My 1994 Riviera Blue Porsche 968 Club Sport Diary
Discussion
Hello everyone.
This is my 968 Club Sport story...
In 2003 I had a 2.5 "oval dash" 944 Lux in Zermatt Silver...
I'll never forget buying it and that first drive home. That first glance in the door mirror, seeing those rear wheel arch "hips" and I was hooked...
For the originality aspect (a great passion of mine) I purchased this excellent book...
From that point forwards, I have looked at that yellow cover car in awe for 20 years.
I went to Porsche in the Park 2003 and remember crawling over my first 968CS on the "Specialist Cars of Malton" stand...
I came straight home and used this new thing called "the internet" to search this new site called "PistonHeads". I saved all the 968CS adverts at the time and found them all on my old HDD the other day...
Shame how many of those cars are now dead when using a registration checker.
Sadly I couldn't stretch to the £13,500 required at the time...
Hindsight a wonderful thing.
Still unable to afford a CS, I purchased my 3.0 S2 Cabriolet in Tahoe Blue in 2006...
I remember when ownership of the S2 was coming to an end (2009) looking at 968's (again) and just feeling a bit bored looking at the same dashboard for the third time in a row. That decision to deviate was now clearly a mistake. Again, hindsight is a wonderful thing.
I have danced with the devil ever since - BMW & TVR.
So here we are - it's 2022 and I have gone full circle. I need to do what I always promised myself. However, 19 years later, that's been kinda tough.
Kinda tough financially too, because prices have grown considerably more than my hair has in 19 years.
I actually started properly looking in 2020.
Had to be a CS and had to be a bonkers colour (Maritime Blue, Riviera Blue or Speed Yellow). It needed factory body colour wheels and the matching factory hard back bucket seats.
I also love Amaranth Violet, because that's suitably bonkers, so I looked at one in Northampton. Everyone regurgitates that the CS was only available in the five set colours - but that isn't so. Paint-to-sample was possible and that's how you got Amaranth...
Sadly, the special order colours lack body colour seat backs (they're black) and silver wheels are mandatory too. This made Amaranth a no. Still, always good to crawl over a local one and set as a benchmark.
I looked at a yellow CS at Steve Bull...
And a private sale Riviera in Essex...
Sadly, neither were the car for me.
Torture to walk away from cars that are so statistically rare.
179 new, 60 still taxed. 30 in your preferred colours and half of those are "comfort seat cars" without the hardbacks.
I was waking up in the morning and checking classifieds for what could be only 20 cars. It was driving me insane.
Hunting a genuine car is littered with pitfalls. Many are retro-converted Sports.
I tried to place feelers with Specialists to "tap-up" customers, but in some cases, I was literally laughed out the showroom with my ideal spec. Interesting how many Porsche Specialists told me they no longer service the transaxle cars as they are "the wrong type of customer".
Also, Porsche Cars GB and Porsche Club GB were both no help whatsoever. A VIN check would not be performed to confirm a CS without a V5, which is no help when trying to check a car. Porsche Club didn't even know what a "factory build sheet" was.
I was starting to give up hope.
Anyway, cut a long story short, after two years searching, I secured a car from the 968 forum.
I drove her home 26th July 2022...
She is my dream spec; it's a C16 car from Chariots (H.R. Owen) St. Albans. It's an original body colour wheeled car (silver wheel option 346 is missing) and has bucket seats (codes 384 & 385). These have their 944 part number stickers on the underside...
No radical plans I'm afraid, other than maintaining strict originality (as is my passion) and continued preservation.
I'll prepare myself for abuse as i'm a self confessed garage queen. Really looking forward to getting back into concours, as in my previous TVR circles, that's a dirty word
To be honest, I'm just breathing a huge sigh of relief. Simply becoming an owner is nine/tenths of the battle. I just go down to the garage of an evening and pinch myself that after 20 years, those seats are finally in my life...
I'll keep this as a diary, so updates to follow. She needs a few bits and bobs to raise the bar.
Best Regards,
JKM
This is my 968 Club Sport story...
In 2003 I had a 2.5 "oval dash" 944 Lux in Zermatt Silver...
I'll never forget buying it and that first drive home. That first glance in the door mirror, seeing those rear wheel arch "hips" and I was hooked...
For the originality aspect (a great passion of mine) I purchased this excellent book...
From that point forwards, I have looked at that yellow cover car in awe for 20 years.
I went to Porsche in the Park 2003 and remember crawling over my first 968CS on the "Specialist Cars of Malton" stand...
I came straight home and used this new thing called "the internet" to search this new site called "PistonHeads". I saved all the 968CS adverts at the time and found them all on my old HDD the other day...
Shame how many of those cars are now dead when using a registration checker.
Sadly I couldn't stretch to the £13,500 required at the time...
Hindsight a wonderful thing.
Still unable to afford a CS, I purchased my 3.0 S2 Cabriolet in Tahoe Blue in 2006...
I remember when ownership of the S2 was coming to an end (2009) looking at 968's (again) and just feeling a bit bored looking at the same dashboard for the third time in a row. That decision to deviate was now clearly a mistake. Again, hindsight is a wonderful thing.
I have danced with the devil ever since - BMW & TVR.
So here we are - it's 2022 and I have gone full circle. I need to do what I always promised myself. However, 19 years later, that's been kinda tough.
Kinda tough financially too, because prices have grown considerably more than my hair has in 19 years.
I actually started properly looking in 2020.
Had to be a CS and had to be a bonkers colour (Maritime Blue, Riviera Blue or Speed Yellow). It needed factory body colour wheels and the matching factory hard back bucket seats.
I also love Amaranth Violet, because that's suitably bonkers, so I looked at one in Northampton. Everyone regurgitates that the CS was only available in the five set colours - but that isn't so. Paint-to-sample was possible and that's how you got Amaranth...
Sadly, the special order colours lack body colour seat backs (they're black) and silver wheels are mandatory too. This made Amaranth a no. Still, always good to crawl over a local one and set as a benchmark.
I looked at a yellow CS at Steve Bull...
And a private sale Riviera in Essex...
Sadly, neither were the car for me.
Torture to walk away from cars that are so statistically rare.
179 new, 60 still taxed. 30 in your preferred colours and half of those are "comfort seat cars" without the hardbacks.
I was waking up in the morning and checking classifieds for what could be only 20 cars. It was driving me insane.
Hunting a genuine car is littered with pitfalls. Many are retro-converted Sports.
I tried to place feelers with Specialists to "tap-up" customers, but in some cases, I was literally laughed out the showroom with my ideal spec. Interesting how many Porsche Specialists told me they no longer service the transaxle cars as they are "the wrong type of customer".
Also, Porsche Cars GB and Porsche Club GB were both no help whatsoever. A VIN check would not be performed to confirm a CS without a V5, which is no help when trying to check a car. Porsche Club didn't even know what a "factory build sheet" was.
I was starting to give up hope.
Anyway, cut a long story short, after two years searching, I secured a car from the 968 forum.
I drove her home 26th July 2022...
She is my dream spec; it's a C16 car from Chariots (H.R. Owen) St. Albans. It's an original body colour wheeled car (silver wheel option 346 is missing) and has bucket seats (codes 384 & 385). These have their 944 part number stickers on the underside...
No radical plans I'm afraid, other than maintaining strict originality (as is my passion) and continued preservation.
I'll prepare myself for abuse as i'm a self confessed garage queen. Really looking forward to getting back into concours, as in my previous TVR circles, that's a dirty word
To be honest, I'm just breathing a huge sigh of relief. Simply becoming an owner is nine/tenths of the battle. I just go down to the garage of an evening and pinch myself that after 20 years, those seats are finally in my life...
I'll keep this as a diary, so updates to follow. She needs a few bits and bobs to raise the bar.
Best Regards,
JKM
Thank you all for the kind comments.
There's some questions asked of me;
Andy665
The Metropolitan Police had a publicity stunt CS in white which is what you might be thinkng of?
I have no information that there were any "fleets" so just an urban myth on that front. There are many publicity stunt police cars; Lotus Esprit for example and even an RS200 if I recall. Don't think the CS was anything different.
ChevronB19 & SS427 Camaro
I looked at the Amaranth CS in 2021 so it's long gone now. I remember it needed work and it was missing its rear seat blanking shelf. It hung around at Dove House Cars (Northampton) for ages and then went on Collecting Cars in January here.
Yes, the build quality is like nothing else. The noise the doors make when they close is divine...... especially when coming from a Griff in the interim years
The Griff had lots of flaws but holds a special place in my heart. Much more drama when pressing on!
You can really see how Porsche were hitting near bankruptcy with these still largely hand built cars. And, to say its a lightweight is also tongue in cheek with the solidness of it. My boot carpet alone weighs as much as the whole interior of a 306 rallye!
You can daily them and many people do on the 968 forum. Whether you'd daily a CS is open for debate due to their cost and rarity but that's your call. Of all the M-reg cars you can daily in 2022, then arguably this is one of the more durable, but there's no escaping the maintenance and running costs of (any) thirty year old car now.
I summer-daily my Mk2 Golf GTi and that is hard work to keep on top of things. Again, that was the more durable option when compared to its Ford or Vauxhall peers.
I am restoring an M-reg Volvo 480 Turbo (also an M-reg) at the moment and most of that has been swept up in a dustpan and brush, so a 968 is extremely good corrosion wise. However, the used-all-year-round ones do have their problems in the rearmost sill area.
seawise
Gorgeous car. I think Riviera, Maritime and Rubystone are all iconic colours. It wasn't just Porsche though, VW had the "Colour Concept" range in the mk3 Golf and it was an era that spawned the Harlequin after all! The Lupo and Arosa were available in some awesome primary colours too.
Phil2NL
No road trips i'm afraid. Just local drives and polishing, sorry! I immediately SORN'd the car and i'm slowly taking it apart in places, making a growing list of tasks. I'll document all my work here. Porsche Club concours is my goal. The event hasn't happened for a few years (because COVID) and i'm looking forward to the national event at (I think) Ragley Hall.
I have a good selection of parts down the powder coaters already, but more on that in another update!
Thanks again,
JKM
There's some questions asked of me;
Andy665
The Metropolitan Police had a publicity stunt CS in white which is what you might be thinkng of?
I have no information that there were any "fleets" so just an urban myth on that front. There are many publicity stunt police cars; Lotus Esprit for example and even an RS200 if I recall. Don't think the CS was anything different.
ChevronB19 & SS427 Camaro
I looked at the Amaranth CS in 2021 so it's long gone now. I remember it needed work and it was missing its rear seat blanking shelf. It hung around at Dove House Cars (Northampton) for ages and then went on Collecting Cars in January here.
Yes, the build quality is like nothing else. The noise the doors make when they close is divine...... especially when coming from a Griff in the interim years
The Griff had lots of flaws but holds a special place in my heart. Much more drama when pressing on!
You can really see how Porsche were hitting near bankruptcy with these still largely hand built cars. And, to say its a lightweight is also tongue in cheek with the solidness of it. My boot carpet alone weighs as much as the whole interior of a 306 rallye!
You can daily them and many people do on the 968 forum. Whether you'd daily a CS is open for debate due to their cost and rarity but that's your call. Of all the M-reg cars you can daily in 2022, then arguably this is one of the more durable, but there's no escaping the maintenance and running costs of (any) thirty year old car now.
I summer-daily my Mk2 Golf GTi and that is hard work to keep on top of things. Again, that was the more durable option when compared to its Ford or Vauxhall peers.
I am restoring an M-reg Volvo 480 Turbo (also an M-reg) at the moment and most of that has been swept up in a dustpan and brush, so a 968 is extremely good corrosion wise. However, the used-all-year-round ones do have their problems in the rearmost sill area.
seawise
Gorgeous car. I think Riviera, Maritime and Rubystone are all iconic colours. It wasn't just Porsche though, VW had the "Colour Concept" range in the mk3 Golf and it was an era that spawned the Harlequin after all! The Lupo and Arosa were available in some awesome primary colours too.
Phil2NL
No road trips i'm afraid. Just local drives and polishing, sorry! I immediately SORN'd the car and i'm slowly taking it apart in places, making a growing list of tasks. I'll document all my work here. Porsche Club concours is my goal. The event hasn't happened for a few years (because COVID) and i'm looking forward to the national event at (I think) Ragley Hall.
