Robby

Hey Phil- thanks for all the info- interesting stuff... I've always tried to stick up for the original M490 set-up. For a late '80's factory set-up, it was pretty good- it was about as good as top of the line Acura systems, which, were pretty decent... it sounds like Porsche really did make it better w/the later 968's though... Would be interested in knowing how your's turns out if you end up trying to see what all you can get from it...

As for ranting... IF I'm not careful.... MANY of my posts would be nothing but PURE bitch sessions- I've got almost $29K in a car that I'd be lucky to get $15k for.... had it for 5yrs & paid $9k for it- I STILL need a paint job (ENTIRE CAR), engine rebuild, new shocks- just bought new Ledas- NEVER AGAIN! etc.... it adds up too fast & w/all the probs I've had, I wish I'd never even heard of a Porsche before- honest to God! Can't help it.... it's just too depressing. BUT, I digress- I have NO WAY OUT! I'm in it SO DEEP, I could NEVER recover, so, I keep TRYING to move forward.... what else can ya do....? I know if I bought another car, I couldn't aford to insure & keep no way out but to keep learning & TRY to be happy....

As for Walt- he was always a nice guy- always polite & helpful- he just seems to have moved on to other things, is all I meant....

EDIT: was just informed how to PM- clicking on he user's name will bring up a host of options.... Liking the new format much better all the time...


Thanks

Tom R.

Hey Robby you are not the only one.

I had 26k into a car I paid 11k for three years earlier. right after I had the motor rebuilt and came to terms with having to own it another three years to make it worthwhile it gets stolen. took a major financial hit.

thats why I am on an austerity budget with this one.

Robby

Do you include the $11k in that $26k total, or, do you mean you have $37k TOTAL? IF $37K, then, I feel MEGA-SORRY for you... My $29k includes the $9k purchase price & I hurt like hell over it.... My WHOLE family & all my friends ragged the hell out of me, tried hard to talk me out of buying mine & laughed at me when I DID- parent's tried HARD to talk me out of it for MONTHS beforehand. The "I told ya so..." I get here is UNREAL!!! Almost unbearable.... I've told them all to "FU** OFF!" more times than I can count- AAMOF, if I had a $1 for every time I've said the word "fu**" since I bought this car, I'd be richer than Bill Gates & would not own one anymore- ACTUALLY... that's not true- I WOULD own one... the PERFECT one.... they can be REALLY cool cars- I'd LOVE to have ~$100k to throw at one for the ULTIMATE street car...

...Jon Milledge or Scott Gomes engine, full susp (Bilsteins or HIGH-$ mono-tube Konis), brakes (I'm thinkin ceramics from Carrera GT w/Alcons probably), Fikses (17x8 front- 245/45/17 & 18x10 rear- 275/35/18- UNLESS I could SQUEEZE in 285/35s). I'd go through the interior too- a NICE, simple, stereo- CDTs or ADS all the way around- 3-way components up front & 2-way components in rear w/nice ADS amp (or equivalent quality- at least >50w/ch)- would pull all carpet- lay down some sort of lightweight Dyna Mat through the WHOLE car- re-seal it ALL Around- possibly DOUBLE seal- IF it would help- I HATE noise- want the car to sound like a 540i- QUIET enough to hear a pin drop at 130mph... I'd have several parts made of carbon fibre, like a rear storage bin of sorts, to replace the rear seat -like 911CS-> nicer than 968CS, but, both are as heavy as the seats they replace-> THICK wood- to reduce weight & have something functional back there, instead of a seat that will only sit cute female leprechauns.... a CF SR lid would be cool, as well as some sort of lightweight tinted LEXAN modeled after the glass Saratogas, but, much lighter- most would not do this-> Lexan clouds quickly, but, hey, I'm in a pipe-dream here, so.... Would like to find some way to add an adjustable steering rack, OR, just lower the one I have ~2"- Momo Street Racer seats, or, since I'd be rich, maybe something lighter AND nicer- who knows?

