What should I do with this 1987 944?

It's a base-model 8V non-turbo, and at first, I was fixing it up as a toy to keep. Then, I changed course and decided to primp it and sell it. As I was putting new dampers in it, I just found rot in the inner rockers. What should I do? Fix the rust? Hide the rust? Keep the car & make a track rat, like I originally intend? I'm about $1200 in, it's got 150k on the clock & needs tires but is otherwise mechanically excellent. It's got a Weltmeister sport suspension kit, new control arms and Wilwood four-piston front brake calipers with cross-drilled rotors (all that goodness was harvested from a parts car). To get retail money, it would need paint & a windshield. The interior is even nice.

I'm completely underwhelmed with my dads 944. 85 8v non turbo. Doesn't have the suspension and brakes yours does but its freshly painted and we've replaced pretty much all wear items except bushings, which all seem fine.

Even if you take out the body roll I still wouldn't be impressed. I know theres spec 944 but I don't see the attraction for racing 150hp heavy cars....

My dad replaced it with a 928 that has twice the horsepower and is much more fun. Hes going to sell the 944 soon too. Different price range than yours haha.

I've decided what to do with it: I'm going to put a windshield in it and use it as my interim autocross car while the Boxster is all blown apart for the 3.4L 911 engine swap. I may keep it after that as a winter autocross toy, but it might sit too low for that purpose. I really wanted an A60 Celica or an AW11 MR2 for those things, but this 944 is already mine and already mechanically sorted. That said, anybody here want to trade their slow, old, rusty Toyota for a slow, old rusty Porsche?

I'll trade you a 12 pack of your favorite beer for it. I have a three car garage and only two cars, something has to fill up that empty bay

I'll trade ya a 1998 e320 wagon that has a couple of issues.

Thanks for the offers, Mark & Storz, but I think I'm going to hold out until someone is willing to trade me a hardtop for. My Boxster or one of those old Celicas for it. Otherwise, $1200 would own it.

M030 wrote: Thanks for the offers, Mark & Storz, but I think I'm going to hold out until someone is willing to trade me a hardtop for. My Boxster or one of those old Celicas for it. Otherwise, $1200 would own it.

Where are you located and how bad is the rust?

You are willing to trade a boxster hard top for a 944?

markwemple wrote: You are willing to trade a boxster hard top for a 944?

In reply to markwemple:

I certainly would! At this point, I've lowered my sights a little and I'd trade for a new set of Michelins for the Boxster

What size and model Michelins? Where are you located?

Does the color of the hardtop matter?

In reply to markwemple:

Hardtop color matters not.

As for tires, I want brand new Michelin Pilots: (2) 235/40ZR17 and (2) 255/40ZR17

Post some pictures of the car and the rust issue.

Not 225/40 17?

rallycross seems the obvious answer for a rusty RWD car.

irish44j wrote: rallycross seems the obvious answer for a car.

FTFY

It seems like it should be very easy to find a buyer for a $1200 944. I too am curious where the car is located.

If I'm bringing you tires or a top. I need to know where I'm going. Please send pics to markwemple at yahoo dot com.

Rustspecs13 wrote: I'm completely underwhelmed with my dads 944. 85 8v non turbo. Doesn't have the suspension and brakes yours does but its freshly painted and we've replaced pretty much all wear items except bushings, which all seem fine. Even if you take out the body roll I still wouldn't be impressed. I know theres spec 944 but I don't see the attraction for racing 150hp heavy cars.... My dad replaced it with a 928 that has twice the horsepower and is much more fun. Hes going to sell the 944 soon too. Different price range than yours haha.

I wanted to a buy a 944, drove a few, and felt the same way and moved onto other cars.

There is so much better cars even at that era that were in my budget.

Now if we were talking about a turbo or S2 my tune would change. A lot of people consider the non-gtr skyline (gts-t) I have as "unimpressive" but it's certainly more impressive than a 944 when you drive it.

Like people who are fans of (unmodded for power non-m) E30s or (non-turbo non-S2) 944s either have a pathological fear of power or are unable to buy anything non-german or just want a car for appearance reasons. You can get all the positive traits of those cars AND more from several other companies. People have long since realized this though which is why those cars are nearly the same price as 944S2s and turbos at this point. However there are still outliers.

All this is why the cars I mentioned (non-special E30s and 944s) are like $2000-$3000. Their value reflects their unimpressive nature. There are still hidden cars in that price range though that are much more fun. AW11 MR2 or get like a Z31 turbo at that price that can blow those cars away on any track. AW11s though are steadily increasing in price. Once those are high enough people with limited budgets will move on to like a Z31, realize how with such little work they can be impressive, and then those will increase in price. Meanwhile 944s and 325is will continue to be basement dwellers.

This is why I sold my 951S and kept the 924.

Even though they were essentially the same cars underneath, the 924 is just that much more tossable and lively. The 951 was just way too serious and heavy. I'm not a fan of the 2.5L either, much too complex.

Honestly, a 924/944 that has been lightened with a more modern motor can be a lot of fun for a little money and with the hatch it's fairly useful. It's the German 240SX and doesn't really come alive until you make a bunch of changes, but these days there are as good or better options on the market.

kanaric wrote: kanaric elaborated eloquently about things I was saying

Agreed. Also funny story I own a bunch of Z31 turbos and a S30. He drove my first Z31T and then started looking for something faster than the 944. Ended up with the 928 then....Z's still faster haha

Where did the 944 go? I haven't heard back and have no idea where it is