Porsche 944 Finds 900 LS2 Horsepower
Slideshow: This Icelandic young man's dream of building his perfect drift Porsche 944 has now become a reality.
Love at first sight
Iceland's Fannar Thor's very first car was this 1986 Porsche 944 that he spotted some 16 years ago sitting at a used car dealership on a bus ride home from school. An excited young Fannar would arrive home and enthusiastically tell his uncle about the little front-engined Porsche for sale, so the pair of them went right back to the dealership and bought it on site. Fannar explains that the car was a little beat up and would benefit from some work, but with his uncle having a background in motorsports that solely involved Porsches, he knew it would once again be seen it all of its glory. A decade and a half on, and multiple engines later, the 944 would eventually be a dream realized.
The Hunt for Power
The car came fitted with a 147 horsepower 2.5L four-cylinder, but Thor was keen on improving that figure, so he imported a wrecked 944 Turbo from the USA into Iceland for an engine swap. Having gained an interest in drifting, the Turbo powerplant still proved insufficient for his needs, and as a result, saw the engine bored and stroked to 2.8L and pumping 26 psi of boost through a Turbonetics T60 turbocharger. The end result was 400 horsepower, but that quickly fizzled-out as Fannar blew the engine. He had some serious decisions to make before moving forward.
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American Muscle
An obvious engine choice for those in the drift scene is the 2JZ straight-six out of a Toyota Supra, but Fannar's measurements proved there would be insufficient space in the engine bay without extensive mods. Instead, he opted for an LS2 V8 as found in a C6 Corvette and figured he could simply drop it in for an easy 400 horsepower without modification. Funny enough, the LS2 was just the tip of the iceberg as Fannar would go down the slippery slope of adding extensive performance mods to the American V8.
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Building Boost
With some boost in mind, Thor built the motor with Wiseco 10.9:1 pistons, SCAT H-beam connecting rods, a Lil Johns Motorsports Stage II turbo camshaft, and fastened it all together with ARP fasteners. His choice of a turbocharger is a custom Borg Warner S475 unit with an 87mm turbine and 1.10 A/R T6 housing which is controlled by a set of 44mm Tial wastegates. The intake is an LSXR Fast 102 manifold and throttle body that is fed boost through a Treadstone intercooler mounted in place of the factory radiator.
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No Corners Cut
E85 is the fuel of choice and is injected into the engine via a set of Bosch 2200cc injectors that are fed by a complete Aeromotive fuel setup (pump, filters, and regulator) and controlled by a Holley HP EFI ECU and harness. Thor opted for a self-regulated Accusump setup to ensure everything remains properly lubricated. The radiator has been moved to the rear of the car with a Maziere pump, expansion tank, and recovery tank to keep the engine cool. The car dynos at 788 horsepower to the wheels, so a quick drivetrain loss calculation puts Fannar's boosted V8 a touch over 900 ponies at the crank.
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Trick Bits Throughout
Power is sent through a 944 Turbo S AOR transaxle with a Super Spec twin-plate clutch. A custom oil cooler has been put in place to keep transmission temps down and a Texas Performance transmission reinforcement plate and Driveshaft Shop strengthened Level 5 axles ensure things stay together behind the boosted V8. Chassis goodies include GAZ Gold coilover suspension, an Opel Corsa electric power steering system, and a Tilton 600 series pedal assembly with brake bias adjustment and triple chamber reservoir.
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Form Meets Function
The body has been treated with a widebody kit from IFC that keeps much of the 944 silhouette intact but beefs up the already bulbous fenders and quarters. With extra room available under the fenders, Thor opted for a set of three-piece Kinesis wheels measuring 18x9" in the front and a chunky 18x10.5" out back. Additionally, a Lindsey Racing header panel helps to divert air into the intercooler. Keeping weight at a minimum was also an area of focus, so Fannar used a set of fiberglass doors from Club Autosport and replaced the factory glass with lightweight Lexan windows. Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of the car is the massive BCL 1850mm wing (originally designed for a Mazda RX-7) with custom uprights mounted to the Porsche's backside.
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Safety First
Fannar's 944 is all business on the inside as the interior has been stripped of anything deemed unnecessary and looks like a full-blown race car. A custom FIA-spec cage was welded into the 944 and features door bars that protrude into the hollow door cavities akin to those on DTM racing cars for additional crash protection. A set of Recaro racing bucket seats places occupants in front of a custom dash fitted with a Racepak IQ3 display and GPS module to indicate speed. An OMP racing wheel is a nice touch, as is the obligatory drift handbrake.
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Accomplished with Family & Friends
Needless to say, Fannar Thor's Turbo LS2 944 is one wild ride as was evident by his tire-roasting display at the Gatebil 18 event. While drifting the car is loads of fun, Fannar admits that the greatest experience of all has been working with his family members and numerous friends over the years to build the car into what it has become today, and bringing them all along to Gatebil to see the fruition of their labor.
>>Join the conversation about this 944 with LS2 power under the hood right here in Rennlist.com!
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