Who has an 85 C reg turbo ?

[ukmastiff]

I keep hearing about 85 year model turbo's and 86 year model turbo's and the alleged 85 -'model year' with the forged engine. I'm not too bothered re the forged engine but am very interested to know if anyone in the ? U.K has an earlier turbo than me still on the road.

My reasoning for doubting some of what I am hearing on line re the 'earliest models' is that I have a C Reg registered in late 85 so of course it was built in 85 yet I'm told its not the earliest version. It begs the question when were the first ones for the U.K market actually built and did any get registered on the road in Aug 85 when the new reg came out. I have never seen a B Reg I.E a car registered before August 85 so if mine is the second 'revision' they didn't have long to change them did they ?

The DVLA database shows only 1 taxed 85 turbo in the U.K and 3 SORN but I know this may well be inaccurate and should be taken only a guide. I suspect mine is one of those shown as sorn since it had no tax on it when I picked it up though it has now.

Does anyone have a 944 Turbo on a C reg that was actually registered in 85 and if they have can they please P.M or e Mail me to swap some details.


Thanks

Mas

 

[marojojoem]

Hi Mas,

My 944 Turbo is registered in Jan 86 on a C Plate. Last time I looked a C plate covered from 1st Aug 85 to 31st July 86.

Cheers

Mark

 

[944 man]

The confusion calls from calling 1986 model year cars which were built in 1985, '85s'. Broadly speaking all UK 944 Turbos are 1986 model years cars, s theyre '86s', whether built in December 1985 or January 1986 etc.

The best engines are type M44/50s, which had thicker walled blocks and forged connecting rods. Porsche seem to have moved onto the cheaper M44/51 engines quite quickly, when they were confident that the cars were proving durable.

 

[ukmastiff]

Yea Mark sorry I should have typed August not September ( thanks for the correction) but my post and question remain the same. At least I can cross yours off the list as a potential C reg 85 registered car. Rav's old one was an 86 registered car too I know that. I still should have bought it off him !.

Simon , I totally understand your point trust me and in general as opposed to Porsche am very familiar with cars and the concept of ' model years' having owned an awful lot of cars in my time .

What I'm saying is if these ' 85 model year cars ' do exist and my car isnt one then where are they and I'd like to see some proof. Everyone i know who has a C reg Turbo has an 86 'registered car', I dont even know one other than mine that was registered in 85 let alone an '85 model year' I'm quite happy to find out there is one and im not saying there isnt but I havn't yet found one. If I do I want to compare their VIN and engine numbers to mine ?

As I said I think we all know there aren't any B reg ones so they cant have let anyone register them in the UK before August 85 'thanks Mark' and would have had to have changed 'year model' between August 85 and December 85 for mine to be a later revision. They also would have had to have changed from my cars version to the next pretty quick too mine being pre ABS.

I hope you realise ! I'm not out to argue with anyone by the way just looking to research the early history of the 944 turbo in the U.K. and finding it fascinating. You have raised a good question in your reply , if mine is the later revision/engine then I suspect it is 'possible' that the '85 model year' cars as they are being referred to never actually were released in the U.K but how can I find this out. I suspect Porsche would have no interest whatsoever in helping me to.

 

[Elliot]

I may have just brought a C plate turbo that is currently SORNED

will post pictures and reg dates when i get it home

 

[ukmastiff]

'if' its an 85 and earlier than mine you have to crush it []


On a serious note i look foreward to hearing re the car

Mas

 

[944 man]

Lee, a lot of the expectation with regards to 1985 model year Turbos comes from an often repeated mistake in one of Peter Morgans books, where he talks about the models introduction in February 1985.

I believe that this was when the model was announced and certainly not when series production started. I know that there are some pre-September 1985 Turbos (LHD models were launched in July 1985), and indeed there are prototypes with early dash boards, but I believe that the RHD model wasnt even launched until October 1985, so any 1985 cars will almost certainly be prototypes (which were usually crushed, but not always - doesnt Olli know someone with a pre-prod car in Finland?).