I have a good selection of parts down the powder coaters already, but more on that in another update!
Thanks again,
JKM
Edited by jay-kay-em on Monday 28th November 18:46
SS427 Camaro said:
Judging by the alloys, your Griff was an early 400 ?
Yes, she was a pre-cat 1992 on a "K" with the factory option O.Z. wheels.I did a walkaround video before I sold it and it had a diary here also.
I will never own a car with a soundtrack like that again. Docile enough for a Sunday burble, but brutal enough to scare you when you wanted. Tunnels will never be the same again
Winter SORN 2022
So, take off the rose tinted specs, get underneath, and lets see what I have actually bought...
Actually, step one is apply for Classic Register Membership at Porsche Centre Cambridge.
Many benefits come with this scheme, many of those will pass me by, but one caught my eye - 15% off parts.
You get a nice welcome pack...
...and a charming aluminium membership card with your VIN on the reverse. The Fuchs cut out spokes are a nice touch...
All this was complimentary. Times certainly have changed, because when I last owned my 944, you were definitely a poor relation when you rocked up at a Porsche Dealer. Some long overdue recognition for the older transaxle cars of the marque - although it's probably just a gimmick to get that piece of the classic servicing pie.
What hasn't changed though, is that you still take dealership staff by surprise when you walk to the counter and ask for parts
Build Sheet Foreword
The factory build sheet is King. This tells you exactly what the car should of had from new. Not only does it prove Club Sport, but it also details any options specified from new. Contrary to popular belief, the whole options list was available for Club Sport. You could take the bare bones CS and specify back in electric windows, comfort seats, airbag... sky was the limit.
Porsche were really struggling in 1994 and whatever the customer wanted, they got. Oh what a contrast!
I'm really proud of my build sheet; it proves my front seats were factory installed, as it does with the body colour wheels, the rear seat delete, central locking delete, radio delete and so on.
There are plenty of Club Sports rolling around out there with Recaro Pole Positions fitted. Some of those would of been "comfort seat" specified cars with the Pole Positions retro-fitted later in life. The build sheet would prove that.
M030 Anti-Roll Bars
I mention the build sheet above as this covers my first dilemma. The previous owner had upgraded the anti-roll bars to "M030" spec. This was an option code for an upgrade that, amongst other items, got you fatter anti-roll bars. This is desirable for track use, but I was unhappy that the M030 anti-roll bars were not on the build sheet.
Therefore, virtually new front & rear M030 bars removed, together with the larger diameter bushes...
Thankfully the OE roll bars were kept when they were replaced for M030, but the originals were looking a bit shabby in places...
So, the original specification (27mm & 16mm) roll bars (plus hangers) shot blasted & zinc powder coated...
...for fitment with new genuine standard diameter bushes...
Bizarrely these "base" size bushes are twice the price than M030 bushes; go figure!?!
Front Struts
Not looking great. Bump stops destroyed and only fragments of the dirt shields remaining...
Time for a strip down. As far as i'm concerned the shocks are fully serviceable still. The car drives well and there are zero damper fluid leaks. This is merely presentation.
First casualty - the ABS ground wires. How these were actually "grounded" is beyond me...
Blue overspray on my brake disc shields. Oh the embarrassment!
Disc shields removed. Note the grinding...
It's a double skin affair, swelling with corrosion and then grinding the back of the hub...
This, in turn, showers the ABS sensor in swarf. With an ABS sensor tip now covered in steel filings, together with non-existent ABS grounds (see above), its amazing my ABS lamp ever extinguished!
Disassembly...
Component parts cleaned, wire brushed, rust treated and painted...
New bump stops and shields...
New stainless captive nuts fitted for the ABS ground points...
Much more presentable and hopefully a couple of years of service left.
Together with new brake disc backing shields...
...that handily need an M7 tap for cleaning....
Had to get some M7 fixings in as I don't carry them!
The ABS harness holders also broken, but again, new items available...
I'm genuinely not used to this level of parts support for the 90's cars that I own!
Front Wheel Arches
Perfect opportunity for a teardown & clean, what with no front struts in the way. Fixings all in a right mess, some having to be drilled...
All cleaned with TFR...
Again, embarrassing overspray to tidy...
Selection of bracketry, some new and/or blasted & zinc painted for re-fitment...
The volume of bracketry is total bonkers really. Another insight into poor 968 profitability on the production line.
Screw holes - which I presume is mudflap butchery
- being repaired...
Front liners going back in...
All finished...
Rear Wheel Arches
Rear arches also needing a clean...
Tar removal and general cleaning...
Much more presentable...
Power Steering Leak
Unclear on the precise source. In summary, an absolute mess everywhere. I know the ZF bottles can crack and the cap seal degrades over time...
Plus, all the hose connections get repeatedly "nipped up" over the years until there's no more nipping to do...
The ZF reservoir has an internal micro-gauze filter so it's no harm to renew. It means you get a new cap seal too. The ZF bottle has a 928 part number. This, and the supply hose are still available, so that's a good place to start...
Sadly, what I can't replace, is the return line from the PAS cooler. This was absolutely destroyed with historic "nipping up"...
Well, that's technically a lie, as it's still available, but £400 :shock:
I don't mind paying what needs to be paid, but not £400 for 20mm of hose. Perhaps one day when the cooler rots out, but not just now thank you.
Therefore, I cut and spliced the return line for a better connection to the reservoir, enabling the use of fresh rubber hose...
All refitted, topped up with ATF-DIII and all leak free. For now at least.
One manky undertray to tidy after all that...
A good soaking with TFR...
This was the collection of undertray fixings, the biggest assortment of s
te you have ever seen...
All resolved with new zinc yellow fixings...
Lets hope that undertray stays oil free after this summers' use. We can but hope.
Battery
Took the battery out to charge and things not too pretty...
All rust preserved and re-painted...
Stupid I know, and a total waste of money, but I like the look of an OE battery. It's a bit more visually fitting of 1994 than a modern looking Bosch. I think it gives the car that dash of authenticity too (in my twisted mind anyways)...
All fitted, with my C-TEK charge cable and a Dis-car-nect...
I sourced a new battery vent tube as none was fitted...
...which feeds through a dedicated grommet in the body...
Starter Motor Cable
Anyway, talking of batteries and such like, one internet image of a 968 waking up in the middle of the night really spooked me...
Thankfully not mine, but I feel sorry for the person whom it was.
The cable insulation rots out, then the battery feed wire contacts the crank wire. Left in gear and she's off!
This prompted me to start poking around and instantly I saw all I needed to see...
That was up by the brake servo. Time to get rid. They are remanufactured by a contact on the 968 forum (NLA from Porsche). This was well received and of high quality.
Dissection of the old one with the outer sheath removed. Cable was fine but the insulation was rock hard and brittle. That meant any disturbance, and it just cracks...
New harness received and installed...
Plus new rubber termination boots which I didn't have, as spotted in the parts catalogue...
Radiator
Four concerns here, all for something recently replaced by a specialist...
1) Fan;
In the very little I have driven the car (errr.... twice), I have been concerned about the cooling fan duty cycle. When it cuts in, it stays on. I like to hear a cooling fan cycle in/out/in/out.
This won't have helped; fan shroud upper bolts missing...
The fan was drawing in air from round the perimeter (above), rather than through the radiator core itself. Rectified with new bolts which pulls the shroud tight against the core fins.
2) Radiator Mounting;
Radiator loose; the adjusting pins on the radiator top bracket had broken hex-drives and therefore no longer adjustable...
The whole bracket was looking pretty shabby to be fair, so top bracket removed, shot blasted and treated to a zinc powdercoat...
...fitted with new adjusting pins...
3) Blanking Cap;
I take exception to this awful bright blue blanking cap. It's garishly aftermarket, it's the wrong size and above all, it's leaking...
I don't think the 968 should have this blanking cap at all, as there is no such port in the 968 parts catalogue diagrams. I think this is a pattern radiator, designed to be 944/968 universal, hence the redundant port. No harm in that, as a genuine 968 radiator is £800, so fully understandable. However, if this port is to be blanked off, you might as well do it "officially" as the blanking cap has a 944 part number. This is still available from Porsche, of the right size and a non-obtrusive colour...
4) Coolant;
I needed a splash of coolant as I had lost some when changing the above blanking bung.
In my personal opinion, you can trace this engine's architecture back to the 1982 944. Arguably even earlier with the 928. Therefore, in my old fashioned ways, coolant should be blue.
However, removing the expansion tank cap, i'm greeted with orange, perhaps pink ...
Who's to say what that is. I don't want to mix my OATs, HOATs and GOATs. After a bit of research, the general consensus seems to be Comma G48. Which, by any other name, is blue ethylene glycol...
Even says so on the bottle...
Certainly no doubt about the colour...
Coolant flush and drain it is then. At least this way, I know where I stand from day 1.
Coolant drained, flushed (four times to clear the last bit of pink) and refilled with Comma Xstream G48.
My cooling fan now cycles in-and-out (see above) so happy with that.
Engine Bay Presentation
Just some general tidying required. Cam cover bolts proper manky...
Collection of scabby parts sent to General Polishers of Arlesey (Beds)...
Amazing job as always from them...
The Tri-Sticker Set
Using my best reference picture, this is the sticker trilogy, for coil, dizzy and PAS reservoir...
Time to sort that...
Coil looking shabby...
Painted and new OE sticker obtained from DMB graphics...
I searched high and low for the PAS reservoir sticker but it can't be found. Time to make my own then...
The trilogy complete...
Variocam Wiring
No, I havent a clue what has gone on here, but it needs tidying...
Yep, someone has definitely been here before me...
New connector and MTA boot...
Perfect opportunity for some cleaning...
Much better and no insulation tape to be found!
TDC Plug
Missing, so new plug obtained...
Airbox
A good clean...
Don't worry, i'm not drilling any power holes!
The rubber mounting pegs looking worse for wear...
Still available new and replaced...
The nose cone wind deflector was looking proper shabby and is one of the most visually prominent engine bay items...
New one ordered and fitted with new clips...
All fitted...
That's enough for this update. Quite a bit more to follow. Not happy with the side skirts and the amount of crud they contain. They are also badly stone chipped in places. Got to bite the bullet and get them off...
All the best,
Jay.
So, take off the rose tinted specs, get underneath, and lets see what I have actually bought...
Actually, step one is apply for Classic Register Membership at Porsche Centre Cambridge.
Many benefits come with this scheme, many of those will pass me by, but one caught my eye - 15% off parts.
You get a nice welcome pack...
...and a charming aluminium membership card with your VIN on the reverse. The Fuchs cut out spokes are a nice touch...
All this was complimentary. Times certainly have changed, because when I last owned my 944, you were definitely a poor relation when you rocked up at a Porsche Dealer. Some long overdue recognition for the older transaxle cars of the marque - although it's probably just a gimmick to get that piece of the classic servicing pie.
What hasn't changed though, is that you still take dealership staff by surprise when you walk to the counter and ask for parts
Build Sheet Foreword
The factory build sheet is King. This tells you exactly what the car should of had from new. Not only does it prove Club Sport, but it also details any options specified from new. Contrary to popular belief, the whole options list was available for Club Sport. You could take the bare bones CS and specify back in electric windows, comfort seats, airbag... sky was the limit.
Porsche were really struggling in 1994 and whatever the customer wanted, they got. Oh what a contrast!
I'm really proud of my build sheet; it proves my front seats were factory installed, as it does with the body colour wheels, the rear seat delete, central locking delete, radio delete and so on.
There are plenty of Club Sports rolling around out there with Recaro Pole Positions fitted. Some of those would of been "comfort seat" specified cars with the Pole Positions retro-fitted later in life. The build sheet would prove that.
M030 Anti-Roll Bars
I mention the build sheet above as this covers my first dilemma. The previous owner had upgraded the anti-roll bars to "M030" spec. This was an option code for an upgrade that, amongst other items, got you fatter anti-roll bars. This is desirable for track use, but I was unhappy that the M030 anti-roll bars were not on the build sheet.
Therefore, virtually new front & rear M030 bars removed, together with the larger diameter bushes...
Thankfully the OE roll bars were kept when they were replaced for M030, but the originals were looking a bit shabby in places...
