LS1-Powered 1989 Porsche 944 Turbo Is Here to Peeve Purists: Track Time Tuesday
Unassuming 1989 Porsche 944 Turbo takes the smart route and gets both more power and better reliability.
It’s hard to believe now, but there was a time when the iconic Porsche 911 seemed doomed. Or, at least, Porsche was planning on replacing the old rear-engine machine with a more modern front-engine vehicle. It developed the 924 and later, the 944and 968, and though each gained favor among buyers, none proved worthy of stealing the 911’s proverbial crown.
Today, these cars are abundant and cheap, as they’re just not terribly desirable, though they’re also underpowered and somewhat unreliable. However, this LS-powered 1989 Porsche 944 Turbo up for grabs at Bring a Trailer aims to address all of those problems in one fell swoop.
It certainly won’t please purists, but this Porsche 944 Turbo looks appealing to us, at least. It’s simply immaculate on the outside, with shiny Baltic Blue paint covering attractive bodywork, though there are some flaws as one would expect from a car that has 111k miles on the clock. Regardless, it’s nicer than average, and looks awesome rolling on a set of 993 Turbo Twist-style wheels wrapped with 265/35 Bridgestone Potenza tires.
Underneath, the previous owner upgraded to a Moton three-Way Motorsport coilover suspension to prepare it for a power infusion, which comes in the form of a 5.7-liter LS1 V8 from a 2000 Camaro that was installed around four years ago. That powerplant has been treated to an LS6 air intake, Air Flow Research cylinder heads, and a Comp Cams camshaft, and sends its power back to the rear wheels via a Porsche 968-derived six-speed manual transmission and a Gleason Torsen-style limited-slip differential.
Undoubtedly fun to drive, this Porsche 944 is also comfy and well-equipped inside the cabin thanks to tidy Linen leather threads and Marine Blue accents, power-adjustable front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a Sony CD stereo, power windows and locks, dual front airbags, and air conditioning.
Overall, this gem of a Porsche 944 has retained enough of its original flair to turn heads, yet anyone with a keen ear will immediately realize that it isn’t stock under the hood. But then again, with more power and reliability than it originally had, is that really such a bad thing?
Photos: Bring a Trailer
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