RE: SOTW: Porsche 944 track car

RE: SOTW: Porsche 944 track car

Friday 1st June 2012

SOTW: Porsche 944 track car

It's a Porsche, it's ready for the track and it's less than a grand - what's not to like?



Summer is well and truly here and, with decent weather, Shed's mind begins to waver from its traditional fast barge heartland. And this week it's been wavering in the direction of track day specials. And has found this rather intriguing Porsche 944.


This car has several advantages over the last track car we featured, too, namely that it has both MoT and tax, and that it is not a Ford Fiesta. And while it's not a pukka racing car (meaning no roll cage or fire extinguisher system), the distinct advantage in this particular case is that you don't need a trailer to get it to and from the track. Alright, you might need a trailer if you crash it, but you're not going to do that, are you?

On the other hand, you do get proper racing bucket seats, complete with harnesses, and a suitably stripped-out interior. This latter point presumably means that the 28-year-old Porsche weighs a little less than the 1,180kg or so it originally left the factory with. Providing not too many of the original 163 horses have escaped from within that 2.5-litre slant four, that should mean in turn that this white and lime green beauty (no, we're not sure about that colour scheme either) should prove fast enough to be amusing out on track.


On the downside, that present state does include a boot that won't close properly, a sunroof that's been glued together, and a knocking CV joint, so this Porsche isn't perfect. But a bit of hard bargaining could see you driving away in a reasonably tidy track car for a couple of hundred quid less than a grand. Moreover, that tax and test means you could use it as your daily driver, should you feel so inclined.

Shopping car and Porsche-badged track weapon for less than £1K? You certainly can't argue with the value of that.

Advert is reproduced below


Porsche 944 stripped our cheap track car (£1,000)

1984 Porsche 944 2.5ltr 8v LUX
Bought the car last year did the required work and got an MOT. I bought it to use as a cheap track car, got enough go in it to make it fun and the weight balance is brilliant. I removed the interior and put in two bucket seat with 4 point harnesses, also installed a battery cut off. Other than that the car is pretty standard apart from the green bits..

Not being much good at bodywork it seemed like a good option and a track car should be a bit out there.

Few points that will need attention, a rear CV joint is nocking and the boot latch on one side just doesn't want to hold, I was either going to put straps on and remove the motors to save weight or have another go at adjusting it. Sun roof has been glued in as the motor was missing when I bought the car.

Car has 10/11 months left on the MOT and is taxed till the end of August. I am willing to do a deal were I hold on to the tax to cash in.

£1000 ONO



 

Author
Discussion

Trusty Steed

Original Poster:

288 posts

193 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
Drifting, here we come!!

Liquid Tuna

1,398 posts

155 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
No.

B'stard Child

28,324 posts

245 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
No Cage....... I've always gone with benefits of a already conveted to track car was you cut down on some of the big expenditure - cage would be one.

Having said that it's a 2 dr coupe with a hatch and so I kinda like that (just got the wrong badge)

sinbaddio

2,357 posts

175 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
I do quite like that Ninja Turtle colour scheme - hero in a half shell biggrin

Motorrad

6,811 posts

186 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
A nail.

I think an S2 for more money is where I'd be.

Garlick

40,601 posts

239 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
Erm, those sills are a bit wobbly

Strawman

6,463 posts

206 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
The passenger side sill looks rotten as a pear in the third photo with just some filler slapped over it.

Gruber

6,313 posts

213 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
£500 perhaps, but not a grand.

Hammerhead

2,698 posts

253 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
150 horses? nono All 2.5 na's were churning out 163 horses from the factory (165 for the later 2.7)

Porsche facts matter nerd

As to the above, I'm oooot.

wackojacko

8,581 posts

189 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
Grands worth of 944 with track mods ...... Could possibly go wrong .....

Gary C

12,315 posts

178 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
Money pit !

944's are nice cars but I would not track that thing. Sills will probably snap in the near future. Would need thousands spent on it to make it halfway safe.

Also, I would wonder why its being sold ?


J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
Yes, looks knackered, there is a reason decent ones go for a lot more money, still potentially a few cheap track days and then break it for parts and scrap the shell, not worth saving that one.

LesKellet

237 posts

218 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
Saw one of these doing well at Castle Combe a few years back. However, its sunroof blew out on the main straight!

Bruniep

71 posts

172 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
Financial pain on wheels. Look left, look right and keep on walking ....

Riggers

1,859 posts

177 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
Hammerhead said:
150 horses? nono All 2.5 na's were churning out 163 horses from the factory (165 for the later 2.7)

Porsche facts matter nerd

As to the above, I'm oooot.
My information tells me that before '88 2.5s had 150hp, but looking at it again I think that might be American-market figures. Curses.

ptn

1,694 posts

143 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
Does look a little tired, not sure that's where my money would go.

Itsallicanafford

2,759 posts

158 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
B'stard Child said:
No Cage....... I've always gone with benefits of a already conveted to track car was you cut down on some of the big expenditure - cage would be one.

Having said that it's a 2 dr coupe with a hatch and so I kinda like that (just got the wrong badge)
...do you think it would need a cage? Not too much performance on offer, i cannot decide if i need one on my MX-5 and half a dozen track days in the old 'ead in still on the shoulders...

Limpet

6,293 posts

160 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
Worth £500 tops. For that, it might be worth a punt.

uncle tez

529 posts

150 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
Looks tired just at a glance. Knowing its had a hard life being tracked as well imo means more hidden problems. Im out.

RichTBiscuit

430 posts

150 months

Friday 1st June 2012
quotequote all
Track car? No.

A nail of a 944 with the interior removed and a 9 year old let loose with a spray can? Yes