Buying a 944 and wanting a fun project to modify
03-11-2019, 06:12 PM
#1
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Buying a 944 and wanting a fun project to modify
Hi there,I'm an apprentice mechanic and I'm looking to buy a project car,I've selected the Porsche 944 as my choice based on looks,their racing pedigree in my area in junior and scca races at my home track (laguna seca) and reccomendations from friends, I'm planning on buying an 85 944 base model, manual, with 96k miles and no problems or dents as of right now but has had some small problems that were fixed by an ase certified master tech with 30+ years of experience and I was wondering where to start with modding,I've been looking at short throw linkage and shift levers and exhausts, intake manifolds clutch and flywheels,coil overs and NA tune and tune up kits mainly off Lindsey racing,but I still thought it would be good to ask the forums for tips and what I can expect to run into. Sorry for the drawn out long post, thanks for any help you guys can give me
03-11-2019, 08:02 PM
#2
Racer
Sounds like a pretty good car. There's not much easy power to get out of an NA, but I think they're satisfyingly strong motors stock. I mean you're not going impress your friends with acceleration, but you probably know that. Focus on suspension, good brake pads and some sticky tires and the car will a blast on the street and track. I have Paragon front coilovers with Konis all around with bigger rear torsion bars on my turbo and with R-compound tires and Hawk pads, it is an absolute thrill to drive. Have fun!
03-11-2019, 08:52 PM
#3
Rennlist Member
These are interesting cars to be sure, but I'm not sure why anyone would put them on the track. At this price point a Camaro, Mustang, or Charger would make a lot more sense. Far more plentiful and easy to get parts for. And if you total it, so what? It's not like a Porsche that's been out of production for over 30 years...
03-11-2019, 09:11 PM
#4
Nordschleife Master
These are interesting cars to be sure, but I'm not sure why anyone would put them on the track. At this price point a Camaro, Mustang, or Charger would make a lot more sense. Far more plentiful and easy to get parts for. And if you total it, so what? It's not like a Porsche that's been out of production for over 30 years...
03-12-2019, 01:01 AM
#5
Rennlist Member
Leave the car alone - invest in seat time at the track. Get coaching. Get data. These will make you faster, and that's how you'll impress your friends and get the ladies.
03-12-2019, 01:02 AM
#6
Rennlist Member
P.s. once you have the experience to know where your performance is lacking, then you won't need to ask us what to upgrade, you'll already know for yourself.
03-12-2019, 02:00 AM
#7
Rennlist Member
These are interesting cars to be sure, but I'm not sure why anyone would put them on the track. At this price point a Camaro, Mustang, or Charger would make a lot more sense. Far more plentiful and easy to get parts for. And if you total it, so what? It's not like a Porsche that's been out of production for over 30 years...
I tracked 911's for 8 years and never got any ladies.
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03-12-2019, 03:45 AM
#8
Three Wheelin'
I totally agree with the previous posters on every point made EXCEPT those by tempest411.
I have had great fun on track with my 944s. They ARE very well balanced and exhilarating to drive well, using braking, balance, and momentum to create grins from ear to ear.
If one appreciates what the MINI of old could do against higher h.p. cars on track, one can surely understand and appreciate what the 944 N/A is capable of. When these cars were new they ran against Mustangs and Camaros in various race classes and did very well.
Take a good Drivers School ( PCA has some great instructors ) and learn these cars with what they were built with. After successfully attaining your goals and now feeling the need for more, then and only then begin the process of tuning car and driver into harmony with perfect brake points and apexes.
Make your upgrades slowly : Tires and suspension. Great brake upgrades in pads and kits for tremendous stopping potential. Get a good baseline in which to be confident of car and driver's abilities .........then the changes can be fully appreciated.
Best wishes on the purchase of a 944. As a lifelong fan of the model, you cannot go wrong with these sports cars.
I have had great fun on track with my 944s. They ARE very well balanced and exhilarating to drive well, using braking, balance, and momentum to create grins from ear to ear.
If one appreciates what the MINI of old could do against higher h.p. cars on track, one can surely understand and appreciate what the 944 N/A is capable of. When these cars were new they ran against Mustangs and Camaros in various race classes and did very well.
Take a good Drivers School ( PCA has some great instructors ) and learn these cars with what they were built with. After successfully attaining your goals and now feeling the need for more, then and only then begin the process of tuning car and driver into harmony with perfect brake points and apexes.
Make your upgrades slowly : Tires and suspension. Great brake upgrades in pads and kits for tremendous stopping potential. Get a good baseline in which to be confident of car and driver's abilities .........then the changes can be fully appreciated.
Best wishes on the purchase of a 944. As a lifelong fan of the model, you cannot go wrong with these sports cars.
03-12-2019, 03:59 AM
#9
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Sounds like a pretty good car. There's not much easy power to get out of an NA, but I think they're satisfyingly strong motors stock. I mean you're not going impress your friends with acceleration, but you probably know that. Focus on suspension, good brake pads and some sticky tires and the car will a blast on the street and track. I have Paragon front coilovers with Konis all around with bigger rear torsion bars on my turbo and with R-compound tires and Hawk pads, it is an absolute thrill to drive. Have fun!
thanks so much, I found more expensive coilovers kits but as a 17 year old looking to save money the paragon kit is half as expensive as the other kit I was looking at,and I already had hawk pads and new sway bars bookmarked, what tires would you recommend? I'm pretty sure the car has the stock wheels on it, they're gold spiked with silver rims and look like two piece wheels, and the look to be around 16x6 or whatever the stock size is,I'm not sure
03-12-2019, 04:05 AM
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I totally agree with the previous posters on every point made EXCEPT those by tempest411.
