944 forced induction - the right way

Ok, first a little back-ground information: I am new to the forum...I'm 17, and I have a 1987 944 N/A that I have been driving for about a year now. I love it, it handles like no other. I (well, my parents) bought a nice example with about 50K miles on it. After driving for about a year, I, like most other 8v owners, want to add a bit of power. Now, when I say "a bit", what I really mean is about an extra 100 rwhp...so my target is somewhere around the 225ish rwhp mark (considering the stock car gets about 125ish to the rear wheels). Oh what luck, as Speed Force Racing's stage II supercharger kit dynoed on a 86 N/A peeks at 222 rwhp - just the range I am looking for.

I can hear the sighs now...."oh god, another stupid kid that just won't go get a 'real' 951...". Yes, yes, I've heard the arguement before, and i agree that just buying a 951 would be more economical. That being said, I also know why buying a 951 is recommended - Porsche already made it, and made it with better suspension and brakes.

The reason that I don't just go buy a 951 is that I don't really want the 951 suspension, and the only part of the brakes that I want are those beautiful Brembos. Basically, I fully intend to upgrade the suspension and brakes of my car *before* I touch the engine. For the front I want Koni struts with these inserts: (http://www.smartcart.com/Paragon/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=944RideHeight+) with 250(...any opinions on spring rates?)lbs rate springs, 30mm M030 sway bar, and KLA strut brace. For the rear suspension, I'm thinkin I'll keep the stock torsion bars, get the 19mm M030 sway bar, and these coil-over shocks (http://www.klaindustries.net/rearcoil/rearcoil.htm) (with 175 lbs springs). So as you can see, I'd have to replace the suspension on a 951 anway. By the way, what do yall think of that supsension on a 225 rwhp 944?

For the brakes I'll be goin with rebuilt 951 calipers, Plagid pads, Frozen gas-slotted rotors, and SS brake lines, and of course, ATE Blue - also quite different from the stock 951 setup. Also, I bought the car with rims from a Turbo S (I think...) they are 16x7.5 and 16x9, so I'm running Dunlop SP Sport 8000s - which are great tires btw, wonderful dry weather grip (225/50s on the front, 245/45s on the rear); is that enough rubber for 225 rwhp?

After all that, I plan on goin after that motor. Supercharger, belt, 993 blow-off valve, K&N, adj. fuel pressure reg, boost gauge, Lindsay stage 1 intercooler, aluminum piping, MAF(if that doesn't come with the SFR kit), 951 injectors, and a 8 psi pulley. ummm....I said MAF....should I go with an MAF or MAP sensor? Also, with a supercharger, should I get a 951 intake manifold, or stick with the stock piece?

With all that in mind, the real question behind my post is about the 944 tranny. What do I need to do with that if I add this much power? New clutch plate? What other transmission internals would need to be replaced? Could I go with a rebuilt 951 transmission with posi? (would a tranny with gearing for a turbo car work well with a supercharged car?)
Anything else I am forgeting?

BTW I would rather go with a supercharger so I don't have to deal with turbo lag...and I like superchargers....

Thought? Opinions? Please don't just say "get a 951"....

I would ask around and try and find someone that has the Supercharger kit. I have heard complaints about it over heating and stalling at idle. I have used some of the KLA parts ( strut bar and drop links so far ) and I am very happy with the results and quality of there parts.

944 NA to Turbo brakes is easy check out Clark's Garage for more info or ask me I have all the details
in a nut shell you need the Turbo spindles and hubs as well as the brakes and assorted hardware, you'll need an 87 or later Turbo to keep the sme wheel offset as your 87.

If you use parts from a Turbo S (MO30) then your current struts might be a problem. If yyou use a non MO30 for parts then you should be OK.

If you use the KLA 100lbs springs for the rear coil over then your wheel rate in the back will be 226
100lbs springs plus 126lbs T bars. 300 lbs front springs will have the front spring rate stiffer then the rear, sounds like it would oversteer to me. Not good.

I would go with 200 lbs in the rear or a 200, 250 for the front.