Anyway, I've babbled enough- see what happens when I start thinking....? I'll finish by saying, that, WE are FAR from the only ones who have had bad luck w/these cars- Perry951 comes to mind- ever read HIS saga? Not to mention Greg Hammonds... There are FEW on this list actually, but, I'm not good at remembering names....

I DO LOVE the potential of this car though- the reason I keep going... I like OUR cars interior better than newer Porsche's- the exterior styling is GREAT.... I think it's a BEAUTIFUL car- perhaps the only UGLY point is the rear-angled-side-shot. The beautiful hips the car has, makes the rear wheels look TINY & INSET- hence my reason for wanting 18" wheels w/OVERSIZED RD- a 275/35/18 is ~3/4" taller than stock- the front does not need this- looks fine- I have 225/45/17 & 255/40/17's Cup 2's now, w/1/8" spacers at rear- did a LOT for it- it's 3 things really- wheel/tire SIZE, OFFSET, & ride height of car. The 968 is a BEAUTIFUL car too- Many people like the 968 REAR & the 951 FRONT- I was the OPPOSITE for a long time, but, have come to LOVE BOTH- could take them either way, mixed &/or matched & be VERY HAPPY- I love them both for dif reasons.... I OBVIOUSLY love the whole line (including 924)- otherwise I'd have been gone years ago... BUT, I DO get frustrated... A LOT.... & sometimes run my mouth (keyboard ) when I should NOT.... I need to start a few threads- "How much $ have you got in your 944- let's hear some HORROR stories" & "How many of you have increased displacement (924-968) & how is your car running?" Anyway.....

Luis de Prat

That's what I've got!

Robby

Luis- I just LOVE that car.... that interior is AWESOME! The only things I'd do are a Momo wheel (w/crest button) OR the 968CS one that everyone druals over (I THINK it's 968?) & a Momo ****/boot (although your factory REALLY looks NICE). I know I asked before, but, what size are those front speakers? 5.25"? I remember talking w/you about the panels- they appear to be a cross b/t early 951 & 968 panels... Those ARE those stock locations for the speakers aren't they? What size were the stock speakers? What about the rears? I know the convertibles had slightly dif speaker set-ups.... I just can't remember what all you said about this, but, doesn't matter TOO much- the car is AWESOME! Also that picture w/the Dogwood(?) trees showing through.... PLUS, it's a CONVERTIBLE!!!

DAMN!!! HOLY #&@%!!! I JUST NOW REALIZED.... you do NOT have airbags!!! It's a 1991 & you do NOT have airbags! THAT RULES! I wish our country would quit forcing us to buy airbags... They can be a PITFA to remove... I HAVE that picture, saved from long ago... I've looked at it many times & never noticed... WOW! I LOVE THAT CAR!!! Hey- what size/type wheels do you have on it? 968 mirrors or handles? just curious.... I LOVE IT!!!

phil0618

I love that gray interior.

I looked at a Cobalt Blue / Gray car and if it weren't for a nasty noise coming from the rear end, she'd have been mine...

Phil

pete944

Luis, you'll jump at any chance to post that pic, won't you?


That is the nicest 944 interior I've seen. You lucky dog.

Luis de Prat

Thanks for the compliments, Robby. You can see other pics of the car by clicking on my sig. Wheels are factory C2Ts. For a 1991, this car surprisingly has no airbags and no cruise control. Must be a Euro spec thing.

I inherited the upgraded sound system, so I don't know much about it, other than all 4 speakers (front and rear) appear to be the same size. Not sure the exact measurements, but I will say that the dash has pressed the grilles in slightly. Doesn't make any difference as to the sound, though. It also has two Boston Acoustics (amplifier?) boxes bolted into the trunk.

As for the rest of the interior, I've thought about making changes to it (wheel, shifter, etc.) but in the end I prefer to leave it as it is. The door panels are a bit mystery - not 968, but not 951, either, so Pete, yes, when it's relevant to a thread I like to post this pic in hope that maybe someone is familiar with these panels and can tell me something about them.

