Want another 944 but which year ??
09-01-2013, 02:53 PM
#16
They can be reliable if maintained properly or have a recently rebuilt motor. I put 500 miles a week on mine and just keeps singing. There's a book out there documenting someone's trip from England to South Africa. Pretty incredible.
09-01-2013, 03:05 PM
#17
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Breaking down here where I can work on it is one thing.
Breaking down 300 miles away in the middle of nowhere with a complex car like a 968 is a totally different story. No mechanics you trust, stuck etc. With something like electromotive FI or one of the others on a simple car like an 83 NA you would know what was wrong, since that system is so simple.
I had 2 alfas years ago. Spica FI problems, and I ripped that crap off the car and installed a set of sidedraft Webers and never had any more FI problems. Needed a valve job, took it apart in the parking lot and took it to the machine shop. Tranny went out, dropped it put a piece of plywood over my bathtub and rebuilt it right there. That was some 30 years ago though - LOL.
Breaking down 300 miles away in the middle of nowhere with a complex car like a 968 is a totally different story. No mechanics you trust, stuck etc. With something like electromotive FI or one of the others on a simple car like an 83 NA you would know what was wrong, since that system is so simple.
I had 2 alfas years ago. Spica FI problems, and I ripped that crap off the car and installed a set of sidedraft Webers and never had any more FI problems. Needed a valve job, took it apart in the parking lot and took it to the machine shop. Tranny went out, dropped it put a piece of plywood over my bathtub and rebuilt it right there. That was some 30 years ago though - LOL.
09-01-2013, 04:34 PM
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LOL - Just read where the 2006-2009 Civics are prone the the engine block cracking and it was bad enough that Honda extended the engine warranty to 8 years. Sounds like another daily driver dog with fleas. Unfortunately thats the body style I like.
The 89 944 looks nice, but now I am thinking I want a more simple car and an 83 944 sounds about perfect and honest to god if they made a manifold I would probably try a set of webers on one. Really if Z cars were not such rust buckets I might be headed in that direction.
I am not ready to jump back into a 944 right now. I have to put another $2000 min more into my VW on top of the mechatronix unit that just cost me $2300 just to be able to sell it with a clear conscious.
The 89 944 looks nice, but now I am thinking I want a more simple car and an 83 944 sounds about perfect and honest to god if they made a manifold I would probably try a set of webers on one. Really if Z cars were not such rust buckets I might be headed in that direction.
I am not ready to jump back into a 944 right now. I have to put another $2000 min more into my VW on top of the mechatronix unit that just cost me $2300 just to be able to sell it with a clear conscious.
09-01-2013, 05:03 PM
#20
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I can't really recommend making huge trips in the 944. I drove mine home from New Hampshire to Houston and had problems (if you look through the threads I started you'll find it) and over 2,000 miles, I went through a DME relay, a thermostat, fan switch, and cooling fan assembly. Not fun when you have to pay an unknown shop because you're nowhere near your own garage.
For the record, the car was in great shape when I left NH- the DME relay was just bad luck and the cooling system parts failed in a domino effect type way after being grounded in stop and go traffic in NYC (starting with fans not spinning fast enough)....
For the record, the car was in great shape when I left NH- the DME relay was just bad luck and the cooling system parts failed in a domino effect type way after being grounded in stop and go traffic in NYC (starting with fans not spinning fast enough)....
I won't play the bad guy and agree with you..... cuz I must have had the best 944 evaar. 99 k miles of service 20 years ago with nothing but a blown fan relay and endless naked girls.... i've put at least 90,000 miles on my 968 in the process of driving on 300+ mile trips.... including at least 50 - 800+ mile trips. despite the maintenance floating somewhere between pricy to wicked expensive (depending on my mood), it's really a great car. still, i've had my car worked on for very reasonable rates by just having a few go-to guys in Florida, people like Porsche Doc in Kansas, etc.....
oh ****, i'm driving her 1200 miles tonight and tomorrow.
09-01-2013, 05:33 PM
#21
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LOL - Just read where the 2006-2009 Civics are prone the the engine block cracking and it was bad enough that Honda extended the engine warranty to 8 years. Sounds like another daily driver dog with fleas. Unfortunately thats the body style I like.
