Making the Hatch Work
A few weeks ago we had a 944S come into the shop with a leaky hatch – not at the top, but the owner complained about exhaust smell into the cockpit.
The 924 in the Porsche Panorama: Pt. 1
The D-Production version of the 924 was a factory kit that made the 924 into an SCCA D-Production monster. Al Holbert, Doc Bundy and others campaigned these cars in the early 80’s at SCCA events all over the country.
Kills Bugs Fast
Bugs get on your paint, glass, chrome, rubber, and whatever else faces the front of the car, depositing their dead, rotting carcasses and releasing all kinds of hellish chemicals. Here is a quick, easy, cheap solution.
Make It Look Like New
This stuff is definitely NOT Armor-All or anything like that. I have used those products for years, and they look good for a few minutes, then the shine goes away. PTR is magic…if used properly. Here is an example using an old bumper rubber.
“Cool Collectible Cars from the 80’s”
Acknowledging that the 924 doesn’t get a lot of love from the Porsche purists, he also mentions that the early cars were not “especially powerful.”
The 944 Goes to the Track
Over 170 drivers and instructors registered to practice their skills at Sebring on the 3.74 mile seventeen-turn road course. Several 944’s showed up to navigate the same course that hosts the 12-hour IMSA race each March. The place bleeds motorsports history.
Fixing the Hatch
If you have to hold the key to the left and jiggle the hatch (or man-handle it) to get it open, the hatch is on its way to failure. The pins-and-latch mechanism is dependent on proper alignment, so when the glass and frame start to separate, the whole thing goes out of alignment at the latch, making it difficult to open.
To Turbo or Not To Turbo…
So in searching the internet for nuggets of 944 information, I stumble across forum posts where people talk about 1) the low power output of the 944 8v engine, 2) the desires to install forced induction and 3) the desire to dump their 944 Turbo due to high maintenance costs.
Clutches and Reference Sensors…
In the past year or so I have come across an interesting situation regarding failed reference sensors that involve the clutch – something to put in your mechanical head and use when the time is right…
924 Carrera GT – Replica
Among others, GT Racing has been making a kit of body parts that replicate the Carrera GT that was homologated and raced as a 924T (931) in the early 80’s. I had the opportunity to build one of these kits in 2001, using a 1988 924S as a base, and it turned out quite well.
The Shame of Ownership
Will our cars ever get to the classic level that the 930 or 89 911 Speedster has attained? Probably not, but if you browse the national auction sites, you will find that these cars are bringing higher and higher prices on the block.
Brakes…There’s a Problem…
Here at 924S944.com, we have a theory – there are no cores, so therefore no rebuilt calipers. Unfortunately, you cannot print out calipers on your 3-D printer – at least, not yet. Until that happens, there will be few calipers at the auto supply store.
2.0L 924 GT Makes Racing History
In 1980, Porsche declared their intention to go racing with a special version of the 931 called the 924 Carrera GT. With only 406 examples made for homologation, this rare Porsche had 210 horsepower, Fuchs wheels and a five-speed transaxle. The front fenders are the same as were used on the 944 when introduced in 1983 with flares on the outside of the rear fenders to accommodate wider track.
Porsche 944 Redux: Update
So let’s look at this in a more realistic light. Porsche is definitely NOT bringing back the 944, and I cannot find anything definitive on a Panamera Coupe.
Porsche Announces Re-Introduction of the 944
Pop-up headlights will be gone in favor of headlight pods sculpted into the front fenders. Other familiar styling cues remain, with 85% of the body is retained from the 83-91 model 944.
924 vs. 924S vs. 944: What’s the Difference?
The first major redesign in 1985 – designated as “Series II” cars – are typically called “eighty-five-and-a-half” cars. These are easily identified by the new dashboard and console featuring an oval gauge cluster.