So, the original specification (27mm & 16mm) roll bars (plus hangers) shot blasted & zinc powder coated...
...for fitment with new genuine standard diameter bushes...
Bizarrely these "base" size bushes are twice the price than M030 bushes; go figure!?!
Front Struts
Not looking great. Bump stops destroyed and only fragments of the dirt shields remaining...
Time for a strip down. As far as i'm concerned the shocks are fully serviceable still. The car drives well and there are zero damper fluid leaks. This is merely presentation.
First casualty - the ABS ground wires. How these were actually "grounded" is beyond me...
Blue overspray on my brake disc shields. Oh the embarrassment!
Disc shields removed. Note the grinding...
It's a double skin affair, swelling with corrosion and then grinding the back of the hub...
This, in turn, showers the ABS sensor in swarf. With an ABS sensor tip now covered in steel filings, together with non-existent ABS grounds (see above), its amazing my ABS lamp ever extinguished!
Disassembly...
Component parts cleaned, wire brushed, rust treated and painted...
New bump stops and shields...
New stainless captive nuts fitted for the ABS ground points...
Much more presentable and hopefully a couple of years of service left.
Together with new brake disc backing shields...
...that handily need an M7 tap for cleaning....
Had to get some M7 fixings in as I don't carry them!
The ABS harness holders also broken, but again, new items available...
I'm genuinely not used to this level of parts support for the 90's cars that I own!
Front Wheel Arches
Perfect opportunity for a teardown & clean, what with no front struts in the way. Fixings all in a right mess, some having to be drilled...
All cleaned with TFR...
Again, embarrassing overspray to tidy...
Selection of bracketry, some new and/or blasted & zinc painted for re-fitment...
The volume of bracketry is total bonkers really. Another insight into poor 968 profitability on the production line.
Screw holes - which I presume is mudflap butchery
- being repaired...Front liners going back in...
All finished...
Rear Wheel Arches
Rear arches also needing a clean...
Tar removal and general cleaning...
Much more presentable...
Power Steering Leak
Unclear on the precise source. In summary, an absolute mess everywhere. I know the ZF bottles can crack and the cap seal degrades over time...
Plus, all the hose connections get repeatedly "nipped up" over the years until there's no more nipping to do...
The ZF reservoir has an internal micro-gauze filter so it's no harm to renew. It means you get a new cap seal too. The ZF bottle has a 928 part number. This, and the supply hose are still available, so that's a good place to start...
Sadly, what I can't replace, is the return line from the PAS cooler. This was absolutely destroyed with historic "nipping up"...
Well, that's technically a lie, as it's still available, but £400 :shock:
I don't mind paying what needs to be paid, but not £400 for 20mm of hose. Perhaps one day when the cooler rots out, but not just now thank you.
Therefore, I cut and spliced the return line for a better connection to the reservoir, enabling the use of fresh rubber hose...
All refitted, topped up with ATF-DIII and all leak free. For now at least.
One manky undertray to tidy after all that...
A good soaking with TFR...
This was the collection of undertray fixings, the biggest assortment of s
te you have ever seen...All resolved with new zinc yellow fixings...
Lets hope that undertray stays oil free after this summers' use. We can but hope.
Battery
Took the battery out to charge and things not too pretty...
All rust preserved and re-painted...
Stupid I know, and a total waste of money, but I like the look of an OE battery. It's a bit more visually fitting of 1994 than a modern looking Bosch. I think it gives the car that dash of authenticity too (in my twisted mind anyways)...
All fitted, with my C-TEK charge cable and a Dis-car-nect...
I sourced a new battery vent tube as none was fitted...
...which feeds through a dedicated grommet in the body...
Starter Motor Cable
Anyway, talking of batteries and such like, one internet image of a 968 waking up in the middle of the night really spooked me...
Thankfully not mine, but I feel sorry for the person whom it was.
The cable insulation rots out, then the battery feed wire contacts the crank wire. Left in gear and she's off!
This prompted me to start poking around and instantly I saw all I needed to see...
That was up by the brake servo. Time to get rid. They are remanufactured by a contact on the 968 forum (NLA from Porsche). This was well received and of high quality.
Dissection of the old one with the outer sheath removed. Cable was fine but the insulation was rock hard and brittle. That meant any disturbance, and it just cracks...
New harness received and installed...
Plus new rubber termination boots which I didn't have, as spotted in the parts catalogue...
Radiator
Four concerns here, all for something recently replaced by a specialist...
1) Fan;
In the very little I have driven the car (errr.... twice), I have been concerned about the cooling fan duty cycle. When it cuts in, it stays on. I like to hear a cooling fan cycle in/out/in/out.
This won't have helped; fan shroud upper bolts missing...
The fan was drawing in air from round the perimeter (above), rather than through the radiator core itself. Rectified with new bolts which pulls the shroud tight against the core fins.
2) Radiator Mounting;
Radiator loose; the adjusting pins on the radiator top bracket had broken hex-drives and therefore no longer adjustable...
The whole bracket was looking pretty shabby to be fair, so top bracket removed, shot blasted and treated to a zinc powdercoat...
...fitted with new adjusting pins...
3) Blanking Cap;
I take exception to this awful bright blue blanking cap. It's garishly aftermarket, it's the wrong size and above all, it's leaking...
I don't think the 968 should have this blanking cap at all, as there is no such port in the 968 parts catalogue diagrams. I think this is a pattern radiator, designed to be 944/968 universal, hence the redundant port. No harm in that, as a genuine 968 radiator is £800, so fully understandable. However, if this port is to be blanked off, you might as well do it "officially" as the blanking cap has a 944 part number. This is still available from Porsche, of the right size and a non-obtrusive colour...
4) Coolant;
I needed a splash of coolant as I had lost some when changing the above blanking bung.
In my personal opinion, you can trace this engine's architecture back to the 1982 944. Arguably even earlier with the 928. Therefore, in my old fashioned ways, coolant should be blue.
However, removing the expansion tank cap, i'm greeted with orange, perhaps pink ...
Who's to say what that is. I don't want to mix my OATs, HOATs and GOATs. After a bit of research, the general consensus seems to be Comma G48. Which, by any other name, is blue ethylene glycol...
Even says so on the bottle...
Certainly no doubt about the colour...
Coolant flush and drain it is then. At least this way, I know where I stand from day 1.
Coolant drained, flushed (four times to clear the last bit of pink) and refilled with Comma Xstream G48.
My cooling fan now cycles in-and-out (see above) so happy with that.
Engine Bay Presentation
Just some general tidying required. Cam cover bolts proper manky...
Collection of scabby parts sent to General Polishers of Arlesey (Beds)...
Amazing job as always from them...
The Tri-Sticker Set
Using my best reference picture, this is the sticker trilogy, for coil, dizzy and PAS reservoir...
Time to sort that...
Coil looking shabby...
Painted and new OE sticker obtained from DMB graphics...
I searched high and low for the PAS reservoir sticker but it can't be found. Time to make my own then...
The trilogy complete...
Variocam Wiring
No, I havent a clue what has gone on here, but it needs tidying...
Yep, someone has definitely been here before me...
New connector and MTA boot...
Perfect opportunity for some cleaning...
Much better and no insulation tape to be found!
TDC Plug
Missing, so new plug obtained...
Airbox
A good clean...
Don't worry, i'm not drilling any power holes!
The rubber mounting pegs looking worse for wear...
Still available new and replaced...
The nose cone wind deflector was looking proper shabby and is one of the most visually prominent engine bay items...
New one ordered and fitted with new clips...
All fitted...
That's enough for this update. Quite a bit more to follow. Not happy with the side skirts and the amount of crud they contain. They are also badly stone chipped in places. Got to bite the bullet and get them off...
All the best,
Jay.
Edited by jay-kay-em on Thursday 18th January 17:45
Winter/Spring 2023 : Body
On the whole, she's really good and very solid for what is an M-reg car. Some of my other M-reg cars over the years have been swept up into a dustpan, sills n'all. So, on that note, i'm very grateful!
Everything needing a general tidy really...
No way to do that thoroughly without taking the side skirts off sadly. Got to bite that bullet...
The first step is just getting parts. I really struggle to find all the parts I need in yellow zinc. It's so representative of the era. It was common place at the time. Too expensive nowadays, plus I think it has questionable environmental credentials.
Even new bolts from Porsche don't have the original yellow zinc as they would have when new. Most parts are bright zinc plated (BZP) or this new water based, chromium-free coating called GEOMET...
Pictured above are the original 968 rear shock absorber bolts in zellow zinc, and their brand new OPC equivalent of today.
Annoyingly, this means buying everything in BZP or GEOMET (as per above) and then taking brand new parts to be stripped & re-plated in period fitting yellow zinc...
An expensive and time consuming process, but essential for trying to acheive that factory look. It just looks so "right".
Side Skirts
Here we go then...
Again, bracketry in a bad shape...
All looking very shabby...
Yet more drilled mudflap holes...
Real heart-in-the-mouth stuff popping off the shark fin skirts...
Some fixings still needed to be cut off. The stud clips break their captivity and even with plastic nuts they just turn and turn...
Anyway, all removed and no horror stories, spot welds all good and no major tin-worm. Having a clean-up behind the skirts with soapy water...
Unfortunately for the skirt rear mounting rods, a steel bolt passes through alloy suspension, and we all know how that goes...
New skirt mounting rods still available from Porsche...
Other sideskirt bracketry fabricated from scratch as required...
All zinc powder coated...
I promised myself that with the purchase price of the car, I had no manoeuvrability for paintwork.
Yet again, for every damn car I buy, I broke that promise :lol:
They were pretty shabby though to be fair...
Sideskirts off to paint then...
These were laser scanned for the correct tint of Riviera prior to stripping. This accommodates for paint fading over the years, if indeed its original paint. Probably isn't. All the horrific mud flap screw holes and careless jacking errors repaired. Painted clear over base...
With the skirts away at paint, a perfect time to get preserving. Everything solid, just cleaning and preservation required...
These are my chosen products, everyone has their favourites, but these are mine...
Bilt Hamber Hydrate 80, Lanoguard and Dynax-UC.
All trusted products and most importantly for me, they're clear. I'm never more sceptical than seeing a freshly black schutz'd car underneath. I never want to blamed for hiding stuff, so with the clear, everything is still to be seen.
After a good general going over with a wire wheel, all treated with Bilt Hamber Hydrate 80...
You've got to pay really close attention, because the car is suffering exactly the same as my Mk2 Golf. It's barely noticeable, but...
The underseal cracks (arrowed), and it becomes a water trap, with the rust brewing underneath...
There is no doubt, in three or four years, with winter use (if you're that way inclined), then that will need a welder.
Hopefully we have arrested that.
Clean up to bare metal...
...and treat...
Let that dry overnight. A sympathetic touch up of paint and then few wax coats.
For as long as it is a steel car that has lived all year round in the UK, there WILL be rust. It's a force that can't be eliminated. It does boil my blood when you see adverts of 30 year old, 120000 mile UK cars, with claims "zero rust". Don't believe it i'm afraid. Not one iota.
New yellow zinc speed fasteners fitted to the now wire cleaned/treated/waxed mounting brackets...
Sideskirts all returned from the paintshop. My thanks to the excellent team @ J.S Holmes of Wisbech St. Mary...
They're gorgeous...
Don't know whether to fit them, or hang them on the wall as art!
New clips installed and sorting the rubber gaskets...
Tactical and sparing dabs of clear silicone to prevent the gasket seals shifting on installation.
All fitted...
The front of the skirts have a cavity panel in the front wheel house. Yet again, mine were heavily stone blasted and with more unsightly mud flap holes (arrowed)...
Still available new, supplied and fitted...
Jacking Points
It didn't all go smoothly...
Sideskirt removal exposed the jacking points and I noticed this (nearside rear)...
That jacking point should be square within that dashed box, but the tiniest crack (circled) has made the jacking point into a squished parallelogram!
This needs to be sorted as it will only collapse further, plus peoples' jack pads may cause sideskirt damage. It had already.
Dissected to re-form into shape...
I must admit, I hadn't anticipated putting an angle grinder to my new purchase :shock:
All welded square & true...
Ready for rust preservation + paint.
Thing is with these jacking points, they still leave the side skirts really vulnerable. All it takes is one MoT jacking and your nice sideskirts are deformed and cracked again.
