Pros vs cons 924 GTR turbo build up or v8 swap

[puddy]

OK i don't know much about the 924 GTR other than I think they look badass and i'd like to build up a 924 into a GTR look one day, I know where I can get a 924 roller cheap. It will be a bare bones street car that I can drive to the track.

I'd like to keep a Porsche motor in it, perhaps a modified 951 motor or maybe a LS V8 swap if a Porsche build up is crazy money. I'm familiar with air cooled engine build costs and don't know if these water cooled 944 motors are equally as expensive to build or not. I was all around hotrodder before I became a Porsche fan, but for some reason it just doesn't seem right to me, to put a non Porsche motor in a Porsche.

Ideally i'd like a 400+ HP car, light weight track weapon. Is there a turbo porsche motor & trans that can be built to handle this power reliably and not for crazy money. Maybe in $10k range? If not maybe in LS swap is the way to go. I can do a lot of the work my self to keep cost down.

I read the 951 suspension can be swapped into the 924 for best handling. So i'd probably plan on that.

Any advise or relative links would be appreciated.

[9FF]

Originally Posted by puddy

...$10k range?

I'm no expert but I would think just the bodywork would cost $10k for the aftermarket GTR body panels, lights and half decent paint alone.

[A_P_B]

to get 400+ HP, & don't want to brake the bank, You need to look in to the LS. the 2.5 & the 2.7 are high to rebuild & hard to get real HP. the LS is cheap, & you get 350 hp with out doing anything. stick a supercharger, or twin turbo with the money you saved. who knows how much power you will end up with.. there are some haters on the LS swap. but look at the cobra, it is nothing but a V8 swap. & still the best car out there. they only go for a few million $$$ i to am workN on a 944n/a i have install a 5.4 LS im $2500.oo in the build. close to finished. cage, seats, & paint. $2000.oo 350+HP 944 porsche "with the turbo bumper cover" under $6000k with the car. i can run with any turbo for half the price. & with bolt-ons ill kill any 951 or ZO6.

[v2rocket_aka944]

400 crank HP is doable with a standard 2.5L 944 turbo engine.
Once you aim past that is where things get expensive.

Easiest way to get there is buying this kit:

http://www.lindseyracing.com/LR/Parts/951PACK340.html

Now some folks have said the "340 rwhp" number is a bit inflated but it'll get you pretty close to 400 true crank HP.

It'd be hard to do a decent LS swap for the ~$4k the kit above costs.

[Rasta Monsta]

Might be easier to backdate a cosmetically challenged 951 to look like a GTR.

This way, too, your project could go in stages while you enjoyed driving it.

[A_P_B]

I just read my post. it is not a 5.4 "i wish'' it's a 5.3 LS i hit 4 by mistake. BTW if you are lookN in to the 2.5L i have 1 i can let go cheap 80k miles you can hear run, & A 944N/A TRANSAXLE good motor just to weak for me. V8 POWER OR NOTHING

[puddy]

Originally Posted by 9FF

I'm no expert but I would think just the bodywork would cost $10k for the aftermarket GTR body panels, lights and half decent paint alone.

The $10k i was referring to was just for the engine & trans hopefully... I know body work can be expensive. I'd like to try and tackle that myself, most of it anyways.

I'm not a talented fabricator, perhaps I can become one, so i'd prefer things that almost bolt together. So keeping a Porsche motor is the preference. Also I assume the 2.5 motor is lighter than a LS V8, but perhaps i'm mistaken. Does anyone know the stock weight of a 944 drivetrain?

[puddy]

Originally Posted by A_P_B

I just read my post. it is not a 5.4 "i wish'' it's a 5.3 LS i hit 4 by mistake. BTW if you are lookN in to the 2.5L i have 1 i can let go cheap 80k miles you can hear run, & A 944N/A TRANSAXLE good motor just to weak for me. V8 POWER OR NOTHING

Thanks for the offer but i'm certain I can find most of what I need locally. But this whole thing depends on a particular 924 I know thats sitting i think I can get it for a nice low price. so i'll start with that and see how that pans out. Then i'll get more serious about which direction this whole project goes.

