RE: Porsche 944 Turbo: PH Carpool
Discussion
smilo996 said:
I would just have that nagging feeling that I was driving a VW. Even though the original project was taken over by Porsche a lookin the cabin shows the extensive use of the VW parts and sub assembly bin right down to the VW Transpoerter and Polo door handles.
If you can fit VW door handles to a 944 then I will give you my 944 Turbo.As you will guess, I am pointing out that this is ignorant nonsense. You will be telling me that 924s used a "VW van engine" nest - more b
ks.smilo996 said:
Oh and my boss had a 944 which he lent me for a couple of weeks, which although not ownership (I will never own a Porsche thanks) did confirm that it was great to drive but shared a great deal with the interiors of the Golf and Polo owned at the time.
Well given how it looked, the 928 with its 4.5L V8 was and felt very much less like a VW Porsche and much more like a Porsche. Innovative, unusual and rarer. So it could be better forgiven the odd raid on the VW parts bin and it felt nothing like a VW as I got back into my VW.
So you wouldn't own a 944 because it's too much like a VW, but you'd never own a Porsche and instead prefer VWs.Well given how it looked, the 928 with its 4.5L V8 was and felt very much less like a VW Porsche and much more like a Porsche. Innovative, unusual and rarer. So it could be better forgiven the odd raid on the VW parts bin and it felt nothing like a VW as I got back into my VW.
Thanks for the clarification
Great car particularly if you like to play on the limit. This is what made it my choice as a tarmac rally car, OK it isn't the most powerful thing out there, but we do very well when it is wet or the roads are tight & twisty.
The car is a 1985 shell, running S2 engine, gearbox, suspension & brakes. Usual safety modifications plus LSD, Konis and uprated springs, polybushed and pagid pads and adjustable bias. I also run it on 15" wheels as it is easier than changing the diff ratio. The car is quite a lot lighter than a standard S2 and lower geared, so reasonably sprightly and a lot of fun.
Photo is from this years Targa New Zealand held on the South Island
The car is a 1985 shell, running S2 engine, gearbox, suspension & brakes. Usual safety modifications plus LSD, Konis and uprated springs, polybushed and pagid pads and adjustable bias. I also run it on 15" wheels as it is easier than changing the diff ratio. The car is quite a lot lighter than a standard S2 and lower geared, so reasonably sprightly and a lot of fun.
Photo is from this years Targa New Zealand held on the South Island
I ran a 1991 SE between 2001 and 2004. Handling, grip, steering were great. Feel of the major controls was great too, chassis balance was spot on and I really felt part of the car even though the steering wheel was, personally, too low for comfort.
The only thing I thought was relatively poor was the engine. The torque delivery on / off boost could make things very tricky in the wet and upset mid corner attitude when pushing hard in the dry. I bought a 4 door E36 M3 to replace the 944 when my son was born; now I know the M3 had a relatively heavy 3.2L iron block but I always felt the 951 with the M3'S S50B32 engine in it would be close to my idea of perfection.
Loved my 951 even though it did sound like a cross between a food blender and a hair dryer.
The only thing I thought was relatively poor was the engine. The torque delivery on / off boost could make things very tricky in the wet and upset mid corner attitude when pushing hard in the dry. I bought a 4 door E36 M3 to replace the 944 when my son was born; now I know the M3 had a relatively heavy 3.2L iron block but I always felt the 951 with the M3'S S50B32 engine in it would be close to my idea of perfection.
Loved my 951 even though it did sound like a cross between a food blender and a hair dryer.
I ran GC8's 951 for 3 years and 36,000 miles before he bought it off me and still miss it
it is the one car that both my son and I have pictures up of and even after all that time I still liked seeing it in the station car park waiting for me as the train pulled in, or in the Office car park, ready for a fun ride home.
It only broke down once in all that time/miles (crank sensor) and simple enough that I (or my son) did about 50% of the maintenance work
My 968 was also great, but the 944T slightly edges it for looks and Character
I used to pics like this on the PCGB forum to upset the Garage Queen purists, just driiven a 300 mile round trip to Manchester in the snow for a meeting:
it is the one car that both my son and I have pictures up of and even after all that time I still liked seeing it in the station car park waiting for me as the train pulled in, or in the Office car park, ready for a fun ride home.
It only broke down once in all that time/miles (crank sensor) and simple enough that I (or my son) did about 50% of the maintenance work
My 968 was also great, but the 944T slightly edges it for looks and Character
I used to pics like this on the PCGB forum to upset the Garage Queen purists, just driiven a 300 mile round trip to Manchester in the snow for a meeting:
Edited by Fat Albert on Wednesday 10th December 08:17
Ran my 944 Turbo S for approx 12 years, sadly gone now. For a lot of that time it was my only car so got quite a bit of use. Still brings back fond memories.
As the OP says there's quite a lot of room in them if you try I can remember someone carrying a small wardrobe in one and there used to be a picture of one with the hatch area full to the brim with shopping.
I was amaze to find that Clark's Garage is still going, so if you want do any of your own maintenance OP have a look on this site: http://clarks-garage.com/
As the OP says there's quite a lot of room in them if you try I can remember someone carrying a small wardrobe in one and there used to be a picture of one with the hatch area full to the brim with shopping.
I was amaze to find that Clark's Garage is still going, so if you want do any of your own maintenance OP have a look on this site: http://clarks-garage.com/
GC8 said:
blade7 said:
It was a sad day for a certain P'boro indy when you sold that car 
The indy who charged for new sills and then farmed it out to a skanky bodyshop who bodged one side and filled the other.The car is currently in a bodyshop having new sills fitted...