I purchased these jacking pads, which I think are actually re-purposed hockey pucks... no joke!
They have a dedicated T-post on top that is a 90' twist home, which is convenient.
They just give that extra bit of side skirt safety...
I'll be handing them to my MoT tester and he'll have a face of total bemusement i'm sure.
Rear Bumper
Full of stones!
A Club Sport weight saving right there
Corroded bracketry...
All blasted and zinc powdercoated...
All refitted with added longevity.
Fuel Tank Shield & Straps
All the 968's I looked at for sale, the fuel tank shield was crumbling real bad. Mine was no different, but hopefully on the cusp of saving. I believe this part is now discontinued.
Having to drill out the rounded-off rusty screws...
Just in time for some much needed TLC...
Yet more money spent at the powdercoaters dammit. Blasted, zinc primer and black powdercoat...
With a new stainless fuel pump clamp replacing the cable ties as found...
Foam perimeter gasket renewed to match OE...
Surrounding fuel tank heatshield clips a corroded mess. All renewed...
Much more presentable...
Exhaust
The car came with a stainless Cargraphic system, which needed a good clean...
It's a beautiful thing with a price tag in the history folder that made me choke.
In which case, it's a total travesty that something so beautiful be mounted with such corroded rubbish. More items off for powdercoat...
Hanger captive nuts repaired ready for blasting and zinc powdercoat...
...all sorted...
Saving these heatshields before they crumble away to nothing...
Rust treated...
VHT painted and oven baked...
Again, the previous keeper had kept the full standard exhaust system which I have safely stored. Out of pure curiosity I removed the stock (and somewhat corroded) tailpipe...
...and I was very happy to find out that the original, non-glamourous tailpipe is interchangeable with the aftermarket system. Sure enough, the Cargraphic website states each exhaust section is compatible with OE.
Standard tailpipe therefore painted VHT black and oven baked...
I now have a choice of tailpipe dependant on what the event demands...
I kind of like the original tailpipe for how utterly rubbish it is. Different times. If it was for today's Porsche lightweight track special, it would have four ginormous spud cannons out the back which could be carbon tipped for £2000 extra...
To the best of my research it's standard. It's so difficult to tell as the sales brochure is utter rubbish. You can only rely on period photos...
Transmission Oil
Again, in the very little I have driven the car last summer, she baulked a shift just the once. Either that was me getting used to a different clutch, or we have possible issues on the horizon.
From memory, my 944's were really sensitive to gear oil. They need the slippery GL5 capabilities for the diff crown gear, but the less slippery GL4 for the synchros.
I have no idea what the gearbox currently contains, so just like the coolant, best drain and refill for a known quantity. It's one less unknown then.
I used Castrol Transmax 75W/90 specifically designed for transaxles. It's GL4+ (the + meaning the ultimate compromise between that GL4 v. GL5 argument).
Drain plug in a right state. That's meant to be a hex drive believe it or not
New plugs (drain and fill) from Porsche...
Let's see how we get on with that.
Wheels
Wheels can go back on. All the old balance weight stick-on pads remained from the last tyre change - that bugs me BIG time...
Also, alarmingly, some black overspray
Glue/paint/pads all removed with a selection of products. All polished with super resin, which should make future brake dust removal easier...
No refurb needed thankfully. Ready for reinstallation...
My neighbour popped over, and asked "when am I going to sort the wheels out?"
I said "what do you mean, sort them out?"
He replied "paint them silver like they should be"
He was being serious.
Those who know, know, as they say
Wheel nuts not looking so great...
Badly corroded and the hex corners are fracturing off. Replacements sorted from Cambridge OPC...
They're not cheap.. there's a small fortune there at £11 per nut
They are light as a feather. I think they are magnesium which would explain both weight and cost!
All re-fitted and torqued.
That's it for this month. Hopefully winter garage work is coming to a close, then we can tax.
Hope everyone enjoyed their Easter break. Mine was spent mostly in the garage
JKM
On the whole, she's really good and very solid for what is an M-reg car. Some of my other M-reg cars over the years have been swept up into a dustpan, sills n'all. So, on that note, i'm very grateful!
Everything needing a general tidy really...
No way to do that thoroughly without taking the side skirts off sadly. Got to bite that bullet...
The first step is just getting parts. I really struggle to find all the parts I need in yellow zinc. It's so representative of the era. It was common place at the time. Too expensive nowadays, plus I think it has questionable environmental credentials.
Even new bolts from Porsche don't have the original yellow zinc as they would have when new. Most parts are bright zinc plated (BZP) or this new water based, chromium-free coating called GEOMET...
Pictured above are the original 968 rear shock absorber bolts in zellow zinc, and their brand new OPC equivalent of today.
Annoyingly, this means buying everything in BZP or GEOMET (as per above) and then taking brand new parts to be stripped & re-plated in period fitting yellow zinc...
An expensive and time consuming process, but essential for trying to acheive that factory look. It just looks so "right".
Side Skirts
Here we go then...
Again, bracketry in a bad shape...
All looking very shabby...
Yet more drilled mudflap holes...
Real heart-in-the-mouth stuff popping off the shark fin skirts...
Some fixings still needed to be cut off. The stud clips break their captivity and even with plastic nuts they just turn and turn...
Anyway, all removed and no horror stories, spot welds all good and no major tin-worm. Having a clean-up behind the skirts with soapy water...
Unfortunately for the skirt rear mounting rods, a steel bolt passes through alloy suspension, and we all know how that goes...
New skirt mounting rods still available from Porsche...
Other sideskirt bracketry fabricated from scratch as required...
All zinc powder coated...
I promised myself that with the purchase price of the car, I had no manoeuvrability for paintwork.
Yet again, for every damn car I buy, I broke that promise :lol:
They were pretty shabby though to be fair...
Sideskirts off to paint then...
These were laser scanned for the correct tint of Riviera prior to stripping. This accommodates for paint fading over the years, if indeed its original paint. Probably isn't. All the horrific mud flap screw holes and careless jacking errors repaired. Painted clear over base...
With the skirts away at paint, a perfect time to get preserving. Everything solid, just cleaning and preservation required...
These are my chosen products, everyone has their favourites, but these are mine...
Bilt Hamber Hydrate 80, Lanoguard and Dynax-UC.
All trusted products and most importantly for me, they're clear. I'm never more sceptical than seeing a freshly black schutz'd car underneath. I never want to blamed for hiding stuff, so with the clear, everything is still to be seen.
After a good general going over with a wire wheel, all treated with Bilt Hamber Hydrate 80...
You've got to pay really close attention, because the car is suffering exactly the same as my Mk2 Golf. It's barely noticeable, but...
The underseal cracks (arrowed), and it becomes a water trap, with the rust brewing underneath...
There is no doubt, in three or four years, with winter use (if you're that way inclined), then that will need a welder.
Hopefully we have arrested that.
Clean up to bare metal...
...and treat...
Let that dry overnight. A sympathetic touch up of paint and then few wax coats.
For as long as it is a steel car that has lived all year round in the UK, there WILL be rust. It's a force that can't be eliminated. It does boil my blood when you see adverts of 30 year old, 120000 mile UK cars, with claims "zero rust". Don't believe it i'm afraid. Not one iota.
New yellow zinc speed fasteners fitted to the now wire cleaned/treated/waxed mounting brackets...
Sideskirts all returned from the paintshop. My thanks to the excellent team @ J.S Holmes of Wisbech St. Mary...
They're gorgeous...
Don't know whether to fit them, or hang them on the wall as art!
New clips installed and sorting the rubber gaskets...
Tactical and sparing dabs of clear silicone to prevent the gasket seals shifting on installation.
All fitted...
The front of the skirts have a cavity panel in the front wheel house. Yet again, mine were heavily stone blasted and with more unsightly mud flap holes (arrowed)...
Still available new, supplied and fitted...
Jacking Points
It didn't all go smoothly...
Sideskirt removal exposed the jacking points and I noticed this (nearside rear)...
That jacking point should be square within that dashed box, but the tiniest crack (circled) has made the jacking point into a squished parallelogram!
This needs to be sorted as it will only collapse further, plus peoples' jack pads may cause sideskirt damage. It had already.
Dissected to re-form into shape...
I must admit, I hadn't anticipated putting an angle grinder to my new purchase :shock:
All welded square & true...
Ready for rust preservation + paint.
Thing is with these jacking points, they still leave the side skirts really vulnerable. All it takes is one MoT jacking and your nice sideskirts are deformed and cracked again.
I purchased these jacking pads, which I think are actually re-purposed hockey pucks... no joke!
They have a dedicated T-post on top that is a 90' twist home, which is convenient.
They just give that extra bit of side skirt safety...
I'll be handing them to my MoT tester and he'll have a face of total bemusement i'm sure.
Rear Bumper
Full of stones!
A Club Sport weight saving right there
Corroded bracketry...
All blasted and zinc powdercoated...
All refitted with added longevity.
Fuel Tank Shield & Straps
All the 968's I looked at for sale, the fuel tank shield was crumbling real bad. Mine was no different, but hopefully on the cusp of saving. I believe this part is now discontinued.
Having to drill out the rounded-off rusty screws...
Just in time for some much needed TLC...
Yet more money spent at the powdercoaters dammit. Blasted, zinc primer and black powdercoat...
With a new stainless fuel pump clamp replacing the cable ties as found...
Foam perimeter gasket renewed to match OE...
Surrounding fuel tank heatshield clips a corroded mess. All renewed...
Much more presentable...
Exhaust
The car came with a stainless Cargraphic system, which needed a good clean...
It's a beautiful thing with a price tag in the history folder that made me choke.
In which case, it's a total travesty that something so beautiful be mounted with such corroded rubbish. More items off for powdercoat...
Hanger captive nuts repaired ready for blasting and zinc powdercoat...
...all sorted...
Saving these heatshields before they crumble away to nothing...
Rust treated...
VHT painted and oven baked...
Again, the previous keeper had kept the full standard exhaust system which I have safely stored. Out of pure curiosity I removed the stock (and somewhat corroded) tailpipe...
...and I was very happy to find out that the original, non-glamourous tailpipe is interchangeable with the aftermarket system. Sure enough, the Cargraphic website states each exhaust section is compatible with OE.
Standard tailpipe therefore painted VHT black and oven baked...
I now have a choice of tailpipe dependant on what the event demands...
I kind of like the original tailpipe for how utterly rubbish it is. Different times. If it was for today's Porsche lightweight track special, it would have four ginormous spud cannons out the back which could be carbon tipped for £2000 extra...
To the best of my research it's standard. It's so difficult to tell as the sales brochure is utter rubbish. You can only rely on period photos...
Transmission Oil
Again, in the very little I have driven the car last summer, she baulked a shift just the once. Either that was me getting used to a different clutch, or we have possible issues on the horizon.
From memory, my 944's were really sensitive to gear oil. They need the slippery GL5 capabilities for the diff crown gear, but the less slippery GL4 for the synchros.
I have no idea what the gearbox currently contains, so just like the coolant, best drain and refill for a known quantity. It's one less unknown then.
I used Castrol Transmax 75W/90 specifically designed for transaxles. It's GL4+ (the + meaning the ultimate compromise between that GL4 v. GL5 argument).
Drain plug in a right state. That's meant to be a hex drive believe it or not
New plugs (drain and fill) from Porsche...
Let's see how we get on with that.
Wheels
Wheels can go back on. All the old balance weight stick-on pads remained from the last tyre change - that bugs me BIG time...
Also, alarmingly, some black overspray
Glue/paint/pads all removed with a selection of products. All polished with super resin, which should make future brake dust removal easier...
No refurb needed thankfully. Ready for reinstallation...
My neighbour popped over, and asked "when am I going to sort the wheels out?"
I said "what do you mean, sort them out?"
He replied "paint them silver like they should be"
He was being serious.
Those who know, know, as they say
Wheel nuts not looking so great...
Badly corroded and the hex corners are fracturing off. Replacements sorted from Cambridge OPC...
They're not cheap.. there's a small fortune there at £11 per nut
They are light as a feather. I think they are magnesium which would explain both weight and cost!
All re-fitted and torqued.
That's it for this month. Hopefully winter garage work is coming to a close, then we can tax.