I also know if a high mile 1986 951 available, the car is in great shape and I can get it for less than market value. Perhaps it is smartest to backdate it. But i'd prefer to get the 924 and start with that as I understand they are lighter than a 944.

[grendiers]

If you're thinking of the earlier 924 with the 2.0L motor, the 2.5L doesn't fit well, wrong motor mounting. The '87-'88 924S however, is a great candidate, 924 body, w/944 drivetrain. Check out Edredas's turbo build in his 924S: 924Board.org :: View topic - My narrow 951 project

[A_P_B]

weight of the LS is 30lb over the stock 2.5 take out A/C head lights, swap to a turbo bumper, & you are under weight of the stock 944. dont know bout the 924 but i think 924 is a little more weight then the 944. dont get me wrong the 2.5 is bad azz for its day. but that was 30yr ago... if you want to go fast, for cheep. buy the LS kit, go to the junk yard. get an LS under $500 .. its all bolt-on ... many video on the swap. im not the best at workN on cars, & i was able to get it done. you will need to beef up a n/a transaxle or get a turbo. but thats after you get it running & driveN It will be fine on the street.

[9FF]

Originally Posted by A_P_B

weight of the LS is 30lb over the stock 2.5 take out A/C head lights, swap to a turbo bumper, & you are under weight of the stock 944. dont know bout the 924 but i think 924 is a little more weight then the 944. dont get me wrong the 2.5 is bad azz for its day. but that was 30yr ago... if you want to go fast, for cheep. buy the LS kit, go to the junk yard. get an LS under $500 .. its all bolt-on ... many video on the swap. im not the best at workN on cars, & i was able to get it done. you will need to beef up a n/a transaxle or get a turbo. but thats after you get it running & driveN It will be fine on the street.

You make it sound so easy but won't it be a very unreliable and underperforming car with na suspension, brakes, axles and trans with 350hp on tap. I've seen a few LS swaps and the ones I liked had at least $10k into the build and started off as 951's. Btw the 924 is a fair few pounds lighter than a 944, especially the later 944's.

[A_P_B]

i just got done with the swap. i had the 944n/a transaxle drove fine on the road. just can't get down on it. so i got the 944 turbo transaxle LSD works great. 5.3n/a with 350hp been tuned.. stock suspension, brakes. you can work on a car and still drive it. im right under 6k. & even if i hit that 10k,. you no were i can get a 350hp 944 turbo for 10k??? so yes easy. + brakes are for quitter LOL i run mid 11 with a n/a there more then 1 way to skin a cat!!!!

[petrolhead611]

Brakes are for quitters? Hope your car insurance company hasn't read your comment.

[puddy]

Originally Posted by A_P_B

i just got done with the swap. i had the 944n/a transaxle drove fine on the road. just can't get down on it. so i got the 944 turbo transaxle LSD works great. 5.3n/a with 350hp been tuned.. stock suspension, brakes. you can work on a car and still drive it. im right under 6k. & even if i hit that 10k,. you no were i can get a 350hp 944 turbo for 10k??? so yes easy. + brakes are for quitter LOL i run mid 11 with a n/a there more then 1 way to skin a cat!!!!

How much power can a 944 transaxle handle? How easy is it to access spark plugs and header bolts etc once the LS is in the 944 chassis?

[A_P_B]

there are 2 kits, base & street & track, the base is $1500. you will need bellhouse & headers. the other is $2,100 but come will bellhouse headers & a stage 2 clutch. the n/a transaxle can handle 400lb so bout 300HP clean the turbo transaxle "i think" is 500lb so bout 400+HP .. i think the stock header will work. i dont know cuzz i got the street&track kit with headers.. now if you beef up the turbo transaxle, im sure it could handle 5 to 600HP

[A_P_B]

get on you-tube., start studyN, the 2.5 is a big motor, as big as the LS, so getN the ls in the 944 is not so bad. fits like it was made for it. a nice clean out the box look

[ideola]

924Board.org :: View topic - Project Planning for 924 Performance Modifications