Getting more smiles in 944 than 911

[dsfnctn]

Originally Posted by omnivore

i agree with the 944 props and I have the empty wallet to prove it. Recently went long on the pristine 85.5 at CPR. 1985 Porsche 944 - CPR Classic
Time will tell and I hope we're right.

Nice score

[sugarwood]

Reminds me a lot of the TSI Conquest / Starion.
Both are pure 80s.

[matt930s]

944's are fine machines, but if I'm gonna do 80s/90s waterpumper its 928 all the way.
S4 and GT are my Favorites...
MattR

[2cam]

Originally Posted by omnivore

i agree with the 944 props and I have the empty wallet to prove it. Recently went long on the pristine 85.5 at CPR. 1985 Porsche 944 - CPR Classic
Time will tell and I hope we're right.

Beautiful! The 944 had an iconic body design that was copied by numerous manufacturers for models like the 2nd Gen RX-7, the Starion/Conquests, and I'm sure that I'm forgetting others... I'm definitely more of a fan of the 911s, but 944s have their place in history and I would say that perhaps the 944's design speaks to more of the general populace. Great looking cars. I was recently tempted by the yellow '87 in the For Sale section...

2cam

[SilberUrS6]

Originally Posted by matt930s

944's are fine machines, but if I'm gonna do 80s/90s waterpumper its 928 all the way.
S4 and GT are my Favorites...
MattR

I agree. The 928 is so smooth and quiet. It really is about the ultimate 80s GT car, and I think the quality of the driving stands up well to today's cars.

[brisboats]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Reminds me a lot of the TSI Conquest / Starion.
Both are pure 80s.

I like that side by side. I see a tacky dated design on the left and a timeless design to the right,
Porsche design always used a form follows function approach and the muscular fender line on the 944 was used for the wider running gear. Unlike other 80;s designs like the starion and mustang gt where non functional flares and spoilers were tacked on hap hazardly in an effort to steal sales away from the car that won car of the year and one of the best handling cars of all time. I guess I am just a child of the 80's the design still looks right to me and all the other 80's fare, corvettes, mustangs, 300 zx's, rx-7, etc. just looks old and dated.

B

[puddy]

I was fortunate enough this summer to get some passenger seat time in a 944 driven around Mosport GP and DD Tracks. Both cars were NA and I was completely shocked at how well the cars handled and how hard the drivers drove these cars. We passed so many cars that we should not have passed. It completely turned me around on these cars and I think i might have to own one some day!

[thamlin000]

My 944 with some of my past and current air-cooleds.

[matt930s]

Thamlin- is that blue car the 67 912? Gulf/Golf blue?

Nice car!

MattR

[black_falcon]

944's look best with fuchs and I'm in the minority preferring the early interior.

I'm going on 13 years with my '86 and the last few years it's started getting nonstop attention, thumbs up, people asking questions, etc.

Driving a well sorted 944, pretty special. Couldn't be any different from a 911 but it still oozes that magical enchanting Porsche charm. Well maintained examples are seriously reliable and the car is a very practical day to day.

[Alfasrule]

It the setup which makes it a unique. Would love to drive on and compare to mine. Any 944 owners in Vermont, let you drive one of mine DION's in return. Got 5 to choose from, but I'm sure the Race Car would be the preferred choice? But it is totality shocking to drive this one. Had friends with huge Smiles and shaking after they returned from driving it.

The 50/50 weight distribution is what makes these cars so fun to drive. I even drive one in the Winter, better than any 4 wheel drive car. They go in the Snow!! I pass 4WD cars all the time. It's the Left one.

I am not aware of the driveshaft issues with the 944's verses the ALFA 116's. Your Clutch is by the motor where the ALFAs are mounted on the gearbox. Am I correct about this? I don't seem to have the driveshaft issues that others have with these type of cars. I believe it's in how you drive them. I've driven these cars for over 25 years and everyday. Best design ever the DION!!

[Alfasrule]

Picture of the fleet

[Alfasrule]

Da Fleet!! Didn't load correctly!

[NYNick]

May I have the GTV-6, please?

[Alfasrule]

Which one? 3rd from Left GiGi totality customized. It's a VERDE 3.0 and gearbox w/ limited slip. The right one 84 GTV-6 totality original, with a few mods of course.