Hope everyone enjoyed their Easter break. Mine was spent mostly in the garage
JKM
Edited by jay-kay-em on Thursday 18th January 17:50
Thanks all, really kind comments.
Obsessive, OCD? Perhaps a little
I just see it as pride of ownership when realising your twenty year dream. Pride of ownership is expressed with my interpretation of a "good condition" car. A term well overused in the classifieds, let's be honest.
Cars can be all things to all people. Some like to race, some like to polish, some like to photograph, some like to modify. Horses for courses and no one persons enjoyment trumps anyone else's.
Never have I been grilled more that I should be using this car "as it was intended". I prefer to concentrate on the 110 dead Club Sports that, presumably, have all been used as intended. Whatever that means.
I also hold my hands up to being thoroughly out of date with Autoglym Super Resin. I am no detailer and have used that for twenty five years. Perhaps I should try something new.
One more (unplanned
) trip to the paintshop coming for the next update and we are good to go for this summer.
Kind Regards,
JKM
Obsessive, OCD? Perhaps a little
I just see it as pride of ownership when realising your twenty year dream. Pride of ownership is expressed with my interpretation of a "good condition" car. A term well overused in the classifieds, let's be honest.
Cars can be all things to all people. Some like to race, some like to polish, some like to photograph, some like to modify. Horses for courses and no one persons enjoyment trumps anyone else's.
Never have I been grilled more that I should be using this car "as it was intended". I prefer to concentrate on the 110 dead Club Sports that, presumably, have all been used as intended. Whatever that means.
I also hold my hands up to being thoroughly out of date with Autoglym Super Resin. I am no detailer and have used that for twenty five years. Perhaps I should try something new.
One more (unplanned
) trip to the paintshop coming for the next update and we are good to go for this summer. Kind Regards,
JKM
ubbs said:
...he also had a 968 which caught fire!
Woken up in the early hours with what seemed like somebody trying to start it, by time he’d got dressed and downstairs fire had taken hold.
That sounds exactly like the starter motor harness issue - which hopefully I have rectified (documented above).Woken up in the early hours with what seemed like somebody trying to start it, by time he’d got dressed and downstairs fire had taken hold.
Sorry to hear about that - one of my worst nightmares!
bolidemichael said:
OP, what's 'TFR'?
Sorry, my bad, it's an acronym I've grown up with; Traffic Film Remover. Really aggressive washing shampoo for trucks and busses. I remember one of my first jobs for a motorsport team at 17 years old, I was asked to wash the race transporter. It had beautiful Alcoa wheels. I liberally sprayed TFR and let it soak in whilst I made a cup of tea. It totally destroyed the wheels. The boss wasn't happy. Used it with respect ever since.
I wouldn't put it near my paintwork in a million years but its good for cutting the mucky stuff.
bolidemichael said:
Okay, so a similar thing to Bilt Hamber Surfex HD.
Exactly. I note on BH website "Spot tests are always advisable"... !
Spring 2023
Thanks for all the kind comments.
Been working really hard to sort what I believe needs sorting before my first summer of use.
Headlamps
First wash, pop the headlamps up, and...
...and there's more...
Bu88er...
This wasn't part of the plan. Another paintshop trip on the cards then...
Disassembly...
These headlamps are German engineering personified. Fiendishly over-complicated and not very service friendly. Remember folks, this is the lightweight version of the marque!
All the trim rings had seized fixings. All the captive nuts - only captive by being knurled within plastic - became very un-captive and had to be drilled. Very difficult to drill something that spins...
The water is a vain attempt to keep the heat down as drilling = melted plastic.
Mounting points at the car seized and snapped (left). Drilled and re-tapped (right)...
One new "pod" and one new trim ring was required. Still available (thank goodness) from Cambridge OPC...
Thankfully I only needed these two parts. Famous last words... read on!
All six pieces (four old and two new) painted... and looking like a Tate Gallery exhibition...
Rebuilding the rings...
Not going with captive nuts again. Decided to stainless nut & bolt with nylocs. These are tightened to virtually nothing (the nylocs mean they won't go anywhere)....
Ready for reinstallation...
Final tighten of the retaining screw and the one remaining old (but freshly re-painted) pod goes CRACK!...
Remember I was thankful it only needed one pod? Yeah, make that two...
Didn't even do the screws up tight either. Tale of caution : 30 year old plastic is really brittle.
Time to repeat the whole darn process. New pod, collect from Cambridge, deliver to paintshop in Wisbech, two weeks, collect from paint and install, disposing of some money along the way.
Anyway, all done, and proud to have them raised...
Auxiliary Lamps
More lamp issues!
This can't be right; Nothing seemed to line up...
Disassembly revealed a broken mounting clamp...
The broken piece was fitted the wrong way round, so it had actually been reassembled like this. Crazy.
These units are about £550 each new - and you need a matching pair to be visually identical. Best I pray to the Gods of Araldite then....
Araldite repair successful and lamp refitted properly...
Given their price (much pounds) and material (glass) probably best for some protection.
Ordered some 3M Heli-tape in the hope of fending off stones...
... applied and then model knifed to shape...
Rear Lights
Err, yet more lamp issues
My rear lamps were not quite the same intensity when illuminated, left vs. right. This really annoys me.
Took the clusters out, checked the bulbs and...
One of the sprung loaded bulb terminals fell on the floor!
The bulb holders are integral to the rear lamp harness. Had a little look for a replacement...
Sorry, but at that price, the soldering iron is coming out
New tails made and soldered to the sprung loaded pins...
Which, with a bulb inserted, poke through the holder...
Wires soldered to these tails, heat shrunk and sealed-in...
Blackened and corroded bulbs also not helping much either...
All renewed and bench tests made...
Bench testing is important as it eliminates vehicle earths. If they ain't right when installed, you have eliminated the lamp.
I also cleaned the earths in the luggage compartment. All nice and bright.
These foam harness rings had turned to a disintegrated mess...
They presumably exist for anti-rattle reasons.
Yes, I know it looks like 15mm copper pipe insulation from Wickes, but this is genuine
All fitted and very satisfying...
Front Registration Plate
I have a bit of an issue with the front number plate on the 968. Some don't look right in my eyes...
When screwed directly to the front bumper they often form a shape that looks at odds to the air intake. Ugly even.
Some cars, especially German models, must have a number plate bracket. Certainly, this motorshow car has its number plate on some kind of mounting bracket, and I think it looks much better for it...
...same with period press photos...
I did a bit of research and front plate brackets do exist...
... however, I wasn't comfortable spending a notable sum of money on what is a piece of tin, and I wasn't convinced it would give the effect I needed. On that basis, I decided to make my own.
Out with the welder...
Angle of inclination just so, with integrated captive nuts for number plate bolts, all using the standard bumper mounting points.
This went to powder coat with the last batch of items and subsequently fitted with a rubber gasket to protect the paint....
Perfect in my eyes...
...giving that lovely separation and perfectly parallel to the air intake...
Rear Registration Plate
Rear plate removal horror...
All cleaned...
My plates from Cambridge OPC are actually aluminium and have REALLY sharp edges. Especially the corners. For the rear, I decided to make a raised plinth out of plastic and then backed it with foam...
It just creates that separation to eliminate the plate corners chafing the paint...
Aerial
Not looking great...
Still available with a 928 part number...
Much better for the radio I don't have
Bonnet Struts
The bonnet has been in the raised position most of the winter and the struts have lost their zest...
New struts obtained....
I was in half a mind to go aftermarket as I thought there'd be no difference, but really pleased with genuine as they still have the VP kite mark and 944 part number...
Very happy with that.
Stone Guards
Both my 944's had at least three of these, but the 968 parts catalogue shows only one (21)...
...and sadly I don't have it.
I don't like that because it suggests the car has been painted - which is somewhat inevitable after 28 years.
New stone guards obtained and fitted...
Not going to lie, totally screwed the first set up and they went in the bin. They're a pain.
Practice makes perfect and second set went ok when applied wet and squeegee'd.
You can just about see them which is the whole idea I guess...
Seat Adjustment
I popped the seats out for a few reasons...
It's no lie, they are super lightweight to lift out. Totally hernia safe.
They have a covert build sticker which when checked, displayed my "production number". This number, via the build sheet, corresponds to my VIN. On that basis the seats are factory genuine which is a huge sigh of relief.
The car didn't come with any floor mats. The RHD mats are still available from Porsche and very nice they are too...
Seat removal allows the fitment of the mat securing brackets (pictured).
It also allows me to use a vacuum cleaner where I couldn't before...
Minging!
I also adjusted the height (left and right). They were set to church pew mode, and i'm a bit more relaxed than that, so a swap of the bolt holes took place...
Sadly I'm a victim of bolster wear. Can't be helped. The previous keeper had used the fluffy side of Velcro to disguise the smallest of nicks, pictured left...
I had some fabric wiring harness tape (pictured right) which is a much better match. Ultimately not ideal, but adequate.
The fabric is NLA from Porsche, but I'm fairly chilled out about it; i'd rather have the genuine seats with some wear than a brand new pair of replicas.
Ignition Key
At the time of purchase, both my 944's and now my 968 all had a defective key torch. Does this not irk anyone else but me !?!
New battery, bulb and a bit of tinkering...
Then finished with the original and best key fob...
Toolkit
Thankfully I have the toolkit and compressor. The tool bag is a bit rust stained, but that's originality...
I'm not convinced of what else the 968 had in terms of auxiliary items though.
Every other German car I know (Mercedes, BMW etc) have a first aid kit and warning triangle - often in a dedicated and clearly marked compartment.
924/944/968 has never had such a compartment to my knowledge and I cant see any such items in the parts catalogue either.
Seems crazy to me that 968 designers would make a dedicated compartment in the engine bay for gloves, but not provision for a first aid kit or warning triangle. Hasn't a warning triangle been law in Germany for donkeys years?
Anyway, be it right or wrong, I added some extra contents to make my German car feel more complete...
A period first aid kit with a 993 part number (with some very out-of-date plasters) and the Porsche warning triangle.
Also, the official dipstick wiping cloth that will never see oil
Colour Code Sticker
Sadly i'm missing my colour code sticker. It lives in the wiper scuttle next to the fusebox lid. This is an area open to the elements and it's not very durable.
Here's a file photo and even this one isn't too clever...
The sticker is NLA from Porsche and is not in the parts catalogue that I can find. Originally they were supplied to the factory blank on a roll...
This sticker is a fascinating insight into the early 90's Stuttgart factory. It appears to have been fed through a knackered dot matrix printer by a paintshop operative, hopefully with a big moustache and wearing those Germanic dungarees.
I'm thinking that because "paint-to-sample" was such a thing, this sticker gave them the freedom to print whatever they liked as it emerged from the paintshop.
I looked at some reproductions... but they didn't seem real. The text was just as jet black as the border, which I don't think is so...
There are some really good repro's in America for $69 + delivery + import charges. That wasn't going to happen.
In the end, decided to make my own. I found the most basic computer font I could find, plus added some effects to mimic that knackered dot matrix printer...
My best effort applied...
It's such an important colour, you can't not have this sticker.
Tax!
Only now can I tax the thing!
Went for a drive May 1st and a perfect first opportunity to get the camera out...
I'm funny with a new car. They just don't feel like "mine" until I have put some effort into them. Lost a bit of blood, sworn at them. Hopefully I have put enough effort in now to rightly call this car mine and I look forward to writing a summer running report after a few miles.
Kind Regards,
JKM.
Thanks for all the kind comments.
Been working really hard to sort what I believe needs sorting before my first summer of use.
Headlamps
First wash, pop the headlamps up, and...
...and there's more...
Bu88er...
This wasn't part of the plan. Another paintshop trip on the cards then...
Disassembly...
These headlamps are German engineering personified. Fiendishly over-complicated and not very service friendly. Remember folks, this is the lightweight version of the marque!
All the trim rings had seized fixings. All the captive nuts - only captive by being knurled within plastic - became very un-captive and had to be drilled. Very difficult to drill something that spins...
The water is a vain attempt to keep the heat down as drilling = melted plastic.
Mounting points at the car seized and snapped (left). Drilled and re-tapped (right)...
One new "pod" and one new trim ring was required. Still available (thank goodness) from Cambridge OPC...
