Slitherz88944

I've got an, according to carfax and my title, a base model 1988 944 with a 3.0 that has never been wrecked.
It has a new style dash with no passenger side air bag and driver's airbag; which was standard in 88 right?
It has a LSD, which I checked myself after I noticed it felt funny when I lost traction in the rain the other day.
It's also got ABS and the bigger front brake calipers.....
It has also got a lot more power than my 90 model rx7 did. Though the rx7 was suppose to be faster...
Needless to say I'm very confused as their are only three option codes listed and none of them are important..

I'm going to look at the code on the engine block later but I'm just trying to figure out if there was a reason for all the missing standard parts...

MAGK944

If you have an 88 it is a 2.5L engine. Airbags were an option only and didn't become standard until 1990. You have LSD, that's a plus

Post the vin# and pics and we'll tell you more.

JohnKoaWood

88 944 came with a 2.5 not 3L...
88 NA had optional airbags, they were standard on the turbo from 87..
Can you post up some pictures?

MAGK944

By 1 second and almost the same answer - you standing behind me John?

Slitherz88944

I didn't know that about the airbags.
The VIN I'll post when I get off.
I know the 88's had 3.0's and its just a dmv mistake.
But it has A LOT more power than it should....
How much can you build a 88 2.5?
I know it was rebuilt 6,000 miles before it was parked for 10 years.

JohnKoaWood

MAGK944

US 944's to 87 had 143hp, 88 had 160hp, 89 had 165.

Mainly from piston changes: to 87 9.5cr, 88 10.2cr, 89 10.9cr.

Doubt it had an engine swap, not likely in 2002.

f1rocks

Bigger front brakes??

pontifex4

S2's were offered in 1988.

JohnKoaWood

And also had airbags!

MAGK944

S2 production started in Jan 1989. So if you have an 88 S2 you have a very rare pre-production prototype.

pontifex4

That's a fair point: even the S2 you could have bought in 1988 would have been a 1989 model year car.

Maybe what he has is actually an RX-7, and you just can't read the "1." in "1.3L"

alex

Seat of the pants, the 2.5 88 NAs feel noticeably faster than the earlier cars, they have the higher compression ratio and a short 5th which makes it feel a little peppier at freeway speeds.