Updated 05/2008

Added new pages containing the following:

Page 11 993 Cup Wheels
Page 12 Custom MAF kit installation

Updated 08/2005

Added three new pages containing the following:

Page 8 - Tial 38mm wastegate installation
Page 9 - New Borla XR1 catback exhaust and misc. pictures
Page 10 - New BBS 996 10 spoke wheels

Updated 06/2004

Added a few pics of the June 2004 Partsheaven Swapmeet in Hayward, CA.

Updated 11/2003

Added NorCal Rennlist drive pics and my neighbor's 3.6l carrera motor swap into 914

Updated 09/2003

Added page 6 - Gilroy meet 2003, SpeedForce Racing catback exhaust installation, PartsHeaven swapmeet 2003.

Updated 05/2003

Added Page 4 - 944 N/A Accident before and after pics

Added Page 5 - 951 Phone Dial repaint, GURU Racing chip install, Zimmermann Drilled Rotor "upgrade" and VDO Boost Gauge install

I have owned two Porsche 944's and this page details both of those cars. I had very little interest in cars until I took my first ride in a friend's 1984 944. After that I became hooked. Unbeknownst to me at the time I would eventually end up owning that car.

944's are well balanced, fun to drive and easy on the eyes. I can remember seeing them at dealerships back in the 80's Their wide fenders and aggressive low stance made them stand out. The 944 Turbo (951) is considered by many to be the "best bang for the buck" in the Porsche world.

Here's a couple of group shots of both cars before the N/A was sold.

This is my current 944, a 1987 Turbo.

My first 944 was an '84 model Ruby Red Metallic/Tan that I bought in October of 1999. It was a 2 owner car with all maintenance up to date. I bought it from a friend who spent nearly 2 years restoring it. The car just had a new paint job 6 months before this photo was taken. Other than that it was completely stock. It was the nicest early 944 I have seen.

One of the first modifications I made was a K&N filter/Weltmeister throttle cam upgrade. It was a cheap mod and throttle response was improved over stock. I also tinted the quarter windows and hatch which helped keep the heat out of the car. For anyone looking to tint their 944 be careful; they are very difficult to do right and this will be reflected in the price. Next up were some polished, forged 16" fuchs wheels that replaced the original cookie cutters. Here is a picture taken the day the fuchs went on.

Unfortunately they were painted guards red in between the spokes. Some aircraft paint stripper, a wire brush, and lots of elbow grease took care of that. Here you can see the paint stripper at work and the white coat underneath the red which is beginning to blister. A tiny bit of this caustic stuff got on my fingertip and took the silver paint off of my camera's shutter release button! Fuchs are known for their strength and light weight. Many people also like them for their classic look. They hold their resale value quite well, commanding high prices if they are in good condition and in a well sought after size.

My next modification was a Borla stainless steel cat-back exhaust. It was lightweight and sounded pretty good. I would estimate a very minor performance increase with this upgrade (< 5 HP). The sound was decent, if a little annoying on extended freeway trips. Here's a comparison between the stock and Borla systems.

Here's a nice, albeit dark picture of the car

Unfortunately all good things eventually come to an end. The car was in a light rear end accident on 09/10/2001. The SUV that hit me dented the panel above the bumper, shattered the right side light cluster and center light bar and the rear quarter panel had a small speck of paint flaking off of it. I didn't think it was that bad, but the best body shop I could find elected to: replace the dented/broken parts, respray the entire rear half of the car, remove the broken "Porsche" light bar and return to the stock look, and blend the existing paint. It cost the insurance company $4000. The job they did was amazing. It took almost 1 month. See page 4 for a photo documentary.

I ended up selling the car in April 2002 after I found my 951. The car had the above mentioned mods, new, upgraded suspension, upgraded brakes and was in immaculate condition. A certain Porsche repair shop in Mountain View, CA did a pre-purchase inspection on the car and found shrinking motor mounts, a leaking cam seal, whirring in the ring and pinion and leaking clutch and brake master cylinders. Needless to say I dropped my asking price considerably and received about what it cost to repair the collision damage. There are no winners in an accident except for body shops and insurance companies.