This car belongs to Joe Donovan from Joe’s Garage in Glendale, Wisconsin. And owning both a Porsche 911SC and a Porsche 944 myself, I often preach to anyone that’ll listen… that the 944 is as genuine of an 80s sports car as it gets. Is it a flagship 80s sports car? Not exactly “flagship”. But iconic nonetheless. The 1980s was the decade of the sports car. Sports cars sizzled all through pop culture. And in the 80s, Porsche only built sports cars. Porsche was a sports car brand – period. Not a luxury brand and/or a performance brand… but a sports car brand.

The Porsche 944 was absolutely, no question… 

The car that other car companies had in their crosshairs. You can see design cues from the Porsche 944 in just about every Japanese sports car of the 80s. Competitors bragged in ads & commercials if their car was “faster than a Porsche 944”. It wasn’t until the 90s, when Japan took-off… and Porsche fell-off with a relatively affordable, youthful, more Average Joe (no pun intended) sports car. 

Overall, the Porsche 944 is fast enough to capture your attention & emotions… 

Yet slow enough to where you have to (correction: get to) use ALL of the car MORE of the time. That won’t make sense to people who are caught-up on high horsepower & 0-60. But those that get it… get it. With the engine in the front of the car & the transmission in the rear, the Porsche 944 has nearly perfect balance. Another thing I love about the 944: It’s physical. The steering takes effort… like a sports car should. And the tires talk to you through the steering wheel. Even praiseworthy sports cars of today can’t touch that mechanical/unfiltered experience of a 40-year-old Porsche 944. Whether you go early or late-model 944… base-model to turbo…

There’s no question you’re in a Porsche…

The earlier dash was a little clunky & wonky… as 80s sports cars should be (IMO). They had large round gauges & somewhat clumsy buttons/placement. For 1985.5 though, Porsche updated the 944, and included in the updates was a much more ergonomic, swoopy dash. In fact, I feel like it set the pace (yet again) for sports cars heading into the 90s. See with the 944, Porsche could experiment in ways they couldn’t with the 911. The 944 sunroof is big, and it comes out entirely… similar to t-tops but 1-piece. Driver/passenger windows are bigger than the 911, and they don’t incorporate the triangular a-pillar quarter-glass… giving the car better air-flow through the interior. There’s more of a center console/tunnel/armrest separating the seats. The 944’s factory-flared wide-body design, long nose, pop-up headlights, and big rear hatch-glass is ‘the silhouette’ of an 80s sports car. Driving the Porsche 944, you’re sent back to the era… and you find yourself embracing the perfections as well as the flaws. In the modern world of convenience, safety monitors, & numbed performance – driving an 80s Porsche is nothing less than therapy. 

If the 944 had a tragic flaw…

It was this: An “affordable Porsche” is a gift & curse. In the 80s, relatively younger buyers lusted after the 944. The thought of Porsche ownership was unshakable. So they stretched to buy the 944. And often times, that meant maintenance was put off. In the 944’s case, it was the timing belt & water pump that was the Achille’s heel. It wasn’t/isn’t necessarily an easy job… although I did my timing belt in my in-law’s car port lol. But – we have Youtube now. Back then, they didn’t… so the job was ‘Porsche expensive” even though the 944 was a more affordable car. Therefore it often got put on the back burner, and when failures happened, it often took the 944s out. 

Jump forward to present times though… 

And we have great online resources for knowledge, how-tos, AND affordable parts. 944s will need maintenance & tinkering, that’s part of the lifestyle. But 80s German sports cars are mechanical. Meaning – what brakes can be repaired. Honestly, the biggest annoyance I’ve found with these cars are the grounds. Over-fix the grounds, keep them corrosion-clean, and drive the car. These cars don’t like to sit around. They’re going to need maintenance whether you drive them or not lol. So you may as well drive ‘em. And experience the aura of a stubborn sports car from a stubborn sports car company who was unwavering about the sport/art of driving. The Porsche 911 is an iconic 80s sports car. Perhaps THE iconic 80s sports car. But the 944 should not always have to live in the 911’s shadows. That’s my take on it. 

This 944 is built/driven by Joe Donovan from Joe’s Garage…

Joe’s Garage is an enthusiast shop in Glendale, WI specializing in Porsche. This is a 1987 944 S… but it’s been converted to an S2. That means it’s got the 3-liter 16V engine. This particular S2 engine has a 105mm bore (1mm over) with Millennium Technologies Nikasil plating, Pauter rods, AASCO titanium springs & retainers, LN Engineering cylinder head, and a modified oil pick-up & pan. The car makes 212hp at the wheels, and weighs 2,500lbs. And it’s worth noting that all modifications on this car are within the rules/guidelines of PCA Club Racing. 

Underneath this Porsche 944…

Are Motion Control shocks, modified spindles, and a manual steering rack. The wheels are 17” Fikse FM10s… 8s in the front & 9s in the rear. And the tires are Hoosier R7s… 245/40 in front, and 275/35 rear. The 944 has upgraded OEM M030 brakes (which were either a premium option, and/or often sourced from the 928 S4 or 911). It’s also got Yellow Speed air jacks, mounted directly to the custom Joe’s Garage rollcage. 

Inside the Porsche 944…

You’ll find an AiM MXL dash-cluster & data system, a Cartek PDM electric system, a SPA Technique fire suppression system, and an AiM SmartyCam (motorsports camara/s). The dash is an alcantara-wrapped ‘dash cover’, and the original dash has been tossed. That eye-catching shift knob is from Wevo, and it’s attached to a Lindsay Racing shifter.

I’ve learned through all my sports/hobbyist endeavors…

(I’m talkin’ cars, stand-up jet skis, and mountain bikes in my case)… Some people are in it for the speed, the performance, and the specs. Others (myself included), are more in it for the chase, the vibes, and the challenge. And I feel like that’s who vintage Porsches appeal to in this day & age.

Photos by Cody Martin

Related article…