in all. It was 120 degrees in the desert, but my car did great and I had a lot of fun. Good Luck!

Here's a picture of my car at the Salton Sea, California. I have a thread on 924 board if anyone would like to see more pics! 924Board.org :: View topic - Cross Country in my 924S

[irish44j]

Originally Posted by edredas

Awesome! I just got back from a cross-country trip in my 1988 924S. I went from Charlotte to Los Angeles with a bunch of stops along the way. I racked up about 7k miles in all. It was 120 degrees in the desert, but my car did great and I had a lot of fun. Good Luck!

Here's a picture of my car at the Salton Sea, California. I have a thread on 924 board if anyone would like to see more pics! 924Board.org :: View topic - Cross Country in my 924S

excellent. I'm happy to find plenty of threads of people doing this kind of trip. It's easy to think that a 30-year old Porsche may not be the most reliable thing in the world, but these stories give me confidence. My calculated route is looking like about 7k miles as well.

Also, since I will likely pass the Salton Sea, now I'm going to have to make an effort to take a clone of your picture haha....

Any specific thoughts about things you wish you'd done? With the car, prep, etc?

[edredas]

This car is also my daily driver so they're very reliable cars if they're well taken care of! Two years ago I went through and replaced the head gasket since it was original, water pump, oil cooler seals, belts, rollers, front main seal, cam seal, balance-shaft seals, and their collars. I even replaced both axles. So it was up to date on all the maintenance which is very important with any cars this age and honestly I'm not even sure I would try to do such a trip in any other car of this vintage.

I drove 14 hours some days and left the car idling in the desert while I went off and took pictures. I also had to deal with hours of sitting in LA traffic yet she never missed a beat! You'd be hard pressed to find any car that could have taken the abuse that I put this one through!

That said, everything works on this car including the A/C and cruise which I repaired before leaving. For the trip I only brought basic tools and made sure I had a electric pump for the spare tire.

The only issue that I had was from a few relays/fuses and the A/C belt broke outside Vegas. I think all of this was due to the heat. My phone didn't work most of the time and if I tried to charge it the fuse would blow. So bring plenty of fuses and spare relays of every kind especially fan relays if you're planning on using the A/C. I also brought a few homemade jumpers just in case. The wiring in these cars is fine but needs to be seriously upgraded to handle the heat out in the desert. Also the alternator belt didn't take well to the heat and the stress of running the A/C so bring spare belts. I had a spare belt in the car when I went to Florida last year but wasn't there when I needed it, luckily a local 944 owner in Vegas just happened to have one! That was the only time I needed any tools...

The rest of the trip was mostly uneventful. In Sub-100 degree weather my car sits at the first white line but out in the desert where it was nearly 120 it was at the third mark constantly. The heat coming off the asphalt felt like a 400 blast furnace hitting you in the face so you couldn't roll the windows down. With the A/C on it was still about 80 degrees inside since the system can only shed about 40 degrees off the outside temp. Running the A/C meant keeping a close eye on the temp gauge since it was very close to the red. Lots of signs out there tell you to turn off the A/C to avoid overheating since that heat from the condenser is being dumped in front of the radiator which is struggling enough with the extremely hot air coming off the road. I didn't over heat which says a lot about these cars since a lot of cars were broken down everywhere!

So if you have the chance, go through the cooling and electrical system and make sure its solid! Those seem to be the two weak spots and the desert will exploit them.

That said, everything went well. Again, Belts, fuses and relays are all you'll need it the car is in good shape. I planned on going to Europe next year but I had such a good time doing this I'm thinking about doing it again!

I'm currently making a few videos on the trip... they're not really about the trip but mostly just using the footage to make some short stories with different themes. Here's a trailer: https://www.facebook.com/192753884577/videos/10157948472999578/

[pfarah]

I also embarked on a long journey 2 yrs ago with my 84 944. Started in New England (Mass), drove down I-95 to NJ Turnpike and got off the first exit south of the Delaware Memorial Bridge. From there, I drove on secondary roads through each mid-atlantic state down through Georgia until I hit the Florida Keys. After seeing family and catching up with some long lost friends, I headed back to Western Georgia, hung out in Atlanta, drove through Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and headed the back way (through NY into Mass) home. At the end, I spent 21 days on the road, drove through 18 states and covered just over 5K miles. I performed a major belt service just before leaving so I shacked up at a buddy's house in Myrtle Beach to perform the re-tension at the 1,200 mile mark.

Issues along the trip: While re-tensioning the belts, I noticed that the brand new timing belt guide roller was seized so one was shipped overnight to where I was staying. And, I lost low beam headlights in Virginia Beach which was the result of a bad fuse. Other than that, she ran like a dream, averaging 30 MPG without the AC and 25 MPG with it on.

