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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



 

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Author Discussion

Trusty Steed

Original Poster:

206 posts

64 months

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

Liquid Tuna

517 posts

26 months

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Friday 1st June 2012 quote quote all
No.

B'stard Child

5,959 posts

116 months

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Friday 1st June 2012 quote quote 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

307 posts

46 months

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

Motorrad

3,967 posts

57 months

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Friday 1st June 2012 quote quote all
A nail.

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

38,560 posts

110 months

PH Manager Bloke

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

Strawman

5,173 posts

77 months

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

Gruber

4,209 posts

84 months

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

Hammerhead

1,458 posts

124 months

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Friday 1st June 2012 quote quote 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

8,467 posts

60 months

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

Gary C

604 posts

49 months

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Friday 1st June 2012 quote quote 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

7,586 posts

70 months

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Friday 1st June 2012 quote quote 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

233 posts

89 months

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

Bruniep

63 posts

43 months

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

Riggers

1,844 posts

48 months

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Friday 1st June 2012 quote quote 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

164 posts

14 months

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

Itsallicanafford

489 posts

29 months

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Friday 1st June 2012 quote quote 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

400 posts

31 months

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

uncle tez

343 posts

21 months

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Friday 1st June 2012 quote quote 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

399 posts

21 months

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Friday 1st June 2012 quote quote 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
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