My Beat Down Porsche And Its Backstory

"CodyVella" (codyvella) 04/22/2014 at 01:40 • Filed to: None

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(Skip to the end if you don't care about the car's backstory, and just want to see what I've done to it)

I spent the better part of three years puttering around Ontario in 20 year old Civics, staring at a charcoal grey '84 Porsche 944 every time I pulled into my driveway. It was beat down, distressed, and just plain tired. Worst of all, it was on a salvage title; meaning that no insurance company in Ontario wanted to touch the car.

Finally, fed up with having been without a fun project for a number of years, I hit the classifieds. I went through a number of different options, everything from the 300ZX, Supra, E30, Porsche 928, everything rear drive you could think of. One day I came across a nice, reasonably priced 8-Series BMW on kijiji. After a few e-mails, and a phone call I found myself driving to an hour and a half to Guelph, $6500 cash in hand on my way to buy a 1994 BMW 850Ci. After looking at the car, tire kicking for about half an hour, I noticed the brand spanking new M3 parked in the garage. For some reason, something told me "this guy beat the living hell out of this poor car". That's when I thought to myself, "Do you really want a V12 BMW as a project car? Are you really ready to deal with this? Do you really make enough money to own this car?" The answer to all of those questions was quite simply: No. So on my way I went, continuing my search.

A few days later I stumbled across a black-on-black '84 Porsche 944. The ad basically said "1984 Porsche 944, doesn't start, needs clutch work. Has a new battery, good tires and a good stereo. I can't afford to fix the car as I am only 16. $1500obo". So I went to look at the car, realizing right away it needed a clutch slave cylinder and had a fuel delivery problem. I was told the car had been in a barn for nearly eight years, and was still in the previous owners name. I took a gamble, figuring I had a parts car at home, and offered the kid $1000. He accepted and thus, I was on my way.

After I had the car towed home I found many of the advertised "Positives" about the car were in fact negatives. The new battery didn't fit, and was arcing out on the hood. The tires were the wrong size, and rubbed on everything (225/70R15). And the "good" stereo was a 10 year old Alpine CD player that didn't fit properly and all five speakers were blown. After a week or so of messing about with the clutch I changed the slave and fully bled the system. Then I spent another week or so screwing around with the fuel system, changing the relay, pump, filter and even the rail/regulator/dampener/injectors, only to find out the DME was fried. Sure enough with the DME changed it fired right up, coughing to life for the first time in eight years. I gave the car a full once over: Oil, filter, timing belt, trans oil/diff oil, tires, battery, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, coil, you name it. Finally, less than a month after buying a beat down, 30 year old Porsche, I was back in a sports car again.

Once I started driving it I gave the interior a good clean, to rid it of its previous owner so to speak. This is where things get interesting. Under the driver's seat I found a student card from Martin Grove Collegiate Institute dated 1988. Coincidentally this was the same time my parents attended the same school. The used vehicle package said the car made its way to Canada from Arizona in 1988, so I asked my parents if they recognized the girl on the student card. Sure enough they said it was one of their classmates. I dug deeper into the car, that's when I found an old insurance slip dated 2001. The name on the insurance slip read Jon Russell. This immediately rang a bell. I remembered a high school friend of my parents owning a black 944. So I asked my dad but we both thought this was too strange to be true. But, Jon moved to Shanghai for work roughly eight years before I bought the car. Coincidence? Well I got a call from the kid who I bought the car from, he said he just received the original keys in the mail (I had been using the valet key that clearly said "Volkswagen" on it. When I picked the keys up he said the previous owner of the car was living in Shanghai and had to mail the keys back. That confirmed it, this 944 was my parent's friends 944, that I had been in when I was younger. It's the car that made me want a 944.

After all of this, even with my !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! with the car, I don't think I could ever get rid of it. Almost like it was some weird ass form of destiny or whatever.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Here's a short list of the work I've done to the old girl.

Performance:

-Turbo (951) Calipers, pads, rotors

-Lindsey Racing MSDS 4-1 header, 2.5" stainless exhaust, cat-delete, Borla XR-1 Muffler

-Accel Super Stocker breakerless ignition coil.

-Turbo (951) fuel rail, injectors, regulator, dampener

-K&N high flow oil filter & fuel filter

-Turbo (951) fuel pump

-Locking rear diff

-Short throw shifter

Appearance:

-15x7 factory early offset phone dial rims, painted black with 997 coloured center caps

-Yellow tinted fog lights

-Bumperette delete (just did that today)

-Walnut Porsche 356 shift knob

-Autometer ProComp gauges

Manuél Ferrari > CodyVella 04/22/2014 at 02:03

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Seriously awesome story.

I nominate you for Jalop of the year. I don't think that's a thing. But it should be.

Arben72 > CodyVella 04/22/2014 at 02:05

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It's weird how small the world is sometimes.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > CodyVella 04/22/2014 at 03:17

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That is a great story...well done!

And, I'm a sucker for phone dial wheels.

Luken10 > CodyVella 04/22/2014 at 03:47

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Great story you have there. A little automotive archeology can go a long way. I too own a Protege5, and was looking for a 944 not too long ago. However, I was in much the same situation as you were with the 8 series.

Happy motoring friend!

Philbert/Phartnagle > CodyVella 04/22/2014 at 05:12

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Great story and how fitting that the car "came home" to you. Best of luck with it in the future.

PushToStart > CodyVella 04/22/2014 at 08:21

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damn, that's one hell of a backstory! Car looks great too!

LeadfootYT > CodyVella 04/22/2014 at 20:31

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Holy crap! You need to keep that thing. That's awesome. Where in Canada are you located?

But holy shit, I can't get over that. What a story, man.

CodyVella > LeadfootYT 04/22/2014 at 22:29

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I'm in Everett, Ontario. A small town of about 2000 about an hour north of Toronto.

LeadfootYT > CodyVella 04/22/2014 at 22:54

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Damn, wrong side of the country - that would make a great story for a video though haha.

Best of luck with that car, though. What a crazy experience.

Kate's Dirty Sister > CodyVella 04/27/2014 at 00:09

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hey I once had that same car lineup, it was 10 years ago but yes, I had a 2003 p5 and a 1986 944 na at the same time too

catkam623 misses his 944 > CodyVella 04/27/2014 at 00:20

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Great story and it's a great thing that you got the car that inspired your passion but I gotta say I completely understand I drive an 87 944 that despite its problems expensive parts and regular habit of turning 2 hour jobs into 2 day jobs is just my baby everytime I get behind the wheel, under the hood, or even just wash/wash her it all just makes sense.