I wouldn't hesitate to drive to California right now (ok, maybe I'll put some new tires on her before my next voyage). I wish you well in your quest!!

[irish44j]

Originally Posted by edredas

This car is also my daily driver so they're very reliable cars if they're well taken care of! Two years ago I went through and replaced the head gasket since it was original, water pump, oil cooler seals, belts, rollers, front main seal, cam seal, balance-shaft seals, and their collars. I even replaced both axles. So it was up to date on all the maintenance which is very important with any cars this age and honestly I'm not even sure I would try to do such a trip in any other car of this vintage.

Good stuff. I have recently done almost all of those things (and will rebuild/re-boot the axles this winter).

Originally Posted by edredas

That said, everything works on this car including the A/C and cruise which I repaired before leaving. For the trip I only brought basic tools and made sure I had a electric pump for the spare tire.

Good to hear. I actually switched to a full-size spare (in the same position as the collapsible spare) mostly because no way I trust a 30-year-old collapsible spare!

Originally Posted by edredas

The only issue that I had was from a few relays/fuses and the A/C belt broke outside Vegas. I think all of this was due to the heat. My phone didn't work most of the time and if I tried to charge it the fuse would blow. So bring plenty of fuses and spare relays of every kind especially fan relays if you're planning on using the A/C. I also brought a few homemade jumpers just in case. The wiring in these cars is fine but needs to be seriously upgraded to handle the heat out in the desert. Also the alternator belt didn't take well to the heat and the stress of running the A/C so bring spare belts. I had a spare belt in the car when I went to Florida last year but wasn't there when I needed it, luckily a local 944 owner in Vegas just happened to have one! That was the only time I needed any tools...

Cool, I'm already in the habit of carrying a spare of all belts for my cars (which I started doing in my stage rally e30), as well as spare electrical relays, etc (e30 electronics aren't much better than old Porsche!). I already wired up an override switch for the radiator fans running off a regular store-bought relay direct to the battery - so if the $$$ stock ones go bad I can at least run it directly.

I also have a dedicated circuit from the battery for multi-USB plugs to run electronics (this is what we do with all our rally electronics on the e30 as well), which gives me a bit more peace of mind of not over-loading the old stock wiring.

Originally Posted by edredas

The rest of the trip was mostly uneventful. In Sub-100 degree weather my car sits at the first white line but out in the desert where it was nearly 120 it was at the third mark constantly. The heat coming off the asphalt felt like a 400 blast furnace hitting you in the face so you couldn't roll the windows down. With the A/C on it was still about 80 degrees inside since the system can only shed about 40 degrees off the outside temp. Running the A/C meant keeping a close eye on the temp gauge since it was very close to the red. Lots of signs out there tell you to turn off the A/C to avoid overheating since that heat from the condenser is being dumped in front of the radiator which is struggling enough with the extremely hot air coming off the road. I didn't over heat which says a lot about these cars since a lot of cars were broken down everywhere!

I was already considering sticking another small SPAL pusher fan in front of the AC condenser since they move some serious CFMs compared to 1980s stock fans. Now I think I definitely will! Thanks!

Also, love the videos. So did you take a drone with you?

[irish44j]

Originally Posted by pfarah

I also embarked on a long journey 2 yrs ago with my 84 944. Started in New England (Mass), drove down I-95 to NJ Turnpike and got off the first exit south of the Delaware Memorial Bridge. From there, I drove on secondary roads through each mid-atlantic state down through Georgia until I hit the Florida Keys. After seeing family and catching up with some long lost friends, I headed back to Western Georgia, hung out in Atlanta, drove through Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and headed the back way (through NY into Mass) home. At the end, I spent 21 days on the road, drove through 18 states and covered just over 5K miles. I performed a major belt service just before leaving so I shacked up at a buddy's house in Myrtle Beach to perform the re-tension at the 1,200 mile mark.

Issues along the trip: While re-tensioning the belts, I noticed that the brand new timing belt guide roller was seized so one was shipped overnight to where I was staying. And, I lost low beam headlights in Virginia Beach which was the result of a bad fuse. Other than that, she ran like a dream, averaging 30 MPG without the AC and 25 MPG with it on.

I wouldn't hesitate to drive to California right now (ok, maybe I'll put some new tires on her before my next voyage). I wish you well in your quest!!

Thanks. I have about 2k miles on all the new timing and balance shaft belts/pulleys/etc. I should probably re-tension now that I think of it.

