LS1Tech Member Selling an LS3-powered Porsche 944

Porsche 944 features a Chevy LS3 engine, an Audi 01E transmission and brakes from a German SUV.

The LS3 has become a popular swap option for folks who own a low performance foreign car. The drift world is chock full of Nissans with LS power, but a Porsche 944 posted in the LS1Tech Marketplace seems like an even greater use of an LS3. The 944 looked great, but the engines were fairly awful, especially by today’s standards.

If you have dreamed of rocking a Porsche 944 with an American V8, but you don’t have the ability to do the work yourself, this might be the perfect car for you. Listed by “Superman22x”, this LS3-powered Porsche is a fun driver that could use some finishing touches to be a cool Cars and Coffee car as well.

LS3 Porsche Introduction

When the OP first posted his 1984 Porsche 944 with an LS3 for sale, he provided a ton of information and background on the car. He also included a long mod list, so we have broken the details up a bit. We will start by looking at the details on the project.

I’ve decided to sell my Porsche 944. It’s a great car, and I loved doing the engine and transmission swap, and the rest of my projects on the car. But I believe I am finished with this one, and I have some future projects in mind. I bought this car from a friend, it sat in a barn for 6 or so years before I got it. It is a 1984, originally Guards Red, but it has been repainted by me with a clear/base coat using the original paint code. Brand of paint is Tamco. I used an epoxy primer, but when I sanded the old paint down, I avoided going to bare metal, so as not to touch the galvanized panels. This car also has a late interior swap. After completing the paint, the old interior was really lagging. More details on that below. When I pulled the old odo out, it was around 85,000 miles (I believe I have the old odo if you want it…). The new odo has the broken gear.

The car is currently in a heated garage, but with it being December in Michigan, it’s not the ideal time of year to sell, I know.

Price: $20,000

Location: Farmington Hills, MI

I am selling because I am interested in doing a 996 or 997 swap next. It is a great car, and it could be a daily driver for someone. The car is not perfect, but it is in good shape. It’s a driver car, that’s what I wanted to build, something I would enjoy driving. The interior swap is an upgrade (subjective of course), but fit and finish is not perfect on everything. It is also missing the lower door pockets.

I believe this car was in a small accident at some point. The front passenger fender needed a little work to smooth it out, and the plastic headlight surround does not fit for some reason. I’m not sure if it’s because the cover is slightly bent, or if different years have different size covers? Either way, all parts will be included.

Also included is a nice fitted outdoor cover. I think it might be Coverking, but I don’t remember…

With the 01E, this would be an excellent car for a power adder… I know of two other 01E swapped 944s. One is an 800+hp drift machine, the other is a member on 944hybrids with an LSA. As far as I know, my LS3 is the slowest 01E 944 out there. It’s plenty fast though! A very fun car to drive.

The Mod List

Next, he included a list of the unique features of this 1984 Porsche 944, inside and out.

Engine:
LS3 Engine – Refreshed by local machine shop with new bearings/rings
E67 Gen IV control system – GMPP cal
New LS7 clutch
TPC basic swap kit used, with shorty headers
True dual exhaust with H pipe and C6 corvette quad tips
951 Radiator (had no trouble keeping up with Woodward Dream Cruise stop and go traffic)
Working AC, just put a NOS Delphi compressor in
F body accessory drive with Fbody powersteering pump running the brakes and powersteering

Transmission:
FWD 01E 6 Speed imported from Germany
Conversion was done by myself, I have a small home machine shop
4340 through hardened axle shafts (stock CV joints still on the car, this is an area that could be upgraded in the future)

Brakes:
Mustang Hydroboost
Mustang Master Cylinder with Wilwood proportioning valve for the rears
Fronts are Cayenne 18Z brakes on 350mm rotors
Rears are Boxster rear calipers on stock NA rotors

Suspension:
Converted to Late offset in the front
Front adjustable Konistruts
18″ Hollow Spoke Turbo Twists
295/30R18 Rear
225/40R18 Front

Exterior:
Guards Red base/clear paint job done 2 years ago. It’s not a perfect paint job, but it looks good. There are a few dings already, and a few spots where I got a run in the clear coat.

Interior:
Late dash
I wired and soldered all signals to the dash, and all switches. The gas gauge reads about 1/4 tank too low.
I custom machined an insert to reuse the old cable operated heater valve
Power seats from a Turbo 996
Steering wheel is worn. I thought about replacing, but that’s for the next owner, different people have different preference
No glove box unfortunately. Because of the early HVAC system, you would have to modify one to fit. Was never a concern for me

Perfect Project or Driver

This Porsche 944 can be driven and enjoyed exactly how it sits today. The LS3 surely makes it a ton more fun to drive than the crummy stock engine. At the same time, there are some points that could be cleaned up to make this fun-to-drive-car just as much fun to show off. It can be driven right away or tackled as a simple winter project, but in either case, it is a slick swap car.

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com