1986 Porsche 944 Turbo Red/Black 5MT

1986 Porsche 944 Additional Info:

This 1986 944 Turbo has a clean title in my name and is ready for its next owner to enjoy and improve. In my ownership the car has received regular maintenance and lots of new parts. I put about 12000 miles on this 951 and in that time it never once broke down or left me stranded. It runs very well and is very fast thanks to some nice upgrades from Lindsey Racing including a charge pipe, boost controller, catback exhaust and intake. It is estimated to have 280HP (according to Lindey Racing's customer testimony) and it certainly feels that fast. It pulls as hard as my Cayman S which has 295HP.Before these mods were installed, the motor was rebuilt, having at some point spun a bearing. New seals, rings, bearings, timing belt, and water pump were installed but the original crank, rods and pistons were kept. I have receipts for the machine work from the previous owner who assembled the engine himself having done two other 944 engine rebuilds before. I have never had a single issue with the engine, with the exception of a leak at the front main seal and a small leak on the valve cover.
In my ownership, I have replaced:Front ball joints, control arm bushings and wheel bearingsRear struts (front strut inserts are included but the housing needs to be modified)AxlesTransmission input shaft couplerSunroof plastic internals (works great but needs the clutches calibrated)Shifter bushingsShift linkage armsBrake discsTiresTurn and wiper signal stalks/housingA/C compressor (comes with a used condenser, current one leaks)BatteryHeadlinerTie rod ends
Various bulbsDME relay
There are a number of small problems with the car, the worst of which being the broken odometer. Before the car spun a bearing and sat for a couple years while the previous owner took possession and rebuilt the engine, someone must have reset the trip odometer while driving the car, which breaks the plastic gears inside the odometer. Living in PA, it didn't matter to me but I understand that in some states like New York it will result in a permanent mark on the title that indicates inaccurate mileage. Please understand this before you bid, and look to see what your state will do about it. Because I do not know the exact mileage of the car, I must also advise the next owner to have the timing belt tension adjusted or to replace the timing belt and water pump for peace of mind. They are supposed to last 30,000 miles and I am sure they are not past 15,000, but without an odometer it is impossible to say.
The second worst problem with the car is the presence of small rust spots on the fenders behind the front wheels and in front of the rear wheels. In my 3 years of ownership they have not gotten any worse but they will need to be dealt with. Please take a good look at the photos to understand the size and scale of the rust spots. There is also some rust in the battery tray area which I have included photos of. The car was repainted the original Guards Red at some point in the past and the sunroof and plastic piece between the hood and bumper were repainted by the previous owner, and are faded pretty badly. The rest of the paint is in pretty good shape, there is no orange peel or bad swirling or uneven discoloration, though Guards red is known to fade a little over the years.
The steering does not feel very good. There is play at the center that is uncharacteristic of a Porsche. I have replaced a lot in an effort to solve this problem, and have made sure that everything is tightly assembled. It is better than it used to be but something will definitely need to be replaced in the column or the rack itself will need to be rebuilt.
The motor mounts need to be replaced. The engine rumbles a lot at idle and the car gives a shudder if you're not careful taking off from a stop.
The interior is in good shape except for the dash which is cracked, and the carpets are pretty beat. The power windows work every time, though I wouldn't call them fast. The seats were reupholstered by the previous owner and look and feel great. The headliner was replaced as I mentioned. The climate control all seems to work, as does the rear defroster. The heat works great. The rear seats are in great shape and the trunk carpet is very nice except for one spot where a car battery dripped acid on it. A slip cover for the sunroof is included, as is the original spare. I will have to see if I have the original tool kit. A plastic dash cover is included. The radio is original and sounds like a radio from 1986. The pop up headlights work perfectly.
The transmission feels excellent and must have been rebuilt at some time in the past. It does not leak and the clutch was replaced when the motor was out. The car unfortunately does not have a limited slip differential. The shifter has some side to side play. The linkage at the back needs to be replaced with a $100 part from only944.com, which removes all sloppiness.https://www.only944.com/partscatalog/only/shortshifter/
The brakes were rebuilt and feel great. There is plenty of life left on the pads and the rotors are newer.
I've tried to be as transparent as possible about this car and it's high and low points. If you have any questions at all please message me and I will answer as best as I can. Please do not bid more than you are willing to pay for the car as it is presented in this listing, and keep in mind that this car is thirty years old and being sold AS IS. All in all this car is a decent driver that is not far from being a nice weekend car to be kept for a long time. It was very reliable for me as a daily driver and I received a lot of compliments on it. I hope the next owner will be rewarded for taking good care if this car like I was. Thanks for looking!