944 Everything? + History

[Mysticle31]

So the 944's Suspension is baised off the Superbeetles. Can I use the 944 Control arms on a super beetle? What about the front struts? (I've read many things saying yes with mods on the front sturts. What does it take?)

Sence the 944 is 50/50. Can or should I add weight to the front of the superbeetle? Would that improve things? It'd be as if, suspension wise I''d have a REALLY! light 944. (Although the sprung to unsprung weight would be HORRID!)?

It simply blows my mind how the Porshe 911 handles soo well, (as does the 944) but All you hear about is the 911 and it's weight dist isnt' very good!

[Supa Ninja]

I beleive adding weight is not the answer to make a super handle better. Relocate the battery into the trunk area, keep the spare, concentrate on the weight reduction on the rear as much as possible (I'll be keeping the stock steel fenders in front, and the stock german steel front hood, as well as a steel front bumper, and run carbon or f/g in the rear, as well as the rear three windows lexan). If 50/50 weight biasing is not attainable proper spring rates front:rear will help. From what I've read it's a little hoaky to use the 944 strut, plus the spring rate is way too stiff for the front of a super, Maxx or Kersher is the ticket. You keep ignoring one of Porsche's greatest handling cars of all time, the 914. I think it was Nurdingberg(?) 1970 three 914-6's competed and 2 finished first and second in their class and one finished 3 overall, don't quote me on that.
Believe me when I say a properly setup 1302/1303 will stick to the road like none other and a little rear bias is always fun when you want to have fun and induce some oversteer. I've seen stars from pulling G's in my 1302, and I can't wait till I have a healthier power plant so that I can use some more of the chassis's capabilities.

Nick

[boygenius]

Originally Posted by Mysticle31

It simply blows my mind how the Porshe 911 handles soo well, (as does the 944) but All you hear about is the 911 and it's weight dist isnt' very good!

The rear weight bias is an advantage in the hands of a skilled driver.

[Mysticle31]

I've prety much goten the idea that for a kickbutt handing car, you should use Porshe Parts. So what parts from what Porsches can I use?

Some of them came with upgraded suspension components stock. (IE S, S2, Turbo, and 968) And I don't mind having every single piece of the suspension come from a different car as long as they work together.

[boygenius]

Here is a pic of my 944 rear end.

944 late aluminum trailing arms.
944 spring plates and torsion covers.
944 torsion bars.
944 sway bar with custom mounts.
Käfer cup brace.
Shock tower braces.
Relocated bumb stops.
Modified VW shocks.

What you want to use from the 944 are the (front) spindles out and (rear) trailing arms out, this is all. [out = to the brakes/wheels]

[Mysticle31]

so why do people use 30MM torson bars (aftermarket) Srping plates (from other Porsches even), Torsion covers..etc..

What is a spring plate? What does it even do?

Some people have even questioned the use of 944 arms. Can you put bigger torson bars in the stock beetle arms? What is the benifit of having 944 arms?

[Mysticle31]

Sence I'm buying parts anyway, and am willing to make every part from a different car as long as it all works well together. Would I get any upgrades if I got anything from a 924, 944, 968, 931, 951, or 952? or any other VW?

Just for curiosties sake. What rotors and calipers will bolt to the 944's stuff. Can I use 911 Rotors and calipers? 912? The biiiig suckers? (Way overkill on a track/street twisty road car right?)

[Supa Ninja]

Ok, there is a lot of info on brake selections, this where the search function is helpful. Also for more info on the 944 interchangability as well as brake info check out Micheal Ghia's site, I think it's www.performanceghia.com if I'm wrong it's in the link section on the main page of this site, Micheal site is very helpful. Basically, and I mean basically the 944 brakes are borrowed from 911's and 928's of that era. You'll want to stay away from the 924 stuff cause it's identical to the 1303S setup, lil disc's up front, drums in back, 4 lug junk. There are a number of choices in brakes and suspension setups, depending what you want.

[boygenius]

Pic to help.

Originally Posted by Mysticle31

Would I get any upgrades if I got anything from a 924, 944, 968, 931, 951, or 952?

Originally Posted by Mysticle31

so why do people use 30MM torson bars (aftermarket) Srping plates (from other Porsches even), Torsion covers..etc..

If you know about the different types then you seem to understand the differences in these. There are literally thousands of parts that will interchange between these cars, for example the bushing for the front sway bar on a Super Beetle is the same bushing that is used on the rear sway bar of the early 911 and the early 944 electronics came from the Rabbit (Golf I). VW/Porsche/Audi are a group, much like Chevrolet/Pontiac/Buick, and their parts bins are cross referenced. Basically in short you could over analyze the interchangeablity of the parts to a Super for ages. Sure you can use those torsion bars from the 944 in your Super, by the way they are the same torsion bars that are factory stock in the Type III Wagon... as I said, the interchangeablity is almost endless.

Supa Ninja summed it up best here, "There are a number of choices in brakes and suspension setups, depending on what you want."

[Mysticle31]

So I take it the torson bars from the 944/Type 4 wagon are firm, but the longest arms for the SB is on the 944? (isn't 968 slightly longer?) Can I use all the SB springplates and all that stock stuff for the rest of it? Sence I've got it why go buy porsche ones? Unless there is an improvement?

What you have to understand is that the 944 is a VW (Type 477) from conception and then in the latter part of the project Porsche took over the design. As an example, the (early) rear wheel bearings are the same as a Bug but you'll pay twice the price for the same part from a Porsche dealership as you would from a VW supplier. Well I don't mean to sound "big headed" but just do a search and go read everything I have posted in the suspension and brakes forums and you'll find all the answers.

[Mysticle31]

So, a complete 944 suspension and brakes consists of what exactly? What all do I need to buy?

Trailing Arms,
Spring Plates,
Torsion Bars,
Rear rotors,
resr discs,
front knuckles,
front rotors,
front calipers,
kersher ball joints
What else do i need? How can I make the 4 pot calipers work the easiest?

[Supa Ninja]

Go to www.performanceghia.com , Micheal explain's everything needed for the 944 suspension/brake upgrade as well as half shafts/axles upgrade and the 901 tranny install. Most of this has been beatn to death on past threads, you can find it with the search function on this site as well.

Nick