The 89 944 looks nice, but now I am thinking I want a more simple car and an 83 944 sounds about perfect and honest to god if they made a manifold I would probably try a set of webers on one. Really if Z cars were not such rust buckets I might be headed in that direction.
I am not ready to jump back into a 944 right now. I have to put another $2000 min more into my VW on top of the mechatronix unit that just cost me $2300 just to be able to sell it with a clear conscious.
The 89 944 looks nice, but now I am thinking I want a more simple car and an 83 944 sounds about perfect and honest to god if they made a manifold I would probably try a set of webers on one. Really if Z cars were not such rust buckets I might be headed in that direction.
I am not ready to jump back into a 944 right now. I have to put another $2000 min more into my VW on top of the mechatronix unit that just cost me $2300 just to be able to sell it with a clear conscious.
Last edited by racerbvd; 09-01-2013 at 06:47 PM.
09-01-2013, 08:07 PM
#22
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That looks like a nice Z but I will wait on that one.
Have to get my normal car life in order first then decide.
So what am I looking at here $ wise to buy a nice 83 944, figure 100k or there abouts, maintained decent condition decent paint.
What do you figure for upgrades and going through the car from top to bottom. That would be considering lets say the drive train is good from engine to trans and it has had a recent clutch job, shocks are good, recent timing belt and water pump, needs no trans work, TT bearings are good etc leaving the rest.
Turbo nose, going through and checking and or replacing everything else, hoses, belts, plugs an wires, wheel bearings, rack, rod ends, clutch hydraulics, brake hydraulics, booster, and whatever else you can think of. Basically whatever I would need to get it into top running condition. I know thats a WAG on a 30YO car but just curiuos.
About what would it run to buy a good 3L engine in and I would probably run custom FI.
Electromotive is probably 3-4G and I had that on 2 different custom turbo 928s.
Dont know much about megasquirt or miniquirt or whatever it is called.
Have to get my normal car life in order first then decide.
So what am I looking at here $ wise to buy a nice 83 944, figure 100k or there abouts, maintained decent condition decent paint.
What do you figure for upgrades and going through the car from top to bottom. That would be considering lets say the drive train is good from engine to trans and it has had a recent clutch job, shocks are good, recent timing belt and water pump, needs no trans work, TT bearings are good etc leaving the rest.
Turbo nose, going through and checking and or replacing everything else, hoses, belts, plugs an wires, wheel bearings, rack, rod ends, clutch hydraulics, brake hydraulics, booster, and whatever else you can think of. Basically whatever I would need to get it into top running condition. I know thats a WAG on a 30YO car but just curiuos.
About what would it run to buy a good 3L engine in and I would probably run custom FI.
Electromotive is probably 3-4G and I had that on 2 different custom turbo 928s.
Dont know much about megasquirt or miniquirt or whatever it is called.
09-01-2013, 10:18 PM
#23
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I would recommend the later series - post 85.5, preferably 87 or later for the engine improvements - I just don't like the interior or the more complex air flow sensor and other things on the early series.
09-02-2013, 12:20 AM
#24
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That looks like a nice Z but I will wait on that one.
Have to get my normal car life in order first then decide.
So what am I looking at here $ wise to buy a nice 83 944, figure 100k or there abouts, maintained decent condition decent paint.
What do you figure for upgrades and going through the car from top to bottom. That would be considering lets say the drive train is good from engine to trans and it has had a recent clutch job, shocks are good, recent timing belt and water pump, needs no trans work, TT bearings are good etc leaving the rest.
Turbo nose, going through and checking and or replacing everything else, hoses, belts, plugs an wires, wheel bearings, rack, rod ends, clutch hydraulics, brake hydraulics, booster, and whatever else you can think of. Basically whatever I would need to get it into top running condition. I know thats a WAG on a 30YO car but just curiuos.
About what would it run to buy a good 3L engine in and I would probably run custom FI.
Electromotive is probably 3-4G and I had that on 2 different custom turbo 928s.
Dont know much about megasquirt or miniquirt or whatever it is called.
Have to get my normal car life in order first then decide.
So what am I looking at here $ wise to buy a nice 83 944, figure 100k or there abouts, maintained decent condition decent paint.