Tom R.

Robby,
26 total including the purchase price. My financial hurt was exaserbated because I didn't drive it enough to lower the cost per mile.

The new one was bought with a different set of financial goals. I figure I will be bored of it in two years, about the same time i would be bored of the Z28, sell one or both to people that believe these are collectible/classics and go on to the next toy, like a depreciated 911 or 3 series convertible, or...

The new S2 is in time capsule condition as was the Z28 a year ago. A few snowstorms will take the shine off the unerbody.

ramius665

I'm almost at the point of quitting my search. I've read every post about 10 speaker upgrades and I still can't seem to find a proper replacement for the 3-ish inch door speaker. I've got an 86 951 that has door panels from an 89 944. I measured the stock openings and they come out to just a *tiny* bit past 3". After speaking to crutchfield for the better part of an hour, they sent me a set of Blaupunkt GTx352 speakers that were *way* too big. Called them back and turns out they're the smallest 3.5" speakers they sell. So far it seems that *no one* sells a speaker that is smaller than 3.2" without being a massive tweeter. After spending entirely too long to find the entire door panels w/all the hardware, I'm unwilling to modify the mounting location. Can *ANYONE* help me??

Crazy Eddie

I had gone with a Boston Acoustics 3 way speaker system. I can't remember the model # ? ( we are talking 1988 ) I don't know if they still make them? There were 3 separate speakers and they all fit pretty well. Although, the tweeter cover did have to be modified, to accept the the BA tweeter.
Hope that helps
Regards
Ed

ramius665

It's definitely a start. I went with a Blaupunkt component system to replace the 5.25" and tweeter, sound difference was night and day. I'd still like to have something to accurately recreate the mid-range freqs though.

So far *everywhere* I have gone, from local audio dealers to online companies haven't found a speaker that comes within 1/8" of fitting properly.

I haven't gotten around to tearing out the rear speaker panels to replace them with the M490 units. Will the stock M490 speakers fit without body modifications in an 86 MY car? I haven't talked to anyone who has tried to use the factory speaker upgrade in the rear of a standard 4 speaker car. Any help much appreciated!!

75ohm

I ditched the small speaker, covered with lexan, and went on. Ran a two-way coaxial and a crossover to fire a tweeter up high. Fabricated my own mounts for the tweeter behind the stock location. Used infinity reference series speakers all the way around with passive crossovers.

75ohm

Additionally, the depth of the reference series was fine, but I had to use a rotary tool to edge the plastic down for the mount... works great.

Robby

ramius- I'm not aware of any 3" speakers that are still made. IF you want the 3-way component set-up,. I know of two, better, options...

1- best option IMO- use a 3-way component set-up like CDT, Focal, DynAudio, ADS (IF still made), BA's (like the Crazyman :-)) or Diamond Audio- I got CDTs & they swapped out the slim 6.5 for the regular- I got an amazing deal, actually... anyway, put the 6.5 (OR 5.25 IF that's your woofer) at front lower door, the 4" (or whatever mid you have) in the space in the plastic frame, where the 5.25 factory was, then, cover up the 3" hole. Mount the tweeter at top of door where porsche factory tweeters would go...

2- still good IMO- put whatever smallest speaker you can find (3.2"?) in the front lower location- this is where the later 968's put it- they switched this from the 944 Turbo S b/c it provided better imaging- the speaker MIGHT be a touch larger too, but I have not been able to compare. Anyway, IF you have a 5.25 as your woofer, it should still go in the plastic mounting frame below the armrest- then, you plug the hole where the 3" was- put the new 3" equivalent where the regular 4x6 would go for normal stereo 944's. And then mount the tweeter up high in front of door where factory was. Now you'd have a later 968 style M490, which was really quite impressive, in it's day- of course, you'd more than likely have better, w/better speakers, amp, HU, etc...