I have Koni Yellows up front 250lbs springs, Camber plates and Koni coil overs with 180 lbs springs in the rear. Oh and Turbo S sway bars front and rear.
So my wheel rates are 250 front and 306 in the rear. Car is beautifully balanced great for long trips but a little tiresome around town. I want to go with 400 + or - 50lbs fornt and rear progressive rate springs ( I think I found them in Jeg's). Oh and add the camber plates I used the one's at Paragon Products and they make a great deal of diffrence.
Just e-mail if you have more questions.
Sam
85.5 944
87 Toy PU 2wd

ack...I won't lie...I don't know too much about suspension set-up; so will someone please school me on how to figure the best front/rear spring rate combination in order to get the best handling (ie minimal over/understeer). Also, whats about the firmest effective rate to use somewhat comfortably on the street?

It sounds like you are going to spend an INCREDIBLE amount of money on the 944, you might as well sell it and buy a nice 951 turbo S, put on a mass flow kit, and have well over 300hp at the crank, all for ALOT less then all those mods you are planning. THe 944 turbo S is nearly completly different car from a normal turbo. Everything is beefy, made for racing. (From the factory, isn't that weird?) Save yourself the work.

....don't mean to sound rude, but money is not the issue....I have my reasons for wanting to go the route that I have described above. I just ultimately wanted to know what to do to the 944 N/A tranny to get it to hold up to that much power, or if I should go with a 951 trans...

sell the car buy a S2 and supercharge it & have fun.

LOL, there's no love for the 8v cars is there?

Theres plenty of love for the 8V cars what you think a 944 Turbo is? (8V)

Im just saying to get a S2 and work from there if you dont want a Turbo car since its a better platform to work on when modding. Plus you have the benifit of a the body mods and suspension of a turbo too so the car can actually handle the increased power.

k...again, not tryin to be rude here but in my particular case, the supsension/brakes/body of my car is a non-issue. As stated in the original post I plan on changing the suspension and brakes etc, before I mess with the engine, and I don't want to go with the 951 because I would change its suspension and brakes anyway. I also don't care too much about the turbo being such a great car for modding, cause I'm not looking for 400+ rwhp...I just wanted to know about the N/A transmission....

N/A trannys have a weak ring and pinion. I've destroyed 1 set with a completely stock 83. I've almost destroyed the 2nd set too. Mind you I use this car everyday, don't drive it hard EXCEPT for autocrossing. The hard launches have been murder for the tranny.

Now, you could just yank out the N/A tranny and slap (it's all bolt on) in a Turbo tranny, BUT the gearing is much too tall for my uses.

If you want:
High Speed, aka Autobahn = Turbo tranny
Low speed, aka city driving = N/A tranny

Now, I haven't conmfirmed this, but the turbo R/P is much stronger and it's compatible with the N/A tranny. All it would take is a lot of money to do it. (which you have and I don't)

Well, 83 - 944, thanks alot, that is basically what I needed to know. However, I have scraped the idea of supercharging my 944 n/a. Instead I'm just going to leave it at home (and more importantly in the garage) when I go to college this fall and get a '96 LT4 vette - I know some of the Porsche lovers around here might not like to hear those words, but the way I look at it, I just want a powerful car for college that I won't mind selling afterwards. This way the 944 will stay in cherry (and stock) condition, and I can just get it back after med school.

Thanks again for the information though.

hey i was thinking about doing the same thing, alittle less in the money department though. I turbocharged a non turbo saab (yes there are large differences in turbo and non turbo) and how much did i do it for? 300 dollars. Yes, it still runs. Yes, its reliable. I have a 1988 944 S 16 valve that i just purchased, and this winter i want to pull the motor and put some 951 pistons (holy smokes 10.9:1 compression on those "S" pistons!!) and and slap a T3 on it ("!!bam!!"). I have a friend with an entire machine shop in his basement, its really nice for me, so all the flanges and turbo plumbing can be adapted (otherwise i can see it costing alot of money). I was kinda curious about the tranny as well, ive heard from many that ill need a turbo or an S2 (preferred) tranny to handle the power. Ive got a mint t3 in me garage, as well as a huge huge, huge blackstone frontmount. But just saying im planning the same kind of project, I even have the turbo S wheels just like yourself. People say to just buy a 951, but how much fun is that????? More of a journey than a destination guy myself. To each his own---ill admit the 951 is still the ultimate though.

I just got a '87 944 N/A. And while everybody who says just get a turbo is probably right. I like the idea of seeing how far a N/A can take you. Im doing the same thing. Of course in my part of Orlando, FL, my main challenges are civics, corrolas, and 240's. Good luck on what your going for. And in my eyes it might be harder to make a N/A fast, but it'll be worth it because not many people do.

Orlando? Ooh, another 944 within 100 miles!