Mike, swapping in the 944 Turbo engine is alot more involved i think. There is much more to consider such as the plumbing of an intercooler and the rest of the exhaust. Also the addition of a few cooling lines and the cooling crossover pipe that goes over the frame rails. I think a 968 engine is a much more direct swap only requiring splicing of the wire harnesses and adding in the different coolant hoses. And of course the exhaust fabrication..but i think all of that is much more simple than figuring out how to adapt everything from the 944 Turbo. And contrary to how i would feel about buying a 968 over putting one into my car.. i would much rather have a proper 944 Turbo than a hackjob on my current car.

As of right now i will be naming my savings account the "944 Turbo Fund". I figure once i save up about $4k i can throw up my car for sale and start looking for a 951 (or buy Tom's if he is looking to sell at that time).

 

I made up some I/C pipes for my car pretty easy... haven't gotten to the downpipe.exhaust yet and solved the problem of cooling lines by using an oil cooled turbo.. next is a 951 motor mount.. but at the same time I see your point...

I've been on the lookout for a nice 951 in my price range for a while. There was a very nice 86 on autotrader for under 5K but it sold before I could do anything about it Anyway looks like you have a sweet car.. reminds me.. is that meet in westchester still going on?

 

Go crazy and make it an 3.0 turbo..

 

3L swap.. droool

 

Is your transaxle already upgraded Jon? Either a turbo, S2 or even a 968 6-speed would be necessary to cope with the added power. Although re-sale on any of these cars is not the first thing to think about, keep in mind that you may want to sell your car in a few years to fund the next goal, and at that time, a relatively un-molested 951 will be much easier to sell for a decent $ than a hybrid (for which you would have to wait for the right, appreciative buyer).

 

It's funny to me hearing you say it like its nothing more than replacing a set of spark plugs!

 

I've thought this over and the question keeps coming up....if the 968 16 valve variocam is so good, why did the original Porsche 968 Turbos use the 8 valve engines? There must be a technical reason. Admittedlly, the 968 engine is a great engine but I've heard that making it turbo is a very expensive proposition.

Harvey

 

I never said it would be easy, haha.

And as for the 968T's using the 8v head, it's because they were HP restricted and went for the most torque they could get... IIRC

 

Nick G is selling an s2 short block for $900 rric..

 

Honestly? I think the real reason is because they didn't want to have to reprogram the motronic for 16v turbo. Since then, in the aftermarket, it has been done (16v turbos) and they are far better. Don't fall into the trap of believing just because it didn't come from the factory a certain way, doesn't mean it wouldn't be better done that way!

 

It is for me! I want to know (or at least have an idea) of what I will have when all the dust settles.

If I was going to put a different motor into a 944 it wouldnt be four cylinders.

Either way the resale is zilch, and if you want out - good luck finding the seat.

look at the crap SS is taking from board members over what his pristine S2 is worth. I would take that car for 17k in a heartbeat over a 944/968 project. I could drive that car for a good 50k of trouble free miles and sell it for at least 8k. that means 9k for 50k miles. a hell of a lot cheaper than any bastard converstion and a lot more seat time instead of fixing time.

 

All that and Tom isn't even on the payroll! I would easily go the S2 route. If you are considering a 9K 951, I would step up and get a moderate mileage S2 for a little more. Lots of power down low and plenty of pedal up high. If that thing had a 6-speed, look out!

It doesn't have the exact same throw your butt back in the seat feeling the 951 has, but my buddies Ferrari F360 Modena doesn't either. It puts you back into your seat authoritatively, but it is less violent than say a 930. The 951 is a perception car...you feel the turbo and it feels awesome due to the sudden torque. But before that, you really weren't going that fast. The S2 & 968 are smooth and fast throughout the powerband.

Don't get me wrong, the turbo sensation is great and the 951 is a fun ride, but it is not as versetile and useful in day to day driving or autocrossing as the S2. Or for that matter, even your car with the 944S, 2.7L engine. I would do those before a 968 just on a cost basis alone.

The N/A S2 would be my choice if you were going to replace the car...I would not do the engine swap unless I was going to a 944S engine. The 3.0L swap sounds fun, but resale will suck and who will trust your work? Would you buy that when for a few bucks more, you could get the real deal?

Just my 2 cents

 

I think that for most front engine P-cars you'd best plan on keeping them since it's rare that you can sell for more than you pay (unless you get REAL lucky). Unfortunately, the "cheapest" buys are often the most expensive cars...when you finally get the gotchas sorted out. Therefore, with this in mind, I'd suggest buying the best shape car that you you can find and that you will love owning a long time and will do what you want it to do without it eating your billfold every month. This will cost you more upfront but can be worth it (with a good PPI to help you make a well grounded choice). These cars tend to depreciate rather than appreciate...although we all dream of the latter. You only live once, enjoy life driving the best.

Harvey
"There's an old saying. Men will pay $2 for something worth $1 if they really need it. Women, on the other hand, will gladly pay $1 for something worth $2 even though they don't need it. "