What do you figure for upgrades and going through the car from top to bottom. That would be considering lets say the drive train is good from engine to trans and it has had a recent clutch job, shocks are good, recent timing belt and water pump, needs no trans work, TT bearings are good etc leaving the rest.
Turbo nose, going through and checking and or replacing everything else, hoses, belts, plugs an wires, wheel bearings, rack, rod ends, clutch hydraulics, brake hydraulics, booster, and whatever else you can think of. Basically whatever I would need to get it into top running condition. I know thats a WAG on a 30YO car but just curiuos.
About what would it run to buy a good 3L engine in and I would probably run custom FI.
Electromotive is probably 3-4G and I had that on 2 different custom turbo 928s.
Dont know much about megasquirt or miniquirt or whatever it is called.
Paint is great, Fuchs, factory LSD, turbo sways, lightened and knife edged crank, turbo valve grind, throttle response cam, AC delete, balance shafts delete, engine rebuild ~4k miles ago (not just the head... whole engine), interior is almost new with the exception of the dash cracks, Bilsteins all around (coilovers coming soon) and no noise from TT bearings. Bought from a Rennlister (jharding). Think about what you could snag for $7k!
09-02-2013, 12:34 AM
#26
Yeah 83s had some good options in terms of raw drive and light weight like the manual rack and sunroof. Lightest suspension, and to get the benefits of a later motor, swap the DME and AFM from an 85.5+ then you can chip and even get the rogue tuning setup.
09-02-2013, 02:04 AM
#28
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I'm pretty sure my 83 hits below 2600# dry, and I don't have major lightening done. Rear seats, carpeting, sound deadening, spare tire, jack, tool kit, etc... all still there. (tool kit and tire are included in factory weight spec)
09-02-2013, 03:42 AM
#29
I can't really recommend making huge trips in the 944. I drove mine home from New Hampshire to Houston and had problems (if you look through the threads I started you'll find it) and over 2,000 miles, I went through a DME relay, a thermostat, fan switch, and cooling fan assembly. Not fun when you have to pay an unknown shop because you're nowhere near your own garage.
For the record, the car was in great shape when I left NH- the DME relay was just bad luck and the cooling system parts failed in a domino effect type way after being grounded in stop and go traffic in NYC (starting with fans not spinning fast enough).
With that being said, the rest of the trip was a blast. My '83 is running 250lb Bilsteins all around and it was still a comfortable ride...those seats are really well thought out. I'm 6'2" and it was more comfortable than the Honda minivan I used to DD.
Check out the 93-01 Jeep Cherokee (XJ) for a rugged DD. I almost bought one, and would have if the '83 I bought didn't happen. I've done a lot of research and question-asking about those cars, drop a line if you want to hear more about them.
For the record, the car was in great shape when I left NH- the DME relay was just bad luck and the cooling system parts failed in a domino effect type way after being grounded in stop and go traffic in NYC (starting with fans not spinning fast enough).
With that being said, the rest of the trip was a blast. My '83 is running 250lb Bilsteins all around and it was still a comfortable ride...those seats are really well thought out. I'm 6'2" and it was more comfortable than the Honda minivan I used to DD.
Check out the 93-01 Jeep Cherokee (XJ) for a rugged DD. I almost bought one, and would have if the '83 I bought didn't happen. I've done a lot of research and question-asking about those cars, drop a line if you want to hear more about them.
09-02-2013, 04:43 AM
#30
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I agree, my car is well maintained and I have no qualms about hopping in it and driving across texas or even out of state. I never leave home without a tool bag though.
And please no more discussion of putting carbs on a 944...this isn't a 914. Maybe I'm wrong, but that just sounds like someone who doesnt know how/is afraid to work on fuel injection. Despite what every old timer will tell you, carbs are not better than fuel injection, ever in any way and they are not more reliable. Its old technology and the fuel injection in a 944 is pretty damn good while also being simple.
And please no more discussion of putting carbs on a 944...this isn't a 914. Maybe I'm wrong, but that just sounds like someone who doesnt know how/is afraid to work on fuel injection. Despite what every old timer will tell you, carbs are not better than fuel injection, ever in any way and they are not more reliable. Its old technology and the fuel injection in a 944 is pretty damn good while also being simple.