We can infer that the majority of the 944s with LS swaps are basic models or abandoned “S” variants (one step up from the base trim). While the standard 944’s horsepower ratings vary, every statistic we could locate averaged 150 hp, give or take a few ponies. Porsche introduced the 944 Turbo in 1985, which produced a powerful 220-ps, or about 217 horsepower.
Both of those numbers may not seem like much, but they were impressive at the time. In actuality, the Lancia Delta Integrale, one of the finest rally cars of all time and THE hot hatch for the ages, only had 165 horsepower when it was still known as the HF 4WD. At its peak, the “Delta Integrale Evoluzione II” produced just 212 horsepower, which is five lower than the 944 Turbo’s output in 1985.
However, this number-crunching can become tiresome; instead, what matters is how well each 944 engine complemented each automobile. The inline-four engine in the 944 came in 2.5, 2.7, and 3.0 liter sizes, and it had a power range of 150 horsepower to 247 hp in the Turbo S variants from 1988 to 1991. And in contrast to many enthusiast viewpoints, every single one was praised in the era evaluations.
Customers were put on waiting lists to purchase the well-liked 944, and journalists likewise did so without hesitation, writing a ton of glowing reviews. The 944 was recognized as the greatest handling car in the world at the time by Car And Driver. However, it lacked an LS.
Of course, tastes in automobiles change over time, but these were expert automobile critics who adored the sub-200 hp 944 more than anybody else. The car’s robust engine and decent-for-400-horsepower transmission ensured that the driver had plenty of mid-range torque to quickly push the vehicle through lengthy sweeping curves.
The car seemed agile in tight bends despite weighing more than 2,600 pounds in base specification and 2,900 pounds in Turbo S specification. A large, heavy LS up front would alter the weight distribution that was intended to be 50/50 and add to your workload.
In This Article...
GF-LS944-KIT: Complete Porsche 944 LS Swap Kit
- The bulk of the parts required to conduct an LS Engine Swap in your Porsche 944 or 951 are included in this comprehensive Porsche 944 LS swap kit.
- The Corvette C5 Bellhousing, LS Style Flywheel, and Pressure Plate are required for this kit (not included, but the flywheel is available from G Force).
- Our Porsche 944 swap kit uses an AC Delco part number 12691976 starter from an LT engine manufactured in 2014 or later. This kit does not contain it.
- The following items are included in the LS Swap 944 Kit:
- Hardware and Bellhousing Adapter Plate
- Slave Cylinder/Throwout Bearing for GM
- Clutch Remote Bleeder
- Individual Oil Pan/Pickup (remote oil filter required, not included)
- The appropriate clutch disc
- Mounts and hardware for motors
- Adapter for VSS Sensor
- Bolts and spacers for the front crossmember and subframe
- To attach the stock 944 PS Pump on the low passenger side of the LS engine, use the 944 Power Steering Pump Bracket.
- 944 Oil Pressure Sensor Tee Fitting
- Custom-engineered Magnaflow Muffler and Tips with 321 Stainless Steel Long Tube 1-7/8″ Headers and a full stainless exhaust system.
- The GF-LS944-SWAPKIT is what you need if you want a Porsche 944 LS Engine Swap Kit minus the exhaust system and headers.
- We also offer our Porsche 944 LS Swap Headers and Exhaust System separately. For more information, see GF-LS944-EXH.
A Porsche 944 with an LS1 swap transforms a classic sports car into a tire-shredding machine.
A few years back, Tyler Hoover of the YouTube channel Hoovies Garage paid to have an LS1 V8 from a vintage Corvette installed in the rear hatch of a Porsche 911 from the same era. Then, at a track day, he grenaded the engine and painted the circuit with a thin layer of oil.
We have a feeling that with this 1989 Porsche 944 with an LS swap, this won’t take place. You can trust that this restomod, which was brought to our attention by Dallas, Texas-based Bring a Trailer user texas993, wasn’t hastily put together like Hoovie’s 911 was. According to the pictures, the donor body doesn’t appear to be in bad shape either.
The C5 Corvette’s engine bay is where this specific LS1 engine is most widely known. But for a great change of pace, this one is from the same-era, much dirtier Camaro cousin of the Vette. This engine is much more robust and capable than it was back when it was powering a Jersey Shore babe thanks to goodies like a COMP Cams camshaft, an LS6 intake, and aftermarket cylinder heads from Air Flow.
Powered by a Porsche 968 with a limited-slip differential in the Gleason Torsen fashion, the rear wheels receive power through a six-speed manual transmission. This two-door coupe’s back seating section was never particularly practical to begin with. Therefore, we doubt that many users will object too much if a bespoke roll cage is added in this application. It is also observed that the previous owner quickly restored a number of body panels at some point.
The 18-inch Silver-finished 993 Turbo Twist-style wheels, however, still appear fresh and new. But let’s face it, in this situation, it all comes down to what’s going on inside. That’s part of the reason why the current offer for this Porsche, which is barely over $13,000 as of June 3, 2022, is probably only going to rise enormously. before the middle of the following week, when the bidding finishes.
Can a Porsche 944 be turbocharged?
