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Month: January 2015

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Is there a replacement? 1986 944 Turbo v. 1988 944 LT1

Published January 24, 2015 by Carter

Contemplating these two cars, two phrases came to my mind. The first is the old adage “there’s no replacement for displacement”; a saying which certainly could be questioned poignantly today given the plethora of high output turbocharged motors that are available. The second is a advertising campaign that Porsche has now utilized for several years – “Porsche – there is no substitute”. Combining these two expressions of automotive certainty and black or white belief systems has been the Porsche 944, which amongst other models has become a popular platform to swap American V8s into. Quick power, good balance and cheap parts seem to justify the swap, and in the case of some of the more recent LS motors the weight difference is negligible compared to the turbocharged inline-4 that came in the 951. What you get is instant power – a lot of it. So for comparison’s sake, today we have two Stone Grey Metallic 944s that take different routes. First is an original 944 Turbo from 1986 followed by an F-body LT1-swapped ’88 944. Which is the better option?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo on eBay

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1987 Porsche 930 Slantnose

Published January 24, 2015 by Rob

This car provides a nice contrast with yesterday’s Ruf BTR. While the Ruf wasn’t completely original, and thus a bit less expensive than we might expect, it still provides captivating performance that any standard 930 would struggle to replicate. It also was quite a bit cheaper than the car we see here. Each illustrates the unique variety available in the ’80s when it seemed as if automotive excess was really beginning to hit its stride. The Slantnose, derived from the Porsche 935 racer, was offered as a factory option for the 930 through Porsche’s Sonderwunsch Programm beginning in 1981. They have developed a very love/hate following among current enthusiasts, but their strength on the market seems fairly secure. As the 930 in general continues to rise in value, these rare variants lead the way commanding significant premiums over the standard model.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1987 Porsche 930 Slantnose on eBay

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1976 Volkswagen Scirocco

Published January 24, 2015 by Nate

$_57

The first-generation Scirocco only gets better with age, the classic Giugiaro design combining rectilinear lines with personality in a way that would characterize German cars for the next two decades. From the low, snub-nose to the glorious, mantis-like C-pillar window frame that exaggerates the Hofmeister Kink to an extreme. Original examples have their own charms, but today’s is just about perfectly done with a ground-up restoration and OEM+ modifications throughout. Some clean Euro retrofits on the exterior combine with an interior that will remind you every day that this car is from the 70s; the plaid makes the Mk1 GTI’s classic fabric look subtle. The 16v 2.0-liter completes the package, making this a looker and a mover – and about as good as VWs get.

Click for details: 1976 Volkswagen Scirocco on eBay

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1981 Mercedes-Benz 280CE 4-speed manual – REVISIT

Published January 24, 2015 by Paul

The 1981 Mercedes-Benz 280CE 4-speed manual we saw last October is back up for auction, not having met its reserve the last time around. If you aren’t particularly a diesel fan yet are intrigued by the durability of the W123, there are few better options than a Euro market CE coupe such as this.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1981 Mercedes-Benz 280CE on eBay

The below post originally appeared on our site October 1, 2014:

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1986 Ruf BTR II

Published January 23, 2015 by Rob

In the world of Porsche tuners, Ruf may be the name that is most hallowed. The company made its name long ago by taking cars with already excellent performance and turning everything up, in some cases way up. While they have begun to branch out their early work began with the 911 and here we have the model that began the madness: the Ruf BTR. Using Porsche’s already prodigiously powered 930, Ruf bored the engine to raise displacement to 3.4 liters and then raised the turbo pressure to increase output to 374 hp. But these were never intended to be cars simply producing more power. The braking and suspension setups were improved, aerodynamic aids fitted, and the interior outfitted to meet a customer’s specifications. All together you had a car instantly recognizable as a 911, but with enough visual cues to make clear it was not any old model. These were special. The example here is a 1986 Ruf BTR II, located in Ohio, with 67,200 miles on it.

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