Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

evening all
is it possible and how hard would it be to swap a pod dash for a oval one?

I think that the heater box is different on the two dash types and you would also probably need to change the wiring harness as all the plugs etc. will probably be different.

Sounds like a lot of work to me!

An utter nightmare. You'd probably not get most of the clocks working because of the differing wiring. you'd probably need a lot of other bits of an 85.5 to make it work, including door cards. still I don't want to put you off. Ben..

Just a thought - the original porsche 944 workshop manuals cover some retro-fit jobs e.g. sunroof. There just may be something in there, but then again I doubt it.

I think there is a thread over on rennlist, detailing how to do it, can remember reading about it somewhere.

I wouldn't bother. Seen some great clocks for the early dash on ebay America. One was a Stack rev counter & shift light. (White glow dials.) And the others all matched. Much easyier to fit. With the right steering wheel the business.

thanks guys
nipped into 911 sport and asked the guys there and they basically said dont!!!
bulkheads are different, heating pipes all wrong, wiring all wrong, centre console will need changing, it went on and on totally put me off!!

my reason for asking is, i want a 944, and have driven quite a few, all with oval dash, but never a pod dash. That is untill the other day when i had ago in a freinds 924. i was amazed how different the driving position is too the oval dashes! i mean i am over 6ft tall and found no matter how i sat the steering wheel is buried in my legs all the time. me being me thought just change some bits and it would sort the problem, but as Phil at 911 sport pointed out the steering also sits different in a early 944!! which is a shame as found a lovely early 944 for sale. just guess will have to keep looking!
thanks anyway guys for advice.

That's the problem with the early cars. Not much of a problem for me. I'm not that tall. I wouldn't worry. Plenty of good oval dash cars around but you will have to be prepared to travel to find one. Keep looking Will be worth the wait

It was a common complaint of the cars in road tests especially in the USA where the sceptics are bigger.
A smaller wheel may help.

thanks guys.
think i will go for a oval dash model
found this one, but the guy has no idea when the belts and rollers were last done!!!
should i walk away?
shame, it looks a good old girl!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270235475547&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=017

depends how much you pay !

To be blunt, if you get it cheap enough, then you can have the proper servicing stuff, belts, etc done and be on the road for a decent price.

Alternatively, you can wait for one which has had documented recent stuff done, and probably end up around the same cost price, mabye slightly more.


There are always dreamers, who think they deserve to get back all their running costs, but realistically servicing costs are running costs. Yes, I'd pay a bit more for a car that had JUST had a decent service, belts, etc, but at the same time you have to weigh up the cost of that, versus the cost of buying a POS & then spending the extra having it sorted out.


A car is only as good as its last few years (mabye months ?) history.


I'm waffling a bit, but hopefully making sense.
2 options.
1. Pay extra for a "sorted" car, no immediate costs.
2. Pay very little for a POS & pay the difference getting it sorted.

for me, #2 is the best option. You then know you have a good base. Otherwise, you are very trusting.

If you are technically/mechanically inclined, the #2 is probably best.
If you are not, then definitely go with #1


e.g. Yes, I had my car serviced only 2 months ago, full belts, tensioners, etc etc etc ..Fully stamped service history, etc etc, but I then drove the cr4p out of it (or tracked it every saturday) for the last 2 months, cos I knew I was selling it.

Hi
I have had both dash styles and i'm over 6 foot (and not that skinny).
I preferred the nimbleness of the early car, It's lighter but the oval dash is more comfortable.
In the square dash car I found there were alloy spacers under the seat runners, i pulled those out and it helped with steering wheel/leg clearance.
A car with a recent new clutch is a major plus as is it is a big job.
I also found the early car easier to work on as it had less gadgets more spannering room.
Belt job not that bad if your handy with spanners

Just noticed the car in the link is an s which is 16 valve so belt change vital and the timing chain between the two cams is vital. only saying this as if they fail 2.5 lux heads can be had very cheap on ebay fairly regulary. 16v heads dont seem that common 2nd hand.

C4s. If it's the twin cam S then you should go & look at it. They are the one that everyone says not to buy. But they have the best tuning potentail of all bar the turbo. You have to take the cam cover off to inspect the the sprokets. If they are worn thin then it's new camshafts so forget it. If they are ok then go for it. I would. (If your not mechanicaly minded. Pay for an inspection & specificaly ask that this is checked.) The head is good. They only need exhaust manifold, System & a remap to really fly. But will be lots cheaper to buy than an S2. Assuming general condition is ok. Stock they have little torque but are great fun.