The 5 Cars That Are Perfect For A V8 Engine Swap – SlashGear

When new, the 944 was marketed as the entry-level Porsche, and the least expensive path to get yourself into the brand. 40 years later, in the secondary market, the same mantra largely still applies. Though to be fair, collectors have now discovered the 944, and it’s no longer the bargain it once was. According to the valuation site classic.com, the average selling price for a base model 944 over the past twelve months is $13,310, but careful shoppers can still find less-than-pristine examples in the $5,000 range.

The 944 has always been praised for its balanced handling and weight distribution, with a rear-mounted transaxle connected to the engine via a “torque tube,” which is Porsche-speak for a robust, vibration-free driveshaft that it licensed from Mitsubishi, of all sources. 

Universally, the 944 was factory equipped with a compact inline four-cylinder engine that pushed it from 0-60 MPH in a leisurely 8.5 seconds. While some later models were available with four valves per cylinder (16V) and/or turbocharging, even that output was no match for a modern LS, never mind one with customization.

If you need another excuse to replace the factory Porsche engine, it was equipped with a consumable rubber timing belt that can grenade the entire engine if it fails. Some might criticize that the large V8 will upset the perfect distribution, but if you can splurge for an aluminum LS engine as opposed to an iron block, the weight gain over the Porsche four-cylinder is only 25-30 pounds.