 

[T3rra]

Have u checked what engine u have? U should be able 2 see the code down the side off the block near the back. If u can't see it Casue it's not there then u got the stronger one.

 

[ukmastiff]

This is why i need a definitive answer. Ive been told that both types of 220 engine have the same number type and in the same location. Ive not been told the early ones had no engine number that would be illegal wouldnt it, im sure in 85 visible permanent engine numbers were compulsory.

Simon what you have just typed is more what I understand if released in Oct 85 they cant really be an earler type than my car surely.

All good fun anyway ill keep hunting.

Mas

 

[PSH]

IIRC there was only 178 turbo's registered for the 85 year, my car was registered in April 86, of course date of register does not say when it was made which I believe should be some months earlier as is the case with most make of cars.

There are 3 engine types, M44/50, M44/51 and M44/52 in 85 the the M44/50 was for ROW cars, M44/51 was US only, in 86 both engines were used for ROW with M44/51 only for the US. 87 had both M44/51 and early M44/52 engines, as did 88. From 89 onwards only M44/52 engines were available. Both M44/50 and 51 engines may be fitted with forged con rods as the change over to cast happened sometime during the M44/51 engine builds. M44/52 are the inferior engines with cast internals.

Pete

 

[ukmastiff]

That seems to support my theory that i could have the 50 but i want more than a maybe us id be happy just to have the earlist one left []

 

[PSH]

ORIGINAL: ukmastiff

That seems to support my theory that i could have the 50 but i want more than a maybe us id be happy just to have the earlist one left []

Have you tried to see the number? shouldn't be too difficult with a torch and a cloth to clean the area, it's on the passenger side for the early engines next to where the block bolts to the bell housing, you should be able to see it from the top ok, I can't remember if the inlet manifold blocks your view but I don't think it does, an ender-scope may help.

Pete

 

[ukmastiff]

Does that number distinguish a 50 from a 51. The only engine no. guide ive found suggests that they are not distinguishable from the engine number ?

Mas

 

[PSH]

ORIGINAL: ukmastiff

Does that number distinguish a 50 from a 51. The only engine no. guide ive found suggests that they are not distinguishable from the engine number ?

Mas

Yes... it will have the engine type M44/50 and under that you will see the number,I'm assuming your car as an 85 will start 44F*****, the serial number should be on your V5 but not the engine type number, or at least it isn't on my V5.

Pete

 

[T3rra]

On another tread about this with your car, didn't someone say the m50 engine numbers where somewhere else? Differnt place 2 the 51/52


Is it worth keeping an eye out 4 the early con rods? Iv got 52 engine

 

[PSH]

ORIGINAL: T3rra


Is it worth keeping an eye out 4 the early con rods? Iv got 52 engine

Hi Terry

The cast rods are fine for a standard car and still ok for a modified car up to around 350bhp, more than that and you need forged internals to reduce the changes of a rod throwing.

Regards

Pete

 

[T3rra]

350bhp should be plenty 4 a few years. Still stock at the mo

 

[George Elliott]

Mas,
interesting thread, there are not many early cars for various reasons.

There were only 50 Engine Numbers issued for M44/50 series, and I always assumed ([8|]) those were used for turbo cup cars, not sure why they did a 50 off run of unique engines under a different engine number......someone like JMG may know. There was a magnesium inlet manifold and different down-pipe and maybe other unique components on some early cars.....were these produced under a special series number...?

I had a 1985 LHD turbo 20+ years ago, Zermatt with Black comfort leather, Fuchs, an early car later written off.

I have known of one other 85 car with a chassis number around the 400 mark. It was Black RHD and in England.

I understand you will see the M44/50 **** engine number on the exhaust manifold side of the block at the rear just below the head gasket level. If not you will see M44/51. (as you know I am sure)

look after it, they are rare, I was tempted when yours was on sale recently[]

George
944t

 

[ukmastiff]

I take it this is the right place , a little flat plate with a cast number above the bell housing down the back ?

it says 0046/2 or 0046/27 thats all it says.

Mas

 

[George Elliott]

nope

cant see from you pic which way to point

take another look