xsboost90

just do it man! Gut the dash and get the carbon fiber replica and put a full cage in there and pull the a/c and all that crap. Hardest part is getting all the glue off the floor!

TD in DC

For God's sake Arlen, snap out of it!

Eyal 951

Who cares if its too nice. You'll just end up with a nicer race car, which you will enjoy more, and probably take more pride in.
Raises the value of these cars for the rest of us. It's not like these are precious gems of cars. Do it.

Al P.

cosmeticaly challenged cars are often mechanicaly challenged cars.

quick note: 20K is time to change the belts.

Hey TC you sound like you need to get some track time, sign-up for the Glen race on May 8th & 9th

blgdaddy

i will sell you my 83 for $2000 and you can give me a ride over to the one you found

josephsc

That's a good buy for someone looking for a street car, but sure seems like a shame to rip it apart.... You can go down the route of swapping out nice interior parts with people. It'll save you money but that's going to add time and labor to the whole process.

And if you find a track car in San Diego (or Arizona), you can always trailer it back. If it comes down to it, you can borrow my truck in Berkeley for a tow vehicle.

curveraider

TD, no wheel to wheel racing. I have done some DE's and a few seasons of autox. Yes, I feel the burn in my wallet already. Actually $$$ is one of the reasons I am looking at the spec class. I really don't expect to be a front runner, I just want to have fun... Does everybody say that at the beginning Anyway, a 944 looks like it would be perfect for various options:

1) spec racing
2) if I don't go all the way at least it would be a nice DE car
3) it would still be a fun car to autox
4) the series is new enough that if I really want out, I could probably sell the car.

Thanks guys,

Geo

Well worth the price. Too nice to cut up? Hell, it's not like the 944 is a rare car. When I was looking for a shell to build I came across a nice 240Z (one of my choices). But, that car in really good shape is rare these days and I couldn't bring myself to cut up a nice survivor. But 944s are everywhere.

I would, however, plead that you sell off the really nice bits (especially the dash) for those trying to restore a car. Cracks on a race car dash are not a big deal and even if you don't like them, there are ways to fix them that are cheap and decent enough for a race car.

Legoland951

If you are going spec, then you have to start thinking spec due to the rules involved. If you do your own work, I WOULD NOT SUGGEST BUYING SOMEONE ELSE's race car unless you absolutely trust the person who built the car. I don't trust too many other people's work and there is no way you can buy a $6k spec car but you can sure build one (already built spec cars are around $10k+). The suspension setup is different for your driving style so if you buy one with 30mm torsions and you want the 28, you just wasted your money. I am building 2 spec cars and have accumulated 2 cages, suspension, etc. My advice is to find a beater and convert it if you are going to race. It doesn't matter how nice or bad since you are going to have to TAKE IT ALL APART ANYWAYS. To do it right, the engine comes out for a complete reseal, rod bearings, head machining, and clutch.

Well, if you buy that car and bring it down here, I can swap you an early 944 with thrashed seats and give you cash or parts for the difference or I can help you gut the interior and swap your interior for what you need for track use. Some of the stuff I have are: new set of koni top adjustable inserts, new koni rear shocks, new KLA strut brace, new weltmeister front and rear sway bars (bars only), and rebuilt shaved head. Heck if you are not going spec, I have a set of rear coilover shocks, fuel cell, and other stuff. I need a good interior for my 89 turbo.

cerbrus3

Um, is the $2K car somewhere behind the car in the pic?

Eyal 951

Racing Honda's is cheaper. Look into racing in H4 class in Honda Challenge. Cars are Cheaper, parts are lots cheaper, and the Honda's are quicker then the 944's.

Legoland951

Motorcycle racing is even cheaper. $3k will get you something track worthy but I don't think that's what he is looking for. For someone like me, I just don't like to race FWD cars. No matter how you slice it, the polar moment of inertia will give you a different feeling from a RWD car.

BeerBurner

If I were really smart, I'd build another Miata. Too bad I'm such a Porschephile...

In any event, I'm not actually looking to build something competitive. I just want a DE/auto-x track flogger and will build it up to somebody's specs simply so that I can shift to that if I so desire.

BB.

TD in DC

IMHO, in a spec racing series like 944 spec or 944 cup, the cost between building a reliable and safe car and building a reliable safe car that is "competitive" is negligble. They basically are one in the same.

I bought my car for 7.5K. Unless you have the right tools, skills, space, etc . . . I cannot imagine you could come close to building a spec racing car from scratch for that amount. The difference might not be that great, but parts (cage, seat, harnesses, fire suppression, electrical cutoff, oil coolers, refreshing suspension, etc . . . ) not to mention labor, can really add up.

TD

Legoland951

Keep in mind you can sell the stuff you take off to offset the cost.