Thankfully I only needed these two parts. Famous last words... read on!
All six pieces (four old and two new) painted... and looking like a Tate Gallery exhibition...
Rebuilding the rings...
Not going with captive nuts again. Decided to stainless nut & bolt with nylocs. These are tightened to virtually nothing (the nylocs mean they won't go anywhere)....
Ready for reinstallation...
Final tighten of the retaining screw and the one remaining old (but freshly re-painted) pod goes CRACK!...
Remember I was thankful it only needed one pod? Yeah, make that two...
Didn't even do the screws up tight either. Tale of caution : 30 year old plastic is really brittle.
Time to repeat the whole darn process. New pod, collect from Cambridge, deliver to paintshop in Wisbech, two weeks, collect from paint and install, disposing of some money along the way.
Anyway, all done, and proud to have them raised...
Auxiliary Lamps
More lamp issues!
This can't be right; Nothing seemed to line up...
Disassembly revealed a broken mounting clamp...
The broken piece was fitted the wrong way round, so it had actually been reassembled like this. Crazy.
These units are about £550 each new - and you need a matching pair to be visually identical. Best I pray to the Gods of Araldite then....
Araldite repair successful and lamp refitted properly...
Given their price (much pounds) and material (glass) probably best for some protection.
Ordered some 3M Heli-tape in the hope of fending off stones...
... applied and then model knifed to shape...
Rear Lights
Err, yet more lamp issues
My rear lamps were not quite the same intensity when illuminated, left vs. right. This really annoys me.
Took the clusters out, checked the bulbs and...
One of the sprung loaded bulb terminals fell on the floor!
The bulb holders are integral to the rear lamp harness. Had a little look for a replacement...
Sorry, but at that price, the soldering iron is coming out
New tails made and soldered to the sprung loaded pins...
Which, with a bulb inserted, poke through the holder...
Wires soldered to these tails, heat shrunk and sealed-in...
Blackened and corroded bulbs also not helping much either...
All renewed and bench tests made...
Bench testing is important as it eliminates vehicle earths. If they ain't right when installed, you have eliminated the lamp.
I also cleaned the earths in the luggage compartment. All nice and bright.
These foam harness rings had turned to a disintegrated mess...
They presumably exist for anti-rattle reasons.
Yes, I know it looks like 15mm copper pipe insulation from Wickes, but this is genuine
All fitted and very satisfying...
Front Registration Plate
I have a bit of an issue with the front number plate on the 968. Some don't look right in my eyes...
When screwed directly to the front bumper they often form a shape that looks at odds to the air intake. Ugly even.
Some cars, especially German models, must have a number plate bracket. Certainly, this motorshow car has its number plate on some kind of mounting bracket, and I think it looks much better for it...
...same with period press photos...
I did a bit of research and front plate brackets do exist...
... however, I wasn't comfortable spending a notable sum of money on what is a piece of tin, and I wasn't convinced it would give the effect I needed. On that basis, I decided to make my own.
Out with the welder...
Angle of inclination just so, with integrated captive nuts for number plate bolts, all using the standard bumper mounting points.
This went to powder coat with the last batch of items and subsequently fitted with a rubber gasket to protect the paint....
Perfect in my eyes...
...giving that lovely separation and perfectly parallel to the air intake...
Rear Registration Plate
Rear plate removal horror...
All cleaned...
My plates from Cambridge OPC are actually aluminium and have REALLY sharp edges. Especially the corners. For the rear, I decided to make a raised plinth out of plastic and then backed it with foam...
It just creates that separation to eliminate the plate corners chafing the paint...
Aerial
Not looking great...
Still available with a 928 part number...
Much better for the radio I don't have
Bonnet Struts
The bonnet has been in the raised position most of the winter and the struts have lost their zest...
New struts obtained....
I was in half a mind to go aftermarket as I thought there'd be no difference, but really pleased with genuine as they still have the VP kite mark and 944 part number...
Very happy with that.
Stone Guards
Both my 944's had at least three of these, but the 968 parts catalogue shows only one (21)...
...and sadly I don't have it.
I don't like that because it suggests the car has been painted - which is somewhat inevitable after 28 years.
New stone guards obtained and fitted...
Not going to lie, totally screwed the first set up and they went in the bin. They're a pain.
Practice makes perfect and second set went ok when applied wet and squeegee'd.
You can just about see them which is the whole idea I guess...
Seat Adjustment
I popped the seats out for a few reasons...
It's no lie, they are super lightweight to lift out. Totally hernia safe.
They have a covert build sticker which when checked, displayed my "production number". This number, via the build sheet, corresponds to my VIN. On that basis the seats are factory genuine which is a huge sigh of relief.
The car didn't come with any floor mats. The RHD mats are still available from Porsche and very nice they are too...
Seat removal allows the fitment of the mat securing brackets (pictured).
It also allows me to use a vacuum cleaner where I couldn't before...
Minging!
I also adjusted the height (left and right). They were set to church pew mode, and i'm a bit more relaxed than that, so a swap of the bolt holes took place...
Sadly I'm a victim of bolster wear. Can't be helped. The previous keeper had used the fluffy side of Velcro to disguise the smallest of nicks, pictured left...
I had some fabric wiring harness tape (pictured right) which is a much better match. Ultimately not ideal, but adequate.
The fabric is NLA from Porsche, but I'm fairly chilled out about it; i'd rather have the genuine seats with some wear than a brand new pair of replicas.
Ignition Key
At the time of purchase, both my 944's and now my 968 all had a defective key torch. Does this not irk anyone else but me !?!
New battery, bulb and a bit of tinkering...
Then finished with the original and best key fob...
Toolkit
Thankfully I have the toolkit and compressor. The tool bag is a bit rust stained, but that's originality...
I'm not convinced of what else the 968 had in terms of auxiliary items though.
Every other German car I know (Mercedes, BMW etc) have a first aid kit and warning triangle - often in a dedicated and clearly marked compartment.
924/944/968 has never had such a compartment to my knowledge and I cant see any such items in the parts catalogue either.
Seems crazy to me that 968 designers would make a dedicated compartment in the engine bay for gloves, but not provision for a first aid kit or warning triangle. Hasn't a warning triangle been law in Germany for donkeys years?
Anyway, be it right or wrong, I added some extra contents to make my German car feel more complete...
A period first aid kit with a 993 part number (with some very out-of-date plasters) and the Porsche warning triangle.
Also, the official dipstick wiping cloth that will never see oil
Colour Code Sticker
Sadly i'm missing my colour code sticker. It lives in the wiper scuttle next to the fusebox lid. This is an area open to the elements and it's not very durable.
Here's a file photo and even this one isn't too clever...
The sticker is NLA from Porsche and is not in the parts catalogue that I can find. Originally they were supplied to the factory blank on a roll...
This sticker is a fascinating insight into the early 90's Stuttgart factory. It appears to have been fed through a knackered dot matrix printer by a paintshop operative, hopefully with a big moustache and wearing those Germanic dungarees.
I'm thinking that because "paint-to-sample" was such a thing, this sticker gave them the freedom to print whatever they liked as it emerged from the paintshop.
I looked at some reproductions... but they didn't seem real. The text was just as jet black as the border, which I don't think is so...
There are some really good repro's in America for $69 + delivery + import charges. That wasn't going to happen.
In the end, decided to make my own. I found the most basic computer font I could find, plus added some effects to mimic that knackered dot matrix printer...
My best effort applied...
It's such an important colour, you can't not have this sticker.
Tax!
Only now can I tax the thing!
Went for a drive May 1st and a perfect first opportunity to get the camera out...
I'm funny with a new car. They just don't feel like "mine" until I have put some effort into them. Lost a bit of blood, sworn at them. Hopefully I have put enough effort in now to rightly call this car mine and I look forward to writing a summer running report after a few miles.
Kind Regards,
JKM.
samoht said:
Great job, looks fab.
I would never put that kind of effort into a car, but I think with the age of these and how celebrated they were in period, it's a good thing that at least one owner is going to such painstaking lengths to restore originality, as a kind of 'reference example' of how they were from the factory
Thank you.I would never put that kind of effort into a car, but I think with the age of these and how celebrated they were in period, it's a good thing that at least one owner is going to such painstaking lengths to restore originality, as a kind of 'reference example' of how they were from the factory
Now that I can take some pictures, next update i'll go through the build sheet and detail the factory CS "quirks and features" as our Doug says.
Be warned; it'll be a geeky one
emmetb said:
One quick question if I may, who do you use for paint in Wisbech as I live near by but haven't been here long and need a good paint shop for a couple of jobs on my S2000?
Hi Emmet; thanks. For my sideskirts and headlamps I used J.S. Holmes in Wisbech St. Mary. It's a Nissan dealer with an insurance approved bodyshop. The colour match on the sideskirts was critical as they bolt up against the body. They nailed it with their scan tool. Thanks all, wish the forum had a thumbs up button.
It outsold the CS roughly 2:1 (179 CS vs. 306 Sports).
Porsche UK must of got so fed up ticking all the option boxes, the Sport got its own option code - "P35".
You can sit either side of the fence with this. Either you see it as a Club Sport "Lux" offering better value for money; or it's simply disregarded as it didn't roll out the showroom a CS.
If you venture into the classifieds you'll sometimes see the term "Club Sport Lux" branded about. In all probability that was sold as a Sport. The build sheet is your friend to spot this!
I love the Sport as it has that geeky background story to it - in addition to its rarity.
C70R said:
Am I right in saying that mechanically there isn't much between the Sport and Clubsport (re: your earlier comment about lots of CSs being 'upbadged' Sports)?
The Sport is a fascinating car. Technically a "Sport" doesn't exist in the eyes of Zuffenhausen. It was purely a UK idea where Porsche Cars GB ordered Club Sports from Germany loaded with options. They left Germany as Club Sports. They have a Club Sport VIN. Then, PCGB made their own "Sport" boot badge and stuck it on the back when they arrived on UK shores. This badge doesn't have a Porsche part number and rumour has it a local trophy shop in Reading made it.It outsold the CS roughly 2:1 (179 CS vs. 306 Sports).
Porsche UK must of got so fed up ticking all the option boxes, the Sport got its own option code - "P35".
You can sit either side of the fence with this. Either you see it as a Club Sport "Lux" offering better value for money; or it's simply disregarded as it didn't roll out the showroom a CS.
If you venture into the classifieds you'll sometimes see the term "Club Sport Lux" branded about. In all probability that was sold as a Sport. The build sheet is your friend to spot this!
I love the Sport as it has that geeky background story to it - in addition to its rarity.
Mutley78 said:
My itch was scratched with a beautiful Boxster, what I liked about this car was that same originality and lots of small upgraded details that add up. Please keep going with the updates.
The 968 Club Sport
Now the sun has come out, thought I’d do a little “quirks and features” about my car and the CS in general.
It's the culmination of 20 years research into this particular model and finally its realisation.
Let me set the scene. The 968 replaced the 944. There was no money for a new platform, so the 944 was essentially facelifted. What was on the drawing board as the 944 "S3" became the 968 and the press weren’t fooled one bit.
They gave the 968 a bit of a hard time actually. They knew it looked good and handled well – but the 944 did that already. The only fresh conclusions were that it was too expensive and had 1970's roots.
Classic Top Gear and Clarkson sums it up...
To summarise that video; Porsche sales down 40%, it was £10,000 more than a Nissan 300ZX and it concluded by being pushed off a cliff. Oh dear!
Porsche was in dire straits and after one year of poor 968 sales, Porsche needed a solution. That solution was the Club Sport. Marketed as a more track focused tool, but it was actually dual purpose. Yes, it came with lowered suspension, bigger 17” wheels and select weight saving measures, but stripping stuff out made it cheaper. Win win for Porsche and the consumer.
A staggering 20% cheaper, give or take, looking at my brochures.
Standard Coupe list price (arrowed)...
Club Sport list price (arrowed)...
I still can't believe it was £7,500 cheaper. That's a huge sum in 1994. To put that into perspective, the list price of a 1994 VW Polo 1.3 CL was £7,395.
Can you imagine how great your favourite modern car would be with this light weight / less gizmos / sports suspension and cheaper price strategy?
Now all a CS badge means is profiteering. Ask BMW.