I'm a DION ALFA guy and I got 5 of them. The 944 also shares this platform, almost tempted to obtain one just to drive it and compare.
I just LOVE the way these cars handle, there is nothing like it. Maybe a driver preference? This is why I piped in. I'm very interested in driving a 944, the exchange stands mentioned above! All of New England!


The 2 75's 2nd left and right side are so nimble, even with the Sedan's totality stock setup. The Race Car I don't even want to go there, it's a MONSTER! The V6 models are a little heavier in the front, but handle just as well, but not as good as the 4's. All these models as well do not come with power steering. Does the 944?

In this series of cars was there a difference in the handling with the larger motor?

I believe Porsche had a V8 model, is that also true?

Is the clutch mounted on the motor?

When was this model 1st introduced in the U.S.

Nick we can meet on the Taconic Sate Parkway awesome road.

[Racerbvd]

Yep, I have a few 911s and a few 944s (including a Turbo "S") and the Turbo "S" get the most attention, but the street legal track 944s are the most fun to drive (and go to the store with
Selling one of the track cars and the Turbo "S"

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-cars-sale/893089-sale-85-944-nasa-race-car.html
Some of my fleet..

Hauls parts too..





You can see why I'm thinning own.

[NYNick]

Alfasrule...
Check your PM.
I was only half kidding about the GTV-6. My partner had one back in the 80's and it was quite the monster. I've toyed with buying a nice one.

[ficke]

Originally Posted by Alfasrule

Which one? 3rd from Left GiGi totality customized. It's a VERDE 3.0 and gearbox w/ limited slip. The right one 84 GTV-6 totality original, with a few mods of course.

I'm a DION ALFA guy and I got 5 of them. The 944 also shares this platform, almost tempted to obtain one just to drive it and compare.
I just LOVE the way these cars handle, there is nothing like it. Maybe a driver preference? This is why I piped in. I'm very interested in driving a 944, the exchange stands mentioned above! All of New England!


The 2 75's 2nd left and right side are so nimble, even with the Sedan's totality stock setup. The Race Car I don't even want to go there, it's a MONSTER! The V6 models are a little heavier in the front, but handle just as well, but not as good as the 4's. All these models as well do not come with power steering. Does the 944?

In this series of cars was there a difference in the handling with the larger motor?

I believe Porsche had a V8 model, is that also true?

Is the clutch mounted on the motor?

When was this model 1st introduced in the U.S.

Nick we can meet on the Taconic Sate Parkway awesome road.

Porsche had the '928' which had a V-8 engine and a transaxle in the rear and was heaver than the 4 cylinder 944 and was much more of a GT car and less nimble than the 4 cylinder 944.

All Porsches had the clutch on the engine, I have only seen the clutch on the transaxle on Alfas.

928's were introduced in 1977 to replace the 911

Porsche does not use Di dion rear suspension and the 944 and 928 do not have in board disc brakes like the Alfas

I think both the 944 and the 928 or better high way cruisers than the Alfas but the GTV6 is a close second and I think the Alfa Alfettas or more nimble and much better over speed bumps and rough roads than the Porsches. Alfettas are amazing in that department. I believe it is their unsprung weight advantage to the Porsches. Porsche tend to have more power than the Alfas across the board.

[thamlin000]

Originally Posted by matt930s

Thamlin- is that blue car the 67 912? Gulf/Golf blue?

Nice car!

MattR

Matt-
Yes, my 912 was gulf blue with a 5-speed. Even better was the fact that it had a Harry Pellow built engine (the maestro). After buying a 993, I sold the 912 for about $7k in 06, which was more than I paid for it! Those were the good old days.

Side note, I recently found a lot of the service records for this car when cleaning up my basement.

[sugarwood]

Can someone summarize the 944 story? Why no love, overall?
Since they are so cheap, there must be very little market demand for the 944.

Is it because it's front engined and water cooled?
Lots of other expensive and desirable cars are these things, so it can't be that.

Or since it's only 140hp?
Too underpowered to be taken seriously?
People take the Miata seriously, but I guess those are dirt cheap also.

Is it because parts are NLA?
You get Miata performance with Porsche parts pricing?