944 or 924?

if i keep posting pictures, Brad likes it more and more....

Brad should plop those on his new 944, repaint it some garish color like Lime or Orange, and then put a "RAUH-Welt" banner on the windshield.

The 944 is slower in a straightline compared to a 924, just facts when you deal with drag at high speed.

On an average track? Probably not as noticeable as the gain in speed entering the straight you'd gain from leveraging all the grip you could achieve with flared fenders + wheels/tires.

Personally? I'd find a wrecked 944 for parts (some suspension and drivetrain) and use an early 924 as a base. The chassis is lighter, most of the important components swap between the two and with fewer frills to remove and you can use compositie body panels out of the gate instead of steel (they make 944 flares with 2" more width built-in in both fiberlgass and CF/Kevlar)

Then again, I'm a bit weird, so maybe you shouldn't listen to me :)

Considering the power they are getting out of the AAN in Audi's using essentially the same transaxle (with two more wheels driven, BTW) I'd say that the failure point isn't the transaxle as much as the TorqueTube or the couplers, or the CV joints.

I have a 87 924s and an 89 944 Turbo. The 89 turbo was the same specs as the 88 Turbo S but the "S" was dropped because all 89 turbos were the same spec. I have also had a 87 944s 16v & 86 944.

924s will fit 928 wheels that are 16 x 9 inside the fenders with only minor rubbing on the inside rear at full compression. Tires are 225/50-16. I haven't tried the 245/45's yet. 924s all use the 52mm offset wheels like the 86 & later 944.

All 924s front suspension is the early style used on the 84-85 944...the lower control arms appear identical to Rabbit stamped steel lower control arms and need reinforcement to limit flex in heavy braking. Brakes are good but single piston front and rear.

86 & later 944 have the aluminum lower control arms and use the 52mm offset wheels. Brakes are basically the same at the 924s. The transaxles are the same on 924s & 944 with the same ratios and final drive ratios...The final drive is lower than Turbo trans, LSD's were available and very costly when found...An LSD trans could cost 800 - 1500 easily.

Turbo 944 has better dual piston brakes, the nose is, in my opinion the best looking of all the 9xx cars. The wing under the rear bumper does create additional down force and reduce drag. Transaxles have a higher final drive which is better suited for higher power engines. You can get some Boxter take off wheels and mount them in the fenders.

88' 944 Turbo S (89 944 turbo) was the Ultimate version of the 944. The chassis is stiffer, bushings are stiffer, Brakes were Huge 4-piston just like the 930 & 928s4 and the rear brakes were the same as a standard turbo Front brake. The transaxle had a hardened input shaft, hardened 1st & 2nd gears as well as some other upgrades and is the only trans that will stand up to 400-450 hp with no mods...You still better not drag launch one!!!

Trans failures on Standard Turbo units are usually caused by the torque causing the pinion gear to push the ring gear sideways because of case flex and then jump teeth/explode the final drive. Many DE types have had very good luck by shimming the final drive / pinon to the very tightest end of the spec so that under full load it is in the sweet spot. Also there are stronger side plates or reinforcing plates available.

Note: A trans with an oil cooler may or may not have an LSD.

I would choose a 944 turbo and work from there...Reasons...Brakes, Wheel fitment, Interior is Way nicer HVAC can actually heat & cool.

86 Turbo does NOT have ABS, that started in 87.

Sorry for the long post, hope it helps Alan

93EXCivic wrote: I like the 924 body better then the 944 so I would say try to find a 924S.

I'm with you. I just like a clean 924, and the S was a good car, as I understand it.

Weird, just found myself looking at some 924/944 ads....

Guys- This is the best approach that I have seen. This is a car listed on Craigslist recently for $1800. (I was too tempted and talked with the guy... he would take $1200) This is a '77 924 with a 944 fiberglass body kit (lighter) Suspension is from a 911 as are the alloys. The engine is a tweaked 350 through a Turbo 350 trans with trans kit and shifter. Here's the good part...he did the rear end right. It has a Corvette LSD rear end adapted to 930 Turbo halfshafts. It probably wouldn't break! It has a fuel cell, and a bunch of other goodies. He hadn't finished the wiring and the motor had a "noise" but what a starting point for a Challenge project! Porsche done right. If we weren't already up to our *sses in the Lotus project I would have snatched it up. (Even so I pleaded with my accountant - aka wife - to let me have "just one more" project) I don't know if he ever sold it. The listing expired. The car is in Nevada. If someone is interested email me and I will give you his email.

Argo1 wrote: Suspension is from a 911 as are the alloys.

How on earth is the "suspension from a 911"?

In reply to admc58:

Please stop. The 85.5 and 86 944 do NOT use the 52mm offset, period. I will show you on my 86 944. That change did not occur until 1987. The 924S does NOT share the same offsets as the 85.5 and 86 944.

Thank you.

How on earth is the "suspension from a 911"?

944...sorry.

Are there aftermarket LSD's available?

Guard Transmissions

DrBoost wrote:

Are there aftermarket LSD's available?

Reply to Javlin...

Ok, I'll give you the 86 v 87 wheel offset..the phone dials threw me on the turbo cars.

However I stand by the 924s offset...re..the link below, near the bottom of the page...This was how they were able to get the 6Jx15s inside the 924 front fenders. http://jenniferandjon.com/ABRacing/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=42

Still just trying to help, Alan

Reply to Argo...

I sure would like to see how he got the trans in the tunnel and how the diff is mounted the. I've been thinking of doing something similar to that on my 924s smooth top.

Here's a set of wide body panels for the 944:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-924-944-968-used-parts-sale-wanted/653493-ifc-wide-body-parts.html

Also a free parts chassis: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-924-944-968-used-parts-sale-wanted/654821-any-interest-free-944s-parts-car.html

And a bolt-in roll cage:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-924-944-968-used-parts-sale-wanted/651118-944-bolt-roll-cage.html

Or a 944 turbo chassis, race prepped:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-924-944-968-used-parts-sale-wanted/585458-944-turbo-race-car-chassis.html

Or a 924 wide body kit (could be adapted to a 944 fairly easily) for $300:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/pts/2828243899.html

My point is, these are the ultimate "parts bin" cars. For a track day car, I'd start with whatever you can get and work from there as parts underneath will get replaced as needed with better aftermarket pieces.

Also, I should clarify that I don't believe the aluminum control arms are an upgrade as they weigh the same as the steel arms and crack instead of bending. Neither is a gain on the track, IMHO. You only go to the later arms to widen the track for use with later model suspension (of which the gain is in the wheel offset change opens wheel choices). The main gains are found in strengthening the steel arms and changing to the later model control arm mounts for the front arms (or go full tubular, which is stupid expensive).