Porsche 944 project car - £free!

Porsche 944 project car - £free!

Author
Discussion

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

200 months

Saturday 2nd April 2011
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Can I ask is your intention to keep this car until she drops? You have done a huge amount of work and turned a fire car into back on the road and ready for tens of thousands of more miles.

I do really like the 944 lovely car upgrade and repair everything and it's like new you lucky hard working guy as in hard working on your hobby. It's a great thread and so worthwhile doing I wish more phers would do the same a garage would mean it's not viable but with hard work mundane hard work at times and a skill with the spanner anything is possible.
Just wish I had the space and skill and tools to do it. Sadly I don't well I have some tools some but time is short and so much else to resolve in that tine as is wife would kill me if in her eyes I wasted any more.

bertelli_1

Original Poster:

2,244 posts

212 months

Sunday 3rd April 2011
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Time & money are difficult to find. Some months I may have only had the odd hour or two free which can be frustrating. However I do have a knack of finding economical ways of fixing stuff (without compromising quality) so the money isn't such an issue.

bertelli_1

Original Poster:

2,244 posts

212 months

Monday 25th April 2011
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Its ready for an MOT! I should be sorting insurance out this week & then I can get it tested. There are still a couple of (very minor) jobs to do but nothing thats going to stop me actually driving it. Anyway, heres a pic, plus one of my freshly cleaned 20vt Golf.



aka_kerrly

12,443 posts

212 months

Tuesday 26th April 2011
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Welshbeef said:
It's a great thread and so worthwhile doing I wish more phers would do the same
It strikes me that there are a lot more PH members who subscribe to the modifying/ploughing money into old cars is not worthwhile and would soon tell you that you should have saved your money and bought a late low mileage 944 or 911, or more likely a newer mx5 (yawn)

I think it's a fantastic thread and love these kind of rebuilds (OP your 20vt golf is a nice build to). I find it far more interesting reading threads from people who aren't professional mechanics but are genuine enthusiasts prepared to learn the skills they need to take a car that is nearly ready for the scrapyard and give it a new lease of life!

Keep up the good work.

Stu - B

502 posts

178 months

Tuesday 26th April 2011
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Love the thread and you helped keep me going when everyone told me I was buying a car that would never get on the road.

Hope MOT goes well!

bertelli_1

Original Poster:

2,244 posts

212 months

Tuesday 26th April 2011
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Thanks guys. Its coments like these that make sharing the blood, sweat and tears of these projects worthwhile.

Evo

3,462 posts

256 months

Tuesday 26th April 2011
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I've been following this thread from the beginning, what a transformation.

Well done and a top class result, always thought 944's look best in white too.

Good luck with the MOT, I put my old MK2 Golf GTI for an mot last week, 146,000 miles and it passed without any advisories at all.

Keep us posted and let's have a few more pics, would love to see the interior shots.

Jenx

11,579 posts

244 months

Tuesday 26th April 2011
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bertelli, it's people like you that PH should be dishing out medals to...you are a Pistonhead of the the very finest calibre biggrin

bertelli_1

Original Poster:

2,244 posts

212 months

Tuesday 17th May 2011
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Well finally its ready for the road, it has an mot and tax. Hurray! I'm looking forward to doing some miles in it now. Thanks again for all the comments, ill load up some nice pics when I have an internet connection again.

Mannginger

9,124 posts

259 months

Tuesday 17th May 2011
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Brilliant stuff - well rescued!

lordlee

3,137 posts

247 months

Wednesday 18th May 2011
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Good man. Another '44 returning to the road is to be applauded.

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

200 months

Wednesday 18th May 2011
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Huge amount of hard work effort and personal time spent on this project.

Burning quetion is of course - is it now a keeper? Im assuming yes for the time being as its value to you is firstly possibly worth more than its market value (no idea if thats wrong or right) but your emotional link to it.

Clearly you have a lot of tools and a place where this sort of work can be done without filling the house with parts & annoying the neighbours with a work in progress sat on front lawn. And you are a competant mechanic (possibly not through qualification?)

Anyway as you have now completed the challenge - can you give a spanner rating out of 10 for the whole project as per Haynes manuals. :-)

Plus enjoy it take it to goodwood festival of speed.

bob1179

14,107 posts

211 months

Wednesday 18th May 2011
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I missed this when you first posted it.

I doff my cap to you Sir, excellent job. I bet you are so pleased with it and the satisfaction of seeing a mucky non runner returned to the road must be awesome.

I wish you many happy miles of hooning in it!

smile

Willber

551 posts

171 months

Wednesday 18th May 2011
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Great work on the rebuild. I would be interested to hear how it compares against the MK2. I am currently rebuilding my MK2 Golf and looking at a 944 as a next project!

bertelli_1

Original Poster:

2,244 posts

212 months

Wednesday 18th May 2011
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I took it to work today and it feels really good, nice and tight with no knocks, rattles or otherstrange noises. Comparing it to the golf is tricky as they are quite different, a modified hatchback and a gt car. Although both a similar age the golf is noisier at speed, although is quicker midrange when on boost. The porker feels very smooth and calm in comparison and the steering feedback is unbelivable. It feels so planted and inspires confidence in bends, im sure there is a limit to its grip but i didnt even get close. It was laughing at my puny cornering efforts.
The best bit is the engine, it may be a big 4 pot 3 litre but it is incredibly smooth. it pulls from idle and just revs and revs. In true porsche fashion you can feel every single horsepower pulling you along the road and the speed is deceptive, because it is so smooth.
It is definitely a keeper, i have managed to do all the work for a lot less than i could buy an s2 for - not counting my labour - and for that it has a new clutch, belts, all engine gaskets, head skim, brakes, notorious cam chain and pads plus loads of other bits. So it should be good for a few years.
I have cheated a lottle bit as i have over 15 years exp as a mechanic - some of it on porsches so the work didnt faze me. Id give it a spanner rating of 12. Dont try this at home.

OlberJ

14,101 posts

235 months

Sunday 26th June 2011
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Absolutely awesome project squire!

In white too. Very jealous.

tim2100

6,282 posts

259 months

Sunday 26th June 2011
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Great work Bertelli.

andrewturner

324 posts

217 months

Sunday 26th June 2011
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Good work, thanks for sharing with us all.

Years ago when I wa a student I had a 924 with the van engine and every job on that was a pain in the arse! Well done for getting it finished

Sline

498 posts

200 months

Sunday 26th June 2011
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Awesome car you've built there and i love the mk2!