I absolutely adore my vintage Porsche 944. I’ve taken fantastic care of it, and I’ve been debating adding a turbo kit to give it a little more oomph. Can a Porsche 944 be equipped with a turbo kit?
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Technically speaking, installing a Porsche 944 turbo assembly is possible. Before you add the turbo kit, there are a few things you might want to think about.
- The process of installing a turbo kit entails major modifications to numerous components of your car; it is not a plug-and-play operation. Decide if you are okay having a lot of parts changed out and altered if your antique car is in mint (or nearly mint) condition.
- Given how many components need to be replaced, installing a turbo kit is expensive. The cost of labor is also significant, in addition to how much you all must spend for parts.
Others might not want to significantly modify a classic vehicle, even though the speed improvement might be worthwhile. Make sure you get the greatest Porsche auto insurance prices no matter what you choose.
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What vehicle has the simplest LS swap?
Select a car for your LS swap that has already been modified and has commercially available parts. I’d suggest selecting a GM SUV or truck (especially one with a square body or OBS body design), a GM G-body, a GM muscle car (such as the Camaro, Firebird, or Chevelle), a Fox body, or an SN95 or New Edge Mustang. Jeeps and international vehicles like BMWs and Nissans are also good choices, but be ready to pay more for items like motor mounts and transmission adapters.
The 944 will Porsche ever reintroduce?
Porsche has declared that the 944 model will return in 2023 as its entry-level option into the niche sports car market. The automobiles will be produced in Germany at a facility outside of Stuttgart that is now undergoing refurbishment and retooling.
How challenging is an LS swap?
Depending on the popularity of the used vehicle and the available budget, LS swaps can be rather simple. However, if you select a car or truck that isn’t widely used, you might discover that you have to spend more time researching and making the necessary parts.
How much does an engine LS swap cost?
Nowadays, the likelihood of an LS engine being connected to an older car’s powertrain is rather common, especially if it’s a GM vehicle. Companies provide parts to connect a Powerglide, TH350, TH400, 200R4, 700R4, and most manual transmissions to a current engine.
The LS can produce a lot of power, especially when the engine is tuned with high-performance components, but some of these transmissions were not built to handle that power. Plus, they don’t last very long when combined with excessive mileage. Therefore, be ready to invest some money whether you intend to rebuild a factory transmission or replace it with a new one. Prices might vary from $2,200 to $9,000 and higher depending on options and configuration.
Porsche 944s are quick?
In conjunction with Porsche, the US-Spec 944 turbocharged package was first made available in 1983 by American tuning business Callaway Cars. The basic 2.5 L inline-four engine’s 9.5:1 compression ratio and complicated Bosch Motronic engine management system made it susceptible to failure when subjected to forced induction, hence the engine was not appropriate for forced induction. By removing metal from the piston heads and chamber walls and increasing the volume of the engine’s combustion chambers, Callaway engineers were able to solve this issue. They also installed their own Microfueler unit and modified the Motronic system to ensure optimal fuel injection to the turbocharged engine. The complete engine had to be disassembled for this phase to work, which added significantly to the package’s cost. Although the compression ratio of the resulting engine was lower than that of the normal engine (8.0:1), linear power delivery was still guaranteed. Callaway installed a common internal waste gate and advised the use of 91-octane fuel to boost engine reliability in order to prevent any catastrophic engine failures. In addition, a new free flow exhaust system with a larger exhaust pipe was fitted, coupled with an IHI RHB6 turbocharger, on the right side of the engine for maximum performance. Because there was no turbo-lag, linear levels of boost were guaranteed. A boost control knob on the dashboard was optional, although the turbocharger produced 10 psi of boost. In comparison to the normal car’s 143 horsepower (107 kW) at 5,500 rpm, the modified engine produced 284 hp (212 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 312 Nm (230 lbft) at 4,000 rpm. With a 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) acceleration time of 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 165 mph (266 km/h), performance surpassed that of the normal vehicle as well. According to Callaway, removing the rev limiter would result in even faster acceleration times. One of the rarest Porsche 944s ever made, only 20 vehicles were made.
How uncommon is the Porsche 944?
At the very end of the 944’s production run, only 528 specimens of the one-year-only 1991 Porsche 944 Turbo Cabriolet were ever produced, most of them by hand. The Porsche Museum in Germany sent this Maritime Blue 944 halfway around the world to be here in Hawaii, just like he had.
What horsepower does a Porsche 944 produce?
The 944’s base engine produced approximately 143 horsepower (later base models would produce up to 163 horsepower), and the top-of-the-line Turbo S produced 247 horsepower from its 2.5-liter inline-four turbocharger.
What is the MPG of a Porsche 944?
Porsche has been producing the 944 model for six years. The most recent 1989 944 gets less than the usual 18.2 combined miles per gallon, on average.
Government regulators calculate that the 1989 944’s gasoline costs are $2,700 annually. This estimate is based on 15,000 miles of driving, with 55% in cities and 45% on the highway, using premium gas.
Over the course of five years, you spend $6,250 more than you would on an ordinary vehicle.
A typical calculation of 15,000 miles travelled per year reveals that the 944 uses roughly 18 barrels of oil. The majority of the world’s petroleum is produced in nations like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the United States.