I'd say you're best bet here is a 914 chassis in good condition- mount a V8 in it & mod the suspension... 944/951's can be cool cars, but, they hardly compare to many modern day cars in some areas... Chris Cervelli used to always say: "...there's speed, affordibilty, & reliabilty- pick two..." It'sVERY FRUSTRATING sometimes, but, he's right... I like the idea of a newer car w/nicer wiring, higher quality, newer non-worn-out parts, etc, but, then you have to deal w/all the BS electrical features like airbags, electronic gizmos, etc... it's ALL a trade-off unless you can afford to buy a new car, strip it down & build it from the ground up the way YOU want it... I hope to be able to do this someday... at this point, I'd like an E36 M3 w/audi S4 (TTV6) OR TT interior, modded Supra TT engine, &, misc weight-reducing mods, etc... Of course... I'm not picky...

 

That sounds like a huge project that'd take many months to complete and more months to make reliable, if that could ever happen. Sounds to me like this guy just wants a good driver.

 

Maybe true- I just always have to come up w/interesting projects- like my wishful thinking E36M3 w/Supra TT engine & Audi interior...

As for the 914 thing though, maybe I'm wrong, but, I would think the only hard part would be getting the V8 in there- there's plenty of room, but, custom pieces would have to be made- you coul deasily get the V8 working w/mods for a good 450HP w/excellent reliabilty, but, again, getting it in there would be the hard part- Renegade Hybrids has done a few, evidently... The suspension, brakes, etc, should all be bolt-on... I don't know, maybe I'm wrong- as for which 944 type car to get, I think the best overall combination would be a 968 w/M030 OR S2 w/M030- of course, you WILL pay for more for these up front- a good example of a 951 would be close behind- assuming you put more down, you could most likely get by w/less work afterward- of course, this is the idea anyway....

 

The 944 n/a cars are great and fairly easy to work on as 944s go. I'd personally love to pick up a 914 project but the problem is they're plagued with rust issues. Finding a good one (even a project) can cost as much as a comparable-condition 951. OTOH, parts for 914s are dirt cheap and working on them is extremely simple compared to a 944.

One weakness of the 914s is the suspension - it is 1960s design and nothing compared to a 944. Yes, it can be modified to make a very formidable vehicle, but you'll spend a fortune doing so.

 

I'd vote 968 as they are the final and most improved version of the series. The 944's have essentially the same motor as the 928, just chopped in half so expect some similar oil leaks and timing belt maintenance like folks have already stated.

 

I looked at various 914's for the past month, and have decided NOT to take one on as a project at this point. The bottom line is that they are old cars, were not galvanized, and need a lot more routine fiddling and maintenance than most of us are used to with newer cars. It doesn't help that for a long time they were considered "throw away cars"...it's very hard to find a decent one (tap water rusted them), and a lot of the "acceptable" cars have been incorrectly or sporadically maintained. Owning a 914 is a lot like owning an old 911 - it's a labor of love that you must be VERY committed to if you want to do it right.

Further, it's my opinion that buying a 914 simply to swap in a V8 is a total of time, money, and car. Renegade looks like they do nice conversions, but it's a bastardized car no matter how fast it can go. I have seen adverts in Excellence and other magazines for type 996 3.6 L swaps which would be more interesting...

On the other hand, my 944 n/a experience has been a total pleasure. They're a little light on power, but are very quick and handle like they're on rails. They love a spirited driver, and are a ball to toss around on a curvy road. On top of it, my car has been exceptionally reliable. They are much less complicated electrically than the 928's, and there are just a few hard rules you need to follow with the drivetrain. My mechanic says that as long as I keep up on the routine stuff it will stay reliable for a long time.

If I were you, I'd look for a nice 944S2. In fact, I plan to find one of my own next spring...to my eyes, they are the best looking cars of the series. The 968's are great drivers cars, but I don't care for the styling as much and good ones are going for almost as much as Boxsters.

 

Thanks for all the input guys, but it seems that no matter what I'm gonna have some sort of problem with whatever car I get. That is unless I buy new. I love the 928 it's just so much of everything I consider to be a car, large motor, sexy curves, and aggresive stance. So I may be better off completing this one and in the meantime saving a little extra, sell the car and buy a well doccumented 928.

 

Drive a well kept 944 turbo...It MAY change your mind

 

The entire time i had my 928 it left me stranded 1 time when it broke a radiator hose. I owned it for close too 4 years. The a/c went out and i had bad luck trying to buy a compressor so i just drove with no a/c. I guess i got a good one. Im hoping to buy another 928 next year with a 5speed. Hopefully the 16v euro 83/84 yr.

 

Yes, much of this depends on the specific car & how it has been maintained b/c there are people on this list who have nothing but good things to say about 951's & then there are people like me, who have mostly problems,... EVERYTHING is a comprimse- I would love a new car too, BUT, I HATE all the BS CRAP they stick on them- electrical gizmos, navigation, OBDIII, airbags everywhere (I SWEAR they'll have right & left ******** airbags before long...), etc... the cars end up weighing 400-500lbs more than a comparable sized car from 10yrs ago & for WHAT...? I don't have a prob w/any of the things I just mentioned, IF they were optional... oh well... you deal w/something either way I guess...