marksportcts

I have finally decided to tell the story of my '86 944. I noticed that there are many new members on rennlist since I joined back in 2001, as well as quite a few familiar ones that are still around. As many of you know, there is always someone asking how to turbocharge the n/a. I asked even before rennlist was created, but no one really had the answer. I remember being told that it could not be done, but I saw that as a challenge and moved forward. After breaking the stock transmission, I came across a 951S unit and shortly after found a used Callaway turbo kit. I decided to do a 951 brake and suspension upgrade as well. So by 2000 I had one of the first turbocharged n/a-based 944. It was quite a powerful setup with an estimated 320hp. But with the lack of larger turbo, I decide to do the SFR kit as there was the potential for much more power, as well as a NOS kit. But I ran into problems with belt slippage, so I decided to part out the car and do something else. Once the car was completely parted out, the shell sat for a few years until I decided to build it up again and had it finally running by mid-summer. My friends who were doing the tuning told me it was real fast.

Unfortunately, one night during the tuning, she died and project came to a final end.

This was a month before it was driveable:












This was the last time I saw it....















.














I was standing a good distance away when the rear hatch exploded.

Dougs951

What happened to start the fire?

ritzblitz

Wow that really really really blows hard.

I just shed a tear.

I like your splitter though. Care to share any details on how you attached it to the valence?

Darwantae951

Wow...sorry to hear. I remember reading about your build somewhere (not sure if it was here or not). Any intent on getting another pcar (of any kind?) If not are you going to start on a different project?

white924s

so do you still have the callaway turbo kit? specifically, the exhaust manifold?

Mark944na86

Could you elaborate on what went wrong? Might save someone's life if they ever try to do something like this...

Yummybud924

damn that sucks. A burst fuel line?

can you get any insurance money?

I have fire insurance for my 944 just because of all the burning 944 stories.

FRporscheman

I'm so sorry to see a sad end to a cool story. It's completely tragic but at least you weren't trapped in there when it happened. Do you think you can salvage anything, to at least partially recoup your inve$tment?

So you actually watched it as it burned? That's terrible, I'm really sorry this happened.

JakeS2

Oh my god, my condolences... Only good thing was that there were no human casualties.

Good luck with upcoming future projects!

Josh B

Wow - serious investment of part there. Looks like some stuff is still salvageable though - intake, oil cooler, intercooler, big brakes? Was it a fuel related fire or electrical?

NineFourFourNeophyte

mark, the story was good and i was really excited to see the build as i started scrolling down the pics and then i saw the fired engine bay and then pic after pic after pic of the loss and with each pic, i cringed. damn, that was a hell of a loss, the money is one thing, but all the feelings and hopes you had for the project, damn that hurts.

hope no one got hurt in the incident.

planning on a rebuild again?
hopefully whatever caused this disaster can be noted and prevented in the future.

-nffn.

NineFourFourNeophyte

btw - i liked the message on the rear license place frame.

pwnmastap

my apologies for what happened with your 944 and i hope no one got hurt. please elaborate on the causing of the incident?

it is truly sad to see a rennlist brothers 944 go like that.

theykallmekem

i have never seen anything like that before, that fire must have been super super hot. that coolant expansion tank melted like butter =.........( im sorry that happened

RedRose

Looks like NOS went, and was it that the young lady helping you was hurt then?