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.
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.”
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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We made the trip up to the Porsche Werks Reunion in advance of the Amelia Island Concours last Friday. It was quite the thing with the “Outlaw 356” showcased and … Continue Reading Amelia Island: Werks Reunion
The sad fact is that our 924S and 944 cars are NOT Tri-Five Chevys or fifties Morgans. They will never attain “classic” levels, and we won’t see an ’84 944 with 320K on the odometer bring 2.1 Million at Barrett-Jackson. But these cars were made to be loved and driven, driven hard, driven at autocrosses and track days, and even in club racing. So make a list, prepare a budget and get to work.
I read an article recently about the changing purchasing habits of Americans, specifically the argument of “Purchase vs. Lease.” Even Clark Howard, the “helping you save your money” guru has … Continue Reading 924S/944 and Advanced Electronics
The Porsche 944 cars out there are getting old – thirty years or so – and they require maintenance to keep them in good shape. Since they have been inexpensive to buy for many years, neglected maintenance is unfortunately typical for many of these cars. “
As our front-engine water-cooled Porsches age, there are two items under the hood that need attention – and failure to pay attention could result in leaving you stranded on the road or worse, with an engine fire. These are two things that I check first on every car and fix if needed.
One of the biggest differences between the engines and therefore the two models is how the engine is mounted in the front subframe. The 944 engine mounts into an aluminum crossmember – the one that also mounts the front control arms and the steering rack. The 944 engine sits on top of the crossmember on two mounts.