What I've found so far (944 content)

Here's what's around right now to replace the Miata:

1. 86 944, Champagne over Tan, 220K miles, 4K on new timing belt, ALL service records from 86-11. Needs tie rods, stereo re-wire, driver's seat help. $2500

2. 84 944, Gunmetal over Brown/Tan, 173K, last had timing belt at 136K so it's due, no records pre-06, full records from then on including shocks, brakes, bearings, axles, etc. Has a GLASS sunroof and the metal one. Original clutch, PS leaks, but has 7" F and 9" R Fuchs (real ones). $2900 OBO

3. 85.5 944, Champagne over Black/Cream, 212K miles. Had timing belt + head rebuild 4K ago (with receipts). Needs major interior help and a paint or polish on the hood. $2300 OBO

4. 924 Turbo, Silver/Black over Black/Crazy Checkers, 99K miles, tons of ricer mods, 5-lug 944 suspension swap, being sold as a "mad tyte drifter yo!" $3000

I'm tempted by the first two, mainly because of condition and records. The second one would have been perfect as an 85.5, but I really don't want an early car (been there, done that).

Stay far far away from the 924 Turbo. The others are dogs with fleas.

You can get a near perfect 944 for $5-$6K. Or you can buy a $2K car and spend another $10K trying to get there.

If you just want a beater that you aren't going to spend money on, I'd go with the first or third one.

Without driving them I'd probably go with whichever of #1 or #3 that has had the more recent cluch replacement. I need to swap the torque tube on my 951 and I'm just dreading dropping the exhaust, transmission and rear suspension to do it, and I don't even have to screw around with any bell housing bolts.

Yeah, pickings got slim I might check out #1 as it's on the way to where I'm going this weekend and only 10 minutes from the freeway. It's got a lot of miles, but it is the first 944 I've seen to actually have every service documented from new. it's fleas are really minor too (racing seats probably going in anyways, going to eventually get to the whole suspension anyways, and re-wiring a stereo is easy).

If you think your Miata was a money pit....

I know 944's are maintenance-intensive, at least they are fast(er than a 1.6 N/A Miata).

I'm also looking for 94-95 Cobra's, but there's been exactly 0 in the last week or so.

I'm probably barking up the wrong tree, but I don't feel the 924 turbo is any more expensive than a 944 to maintain. Most owners just refuse to do so as many can't deal with CIS or regular turbo car maintenance (keep it cool and change the oil often!).

Fix the vacuum leaks, and the electrical connections, change the timing belt and drive the damned car. Enjoy harassing old 911's and 944's.

That 924 turbo can be un-dorifto'd pretty easily and you know it runs, so that's a good first step.

Want more power? Add an intercooler (which is tricky with the CIS, but possible) and a stiffer wastegate spring.

MegaSquirt isn't hard to do either. Machine the injector holes in the head to fit a set of Bosch-style injectors. Grab a fuel rail from a Ford or Chrysler FWD 4-cylinder, fab up some brackets to hold it in place. Swap the throttle body for one from an Audi with a TPS (or adapt a TPS) then add the rest of the sensors and wiring. Lose 20lbs of crap in the engine bay and go faster.

Check out the 924board for some 924 turbo (931) info and Ideola's Garage for repair parts. http://www.924board.org and http://garage.ideola.com

I'd totally go for the 931 (I love the interior) but it sounds like it has been hit by flat-biller dorifto ricer idiot pretty hard, and that scares me.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/2219746132.html

That 931 actually looks pretty good. I love that interior and it looks totally stock. I'd want to know what mods were made to the turbo but other than that it looks pretty clean.

It's the "rebuilt engine, modified turbo, BOV, and carbon exhaust" that worry me.

Javelin wrote: I'd totally go for the 931 (I *love* the interior) but it sounds like it has been hit by flat-biller dorifto ricer idiot pretty hard, and that scares me. http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/2219746132.html

Yeah, the too-fah folks discussed that car. Poked fun at it quite a bit in fact. My buddy James has one like that, called Shaggy. Same color scheme and interior. Fun car.

Might be worth a look. For all of their immaturity and "Yo" mentality, there are some that know how to bend wrenches pretty well. I'm sure you can recognize a complete waste of time within a few minutes of seeing the car in person. If you'd like, I can ask around the local too-fah community to see if anyone is willing to check it out with you, who might be a good person to do a PPI with, etc.

Honestly, the exhaust is fixable as it is the same as a 944's from the cat back, or any muffler shop can build you one that will work better. Sell the CF "muffler" to finance it.

Trailing arms can be adjusted up to a reasonable level in a few minutes, front springs replaced (I have a set I'll give you) or spring perches adjusted up.

It already has the 5-lug brakes, which are the same as 944 units. Volvo 244 4-piston calipers also bolt on to the front as well if you need a bit more without spending "big red" money.

Engine's are pretty reliable, block was used in the diesel VW LT's, crank is forged I believe. Rods are fairly strong for cast units. Etc.

CIS is a known, if sometimes painful, quantity that is easy to replace with MegaSquirt if you're so inclined (mmm, MSnS+EDIS, flatshift, anti-lag and launch control, mmmmm)

Seriously, take a weekend, surprise the wife with a trip to Seattle, hit SyKart in Tacoma, go shopping at Pikes Market, get a Piroshky (or two) and check out the car.... I mean, how hard can it be?

Driving through Seattle Friday and Monday

of all of them, I approve the 931.

Otherwise, I say scrap the whole plan and search harder for the Cobra. I love those!

Javelin wrote: Driving through Seattle Friday and Monday

Good luck! Would love to see it in the hands of a non-dorifodiot...

Alert!

Just had an 84 Z51 C4 offered to me with 79K miles, Bilsteins, sways, and ZR1 wheels in Black on Black for $4000!

Javelin wrote: Alert! Just had an 84 Z51 C4 offered to me with 79K miles, Bilsteins, sways, and ZR1 wheels in Black on Black for $4000!

Hopefully a manual...? Urg, crossfire injection. The TPI motors were actually good, crossfires, not so much.

Yes, it is a Crossfire and 4+3 manual car.

Abandon all commitments and go buy that 'Vette right now.

Javelin wrote: Alert! Just had an 84 Z51 C4 offered to me with 79K miles, Bilsteins, sways, and ZR1 wheels in Black on Black for $4000!

Seems a bit spendy for a Crossfire . . . I thought the L98 was the engine in 1984?

Javelin wrote: Alert! Just had an 84 Z51 C4 offered to me with 79K miles, Bilsteins, sways, and ZR1 wheels in Black on Black for $4000!

Having been a GM mechanic back in the early 80's, I would have to advise against this. There is a reason cross-fire cars are worth nothing.

^LS1 swap?

z31maniac wrote: ^LS1 swap?

Not as easy as one would think, sadly.

I think a better idea would be a TPI intake / Megasquirt swap since the parts are cheap (the 'squirt would be the most expensive component by far), match the rest of the engine decently, and isn't a freaking Crossfire setup.

I still can't believe GM put any engineering hours into that setup. And then the time to document and support it? Baffling.

If the car was clean, I'd do it, and take advantage of what is basically a standard SBC. IE: Cheap, reliable and powerful. Just remove the crossfire.:)

LT1 bolts right in.