Thinking of a side business
10-07-2013, 03:04 PM
#49
Intermediate
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A good-fitting fiberglass rear hatch that doesn't cost two thousand dollars? I want a fiberglass "euro style" hatch for my 944 LS1 project but the only one I could justify buying ($500 or so) is the one from GT Racing, and I haven't heard good things about their quality.
10-07-2013, 04:04 PM
#50
Race Car
Thread Starter
10-07-2013, 04:09 PM
#51
Race Car
Thread Starter
Porsche don't sell 4 cylinder or 8 cylinder (928) engine blocks no more.... that should tell you a GOOD BIT about whether or not you should take off your shoes and socks and wade in.......
yeah, if the damn cars were worth your trouble, Porsche would be selling engine blocks. but they don't. why? because despite engines getting used up, blocks from endless numbers of discarded junk cars remain plentiful. interest or new blood coming into the brand is non-existent, and the people who didn't get their 944s when they were new, arrived and mostly moved on....
as the younger generation just keeps getting poorer, ricier and more pathetic in general (not to mention having no personal memories of the 944), I wouldn't expect the situation to reverse anytime soon. (and before someone runs off the handle, please compare the current state of affairs to the avant-garde status held by lucky owners just 15~20 years ago. I know, because **I had an almost new one...
vendors are collecting food stamps. the D-9 guys invest thousands in a new 968 Turbo RS adjustable rear spoiler just to sell 5 units in 3 years. they make a beautiful 993 headlamp kit for the 968 that'll take 40 pounds off the front of the car (and nobody buys it). Mark was recently banned from RL, and Benji now spends most of his mining coal in Switzerland (or something like that).
they make a nice rear seat delete kit. I know because I have their delete kit.
it takes about 7 weeks to receive it. and nobody buys it.
* there's been a 67~70% loss in enthusiasts posting on the '44 forum in just the last 4 years (about). many have moved on the to the 6 cylinder cars or went bankrupt from the cost of keeping these maintenance pigs on the road.
if you make up some cool stuff for the 944, you'll be doing it for fun.
(which itself, might not be a bad thing). otherwise,
sorry.
*scientific survey with a margin of error +/- 3%.
yeah, if the damn cars were worth your trouble, Porsche would be selling engine blocks. but they don't. why? because despite engines getting used up, blocks from endless numbers of discarded junk cars remain plentiful. interest or new blood coming into the brand is non-existent, and the people who didn't get their 944s when they were new, arrived and mostly moved on....
as the younger generation just keeps getting poorer, ricier and more pathetic in general (not to mention having no personal memories of the 944), I wouldn't expect the situation to reverse anytime soon. (and before someone runs off the handle, please compare the current state of affairs to the avant-garde status held by lucky owners just 15~20 years ago. I know, because **I had an almost new one...
vendors are collecting food stamps. the D-9 guys invest thousands in a new 968 Turbo RS adjustable rear spoiler just to sell 5 units in 3 years. they make a beautiful 993 headlamp kit for the 968 that'll take 40 pounds off the front of the car (and nobody buys it). Mark was recently banned from RL, and Benji now spends most of his mining coal in Switzerland (or something like that).
they make a nice rear seat delete kit. I know because I have their delete kit.
it takes about 7 weeks to receive it. and nobody buys it.
* there's been a 67~70% loss in enthusiasts posting on the '44 forum in just the last 4 years (about). many have moved on the to the 6 cylinder cars or went bankrupt from the cost of keeping these maintenance pigs on the road.
if you make up some cool stuff for the 944, you'll be doing it for fun.
(which itself, might not be a bad thing). otherwise,
sorry.
*scientific survey with a margin of error +/- 3%.
Also if I can make some things that will give some people joy then it's all worth it.
10-07-2013, 04:20 PM
#52
Rennlist Member
The cup holders are a gold mine.
10-07-2013, 04:39 PM
#53
Porsche don't sell 4 cylinder or 8 cylinder (928) engine blocks no more.... that should tell you a GOOD BIT about whether or not you should take off your shoes and socks and wade in.......
yeah, if the damn cars were worth your trouble, Porsche would be selling engine blocks. but they don't. why? because despite engines getting used up, blocks from endless numbers of discarded junk cars remain plentiful. interest or new blood coming into the brand is non-existent, and the people who didn't get their 944s when they were new, arrived and mostly moved on....
as the younger generation just keeps getting poorer, ricier and more pathetic in general (not to mention having no personal memories of the 944), I wouldn't expect the situation to reverse anytime soon. (and before someone runs off the handle, please compare the current state of affairs to the avant-garde status held by lucky owners just 15~20 years ago. I know, because **I had an almost new one...
vendors are collecting food stamps. the D-9 guys invest thousands in a new 968 Turbo RS adjustable rear spoiler just to sell 5 units in 3 years. they make a beautiful 993 headlamp kit for the 968 that'll take 40 pounds off the front of the car (and nobody buys it). Mark was recently banned from RL, and Benji now spends most of his mining coal in Switzerland (or something like that).
they make a nice rear seat delete kit. I know because I have their delete kit.
it takes about 7 weeks to receive it. and nobody buys it.
* there's been a 67~70% loss in enthusiasts posting on the '44 forum in just the last 4 years (about). many have moved on the to the 6 cylinder cars or went bankrupt from the cost of keeping these maintenance pigs on the road.
if you make up some cool stuff for the 944, you'll be doing it for fun.
(which itself, might not be a bad thing). otherwise,
sorry.
