First Road Going 944

[TonyKart]

Hi, picked up my first road going 944 last week from Mike A9XXC, a 89 2.7 LUX, high mileage but just been MOT'd no advisory's, and has TAX until Jan 15.

I have two other 944's a early non sunroof 2.5 Lux with no rot whatsoever and a Damage Turbo, the plan is to build a totally track focussed 944 turbo out of the two, along with all the right safety, brakes and suspension.

No Pictures of the Turbo....

Then I realised I had never actually driven a 944 properly!!!!

Enter the 2.7, plan for the 2.7 is to re-bush the suspension, replace the tired shocks, up grade the roll bars, some decent brake pads and some Toyo 888's, proper alignment, then do a couple of track days to find how I get along with a 944.

I realise the 2.7 will not be quick in a straight line, however this build is to discover how they go round corners before committing some big £££ on a build only to find i'm not armoured with the 944 handling characteristics.

I have started collecting parts, have some Konis, set of seats, 25.8mm front roll bar.

I will be putting the interiors from both cars up for sale, soon if anyone in the North East is interested, photos available....

Anyhow that's the plan....what do people think????

 

[George Elliott]

1. Great Idea.....keep us up to date.

and these crossed my mind......

2. you will not be disappointed with the 944 dynamics

3. Good idea to go Chassis then Power, most of us do the reverse

4. Aero will probably disappoint over the 100 threshold, but can be fixed

5. Turbo is a good route to power

6. beware of some of the old crude turbo tuning approaches, things have moved on and recently there are better possibilities

7. Take out a mortgage

8. its a disease, we all have it


Just a few thoughts []

George
944t

 

[Eldavo]

I'm in Newcastle and happy to take you out in my modified turbo if you want to see how well they can handle and go.

 

[TonyKart]

ORIGINAL: Eldavo

I'm in Newcastle and happy to take you out in my modified turbo if you want to see how well they can handle and go.

Sounds like a plan to me, when you available?????

 

[944 man]

A series one car is far from the ideal base for a turbocharged conversion. They are virtually a different car. A 968 has FAR more in common with a 944 Turbo (which is a series two 944) than a series one 944 does - theyre that different...

 

[Eldavo]

ORIGINAL: TonyKart

ORIGINAL: Eldavo

I'm in Newcastle and happy to take you out in my modified turbo if you want to see how well they can handle and go.

Sounds like a plan to me, when you available?????

PM me your mobile number and we'll sort something out.

 

[TonyKart]

Had a bit drive out in the car today and was not convinced the front alignment was correct, the front end felt very vague,

Also I had noticed in one of the pictures I posted above (second one down) the front passenger wheel looks like it has positive camber on.

Quick measure up and sure enough + 1.5degrees

When I took the wheel off to check looks like someone had put the camber washer in set to full positive.

anyhow now have both fronts with -1.5 degrees, car feels so much more positive turning into corners and traveling in a straight line its does not wander around quite as much as it did...

 

[vitesse]

How many of us can boast a camber gauge in the toolkit--looks very useful--normally levels & string suffice[]

 

[TonyKart]

ORIGINAL: VITESSE

How many of us can boast a camber gauge in the toolkit--looks very useful--normally levels & string suffice[]

Yes very useful bit of kit, bought it a few years ago from a place in Newcastle that builds kit cars, its surprisingly accurate.

 

[Mike_Pollock]

Sounds like my drive is not as flat as I thought!

I put the 968 struts on when I got it and always meant to get it set up......


Edit - just remembered that I changed a wishbone last year in a hurry...........

 

[Booboojosh]

I'm in South Shields and wouldn't mind a nosey at your turbo if you fancy a mini meet?

 

[Eldavo]

No probs.

I was supposed to be meeting TonyKart today but am unwell so couldn't.

I'm in Gosforth and he has a unit in Houghton, so at the risk of being overly presumptuous I'd say if he's got a kettle we could meet there

PM me your mobile number.

 

[TonyKart]

ORIGINAL: Eldavo

No probs.

I was supposed to be meeting TonyKart today but am unwell so couldn't.

I'm in Gosforth and he has a unit in Houghton, so at the risk of being overly presumptuous I'd say if he's got a kettle we could meet there

PM me your mobile number.

Sounds like a plan, the unit is my mates business, does large scale industrial blasting and coatings.

He's also a massive petrol head, so we have part of the unit to work on/store cars....

What we thinking for a meet up, one evening or a Sat afternoon????

 

[TonyKart]

Track day booked for 6th Oct, late afternoon evening at Teesside Autodrome.

Its a small track but its cheap and local....best start bolting suspension parts on soon.....

 

[TonyKart]

With the first track day looming I have been collecting some parts to uprate the suspension.

I bought some good second hand M030 Koni's, M030 front roll bar and18mm rear bar, a full set of powerflex bushes, and a set of Toyo888.

Seeing as time is short for the first track day, I am going to bolt on the Koni's along with the roll bars and have the tyres fitted, one the 6th Oct is out the way I will pull the rear beam and fit the bigger torsion bars along with all the suspension bushes.

I had the roll bars and brackets blasted and coated, luckily my mate owns Specialised Blastings and Coatings -

also bought some seats -

I fitted the rear shocks and roll bar yesterday, was really surprises a 25 year old car came apart so easily....should get the front struts and roll bar fitted mid week/next Sat....then its off to the track.

 

[TonyKart]

Front shock absorbers fitted today along with the 26mm hollow front roll bar, also fitted some triangulation brackets to the front roll bar mounts.....Tyre's fitted, uprated brake pads and brakes bled through with fresh brake fluid, also fitted the Only944 quick shifter

I only had time for a quick drive up the road, the car is totally transformed, much more solid and planted on the road, with very little body roll and responds well to steering input...brakes will need a bit bedding in, but I can at least lock the brakes now!!!

Still have the 25.5mm torsion bars to fit, bushes for the front bottom arms and the rear axle mount/swing arms.
Then strip some weight out and fit the seats, but that can wait until later, looking forward to Monday's track day now....

 

[Eldavo]

Looking good!

You'll be taking it all off to transplant it onto a Turbo soon though

The 944 chassis is so good when it's had a bit of a refresh that it quickly becomes apparent that it'll easily take double the power.

I had mine down at Croft last weekend - currently replacing the power steering pump and fitting a second factory oil cooler in series too.

 

[Swindon_Mick]

Tony - how are you finding the Only944 quickshift? - I'm toying with getting one for mine

Enjoy the trackday!

Mick

 

[Eldavo]

I've got one too, and the front shifter as well.

Makes the gearshift feel the way it should do, much more precise and positive with no real extra effort needed.

My Porsche Indys describe it best, "most 944s have a rudder for a gearshift, yours has a gearstick"

 

[TonyKart]

Eldavo...was chatting with a bloke today who was also down Croft(Subaru wagon) , said he had been chatting to a guy with a 300bhp 944 caged etc, I did have a suspicion it may have been you...I'm hoping to start stripping the turbo in the next month or so.....

Swindon_Mick...I've only drove the 944 up the road and round the industrial estate since fitting the shifter, but it is so much more positive it would be the amongst the first thong I would change on any 944 I was going to use with any kind of enthusiasm...Also Kyle who runs 0nly944 is great to deal with