1987 Porsche 944 Turbo - Summer Yellow - Collector Owned - Less than 70k Miles

1987 Porsche 944 Turbo Additional Info:

** I am happy to provide interested parties with a current AutoCheck report on this vehicle further documenting the mileage and showing 27 individual registration/title/service records since new. Please send me a message and I'll respond promptly. **
1987 Porsche 944 Turbo - Summer Yellow - Collector Owned - Less than 70k Miles
This 1987 944 Turbois part of a 60+ car private collection in Austin, Texas.I acquired this car in February, 2012 from noted Porsche collector and racer Charles W. Coker (heir to the Sunoco fortune). Mr. Coker had acquired the car himself in late 2010 and put virtually no miles on the car. When I asked him why he had never driven the car, he told me that he only bought the car for the color of the paint (Summer Yellow) and not to drive. You see, Mr. Coker also owned a rare Porsche race car he had imported from Europe and that could not be registered or legally driven in the United States and that car was also Summer Yellow. His solution was to buy and register this car and use the license plates for his race car. After all, if he was ever pulled over, he was driving a yellow Porsche just like it said on the registration. I mean, what are the chances the police are actually going to check the VIN?
I also bought the car for the color. If you've read this far, you probably already know that Summer Yellow is among the rarest of Porsche colors and especially rare on the 944 Turbos. I bought the car planning on restoring it but the truth is I already have half a dozen 911's in various stages of restoration and this is just one project too many. In the several years I've owned the car I've driven it less than 20 miles and it's spent most of its time sitting in my warehouse waiting for some attention.
I have limited history on the car but, between the previous owner and myself, it hasn't been a daily driver in many years. The mileage is documented by multiple AutoCheck records, an inspection of the car in 2004 by the Porsche dealership in Cincinnati, Ohio (documenting the mileage at 65,006 miles) and by the sales and service records from Mr. Coker's purchase and ownership of the car. Sometime during Mr. Coker's ownership the odometer stopped functioning at 67,568 miles (a common issue with these cars and an easy fix) but, as neither he nor I drove the car on a regular basis, the mileage is still within 50 miles of what it reads now.
Today, the car is a perfect choice for someone who wants a fun and reliable classic they can drive every day with an eye toward restoring it in the future. As early 911's have skyrocketed in value, the 944's have begun to climb as well and, just like the 911's, the cars in the rarest and most interesting colors will appreciate faster than the rest. I hope whoever buys this car gives it the TLC it deserves and takes the time to bring it all the way back to perfect. It's a very special car and it deserves a very special home.
Further information is provided below.
Mechanicals:The car starts, stops, and drives well.The clutch is strong, the car shifts precisely with no grinding or odd noises, and it brakes easily and in a straight line. There are no fluid leaks or smoking from the engine. The electrics - always an area of concern on vintage cars - are solid and have given me no issues. The lights, gauges, wipers, and other electrical components are all functioning as intended.
The motor is a high-point on this car. It runs cool with excellent oil pressure even in the 100+ degree Texas summer heat. The acceleration is outstanding and the turbo is 100% with excellent boost and pinning you hard back into the seat when you put your foot down. The car is a blast to drive on the open roads.
When I acquired the car, neither the sunroof nor the pop-up headlights were functioning and both were repaired in my private shop by the technicians who service all the cars in my collection. Both are functioning perfectly now. I also replaced the under hood sound pads with genuine Porsche parts as the original sound pads were missing when I bought the car.The AC has not been charged during my ownership and is blowing warm. It will need recharging at the very least and it wouldn't surprise me if it needed a full servicing.
The BF Goodrich Comp T/A tires are excellent appearing almost as new.
The worst feature of the car, in my opinion, is that a previous owner painted the cam tower and intake manifold yellow to match the exterior of the car. While I know some people like this look, if I was keeping the car the first thing I'd do would be to pull these parts and media blast them back to their original finish.
Exterior:From every angle, the car presents nicely in its stunning factory color of Summer Yellow. The car is the very definition of "5-footer" and only upon close examination are any flaws noticeable. While I don't have the records to prove it, I suspect much of the paint may be original. I do believe that the driver's fender, the nose and possibly the hood of the car have been repainted but overall the car is very presentable. The minor flaws that do exist consist of the usual stone chips/nicks, an approximate 1-inch crack in the paint on the driver's fender, and several areas where the painted has thinned a little bit over time. Don't get me wrong, the car is beautiful and nowhere near needing repainting - I just tend to overstate the flaws because I want my buyers to know exactly what they're getting. Please look carefully at the dozens of high-definition photos I have included in my online photo album. All of my photos were taken in natural sunlight and none have been edited in any way. The final photos in the album are close-ups of the flaws I've described although they can be very difficult to see owing to the light color of the paint and because the flaws are minor in nature.
Moving along, the glass, trim, emblems, lenses, and exterior hardware are all in very nice, original condition. There are a couple nicks in the windshield but nothing major and nothing near the driver's line of sight. If I was keeping the car there is one tiny chip low on the windshield that I'd have repaired to avoid any risk of cracking or spreading,
Overall, the cosmetics of the car are very nice and much better than what most would consider "driver" condition. In preparation for selling the car I took it on a couple drives and the car gets attention everywhere it goes with plenty of smiles and thumbs up. I'd drive this car anywhere and hold my head high.
Interior:The interior of this 944 Turbo is excellent and reflective if its low mileage. The door panels are beautiful. The carpet is near-perfect and protected by brand new Lloyds mats with black on black turbo embroidered scripts. The steering wheel is very nice and the gauges are absolutely beautiful. The dash top is very straight but does show a couple small cracks near the windshield defrost vents as they all do. The face of the dash and various controls are very clean (even the clock still works). The center console and shifter look great although the hinge on the armrest console cover has been repaired. The back seats and rear hatch area appear almost as new. The front seats show some wear but less than most and would benefit from a little TLC and leather conditioner. The car has a nice Alpine CD player installed with Polk speakers that sound great.
I've taken the time to provide multiple, close-up photos of the interior from almost every angle. Please examine them closely and please pay attention to the details. The interior shows every sign of being well taken care of and will exceed your expectations.
For nearly 60 high-resolution photos, please visit:
1987 Porsche 944 Turbo Online Photo Album
For me, finding the right home for this car is as important as getting the best price. If you have any questions, or would like to discuss this car in more detail, please feel free to contact me. In-person inspections and test-drives are welcomed and encouraged but please do so before clicking “Buy It Now” or committing to a purchase.
I have a clear and correct Texas title for this vehicle in my possession and the car includes its original manuals. Transportation and delivery of this vehicle is the responsibility of the purchaser. I'll happily assist in any way I can. I'll accept payment by wire transfer, cash or certified cashier’s check. A $500 non-refundable deposit is due upon agreeing to purchase with the balance due within 3 business days.