The ones on the 350Z are plastic.
Still fancy another 944 one day though.
blade7 said:
It was a sad day for a certain P'boro indy when you sold that car
I had already decided to switch my business to Tony at Dove House in Rushden(ex-Workshop Manager of silverstone Porsche) they did a great job on my 968 and XK8(and one of the Mechanics drives a very nice 944 S2, so they know these cars well)
Edited by Fat Albert on Wednesday 10th December 21:29
Is the VW switchgear really still an issue?
I can imagine it was a real image problem when new as everyone was familiar with those VW models and would immediately identify the sound of the VW engine, or the door hangles, or the gauges, or anything else that's VW on the car.
But today, the VW that the parts are taken from is undoubtedly a rarer sight than the Porsche.
I can imagine it was a real image problem when new as everyone was familiar with those VW models and would immediately identify the sound of the VW engine, or the door hangles, or the gauges, or anything else that's VW on the car.
But today, the VW that the parts are taken from is undoubtedly a rarer sight than the Porsche.
In a square dash car (I've had 2) VW switch gear is prevalent. In my current S2 you'd be hard pushed to find ANYTHING VW inside-I can't but this is PH so someone will be along shortly to prove me wrong.
Brilliant cars. I love mine, even though it's on the classifieds just now after a year of trouble free ownership-only because I fancy something plastic and noisy instead or maybe something more classic.
Handling is excellent, it's quick enough and 2 up with camping gear it averaged 32mpg on a trip to Skye this year-and it was enjoyed where possible on those fabulous roads.
Most importantly, it feels special compared to the bland ste on the roads these days.-a look in the mirror at those big arches always makes me smile. It's replacement has big shoes to fill.
Oh and did I mention pop up headlights?
Brilliant cars. I love mine, even though it's on the classifieds just now after a year of trouble free ownership-only because I fancy something plastic and noisy instead or maybe something more classic.
Handling is excellent, it's quick enough and 2 up with camping gear it averaged 32mpg on a trip to Skye this year-and it was enjoyed where possible on those fabulous roads.
Most importantly, it feels special compared to the bland s
te on the roads these days.-a look in the mirror at those big arches always makes me smile. It's replacement has big shoes to fill.Oh and did I mention pop up headlights?
NW944 said:
looks like even the factory are taking these cars seriously now.
To be fair to Porsche, they always have. Factory spares availability has always been remarkable for cars of this age, far better than for any other car maker I can think of. And I'#ve never found a UK Porsche dealer who would be anything other than helpful in getting things ordered, and happy to have the cars around. By contrast, turn up in an E39 5-series or E36 3-series at a lot of BMW dealers these days and they will almost ask you to park it round the back so no-one can see it!
Edited by Lowtimer on Wednesday 10th December 21:57
Lowtimer said:
NW944 said:
looks like even the factory are taking these cars seriously now.
To be fair to Porsche, they always have. Factory spares availability has always been remarkable for cars of this age, far better than for any other car maker I can think of.Some parts are expensive but that its true of every car that was close to the price of a modest house when it was new. And it is not true of all parts by any means. They periodically still re-manufacture some parts, including various body panels. And many 944 parts are a lot cheaper purchased through an OPC than through various other channels, including independent online retailers.
Lowtimer said:
Some parts are expensive but that its true of every car that was the price of a modest house when it was new. And it is not true of all parts by any means. They periodically still re-manufacture some parts, including various body panels. And many 944 parts are a lot cheaper purchased through an OPC than through various other channels, including independent online retailers.
The scrapyard is better though. And I could replace my entire 924 for £500. I see no reason why anyone would ever bother with OPC when these cars are the bargain bangers of this decade.The scrapyard is fine if you don't mind using old parts, which are OK for a lot of purposes. Tailgate glasses are a classic of something that I would not want to have to buy a new one of, as they are fantastically expensive: in fact I am well stocked up on spare glass generall, all from dead cars. I've got a few second hand parts on mine, including the bonnet and the tailgate.
But things like 20 year old external and internal trim just look terrible when you are restoring a car and many individual small components - I think the total ran well over 100 items - were easily available as factory new stuff, inexpensively priced and of the quality I wanted when I did mine. I also had factory wings, sills and rear quarters. Pretty much anything made of plastic or rubber-like materials is better if you can get it new than off a scrapper of that antiquity.
Mechanical stuff: I am happy to restore things like used starters and wiper motors myself as I can rewind a motor and replace the bearings and bushes quite happily, but for lots of mechanical components I have absolutely no interest in using things two or three decades old of unknown provenance, if I can buy factory new stuff and usually end up with a lot less labour time/cost in the equation.
But things like 20 year old external and internal trim just look terrible when you are restoring a car and many individual small components - I think the total ran well over 100 items - were easily available as factory new stuff, inexpensively priced and of the quality I wanted when I did mine. I also had factory wings, sills and rear quarters. Pretty much anything made of plastic or rubber-like materials is better if you can get it new than off a scrapper of that antiquity.
Mechanical stuff: I am happy to restore things like used starters and wiper motors myself as I can rewind a motor and replace the bearings and bushes quite happily, but for lots of mechanical components I have absolutely no interest in using things two or three decades old of unknown provenance, if I can buy factory new stuff and usually end up with a lot less labour time/cost in the equation.
Edited by Lowtimer on Wednesday 10th December 22:29
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