Toddster

I am looking for a 944 NA to do HPDEs at the track
I would like something that is streetable to the track so i don't need to trailer it.
As a NEWBIE, only done 2 DEs in my 993 am I ok getting a well maintained street car to start out or should i be looking for something more specific?
I hope to do 5 DEs next year or so
From what i have read a 944s2 seems to be the way to go but I could be wrong
Thanks guys

txhokie4life

Be sure to address the oiling issues.

at a minimum have the rod bearings replaced,
get a oil pan baffle and pickup skirt added
and consider an rx7 style oilcooler

if you have the budget... find a 968
a little more grunt and a slightly tougher engine.

replace your brake fluid with a track friendly fluid

if you find the back end wants to come around under heavy braking... re-index the torsion bars and lower the rear end.

id also go with front camber plates
the $100 eBay ones work great.

have fun

mike

Gary R.

Save a little longer and get a 97-99 Boxster, better platform all around and as you progress you can slowly create a Spec Boxster legal in PCA Racing. Try and find one with the LN IMS bearing retrofit already done.

LuigiVampa

I started with a 944 turbo and still have it. It has a half cage, which makes it safe to drive in the street, and safer than no cage for the track. Also had "race" seats which were still comfortable enough to drive around in yet allowed for a harness.

Lowered and tight suspension and front splitter makes it a challenging sometimes pulling into the driveway but it is fun for local driving.

Since my Cayman is being worked on, and then shipped to Daytona for the PCA race in a few weeks, I'll be bring my 944 to the Glen next week with CVR. And I am looking forward to it - these are fun cars!

Spend a few bucks more and get a turbo for the kick. You won't be sorry with a 944.

Frank 993 C4S

I bought a 944 track car for my teenage kids to learn. They make fun and reliable track cars and from my perspective are safer than Miatas once you install a cage as there is more room inside. As always, buy a car that already has the required track oiling and safety mods installed.

LuigiVampa

I think all 944s come stock from the factory with the ability to oil the track!

txhokie4life

touche!

i did it real good one time when we forgot to torque the oil pan plug .... one of the challenges when you have 4 mechanics on the same car :-)

we have check lists lists now and still double check

Btw, I also track a boxster. Aside from IMS, a lot more reliable and not much more coin, unless something catastrophic goes.

First thing I did do there was a baffle and a deeper oil sump...

m

Frank 993 C4S

Based on last weekend at Summit Point it's the 911s that do the oiling. As we saw, there is enough oil in the 911s to go all the way around the track and then back to your paddock space and then still have some left I thought the 944s were better known for coolant leaks.

autosea

I cant say enough good things about the 944. It was the car that I got my club race license with. I race with a very mixed grid last race with 2 991 Cups. S2 would be a great car in my opinion. Very well built

mbean

Sally drove our 993 once at the Glen and "made" me buy a 944 turbo track car. It's a great platform to really learn to drive with: no abs or things that make you look better than you really are. We took the advice of our club president and others and got a car already modified. It's way cheaper and saves time figuring out what needs to be upgraded. As a newbie you won't have the experience to sort out suspension and other issues. Get a PPI done by an experienced track mechanic who knows these cars. Our mechanic is great and let's us keep ahead of issues. Clutch, fuel lines, bearings, front hubs and the usual age related things need to be taken care of before you go to the track, as well as brakes, fluid and lines. Pay close attention to fuel lines: old ones leak and car-b-que is no fun. We went the Lyndsey Racing route but a lot of people prefer the genuine Porsch ones. Either way replace them or don't drive it, even on the street if they haven't been replaced. Replace all hoses and you will avoid spilling coolant on the track and ruining everyone's day, including yours! The only hose not replaced on ours was the heater hose at the back of the motor, and it blew at a car control clinic. No problems for other cars, and we went with Porsche replacement instead of silicon. All the other hoses had been replaced and the only one that leaked was a silicone one. They are hard to conform to the fittings and the original ones are better, in my opinion. Our car was a former club racer, so it came with a full cage, but for a dual purpose car that's not really safe. A half cage lets you get a Hans if you have the right seats and belts. Focus on safety issues first, learn to drive well and resist the macho issue to increase hp: These cars can be very fast on the track if driven well. You will learn to keep up with faster cars that are just getting by because they have more power, and it's satisfying to outbrake them and keep up through the turns. I'm not going to lie, keeping them from spilling oil or antifreeze takes diligence, and the problem with many of the street ones is they haven't been maintained, which can set you back more than the cost of the cheaper street cars. Speak to people in your club and instructors who have experience with them, and buy the best car you can afford. It will be cheaper in a year or two, and you will get the most out of your track days. No fun going home after one session because of a line or hose. Check out the bible, Clark's garage and the forums on Rennlist for advice. They are really balanced and very fun to drive. Still love the 993, but the 951 is just plain faster on the track, due to its balance and mods. Shoot me a message if you want to find out what our car has had done, and what's left to do. Always something...
Buzz

white924s

I started doing DE's in a mostly stock 924S. It's a great platform to learn on and the front engine cars are really fun to drive, but you will want to stay on top of maintenance issues (the cars are nearly 30 years old now). I never had any oiling issues with my car, but I did have some other mechanical failures that caused me to miss track time.

911Königin

944S2's seem to be pretty hard to find

g-50cab

Great cars to do HPDE on - consumables are low (brake pads/rotors) balanced (50/50) S2's are the poor mans 968's (better looking IMHO) Unless you cage a boxster - I would not drive one on the track - convertibles tend to fold in a wreck - good torque - fun car to drive - and it feels like a porsche

rlm328

944 is a great car for HPDE. They are well balanced and handle extremely well, with it being a lower HP car you will learn a lot about carrying speed into a corner and how to take out the other side.

As far as the air cooled 911s are concerned, when you can't smell burning oil coming from them they are out of oil.

CVR_Rally

I hope to finally get the S on some DE's next year myself now that I've done a few AutoX;s. I really enjoy it and even semi-daily drive it. Parts are highly available and I don't mind working on them either.