*scientific survey with a margin of error +/- 3%.
yeah, if the damn cars were worth your trouble, Porsche would be selling engine blocks. but they don't. why? because despite engines getting used up, blocks from endless numbers of discarded junk cars remain plentiful. interest or new blood coming into the brand is non-existent, and the people who didn't get their 944s when they were new, arrived and mostly moved on....
as the younger generation just keeps getting poorer, ricier and more pathetic in general (not to mention having no personal memories of the 944), I wouldn't expect the situation to reverse anytime soon. (and before someone runs off the handle, please compare the current state of affairs to the avant-garde status held by lucky owners just 15~20 years ago. I know, because **I had an almost new one...
vendors are collecting food stamps. the D-9 guys invest thousands in a new 968 Turbo RS adjustable rear spoiler just to sell 5 units in 3 years. they make a beautiful 993 headlamp kit for the 968 that'll take 40 pounds off the front of the car (and nobody buys it). Mark was recently banned from RL, and Benji now spends most of his mining coal in Switzerland (or something like that).
they make a nice rear seat delete kit. I know because I have their delete kit.
it takes about 7 weeks to receive it. and nobody buys it.
* there's been a 67~70% loss in enthusiasts posting on the '44 forum in just the last 4 years (about). many have moved on the to the 6 cylinder cars or went bankrupt from the cost of keeping these maintenance pigs on the road.
if you make up some cool stuff for the 944, you'll be doing it for fun.
(which itself, might not be a bad thing). otherwise,
sorry.
*scientific survey with a margin of error +/- 3%.
10-07-2013, 10:36 PM
#54
Intermediate
Join Date: Dec 2009
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I'm another youngun. Just turned 22 and I've owned three 944's, a 924S (my first car), and a 928. I currently have two 944's and my 924S.
They're great cars, especially if you know what you're doing, or are at least clever enough to figure it out. People thought I was crazy when I dragged home a 1979 928 with electrical problems. But then I traded it for a 944 and sold that, and made $1,300 profit. My 924S has been a daily driver for five and a half years and about 55,000 miles so far, and it's still in great shape and running well, and the entire cost of buying the car and maintaining it works out to about 20 cents per mile. And that includes a leather Recaro sport seat, a black leather 911 seat, 928 wheels, powdercoating the 928 wheels...and several other little changes or improvements. Not to mention three sets of tires, a head gasket, a water pump, and a timing belt change. I'm quite happy with my choice!
It would be nice to have better replacement parts for many things, though. Lots of little issues that would go away if a part was fiberglass instead of plastic, or metal, or plastic instead of cardboard, or whatever. I was thinking of trying to manufacture aluminum wind deflector hinges, since I have access to lots of tools and machinery where I work.
They're great cars, especially if you know what you're doing, or are at least clever enough to figure it out. People thought I was crazy when I dragged home a 1979 928 with electrical problems. But then I traded it for a 944 and sold that, and made $1,300 profit. My 924S has been a daily driver for five and a half years and about 55,000 miles so far, and it's still in great shape and running well, and the entire cost of buying the car and maintaining it works out to about 20 cents per mile. And that includes a leather Recaro sport seat, a black leather 911 seat, 928 wheels, powdercoating the 928 wheels...and several other little changes or improvements. Not to mention three sets of tires, a head gasket, a water pump, and a timing belt change. I'm quite happy with my choice!
It would be nice to have better replacement parts for many things, though. Lots of little issues that would go away if a part was fiberglass instead of plastic, or metal, or plastic instead of cardboard, or whatever. I was thinking of trying to manufacture aluminum wind deflector hinges, since I have access to lots of tools and machinery where I work.
10-07-2013, 11:01 PM
#56
I don't think many people among the "younger generation" asked to clean up after the baby boomers.
10-07-2013, 11:25 PM
#57
Team Owner
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: one thousand, five hundred miles north of Ft. Lauderdale for the summer.
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when I met the 944 crew in Florida, I was very pleasantly surprised to see so many young people with a clue.....
as for the boomers: kill with chemicals (or anything else).
the people will rejoice when the baby boomers are fricking dead.
as for the boomers: kill with chemicals (or anything else).
the people will rejoice when the baby boomers are fricking dead.
10-08-2013, 01:45 PM
#58
Three Wheelin'
The thing is this...there is a major gap growing between low mileage garage queens and high mileage major work needed examples. Not much gray area in between and that gap just keeps increasing with each passing year. Now, I have owned and own newer models but to me my S2 cab is just as fun and brings back my childhood nostalgia. Do I love the less headaches with newer models? Absolutely, but my S2 Cab has more of that raw and excitement feel every time I drive it. So it's worth all the preventative maintenance cost to me. As long as these cars are maintained and sorted, they can be fairly reliable. The problem is too many times people are unrealistic with the "project" cars out there, especially if they can't wrench. We are a dying breed, but that's because the nicer examples are starting to remain while the others are going to car heaven.
10-08-2013, 03:00 PM
#59
Three Wheelin'
Conrad, I wish you were a little closer to DC...I'm going to be finished school by Thanksgiving and I'd really love to start some projects with people...we should chat sometime.
As a side note, I love a lot of the ideas listed above, even the things like the cup holder etc. The thing about parts like this is: If they are quality made out of quality materials, and their installation is entirely REVERSIBLE, then there's absolutely nothing wrong with these type of items...if the owner sells the car, they can sell it with the old parts if they had the garage space, reinstall the old stuff before selling, or the new owner can find replacement original parts if he's that butthurt about having old crap replaced with new high quality updated parts...just my 2 cents haha!
Ethan
As a side note, I love a lot of the ideas listed above, even the things like the cup holder etc. The thing about parts like this is: If they are quality made out of quality materials, and their installation is entirely REVERSIBLE, then there's absolutely nothing wrong with these type of items...if the owner sells the car, they can sell it with the old parts if they had the garage space, reinstall the old stuff before selling, or the new owner can find replacement original parts if he's that butthurt about having old crap replaced with new high quality updated parts...just my 2 cents haha!
Ethan
