Otto,
I still go back to the idea of making the 86 944 a track car.
Here is my reasoning.
The normally aspriated 2.5L 8 valve 944 is not a fast car on the street any more. It can get out dragged by a Prius with a stuck accelerator pedal. Even so they make nice drivers, but can get stale after a time.
The cars are also not really collectable in any sense. They made a number of them and they will aways be overshadowed performance wise by the Turbo or 3.0L cars and since these cars are simply better.
However where the 944 comes into is own is on a race track. Not because of hp as it does not have that much, but as track rat. The virtue of the car is that BEACAUSE it is mostly a throw away car you can turn it into a track car and increase the fun and value.
My 84 944 was a junker 1 step away from being crushed when I got in 11 years ago. Really the thing was in bad shape and there was little point in doing anything with it. So it was pretty easy to build it into a track car. Well let me tell you that today it provides me more fun than any car I have every had. I beat the snot out of it at the rack and it just keeps going. It is not a powerhouse, but turns some very respectable lap times. Plus being so "worthless" I have no concerns about minor damage.
The point is that by tracking this car I have given it new lease on life and made it MORE valueable. At one time I had a very nice 84 944 show car. It won a number of conocur events, but was really too nice to drive. I got bored with concour and just drove it for while. It was ok, but then just sold it back othe original owner. Despite being nice and low miles it just did not excite me. Now turing that car into a track car was crime, but an average nice 944 that has turned stale? Nah... those cars are a dime a dozen so don't bother worrying. Just start tracking it.
