Need help - restoration of 1986 Porsche 944.

[DevilsAdvocate]

I basically scored a Porsche 944 for free. All I need is to completely redo the interior, and replace the door handles (plastic + Texas sun= not good).

I have seen kits on eBay. Would a "Re dash"? What should I buy? It almost all needs to be replaced.

 

[intogamer]

:camera:?

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

Forgot - it needs new wheels.

 

[swtethan]

send it to a pro

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

Originally posted by: intogamer
:camera:?

I'm working on it.

I realized that the paint color is different from the original. This is a skidmark brown color.

Not for long.

I'm thinking red. Maybe bright yellow.

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

Originally posted by: swtethan
send it to a pro

Anyone know of a pro in Houston?

 

[RCN]

Either find a good dash from a junkyard/car-parts.com/posrche forum/etc. or get it redone by Just Dashes.
Buy a carpet kit.
Get good used interior panels.
Have seats Reupholstered.
Copy door handle design and have them machined from al..

Pics would help........

 

[sniperruff]

Originally posted by: DevilsAdvocate

Originally posted by: intogamer
:camera:?

I'm working on it.

I realized that the paint color is different from the original. This is a skidmark brown color.

Not for long.

I'm thinking red. Maybe bright yellow.

i say red or white.

 

[radioouman]

Sounds like a fun project!! Redash kits are just skins that go over the existing dash. Some look really good, some are really cheap looking.

 

[quakefiend420]

IIRC zemmervolt is a porsche enthusiast, i could be wrong though

you might want to shoot him a pm

 

[Zenmervolt]

I have a lot of history with the 944/951/924S series cars. There is an EXCELLENT forum called Pelican Parts ( http://forums.pelicanparts.com ) and they should have all the information you could ever want for a 944. 1986 is a good year for the 944 series as it will have the much-improved later interior (the HVAC is phenomenally better than the 1985 and earlier cars) and an improved (but still far from perfect) sunroof mechanism.

The very first thing you need to do though is to replace all the belts on the engine. The 944 has a 3 year/30,000 mile timing belt interval and no self-tensioner, so unless you have receipts for a belt change to prove that it was done within 3 years or 30,000 miles, you will want to replace them. If you don't, the engine is interferance and when the timing belt breaks it will take out your valves and head.

ZV

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I have a lot of history with the 944/951/924S series cars. There is an EXCELLENT forum called Pelican Parts ( http://forums.pelicanparts.com ) and they should have all the information you could ever want for a 944. 1986 is a good year for the 944 series as it will have the much-improved later interior (the HVAC is phenomenally better than the 1985 and earlier cars) and an improved (but still far from perfect) sunroof mechanism.

The very first thing you need to do though is to replace all the belts on the engine. The 944 has a 3 year/30,000 mile timing belt interval and no self-tensioner, so unless you have receipts for a belt change to prove that it was done within 3 years or 30,000 miles, you will want to replace them. If you don't, the engine is interferance and when the timing belt breaks it will take out your valves and head.

ZV

THanks for the guidance.

Basically this is a 1986 944 that I got as "fee" for a divorce that I finished recently. The car was kinda metallic khaki... kind of a neat color.

It was repainted a color that I call "skidmark brown." Really not a good color for a Porsche - or any sports car for that matter.

The body has already been redone, but the hood needs some body work from a dent that my fat ass put in it when I was leaning on it to work on the wiper blade assembly.

I need new gauges, and basically a new dash. All of the interior needs to be redone... the panels, console... all of it is irretrieveably hosed.

 

[Fiat1]

Paint it likeTHIS classic, that's what's inside.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: DevilsAdvocate

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I have a lot of history with the 944/951/924S series cars. There is an EXCELLENT forum called Pelican Parts ( http://forums.pelicanparts.com ) and they should have all the information you could ever want for a 944. 1986 is a good year for the 944 series as it will have the much-improved later interior (the HVAC is phenomenally better than the 1985 and earlier cars) and an improved (but still far from perfect) sunroof mechanism.

The very first thing you need to do though is to replace all the belts on the engine. The 944 has a 3 year/30,000 mile timing belt interval and no self-tensioner, so unless you have receipts for a belt change to prove that it was done within 3 years or 30,000 miles, you will want to replace them. If you don't, the engine is interferance and when the timing belt breaks it will take out your valves and head.

ZV

THanks for the guidance.