Anyway, the Press suddenly had something new to write about and they absolutely loved it, winning Autocar Best Driver’s Car of 1993...
This toppled all the greats such as 205GTI, M3, Esprit, Honda NSX, Supra…
... 
Standard CS specification is well documented - the body colour wheels, the body colour hardback seats, the rear seat delete etc.
What isn’t so well documented is that paint "colour to sample" plus the options list was still fair game for a CS. Porsche were desperate to sell these, so whatever the customer wanted, they got. You could order back into your CS whatever you wanted – airbag, comfort seats, central locking. Buyers with taste could even option silver wheels from the factory
Customer was king; oh such different times!
This CS options list is how Porsche Cars GB created the (UK only) “Sport” trim level. Porsche themselves ordered up-spec'd CS built cars and badged them Sport thmeselves. In 2023 a used Sport is infinitely better value than a CS, for what is essentially the same car.
Ask 100 people what a 968CS means to them and they’ll probably say those infamous body colour hardback seats. I don’t know what the percentage was, but I’m guessing half didn’t actually have them.
Today, many CS examples will have "comfort seats" on the build sheet, but a set of aftermarket Recaros or such like.
This car >here< is a great example of a CS specified upwards from new...
... 
Every bit a CS as mine just with all the options loaded back in. Rubbing strips, airbag, rear seats, central locking and more. A lot of people in the comments for that PH article shouting “fake” - not so.
A specification like that made total sense to the first ever owner in 1994, so who are we to judge?
The ONLY way to validate a true Club Sport is via the buildsheet and VIN. Until then, no one has any more authority over the next man to question a fake CS or not.
That’s what extended my search time considerably; to get those iconic CS features on the build sheet from what is possibly 60 remaining cars.
Let’s have a look at those standard features…
The seats need no introduction. The Recaro shells are essentially the same as 964RS and 993RS, just without leather....
The rear seat delete and CS cargo net…
Interior...
The dashboard is more 944 than 968, as the CS reverts to the old 944 digital clock and not the new 968 analogue item.
The radio blanking panel is 968 specific.
The airbag-delete CS steering wheel is made by “Atiwe” and is gorgeous to hold...
No centre console lid…
"Keep fit windows" which are actually 944 door cards. One of the 968 upgrades was a new door card redesign full of speakers. Not so with the CS, they recycled what was fitted to the old 944, plus that window winder…
Also note the electric window switch blanking.
The central locking delete came with the absence of a boot lock. This blanking should be black. Many cars that have had rear end repairs, this is sprayed body colour, but that shouldn't be so…
This is in conjunction with the manual tailgate pull cord release…
The side graphics were actually a Porsche Cars GB idea and were a no-cost option to delete. Other worldwide markets that got the CS, including Germany, never had such graphics. They don't even have a Porsche part number. There is some mystery surrounding the stickers. This includes a Porsche Club GB executive and a graphics shop in Reading. A lot of fake stickers out there. I have even seen cars with the design inverted - so the word Club is outlined and the word Sport is in black. Not so....
Wheels body colour as per the build sheet, as are the black calipers and plain body colour centre caps (no colour crests here)…
Wheel design changed halfway through CS production. This was to align production with the new 993. Early cars (>93) had "CUP1" wheels and later cars like mine (93>) had softer spoke "CUP2" design.
Rear wiper delete and body colour spoiler, both CS standard…
This totally defies logic because a body colour spoiler was a cost option on the Coupe, but included as standard on the cheaper CS. Go figure!?!
The engine, identical in every way to a Coupe, but stripped of all the cosmetic plastic panels...
There were two option codes that people get very excited about and that’s "M030" and "M220". These being suspension & brake upgrades (code M030) and a limited slip diff (code M220). Again, many people think the track focused CS would have these features as standard, but remember, it’s 1994... cost! cost! cost!
If you’re looking for a 968CS you have to prioritise your requirements. For me, it was the seats, build sheet accuracy and colour. I’m not ashamed by that. Some may totally disregard colour and hunt for one with the optional LSD and more practical "comfort" seats. Horses for courses. For the 60 odd cars remaining, it may be that your ultimate dream specification of colour & specification no longer exists. Either that, or it's YEARS waiting for someone to sell. I know that first hand, trust me.
My car has three factory options over and above CS spec :
• Preparation for a radio (hence the aerial but no radio!)
• Top tinted windscreen (£75 in the 1994 price list)
• Sunroof (£715 in the 1994 price list)
It's arguable that having less options is more in keeping with the Club Sport ethos. Some diehards even criticise the sunroof. Arguably it would be my “dream spec” if it wasn’t there. Less is more in the world of CS. However, it would be utter lunacy to walk away from this car for that reason. On that basis, perhaps I have compromised – but c’est la vie. I actually sit and wonder if the identical car is out there still, identical spec and colour, but minus the sunroof. Something tells me it doesn’t exist within the pool of remaining 60 cars (that’s all colours and including "comfort seat cars" remember).
The bodyshells were actually built by Karmann and transported by rail to Stuttgart for fit out. It's rumoured that Sunroof bodyshells became mandatory for the final cars but no one really knows.
You can see that although looking for a 968CS sounds so simple, it can be made as difficult as you want it to be
For those that have read this far, I hope that was interesting enough.
Time to drive it now. I've got a week off in late June. I'm going to chuck a tent in the back and find some of my old favourite driving roads around Essex & Suffolk. Looking forward to it.
Best Regards,
JKM.
Now the sun has come out, thought I’d do a little “quirks and features” about my car and the CS in general.
It's the culmination of 20 years research into this particular model and finally its realisation.
Let me set the scene. The 968 replaced the 944. There was no money for a new platform, so the 944 was essentially facelifted. What was on the drawing board as the 944 "S3" became the 968 and the press weren’t fooled one bit.
They gave the 968 a bit of a hard time actually. They knew it looked good and handled well – but the 944 did that already. The only fresh conclusions were that it was too expensive and had 1970's roots.
Classic Top Gear and Clarkson sums it up...
To summarise that video; Porsche sales down 40%, it was £10,000 more than a Nissan 300ZX and it concluded by being pushed off a cliff. Oh dear!
Porsche was in dire straits and after one year of poor 968 sales, Porsche needed a solution. That solution was the Club Sport. Marketed as a more track focused tool, but it was actually dual purpose. Yes, it came with lowered suspension, bigger 17” wheels and select weight saving measures, but stripping stuff out made it cheaper. Win win for Porsche and the consumer.
A staggering 20% cheaper, give or take, looking at my brochures.
Standard Coupe list price (arrowed)...
Club Sport list price (arrowed)...
I still can't believe it was £7,500 cheaper. That's a huge sum in 1994. To put that into perspective, the list price of a 1994 VW Polo 1.3 CL was £7,395.
Can you imagine how great your favourite modern car would be with this light weight / less gizmos / sports suspension and cheaper price strategy?
Now all a CS badge means is profiteering. Ask BMW.
Anyway, the Press suddenly had something new to write about and they absolutely loved it, winning Autocar Best Driver’s Car of 1993...
This toppled all the greats such as 205GTI, M3, Esprit, Honda NSX, Supra…
... Standard CS specification is well documented - the body colour wheels, the body colour hardback seats, the rear seat delete etc.
What isn’t so well documented is that paint "colour to sample" plus the options list was still fair game for a CS. Porsche were desperate to sell these, so whatever the customer wanted, they got. You could order back into your CS whatever you wanted – airbag, comfort seats, central locking. Buyers with taste could even option silver wheels from the factory
Customer was king; oh such different times!
This CS options list is how Porsche Cars GB created the (UK only) “Sport” trim level. Porsche themselves ordered up-spec'd CS built cars and badged them Sport thmeselves. In 2023 a used Sport is infinitely better value than a CS, for what is essentially the same car.
Ask 100 people what a 968CS means to them and they’ll probably say those infamous body colour hardback seats. I don’t know what the percentage was, but I’m guessing half didn’t actually have them.
Today, many CS examples will have "comfort seats" on the build sheet, but a set of aftermarket Recaros or such like.
This car >here< is a great example of a CS specified upwards from new...
... Every bit a CS as mine just with all the options loaded back in. Rubbing strips, airbag, rear seats, central locking and more. A lot of people in the comments for that PH article shouting “fake” - not so.
A specification like that made total sense to the first ever owner in 1994, so who are we to judge?
The ONLY way to validate a true Club Sport is via the buildsheet and VIN. Until then, no one has any more authority over the next man to question a fake CS or not.
That’s what extended my search time considerably; to get those iconic CS features on the build sheet from what is possibly 60 remaining cars.
Let’s have a look at those standard features…
The seats need no introduction. The Recaro shells are essentially the same as 964RS and 993RS, just without leather....
The rear seat delete and CS cargo net…
Interior...
The dashboard is more 944 than 968, as the CS reverts to the old 944 digital clock and not the new 968 analogue item.
The radio blanking panel is 968 specific.
The airbag-delete CS steering wheel is made by “Atiwe” and is gorgeous to hold...
No centre console lid…
"Keep fit windows" which are actually 944 door cards. One of the 968 upgrades was a new door card redesign full of speakers. Not so with the CS, they recycled what was fitted to the old 944, plus that window winder…
Also note the electric window switch blanking.
The central locking delete came with the absence of a boot lock. This blanking should be black. Many cars that have had rear end repairs, this is sprayed body colour, but that shouldn't be so…
This is in conjunction with the manual tailgate pull cord release…
The side graphics were actually a Porsche Cars GB idea and were a no-cost option to delete. Other worldwide markets that got the CS, including Germany, never had such graphics. They don't even have a Porsche part number. There is some mystery surrounding the stickers. This includes a Porsche Club GB executive and a graphics shop in Reading. A lot of fake stickers out there. I have even seen cars with the design inverted - so the word Club is outlined and the word Sport is in black. Not so....
Wheels body colour as per the build sheet, as are the black calipers and plain body colour centre caps (no colour crests here)…
Wheel design changed halfway through CS production. This was to align production with the new 993. Early cars (>93) had "CUP1" wheels and later cars like mine (93>) had softer spoke "CUP2" design.
Rear wiper delete and body colour spoiler, both CS standard…
This totally defies logic because a body colour spoiler was a cost option on the Coupe, but included as standard on the cheaper CS. Go figure!?!
The engine, identical in every way to a Coupe, but stripped of all the cosmetic plastic panels...
There were two option codes that people get very excited about and that’s "M030" and "M220". These being suspension & brake upgrades (code M030) and a limited slip diff (code M220). Again, many people think the track focused CS would have these features as standard, but remember, it’s 1994... cost! cost! cost!
If you’re looking for a 968CS you have to prioritise your requirements. For me, it was the seats, build sheet accuracy and colour. I’m not ashamed by that. Some may totally disregard colour and hunt for one with the optional LSD and more practical "comfort" seats. Horses for courses. For the 60 odd cars remaining, it may be that your ultimate dream specification of colour & specification no longer exists. Either that, or it's YEARS waiting for someone to sell. I know that first hand, trust me.
My car has three factory options over and above CS spec :
• Preparation for a radio (hence the aerial but no radio!)
• Top tinted windscreen (£75 in the 1994 price list)
• Sunroof (£715 in the 1994 price list)
It's arguable that having less options is more in keeping with the Club Sport ethos. Some diehards even criticise the sunroof. Arguably it would be my “dream spec” if it wasn’t there. Less is more in the world of CS. However, it would be utter lunacy to walk away from this car for that reason. On that basis, perhaps I have compromised – but c’est la vie. I actually sit and wonder if the identical car is out there still, identical spec and colour, but minus the sunroof. Something tells me it doesn’t exist within the pool of remaining 60 cars (that’s all colours and including "comfort seat cars" remember).
The bodyshells were actually built by Karmann and transported by rail to Stuttgart for fit out. It's rumoured that Sunroof bodyshells became mandatory for the final cars but no one really knows.
You can see that although looking for a 968CS sounds so simple, it can be made as difficult as you want it to be
For those that have read this far, I hope that was interesting enough.
Time to drive it now. I've got a week off in late June. I'm going to chuck a tent in the back and find some of my old favourite driving roads around Essex & Suffolk. Looking forward to it.
Best Regards,
JKM.
Thanks all. I take great pleasure writing about something I am so passionate about.
