Hey guys/girls or whatever you may be. Im a new guy that just picked up an 86 944 non-turbo. From what I've read, there isnt much performance (motor) wise that can be done without a lot of cash to be dropped. But mods can be done to better the suspension, that is where my question lies. What can be done, and where is a good place to get the parts. Im not looking to take it to any tracks, just city drivin but, "fun". So therefore not so much expensive stuff. And if i read wrong, is there anything that can be done to the motor without dropping as much cash as i paid for the car itself. Any help is greatly appreciated
thanks
E

 

Easiest thing to do for suspension is to go with M030 sway bars (front and rear), castor blocks, and either koni or bilsteins shocks. I prefer bilsteins over konis, as they will hold up to more abuse and a longer time period. To do it all will probably run you about 1500 bucks, and will greatly improve the cornering ability of the car. I can't remember if the 86NA uses front strut inserts, if so, you can just drop in bilstein inserts for about 130 each, and then get the bilstein rears for about 90 each. Then upgrade the sway bars and castor blocks. You will need to figure in an alignment after you get all of it done.

 

As to the motor, I don't know specifics about the 944, and I don't know what you mean about "without a lot of cash" (opinons and budget's differ) but I can think of only two things:
1) You could supercharge it. I would think there is a kit available somewhere. I'd guess somewhere around $6-7K if you did some of the work yourself. If nota kit, superchargeing a 944 would not be a project I'd think would be too difficult, if you are a bit of a hot rodder.
2) More displacement. I believe stock blocks were available up to 3 liters and who knows how much more you can stork and bore them. You might be able to find a good used 3-liter engine in a surplus yard as a starting point for about $1.5K. Probably 3-4$k by the time it is in the car.

 

Maybe you are right, PR man. There is no replacement for displacement, as they say.


Will a 3-liter 968 engine fit in 944? Don't know if you can stroke and bore one to even larger displacement, but I once saw a 928 at a show/meet that had been bored a bit and stroked alot to 6.4 liters - wow!

I know this will be taken as sacrilege, but I would love to see someone drop a Chevrolet LS2 or LS6 V8 (400 or 405 HP respectively) into a 944. That conversion is popular with Miatas and the latest model Mazda RX7 because the engine is very light and compact. (Yeah, I know it would weigh more than a stock 944 engine - but 400 HP and 400 ft lbs would be great in a 944). I sold the stock LS6 from my vette to a guy who dropped it in an RX7 over a weekend - had it running the next.

 

Something like this???? (See pic's). The top one is a Chevy LT-1 into 944 conversion and the lower one is a Rover 4.3 V8 into 944 conversion!! [8D]



[IMG]local://upfiles/1465/B06D7A5C8AD647B6B0EB5ABA9BC10F65.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/1465/C6FD0107EC4444D5AD70B54689652ED6.jpg[/IMG]

 

but wouldnt that just kill your nice stock balance thats going on in the 944?

 

The weight of the stock na motor and the LS1 are very similar, so it doesn't throw off the balance really at all from what i have heard. A 968 motor would fit of course with the 968 DME and motor mounts etc, but you won't pick up a 3.0 motor from a 968 for under about 4k. The 944 cylinders are nikasil lined, so boring them out gets very expensive very quickly, and there are only a few people in the US that I would let do it.

 

The more I think about it the more it appeals: and I have a (tired but rebuildable) LS1 sitting in the back of the garage.
Any idea if the rear end would handle the power?

 

If you are careful about not hammering it out of the hole from a stop, the rear end will hold up. It would be ideal to install a S2 tranny that has the hardened R&P in it, then you would have no problems. Lots of R&P's shatter in the Turbos (Basically the same tranny as an NA, different gearing) in high horsepower motors from hard launches/clutch drops, etc.

 

hmm i do know a crazy chevy guy that i saw tonight. he was telling me about his truck he just finished that will top out at 170mph. ya he is crazy like that. had a jacked up blazer on mudders up to 130 befor getting scared