I have had great fun on track with my 944s. They ARE very well balanced and exhilarating to drive well, using braking, balance, and momentum to create grins from ear to ear.
If one appreciates what the MINI of old could do against higher h.p. cars on track, one can surely understand and appreciate what the 944 N/A is capable of. When these cars were new they ran against Mustangs and Camaros in various race classes and did very well.
Take a good Drivers School ( PCA has some great instructors ) and learn these cars with what they were built with. After successfully attaining your goals and now feeling the need for more, then and only then begin the process of tuning car and driver into harmony with perfect brake points and apexes.
Make your upgrades slowly : Tires and suspension. Great brake upgrades in pads and kits for tremendous stopping potential. Get a good baseline in which to be confident of car and driver's abilities .........then the changes can be fully appreciated.
Best wishes on the purchase of a 944. As a lifelong fan of the model, you cannot go wrong with these sports cars.
I have had great fun on track with my 944s. They ARE very well balanced and exhilarating to drive well, using braking, balance, and momentum to create grins from ear to ear.
If one appreciates what the MINI of old could do against higher h.p. cars on track, one can surely understand and appreciate what the 944 N/A is capable of. When these cars were new they ran against Mustangs and Camaros in various race classes and did very well.
Take a good Drivers School ( PCA has some great instructors ) and learn these cars with what they were built with. After successfully attaining your goals and now feeling the need for more, then and only then begin the process of tuning car and driver into harmony with perfect brake points and apexes.
Make your upgrades slowly : Tires and suspension. Great brake upgrades in pads and kits for tremendous stopping potential. Get a good baseline in which to be confident of car and driver's abilities .........then the changes can be fully appreciated.
Best wishes on the purchase of a 944. As a lifelong fan of the model, you cannot go wrong with these sports cars.
03-12-2019, 04:10 AM
#11
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right now I'm looking for a car I can keep for a long time,but also modify and put time into, I'm being taught performance driving by my father who learned at bob bondurants racing school and has over 40 years of sports car and performance driving experience, and I'm stepping into this 944 from about a year or so of hooning around in a miata. Thanks for the response,I really appreciate it.
03-12-2019, 05:50 AM
#12
I'd start out by swapping all the rubber bushings of the suspension, including the infamous rear axle strut.
Also engine and gearbox mounts.
Before going coilover etc.
That job will keep you busy a couple of weeks or months if you clean everything properly, change fuel filter while you're down there, replace brake lines, overhaul brake pistons, park brake etc.
If you want to go with original parts (about 2000$ total iirc) or creaky Powerflex or rattling uniball/solid depends on how you use the car.
I went with original parts because in seven years I've only driven public roads despite always wanting to track/autocross it.
Once you got it there - all bushings replaced, all new screws, brakes bled, new lines etc. you check when timing/balancing belts have been changed.
If that's more than seven years ago, do that, and replace all moving parts afflicted including waterpump, that's another 500ish$ in parts.
then upgrade springs and maybe brakes and then go to the track.
My car is from '87 and all those parts were so, so knackered, the car feels completely different after the above fixes.
Also engine and gearbox mounts.
Before going coilover etc.
That job will keep you busy a couple of weeks or months if you clean everything properly, change fuel filter while you're down there, replace brake lines, overhaul brake pistons, park brake etc.
If you want to go with original parts (about 2000$ total iirc) or creaky Powerflex or rattling uniball/solid depends on how you use the car.
I went with original parts because in seven years I've only driven public roads despite always wanting to track/autocross it.
Once you got it there - all bushings replaced, all new screws, brakes bled, new lines etc. you check when timing/balancing belts have been changed.
If that's more than seven years ago, do that, and replace all moving parts afflicted including waterpump, that's another 500ish$ in parts.
then upgrade springs and maybe brakes and then go to the track.
My car is from '87 and all those parts were so, so knackered, the car feels completely different after the above fixes.
03-12-2019, 02:28 PM
#15
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I'd start out by swapping all the rubber bushings of the suspension, including the infamous rear axle strut.
Also engine and gearbox mounts.
Before going coilover etc.
That job will keep you busy a couple of weeks or months if you clean everything properly, change fuel filter while you're down there, replace brake lines, overhaul brake pistons, park brake etc.
If you want to go with original parts (about 2000$ total iirc) or creaky Powerflex or rattling uniball/solid depends on how you use the car.
I went with original parts because in seven years I've only driven public roads despite always wanting to track/autocross it.
Once you got it there - all bushings replaced, all new screws, brakes bled, new lines etc. you check when timing/balancing belts have been changed.
If that's more than seven years ago, do that, and replace all moving parts afflicted including waterpump, that's another 500ish$ in parts.
then upgrade springs and maybe brakes and then go to the track.
My car is from '87 and all those parts were so, so knackered, the car feels completely different after the above fixes.
Also engine and gearbox mounts.
Before going coilover etc.
That job will keep you busy a couple of weeks or months if you clean everything properly, change fuel filter while you're down there, replace brake lines, overhaul brake pistons, park brake etc.
If you want to go with original parts (about 2000$ total iirc) or creaky Powerflex or rattling uniball/solid depends on how you use the car.
I went with original parts because in seven years I've only driven public roads despite always wanting to track/autocross it.
Once you got it there - all bushings replaced, all new screws, brakes bled, new lines etc. you check when timing/balancing belts have been changed.
If that's more than seven years ago, do that, and replace all moving parts afflicted including waterpump, that's another 500ish$ in parts.
then upgrade springs and maybe brakes and then go to the track.
My car is from '87 and all those parts were so, so knackered, the car feels completely different after the above fixes.