Basically this is a 1986 944 that I got as "fee" for a divorce that I finished recently. The car was kinda metallic khaki... kind of a neat color.

It was repainted a color that I call "skidmark brown." Really not a good color for a Porsche - or any sports car for that matter.

The body has already been redone, but the hood needs some body work from a dent that my fat ass put in it when I was leaning on it to work on the wiper blade assembly.

I need new gauges, and basically a new dash. All of the interior needs to be redone... the panels, console... all of it is irretrieveably hosed.

Sounds like it was originally Kalahari Beige. It's a nice color when it's fresh, understated and fairly rare. I'd recommend going back to it just for the novelty of it if you do decide to repaint the car.

The dash is an expensive part unfortunately. A new dash will run 2,000 to 3,000. The best thing to do is try to source a car with the same interior color that someone is parting out and buy a used dash. If the dash is really shot, a dash cap doesn't usually look good. Pelican Parts should be full of help. Mind you, restoring a 944 is not an inexpensive task and with what you describe, your "free" car sounds like it can easily be a $10,000 944 once the restoration is finished.

ZV

 

[FelixDeCat]

I owned a 1984 944 back in the early 90s. Total and utter lemon. This was the pre www days so every theif from here to kalamazo was out to fsck Porsche owners hand over fist. And boy did they have their way with me.

I could right a novella about my experiences good and bad about this car. From random thumbsup from people on the street, to flashed boobs to people who had mistaken me for a rich person and were mad at me for no reason at all.

Would I do it again? Probably not, too many bugs. Put a different engine in and we might talk. But then theres the electrical system..... :roll:

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
I owned a 1984 944 back in the early 90s. Total and utter lemon. This was the pre www days so every theif from here to kalamazo was out to fsck Porsche owners hand over fist. And boy did they have their way with me.

I could right a novella about my experiences good and bad about this car. From random thumbsup from people on the street, to flashed boobs to people who had mistaken me for a rich person and were mad at me for no reason at all.

Would I do it again? Probably not, too many bugs. Put a different engine in and we might talk. But then theres the electrical system..... :roll:

All of my Porsches have been utterly reliable. Sounds like you bough an abused example.

ZV

 

[AdamK47]

It looks like the interior work alone would cost more than what the car is worth, but it's up to you to decide if it should be done or not.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: AdamK47 3DS
It looks like the interior work alone would cost more than what the car is worth, but it's up to you to decide if it should be done or not.

It's almost never possible to restore a car for less than the cost of buying the most perfect example available. That said, restoration is a lot of fun, and it's a great way of getting a car for less and making "payments" at your own pace. If the car sits for a while as you are saving up for a dashboard, it's no biggie. Much better than having Rocco from the auto credit department sent by do break your knees.

ZV

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
I owned a 1984 944 back in the early 90s. Total and utter lemon. This was the pre www days so every theif from here to kalamazo was out to fsck Porsche owners hand over fist. And boy did they have their way with me.

I could right a novella about my experiences good and bad about this car. From random thumbsup from people on the street, to flashed boobs to people who had mistaken me for a rich person and were mad at me for no reason at all.

Would I do it again? Probably not, too many bugs. Put a different engine in and we might talk. But then theres the electrical system..... :roll:

All of my Porsches have been utterly reliable. Sounds like you bough an abused example.

ZV

I hate to burst your bubble, but Porsche built a lemmon. No automaker is immune from that. From the dead power roof motor, fscked up electrical system, inaccurate oil guage, leaking head gasket, nylon timing belt only good for 30k, high horsepower but no torque, fscked up cv joints that were $200 apiece to have replaced.....Im just getting started.

But the car did look cool. Thats the reason why I tolerated it. I have videos of me driving around in it from 1991 that I might post. I had it repainted in a fresh coat of the original factory Reubenrott Red Metallic (dark maroon).The interior was perfect, and like I said, it was a looker.

When it was working it was a fun car that handled, well, like a Porsche.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: DevilsAdvocate

Originally posted by: intogamer
:camera:?

I'm working on it.

I realized that the paint color is different from the original. This is a skidmark brown color.

Not for long.

I'm thinking red. Maybe bright yellow.

Let it be Guards Red. Yellow just screams that you're an attention whore.

