ICohen424

Im very close to buying a car this week and have 2 options... but cant figure out which.
Id really love some advice.
Its going to be a car only used for DE and track days (barely ever on the street)... hopefully my skill level will increase and Ill want to improve the car along with it.

Option 1:
1992 Porsche 968
110k miles; New clutch and flywheel, B&B exhaust, Koni Adjustable shock, M030 sway bars.
Exceptionally clean car. I dont think Ive seen a used car as clean. Not a spot of oil nor a spec of dust anywhere.

Option 2:
1986 Porsche 944 Turbo (not S)
77k miles, well maintained, all stock. Pretty clean.

Im interested to hear feedback on the car as Ill be able to use it on the track for DE and track days today... as well as its upgrade-ability for the future as I progress.

One of my biggest fears is that Ill out grow the power of the 968 in the near future and be left with minimum upgrades available (unless I add a turbo)... where-as the 944 seems to have almost unlimited potential.

Thanks!!

odurandina

welcome to Rennlist.

that will always depend upon whom you ask. i like the 968 because of it's simplicity, and good build quality, but you can't go much past 160~162 mph without major surgery, i.e. cams/superchargers/blueprinting/turbos. the 944 Turbo is a wildcard. after tuning, and upgrades that won't break the bank, the cars can be made to go very fast. 175~180 mph cars (on this forum) are not uncommon. for track use, the 944 Turbo offers more transmission/gear options. the 968 box by contrast, isn't well-suited for track use, as shorter top gears must be sourced to keep the engine in its narrow power band.

Dougs951

If you are going to track it get the 951.

Don't waste a super clean car.

m carter

I have a 89' 944 Turbo S for sale if interested!
mikenally@yahoo.com

67King

As your skill level improves you will realize that power is the least of your concerns on a track car. Handling, brakes, and reliability will all be much, much more important.

I've said many times if I could do it all over again, I'd get an SP2 car, which is a base 944 NA. If I were looking at a 968 and a 944T for a track car, I'd get the 968 without a second thought.

Jfrahm

The 86 turbo lacks ABS, which is very nice on the track (prevents flatspotting expensive tires.) I personally would not want to track a modded 951 due to the cost of the maintenance and repairs. Track conditions are hard on modded cars. It is likely the more modern software offers much better protection but it is still a lot of load. A lot of heat. Lots of air and oil trying to escape. Bring money.

The V8 conversions seem to be well liked on the track so if you get a chassis you like you can use that upgrade path.

chrenan

944 Turbo or 968?

Blonde or Brunette?

Why choose, enjoy both.

ausgeflippt951

Not having ABS can definitely lead to much worse flat spotting...


To the OP, If you're looking to upgrade down the road, then buy a 951. They can be made very reliable once you get rid + swap out much of the antiquated stock stuff (Cycling valve, venturi, AFM, etc). Plus, the driveability will greatly improve as well. 330 reliable rwhp is very attainable.

If your primary interest is driving on the street, then perhaps you will be swayed by the 968's good looks and superior on-road characteristics. You won't, however, be able to go much above the 200-ish rwhp the 968 comes stock with. Unless you spend some big $$$.

911 Crazy

951 for sure!

RajDatta

I guess I would have to disagree on some counts. If anything, the 968 transmission is a close ratio unit, which in theory should help utilize its power better.
As an ex 951 owner, if you start going down the slippery slope of modding, a 951 will lose some of it's reliability. Also, a 951 is a complex machine, with lots of bits and pieces that require additional gaskets/seals.
It all comes down to who will do the work? If you are a wrench, then a 951 should not be a problem owning. If you plan to have someone else do it, a 968 could turn out much cheaper in the long run.
I went to a 968 from a 951 because I felt it was time and 951's to me were begining to look dated. This is purely subjective. 951's were my dream cars when they came out, but 968's seem to carry the traditional Porsche lines.
The fact that the 951 you are looking at is an 86 would be a deal breaker in my eyes. It's an oddball yr, with unique parts for that particluar yr. Do you research. Wheels, brakes etc...
You will find support towards either model.
Regards.
Raj

RajDatta

Attainable, yes!
Reliable under track conditions is the big question. Those numbers are well beyond what the car was designed to do, especially in track conditions. I am sure a 951 could be very reliable in stock form at the track, but throwing over a 130rwhp on an 86 has to take it's toll. Not sure what an 86 dyno's at the rear wheels.

User 52121

I'm gonna go against the grain here and say 968.

Linear power curve will be a LOT easier to manage. Power to redline (vs. falling off in the upper revs with the 26/6 of the non-S turbo.) Less underhood heat (no turbo) plus overall just less stuff to fail (no KLR, CV, wiring, vacuum hose mess) and IMO less chance of a simple failure (like a vacuum hose falling off) leading to catastrophic failure (overboost and BOOM.)

And some more food for thought: the standard non-S turbo competes in PCA Club Racing's E-stock class... which is in the same group as the 944S2 and 968, and as I understand it (based on what a few folks have said here, along with friends of mine who run in PCA CR), the base Turbo isn't really competitive. Which suggests to me that, basically, the S2 or 968 is going to be the same speed if not faster around a course.

My turbo is primarily a street car, which I use for the occasional DE. Power wise, I'm pretty much stock... my mods are mostly in the handling department. So it's fairly "underpowered" for it's handling capability. I also have a 944 N/A that I run in the 24 Hours of Lemons... and I have every bit as much fun hustling around that 944 N/A as I do my 951. It's light, it likes to rev, it's just a ball.

Primarily a track car? 968 all the way.

74goldtarga

968. In my experience you have to spend a fair bit of money to get the 951 to be faster than the 968. If you want to drive it and aren't really interested in modding the car I would go with the 968 - are you going to turn it into a race car - again go with the 968? If you want to go fast, are not going to race, have time/money/skill to do the work yourself or pay someone to do it right then go 951. The siren song of boost is hard to deny, but that fades quickly when well prepared 968s are passing you left and right at DEs, you can be faster but the investment is not a small one. I am hoping that this is my year to be quicker than the well driven 968s in my club - but we'll see.

JustinL

I have a heavily modded 951 and a track only 944 S2 with a 968 engine. Having turned wrenches on both, the 968 engine is much easier to deal with and should be much more reliable. The 951 has higher potential speed, but there's a hell of a lot more to go wrong with that car. There are far more pipes and hoses that enrage me on the 951 than the n/a.

kghaas

I have never been passed by a 968 on a track! But that is just track days, not racing...
My car is a medium modded 951, and has been very reliable.