1983 Porsche 944 Garage find (29 yr hibernation)
 

In 1983 I was 12 yrs old and my parents' neighbor bought a brand new Sapphire Metalic (silver/blue) Porsche 944 and I just loved the lines and color of the car. I remember the vehicle owner driving the car by my parents' house and can remember getting so excited just to see it drive by.

When I started college in the early 90's I remember that owner of the owner of the 944 had stored the car and it was sitting on flat tires. At that time, I was a poor college student and couldn't afford even a non running 944.

Fast forward to year 2015, my parents still live in the same home and I was under the impression that the owner of the 944 may still have the 944 sitting on flat tires in his garage. Well, now, I am more than done with college, have other cars including a 997.2 GTS and still want a Sapphire Metallic 944. I know that I could buy a nice 944 turbo or a 968, but I wanted the simplicity of an 1983 944 (no power steering, no power sunroof, manual seats, light weight 2,700 LBS wet).

So, while sitting in my office, I looked up my parents' neighbor and sent him a letter. I asked if he still had the 944 and if so, if it was for sale.

The 944 owner called me the very next day and said he still had the 944 and that it was for sale. The owner, a true gentleman and proud custodian of the car, had driven the car from 1983 to 1986, when he ultimately stored it with only 3,614 original miles. The car was stored in his garage, which was very dry.

I had the car inspected by a Porsche mechanic which gave it the thumbs up. The 944 owner inflated the tires last week after 29 yrs of sitting on flat tires with the weight of the car resting on the tires and once re-inflated after 29 years the tires held air without issue! Lol. The stock tires which came on the 944 were Pirelli P6000.

The interior is perfect and the seats are a "plush" cloth. See attached pics.

My dad and I rolled the 944 out of the prior owner's garage and had it flat bed towed to the Porsche mechanic where he will go thru a very detailed checklist of items that need to be changed or replaced in order to breathe life back into this beauty.

I will periodically upload pics for those that are interested.

This has been a fun project so far. If the engine grenades, then it will turn into a hot rod or track car. If it runs, then i will clean it up and tour it as a concurs show car. Its that nice and I hope to be a good custodian of it just like the prior owner.

Enjoy

944
 

Rear seats

That is really cool. It's very uncommon to find such low mileage cars. If you're going to build a track car, see if you can find one a bit more abused to start with and preserve this one.

This is amazing! I love the 83 too and that color for the year must be very rare. That's quite the time capsule.

How was the condition of the rubber? Sitting is terrible for a car and all the hoses, seals, and belts are probably dried and cracked.
Chris

Rubber is in very good condition. Car was stored with a car cover and then more sheets placed on top. I'm sure some rubber may need to be replaced. But, first we are assessing the engine and trans.

Very cool story, congrats!

The seats are fantastic...

I bet it smells like the 80s in there.

Wow.. That is a find. Had those seats in my 83 944, they were in much worse shape though!
Subscribed to see more of this.

Congratulations on this find. An immaculate example. Best wishes on your journey with this 944.

I have to wonder, who buys a car like that and only drives it for a few years? That seems nuts to me!

Awesome! One has to think how many more cars like this are hiding away waiting to be discovered.

Hope everything goes well and it fires back to life.

Awesome story. My first Porsche was an 83 944. The seats were the same color and fabric as yours, but the exterior was Gemini Gray. Loved that car. Awesome that you are going to resurrect it.

Did the previous owner tell you why he stopped driving it in 1986?

Post of the day!!!

so cool ! enjoy !

What a great story and what a great find. Funny how the experiences we have as a kid have such a long lasting effect. Subscribed!