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: DevilsAdvocate

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I have a lot of history with the 944/951/924S series cars. There is an EXCELLENT forum called Pelican Parts ( http://forums.pelicanparts.com ) and they should have all the information you could ever want for a 944. 1986 is a good year for the 944 series as it will have the much-improved later interior (the HVAC is phenomenally better than the 1985 and earlier cars) and an improved (but still far from perfect) sunroof mechanism.

The very first thing you need to do though is to replace all the belts on the engine. The 944 has a 3 year/30,000 mile timing belt interval and no self-tensioner, so unless you have receipts for a belt change to prove that it was done within 3 years or 30,000 miles, you will want to replace them. If you don't, the engine is interferance and when the timing belt breaks it will take out your valves and head.

ZV

THanks for the guidance.

Basically this is a 1986 944 that I got as "fee" for a divorce that I finished recently. The car was kinda metallic khaki... kind of a neat color.

It was repainted a color that I call "skidmark brown." Really not a good color for a Porsche - or any sports car for that matter.

The body has already been redone, but the hood needs some body work from a dent that my fat ass put in it when I was leaning on it to work on the wiper blade assembly.

I need new gauges, and basically a new dash. All of the interior needs to be redone... the panels, console... all of it is irretrieveably hosed.

Sounds like it was originally Kalahari Beige. It's a nice color when it's fresh, understated and fairly rare. I'd recommend going back to it just for the novelty of it if you do decide to repaint the car.

The dash is an expensive part unfortunately. A new dash will run 2,000 to 3,000. The best thing to do is try to source a car with the same interior color that someone is parting out and buy a used dash. If the dash is really shot, a dash cap doesn't usually look good. Pelican Parts should be full of help. Mind you, restoring a 944 is not an inexpensive task and with what you describe, your "free" car sounds like it can easily be a $10,000 944 once the restoration is finished.

ZV

The motor has already been redone, and it seems like the interior is all that is really, really fvcked up.

I'm looking for a dash on ebay now, and I think I have found a couple.

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: DevilsAdvocate

Originally posted by: intogamer
:camera:?

I'm working on it.

I realized that the paint color is different from the original. This is a skidmark brown color.

Not for long.

I'm thinking red. Maybe bright yellow.

Let it be Guards Red. Yellow just screams that you're an attention whore.

It is my midlife crisis, alright. And I want it to be yellow. j/k

 

[Chunkee]

get a motorcycle instead, like i did, for your mid life

jC

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Chunkee
get a motorcycle instead, like i did, for your mid life

jC

He's having a midlife crisis, not a death wish.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
I owned a 1984 944 back in the early 90s. Total and utter lemon. This was the pre www days so every theif from here to kalamazo was out to fsck Porsche owners hand over fist. And boy did they have their way with me.

I could right a novella about my experiences good and bad about this car. From random thumbsup from people on the street, to flashed boobs to people who had mistaken me for a rich person and were mad at me for no reason at all.

Would I do it again? Probably not, too many bugs. Put a different engine in and we might talk. But then theres the electrical system..... :roll:

All of my Porsches have been utterly reliable. Sounds like you bough an abused example.

ZV

I hate to burst your bubble, but Porsche built a lemmon. No automaker is immune from that. From the dead power roof motor, fscked up electrical system, inaccurate oil guage, leaking head gasket, nylon timing belt only good for 30k, high horsepower but no torque, fscked up cv joints that were $200 apiece to have replaced.....Im just getting started.

Unless you bought it in 1984, you have no way of knowing whether it was a lemon or not. Face it, you bough a 6 or 7 year old car that was obviously not treated well.

I've never had a CV joint on a 944 series car fail (I've had 3, all with 150,000+ miles). Never had any issue with the power roof motor (microswitches go out of adjustment, but that's 5 minutes to adjust), the 944 engine puts out more torque at lower RPM than just about any other engine of comparable size (you can read the HP/TQ curves in the manual for proof), I've never had a head gasket issue with a 944 (including the 944 Turbo that runs 15 PSI of boost), and the only electrical issue I have ever had in any 944 was a dead fuel pump relay. The timing belt cannot be counted because 30,000 miles is the expected interval (it's also the expected interval for just about any timing belt from that period that didn't have a self-tensioner and was on an aluminum engine).

You bought a used car, and had problems with it. It's infinitely more likely that the previous owner abused the vehicle than that it was a lemon. I've been involved with Porsches for nearly a decade; working on my own, helping others with theirs, and tracking them. Not once have I seen an example of the kinds of issues you describe from a non-abused 944.

ZV