Side note: I got near 29mpg on my last 500-mile trip up I-95 with AC full blast and running at around 70-75mph the whole way, which I was pretty impressed with.

[irish44j]

Originally Posted by edredas

I planned on going to Europe next year but I had such a good time doing this I'm thinking about doing it again!

hah, well when I'm finally ready to do this, I'll have to hit you up and see if you're on the road someplace out there already!

[edredas]

Nice! I have about 12 spare wheels laying around with new tires and had considered using one as a full size spare but my space saver looked to be in good shape and was so much lighter so I just decided to stick with it. That said, I didn't have any trouble, but just last week one of the rear tires developed a knot so I swapped it out. I think those tires had around 75k way, so no big loss but a full size spare is nice to have! Finding a tire or just having to stop in general can be a big hassle when your on the road.

I also installed a multi-usb hub in the glove box back when I first got the car and had almost completely forgot about it! I was kicking myself not not having a multi-port in the cigarette lighter then I suddenly remembered it was there! It really came in handy on the trip since I could charge multiple devices and the fuse never blew so it was a real life saver!

Yeah, I think the stock fans are pretty good, but we've come a long way in 30 years. I was thinking that modern radiator fans would probably use far less amps and move more air than the stock. Which would not only help the car run cooler in extreme heat but take a huge load off the electrical system. That would help a lot. You're idea might be even better or maybe a combination of the two!

Yup, I brought my drone! It pretty much goes wherever I go now, its my favorite new toy!

Sounds good! I was actually asking people if they wanted to drive cross-country with me, but I didn't get many responses. I did meet up with a few 944 owners along the way though! Maybe we should plan something like this and see who else can join us!

[pfarah]

Any member here having plans to visit New England, especially within the Cape Cod region, are welcome to crash at my home. My wife and I live just a few miles from the Cape in Plymouth. It's a beautiful area, especially in the fall.

[John_AZ]

Great replies.

Track down the fuel smell. You have posted you plan to replace the filler hose.
Park the car on a decent slope--passenger side lower. Watch for drips from full tank.

Check the voltage regulator brushes, only $15 for a decent new VR online.

Calibrate fuel gauge? Instead pull the tank fuel sender and clean the very, very thin "silver" wire. (Any visible gas drops near the fuel sender?)

Repair to OEM window switches always fails. Get new aftermarket.. URO works and about $20 each online.

Aside from a spare '88 ECU, you are good to go!

John

[SolReaver]

AAA membership card and spare DME relay.

[irish44j]

Originally Posted by John_AZ

Great replies.

Track down the fuel smell. You have posted you plan to replace the filler hose.
Park the car on a decent slope--passenger side lower. Watch for drips from full tank.

Check the voltage regulator brushes, only $15 for a decent new VR online.

Calibrate fuel gauge? Instead pull the tank fuel sender and clean the very, very thin "silver" wire. (Any visible gas drops near the fuel sender?)

Repair to OEM window switches always fails. Get new aftermarket.. URO works and about $20 each online.

Aside from a spare '88 ECU, you are good to go!

John

Yeah, I know it's a possibility that the tank will have the little crack on the top like they all seem to. I'm not sure I'm going to drop the tank and replace it, since everyone seems to say that repairs never last anyhow. We'll see. The fuel filler stuff I'll replace regardless, just because it's old and I should.

Fuel sender leaked at the top when I got the car, but now has new seals/O-rings on it and no evidence of further leaking. I did pull it and clean it (I do it annually on my e30, which has basically the same sender design). The gauge works fine, but at full tank it reads 2/3rds, at half tank it reads 1/4 or so, and at under half a tank it reads near empty. I know the warning light works correctly though. So not sure what the deal is.

I'll check out the Uro switches. I've found that the window switches are easy to pop open, clean the contacts, and bend the contact "springs" a bit and then they work fine for another 6 months. The fix takes like 5 minutes, so not a real big issue. All of them currently work perfectly as of today.

Yeah, I currently have a spare '87 ECU, which will work in a pinch but definitely not tuned right for the '88 engine. Need to track a second one down for sure.

Originally Posted by SolReaver

AAA membership card and spare DME relay.

The P/o of this car left like 10 spare DME relays in the glove box, seriously. And AAA for sure, have had it for years. I drive a 1985 BMW rally car TO events sometimes....gotta have that tow when I don't bring it on the trailer

[Pauld_94S2]

"The "general" goal, since I've been up and down the east coast many, many times, is to start at my house in the Washington DC area, and end up somewhere in the Pacific NW, drive down the west coast via PCH, and then drive back across the country by a different route. "

Something very important to remember: No matter where you are, or what the difficulty might be, there is a huge family of enthusiasts here and I'm sure that any help, parts, or advice you might need on your trip is only a moment, phone call, or posting away!

