SamGrant951

Tim Strayer did the earliest n/a, Id like to hear about the earliest 951's. Mine was delivered on September 20, 1985. WPOAA0957GN150412

Anyone else?

Dave

I work with a guy with a turbo bodied, NA powered, early interior car. He never really talked about the car much but I always figured that he (or the PO) had done the body upgrades on an early NA. When I finally got him to spill a little detail; it was originally a turbo that had been a theft recovery when he got it, somewhere (not sure wether it was before or after he got it) the motor blew and was replaced with the NA motor. As much as he loves his car, he's not that into being a "car guy" (read, not into specs or history), I think that's why he's hesitant to get into much detail. I had always heard that there were a few early interior 951s built, anyone know how many?

Turby

Someone on this board owns the first prototype 951.............and uses it as a daily driver. If you think about it hard enough, you could figure it out.......

Danno

"I had always heard that there were a few early interior 951s built, anyone know how many?"

Yeah, it would have to be one of the Europeans to answer this question. The '85 951 had the old square dash, single-sided NA calipers and 15" wheels!

What I want to know, is did it have the 21mm spacer on the rear wheel like the NA car. In '86, they removed it on the NA and Turbo while keeping the same 23.3mm offset wheels. This gave a sucken look to the rear wheels compared to any other year car... bizarre... <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

951sickness

I happen to have my buddy's 951 in my garage awaiting a new timing and balance shaft belts as I type this reply. It is an early 86 produced 7/85 and is missing the third brake light. I believe the vin ends with 150187...currently with 70K on the clock.

SamGrant951

[quote]Originally posted by 951sickness:
[QB]It is an early 86 produced 7/85 and is missing the third brake light. I believe the vin ends with 150187...QB]<hr></blockquote>

Mine doesnt have the 3rd brakelight either, does the "150187" mean his is car 187 and mine was 412?
Just curious..Thanks

fpena944

I thought all US spec cars after 1984 had to have the light? So even an 85 model should have the third brake light right?

Flight_951

[quote]Originally posted by fpena944:
<strong>I thought all US spec cars after 1984 had to have the light? So even an 85 model should have the third brake light right?</strong><hr></blockquote>

I believe the 85.5 944 had the third brake light and this happened late 1985. Someone else would have to confirm.

Flight_951

[quote]Originally posted by Dave:
<strong>I had always heard that there were a few early interior 951s built, anyone know how many?</strong><hr></blockquote>

I know of one in Northern Virginia. I saw it a few years ago. It had a leather covered early dash, no airbags, grayish silver paint, black interior, x'ed out vehicle i.d. number, and I was told it was titled as an '84. Supposed to be a very early prototype, but can't confirm. Maybe someone else has more on this particular car.

sweanders

One thing that seems a bit strange to me is why prototypes would be shipped to the US and not kept in Europe?

Usually prototypes and pre-production veichles are used as crash-test cars.

Flight_951

[quote]Originally posted by sweanders:
<strong>One thing that seems a bit strange to me is why prototypes would be shipped to the US and not kept in Europe?

Usually prototypes and pre-production veichles are used as crash-test cars.</strong><hr></blockquote>

There were probably dozens of prototypes of the 951 from the early 1980's through '86. Only a handful seem to have made their way to the US. The Northern Virginia area is home to execs from all over the world. It's possible that one of them had a connection and picked up a rare car for their collection.

I'd think the crash test cars would have to be virtually identical to the production car where the apparent 1984 944 turbo and 1986 944 turbo would have some small but maybe important differences. Just my 2 cents. :-)

tifosiman

[quote]Originally posted by Flight_951:
<strong>

I believe the 85.5 944 had the third brake light and this happened late 1985. Someone else would have to confirm.</strong><hr></blockquote>


Nope. The mandated date was anything made from '86 model year on. My 944 n/a is a 85.5 and it has no third brake light (thank goodness!).


Tifo

deni durrell

third brake lights suck!

next they're going to make us automatically have the horn sound when we throw it in reverse... jeeez. not a fan of third brake lights.

Kierf - ¿§?

[quote]Originally posted by tifosiman:
<strong>Nope. The mandated date was anything made from '86 model year on. </strong><hr></blockquote>

Nope. My old '86.5 Nissan truck had no 3rd brake light.

MM951

According to Peter Morgans book...all 944 Turbos had the new interior...