All the voting for "PH Heroes" was post-1998 cars.
To be honest my optimal spec has been turned upside down a bit. I was always told M030 was optimal spec - but now i'm not so sure. There's a roundabout near to me that, thanks to Huntingdonshire District Council, has been in atrocious repair for over a decade. It's my go-to roundabout for suspension appraisal. Considering I have just removed the non-standard M030 roll bars (see above diary) the ride quality on this roundabout is still unpleasant, so god knows what it would be like with roll bars similar to a Scania.
I understand this is a track focused car but there needs to be some road usability.
I have also recently found out that the car used for the Autocar group test (above) was not M030 equipped. That surprised me greatly for what was a track test. It was a Porsche Cars GB specified press car so they chose the spec for a reason. Or they were being tight.
Optimal spec is still fluid in my mind, but i'm happy where i've landed. Like I said, it's probably an academic question anyway.
bolidemichael said:
Have you applied to have you car feature in the PH25 event at Bicester Heritage in August? It'd be great to see it there.
I didn't apply because there seems to be great emphasis on the "25" bit; i.e. all the wanted cars must be post 1998. All the voting for "PH Heroes" was post-1998 cars.
bolidemichael said:
If your 'optimal' spec did turn up... would you?
Only for a direct swap To be honest my optimal spec has been turned upside down a bit. I was always told M030 was optimal spec - but now i'm not so sure. There's a roundabout near to me that, thanks to Huntingdonshire District Council, has been in atrocious repair for over a decade. It's my go-to roundabout for suspension appraisal. Considering I have just removed the non-standard M030 roll bars (see above diary) the ride quality on this roundabout is still unpleasant, so god knows what it would be like with roll bars similar to a Scania.
I understand this is a track focused car but there needs to be some road usability.
I have also recently found out that the car used for the Autocar group test (above) was not M030 equipped. That surprised me greatly for what was a track test. It was a Porsche Cars GB specified press car so they chose the spec for a reason. Or they were being tight.
Optimal spec is still fluid in my mind, but i'm happy where i've landed. Like I said, it's probably an academic question anyway.
Summer 2023
Out and about at last, following an MoT that is...
First MoT
Technically a fail as my rebuilt headlamps were a tad out. I get on really well with my MoT centre and it was simply words of advice. Truth is, they didn't want to go anywhere near my freshly repainted headlamps with a screwdriver.... which suited us both!
To be honest, the alignment access holes in the pods are just asking for trouble, so decided to take the pods off (again)...
Nearside adjusted up to match the offside which was the instruction.
Then on the way home this happened...
I thought my TVR ownership experience was over, but it lives on in memory!
Thankfully still available...
Porsche parts support is second to none for what is a 30 y/old car. It really has to be commended.
Porsche Alarm
Due to fitment age, I'm hugely sceptical about the original alarm. I choose not to use it. However, when you use the "dis-car-nect" battery terminal to kill the 12v for storage, upon reconnection it automatically arms by default.
Cue huge embarrassment down my street by the bl**dy thing going off and I couldn't disarm it.
Corrosion issues with the fob...
All cleaned, new battery and it works just fine. Still sceptical of it though!
Innards look similar to my Spectrum ZX+
PCGB R11 Concours
It's been a while; 2007 I last entered a PCGB event. That was with my 944...
Been really looking forward to entering again. That was one of the reasons for leaving TVR; concours and originality just isn't a thing.
I saw in the PCGB calendar of events that OPC Colchester was holding a concours event evening.
I swapped the tailpipe so I could say hand on heart original specification...
... 
Yep, it looks rubbish, but that's the way it is!
Good turn out...
... and another CS! ... rare y'know and then there's two of 'em!
Parked headlamps up...
Genuinely over the moon with a win and a bag of goodies... in the "Not a 911" category
Thanks to all the members and staff.
Touring
First of all I borrowed my Beeline Moto GPS from the bike...
I just like it as it's so discreet, with no wires or clumsy cigarette adapters...
It's not infallible but has its benefits. Quite popular with the Caterham/Ariel/Radical community it turns out.
Chucked the tent in the back. Even more space than my last 944 hatch, having no rear seats.
Great hatchback practicality, as long as you remember to check for obstructions before closing that slab of glass.
Just wanted to do all my favourite roads from my old Suffolk days.
Stoke-by-Nayland...
St. Marys Church, Polstead, with long family connections past & present...
Just wondered what Grandad would of said about a car with blue wheels - in the thickest Suffolk accent you've ever heard. He was there but didn't have much to say
I wish I could say it was a driving revelation. These roads have changed in the 25 years since I last drove them... far too many pointless speed limits, countless potholes for CS suspension and endless people in oversized sports-SUV's who simply regard the white line in the middle of the road as 'advisory'.
Did the tourist thing and revisited Lavenham. I used to avoid the place in my youth but with a more mature head its an amazing place. You can see why the yanks love it so...
My last stop was Southwold & "Ghost Ship" direct from source...
I needed to visit Southwold Pier to see the "Under the Pier Show". An eccentric set of arcade machines made by the brilliant engineer Tim Hunkin.
It's all on YouTube nowadays, but "Secret Life of Machines" aired on Channel 4 in the 80's and sculpted me as an Engineer for sure.
Conclusions?
All the expected conclusions about just how balanced the car is and how it begs you to drive faster through the bends. The mechanical PAS and Atiwe steering wheel are just divine.
It's a terribly sad thing to say, but, fuel economy
So used to shovelling fuel into the Griff by the bucket load... a welcome change that a trip out won't bankrupt you
Down sides...
The interior gets hot in the sun, that's for sure. There's a lot of black in there and with 30'c it was simply unpleasant. No A/C is my own fault and indeed by choice.
Gearbox is quite audible, but they all do that sir. Well, both my old 944's were the same anyway.
My god the brakes squeak and drive me mad. Low speed, rolling down a packed high street and its "squeak squeak squeak". I have no idea what pads are fitted. If they are "upgraded" track items then they're going straight in the bin. Apparently the 'fixed' Brembo calipers are renowned for corrosion between ally and steel components. That's one for the winter lay-up if the squeaking hasn't driven me totally insane by then.
I'm bored already of people saying it was silly of me to paint the wheels blue
I think irrespective of the pro's and con's, the overwhelming characteristic that I can't compare to any other car I have owned, is one of pride. Can't explain it.
One last thing, got my first ever ANPR parking ticket in Southwold so "happy holidays" and all that...
I just don't think black & white does Riviera Blue any justice
Looking forward to "Porsche East", Rickinghall, nr. Bury St. Edmunds, 20th August. Fingers crossed for the weather...
Out and about at last, following an MoT that is...
First MoT
Technically a fail as my rebuilt headlamps were a tad out. I get on really well with my MoT centre and it was simply words of advice. Truth is, they didn't want to go anywhere near my freshly repainted headlamps with a screwdriver.... which suited us both!
To be honest, the alignment access holes in the pods are just asking for trouble, so decided to take the pods off (again)...
Nearside adjusted up to match the offside which was the instruction.
Then on the way home this happened...
I thought my TVR ownership experience was over, but it lives on in memory!
Thankfully still available...
Porsche parts support is second to none for what is a 30 y/old car. It really has to be commended.
Porsche Alarm
Due to fitment age, I'm hugely sceptical about the original alarm. I choose not to use it. However, when you use the "dis-car-nect" battery terminal to kill the 12v for storage, upon reconnection it automatically arms by default.
Cue huge embarrassment down my street by the bl**dy thing going off and I couldn't disarm it.
Corrosion issues with the fob...
All cleaned, new battery and it works just fine. Still sceptical of it though!
Innards look similar to my Spectrum ZX+
PCGB R11 Concours
It's been a while; 2007 I last entered a PCGB event. That was with my 944...
Been really looking forward to entering again. That was one of the reasons for leaving TVR; concours and originality just isn't a thing.
I saw in the PCGB calendar of events that OPC Colchester was holding a concours event evening.
I swapped the tailpipe so I could say hand on heart original specification...
... Yep, it looks rubbish, but that's the way it is!
Good turn out...
... and another CS! ... rare y'know and then there's two of 'em!
Parked headlamps up...
Genuinely over the moon with a win and a bag of goodies... in the "Not a 911" category
Thanks to all the members and staff.
Touring
First of all I borrowed my Beeline Moto GPS from the bike...
I just like it as it's so discreet, with no wires or clumsy cigarette adapters...
It's not infallible but has its benefits. Quite popular with the Caterham/Ariel/Radical community it turns out.
Chucked the tent in the back. Even more space than my last 944 hatch, having no rear seats.
Great hatchback practicality, as long as you remember to check for obstructions before closing that slab of glass.
Just wanted to do all my favourite roads from my old Suffolk days.
Stoke-by-Nayland...
St. Marys Church, Polstead, with long family connections past & present...
Just wondered what Grandad would of said about a car with blue wheels - in the thickest Suffolk accent you've ever heard. He was there but didn't have much to say
I wish I could say it was a driving revelation. These roads have changed in the 25 years since I last drove them... far too many pointless speed limits, countless potholes for CS suspension and endless people in oversized sports-SUV's who simply regard the white line in the middle of the road as 'advisory'.
Did the tourist thing and revisited Lavenham. I used to avoid the place in my youth but with a more mature head its an amazing place. You can see why the yanks love it so...
My last stop was Southwold & "Ghost Ship" direct from source...
I needed to visit Southwold Pier to see the "Under the Pier Show". An eccentric set of arcade machines made by the brilliant engineer Tim Hunkin.
It's all on YouTube nowadays, but "Secret Life of Machines" aired on Channel 4 in the 80's and sculpted me as an Engineer for sure.
Conclusions?
All the expected conclusions about just how balanced the car is and how it begs you to drive faster through the bends. The mechanical PAS and Atiwe steering wheel are just divine.
It's a terribly sad thing to say, but, fuel economy
So used to shovelling fuel into the Griff by the bucket load... a welcome change that a trip out won't bankrupt you
Down sides...
The interior gets hot in the sun, that's for sure. There's a lot of black in there and with 30'c it was simply unpleasant. No A/C is my own fault and indeed by choice.
Gearbox is quite audible, but they all do that sir. Well, both my old 944's were the same anyway.
My god the brakes squeak and drive me mad. Low speed, rolling down a packed high street and its "squeak squeak squeak". I have no idea what pads are fitted. If they are "upgraded" track items then they're going straight in the bin. Apparently the 'fixed' Brembo calipers are renowned for corrosion between ally and steel components. That's one for the winter lay-up if the squeaking hasn't driven me totally insane by then.
I'm bored already of people saying it was silly of me to paint the wheels blue
I think irrespective of the pro's and con's, the overwhelming characteristic that I can't compare to any other car I have owned, is one of pride. Can't explain it.
One last thing, got my first ever ANPR parking ticket in Southwold so "happy holidays" and all that...
I just don't think black & white does Riviera Blue any justice
Looking forward to "Porsche East", Rickinghall, nr. Bury St. Edmunds, 20th August. Fingers crossed for the weather...
jay-kay-em said:
The 968 Club Sport
A nice update! The door cards are actually different to 944 cards which have an embossed line all the way around the bottom half of the door card
Hi Jake, thanks mate! Your knowledge is second to none. That's spooky as just done another update. You'll have to read it twice i'm afraid!A nice update! The door cards are actually different to 944 cards which have an embossed line all the way around the bottom half of the door card
bolidemichael said:
Another great update and some great insights into Suffolk, a place with family connections to me, too, predominately around Bury.
What was the prize for hour ‘not a 911’ win?
I’m also a beeline user in my motorbike and it’s by and large and excellent thing and without having to sully the experience of riding with a great big screen as though I were driving a car!
Hi BM, great to hear of another Beeline user. On the whole I get on great with mine. I only get caught out when there's a few complicated instructions close together - such as a complicated motorway Junction or a double mini-roundabout. Only then is a traditional sat-nav better because you can see the map.What was the prize for hour ‘not a 911’ win?
I’m also a beeline user in my motorbike and it’s by and large and excellent thing and without having to sully the experience of riding with a great big screen as though I were driving a car!
My bag of goodies included a 75th Porsche anniversary mug, a 1:43 model of a 2.4 Targa and quite incredibly, a battery charger. Genuinely chuffed as punch!
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