Best of luck!

[irish44j]

Originally Posted by Pauld_94S2

"The "general" goal, since I've been up and down the east coast many, many times, is to start at my house in the Washington DC area, and end up somewhere in the Pacific NW, drive down the west coast via PCH, and then drive back across the country by a different route. "

Something very important to remember: No matter where you are, or what the difficulty might be, there is a huge family of enthusiasts here and I'm sure that any help, parts, or advice you might need on your trip is only a moment, phone call, or posting away!

Best of luck!

Thanks, I will definitely keep that in mind - the only 944/924 guys I personally know are either local or up the east coast! But would love to meet up with others along the way and maybe do a local cruise or have a beer. So far my two buddies that say they want to ride-along on different legs of the trip are major automotive MacGyvers - they are the type who can repair anything with whatever random stuff they have on-hand (one stage rallies a Merkur XR4Ti, and the other rallies a formerly volvo-turbo'd e30, if that tells you anything!). While I trust my automotive knowledge pretty well, these are guys who take "roadside fixes" to a whole new level But of course with not a lot of these cars in certain places (I'm guessing Montana!) it's always good to have some 924/944-specific people on the contact list for parts and such.

I also hang out a lot on Grassroots Motorsports, which is a pretty huge community scattered across the country, full of people who know how to fix anything on any car haha. There's even a thread on the main page there called the "on the road assist requests" or something. Always thought that was a cool idea.

[irish44j]

So today I completed my "road trip" in-car audio/GPS/map setup that I've been fiddling with for a while. If anyone wants to read about it, I made a separate thread about it: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-924-944-968-technical-forum/1008016-2nd-try-924-944-custom-screen-audio-setup-time-actually-does-what-i-want.html

Because I cannot drive anywhere without music.

I also added a 1" spacer to my steering wheel Hub (Momo hub with Momo Monte Carlo wheel), since I found that the wheel position was a bit too far away for me to comfortably be able to hold the wheel by the left spoke with my elbow on the rest, and my arm was getting tired on long trips from that. Can't have that for cross-country!

[IdahoDoug]

Well, if you're coming out to the PNW from Washington DC, you will likely be on the I-90 leaving Montana. Which means you'll pass through stunning Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. We live nearby and you can count on tools and a heavy pit stop if you're having issues along the way. Even have parts sent here ahead, etc. Pelican knows my address - heh.

Don't wait too long for that road trip, and don't try to make the car perfect, either. I think some of your parts spares are too much and if you're buying new parts to carry - just put them on the car instead. 7k miles won't wear things out like your parts list implies.

On the camping vs hotels. Camp. You will fundamentally improve the trip if you are camping. Getting up in a hotel, doing morning stuff, packing, and only then re-engaging with the car that sat out all night alone in the parking lot is a fundamental difference. You want to lay in a tent listening to the cooling engine tick off the heat, poke your nose out in the morning and see the dew on that fabulous 944 quarter panel shape, etc. I have no graphs, charts or research data to prove this. Only solid instincts and a lot of roadtrip experience.

I think you should consider sleeping in the car. I just went to the garage while you were fast asleep 5 minutes ago and measured the interior distance from the RR cargo corner to the back of the folded driver's seat. 6'4". I left the seat at my driving position, but you could easily get 6" more I suspect merely by sliding the seat forward. In fact, I think it would be way cool to consider going solo and removing the passenger front seat also and building a super roomy cot arrangement that would give you that entire side of the car. Full length - 8 feet or more. Cover the windows with silver metallic bubble insulation cut to shape and held onto the inner surface with suction cups. They sell it at Home Depot in rolls. I have made a set for 3 of my 8 cars and it's terrific. Reflects heat, total privacy, light and I've been using this for more than a decade. Now you're not carrying a tent, ground cover, stakes or poles. And if you pull up to your campground reservation and its raining, you just get the gear off your cot, roll into it, pop open a paperback and go to sleep. I'd snag a 12v fan for some air movement and sound masking, and buy a new 2nd battery you can stow on the floor where the back seat was and be able to run stuff at night such as a laptop, reading light, fan, and charge things without worrying about a dead battery. A cheap charger a couple times a week at a campground with electric. At trips end you have a new battery to install under hood. You did get the exact one the 944 needs, right? Heh...

I have a lot more input, and as you can tell I am a lifelong devotee of sleeping in vehicles and road tripping. Additionally, in 1979, I was driving a 1975 Triumph Spitfire that I had shoe horned a 1973 Triumph GT6 engine into. Good night all!