Im getting kind of worried...recently a stong gas smell has been in the cabin upon initial start up and at highway speeds...is this normal or am I looking at some more quality under my car and less paper in the pocketbook?

 

I had similar problem on my 1987 944. Turned out it was a leaking gas return line (low pressure side). It is imperative to replace the high pressure hoses and the return line if they havent been done in 20 years since the rubber dries out and becomes brittle from engine heat. A leak over the exhaust manufold will cause a fire quite quickly so replacing the hoses when they get old is good preventative medicine (and way cheeper than the alternative).

 

Get the car off the road now, and locate the leak. These cars are notorious for going up in flames due to rotten fuel lines. Check the two lines to the rail, and the short line from the dampner, as well as the injector seals. Also the rails are known to crack. You can start the car when cold, and look for leaks for a few minutes before everything heats up. If you are absolutely sure the engine is clear of fuel, then start looking behind the passenger rear tire at the fuel pump area.