944 track car with a 2L engine max??

Hi all,

The following thought is a bizarre one, even for me. My 9 months of the year daily driver is a 84 944 with a 450hp LS6, built by me with TPS components and this site. It's well sorted out, and a monster. And I LOVE IT!

But the next one is not for me, its for my kid. He is 14 years old now, and has 7 years karting experience, both in Canada (5 championships) and the last 3 years in Italy (0 championships, them Italians are good!!LOL). Here in Canada he can do lapping days, DE and GT4 races at our local track at 15 years old, with a sigh off. He is well know by the ARMS folks so a sign off shouldn't be a problem. The only problem that prevents him using a stock race prepared 944 is a maximum 2.0l NA displacement rule. I have several 944 that can be build into a track car for him, one being a 89 S2, another being a 86NA. What I'm thinking is stripping /caging one of the cars, and do a swap to a 2 l engine. I need advice on what engine to use. My first thought was the S2 body with a 2l 924 Audi engine. It sure would be unique, but I don't have a 924 engine. So, if I need to buy one, it makes sense to buy a better engine and "make it fit". What do you all think?? Whats the best <2L engine out there, that would work well here??

As always...THANKS

If you have to make something fit, what about a Honda f20c or k20? I know that would make some people cringe...

The Honda F20c would be funny, 100hp MORE than the Porsche 2.5l, and complies with the 2.0l rule. My son likes the idea!

Does it have to be normally aspirated? What about the VW 1.8T? It's becoming a hot swap for the 924/944 as of late:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

1.8T would be cool, but it must be NA.

2l max displacement is kind of a stupid rule. i know they want to keep the cars slow for newbies, but when you can add 100hp with something like an f20c and that makes the car legal it doesnt make much sense. should be more like a max factory rated horsepower rule. id maybe present them with this thought and ask them if you can just run a restrictor plate on the 2.5l.

really the whole thing is how much your willing to spend and how much time you want to put into it. the only "simple" swap would be the 924 engine, everything else is going to require a lot of custom fab work and adapters. since the 1.8t vw engine is becoming more of a thing maybe a there are some parts available to do it, in which case maybe a vw 2.0l wouldnt be terrible. aside from that,

honda f20c is likely the most potent in factory form, but likely would be the most expensive. that engine is also very tall. i myself like the ecotec 4 cylinder, however the 2.0l engines are all boosted, the n/a is a 2.2 or 2.4. could always run a 2.0l n/a but it would only be 140hp or so. lots of aftermarket, could build a potent motor but it kinda defeats the purpose.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


If he's allowed I'd go with the f20c. 3g's for 250hp on a 2l motor is very good.

I hate to be "that guy" that doesn't have a useful recommendation for specifically what you want but...

Have you considered a Spec Miata for him? Lots of them out there, meets your displacement criteria, great learning platform, lots of opportunity in SM racing later, and a wide audience to sell to when you're done. Buy one already built, run it for a few years, sell it on with ~0 depreciation... A heck of a lot less work than building a unicorn with limited resale appeal.

Just a thought.

majormojo wrote:I hate to be "that guy" that doesn't have a useful recommendation for specifically what you want but...

Have you considered a Spec Miata for him? Lots of them out there, meets your displacement criteria, great learning platform, lots of opportunity in SM racing later, and a wide audience to sell to when you're done. Buy one already built, run it for a few years, sell it on with ~0 depreciation... A heck of a lot less work than building a unicorn with limited resale appeal.

Just a thought.

that really is a better idea

With 7 years experience racing / karting. I highly doubt his son wants a miata. Lol if we all took the easy way out then we wouldn't have swapped cars at all. Surely you guys remember building something with your dad and how much you learnt from it.

Well said Spence! Logic says the Miata. Logic rarely wins when it comes to cars. I've got a yard full of 944's, what a fun winter project.

spence wrote:With 7 years experience racing / karting. I highly doubt his son wants a miata. Lol if we all took the easy way out then we wouldn't have swapped cars at all. Surely you guys remember building something with your dad and how much you learnt from it.

my thoughts are is his son will only be required to stay with an engine 2l or smaller till he has a drivers licence, so in a couple years he will outgrow the current power and maybe at that point a v8 swapped 944 will be more appropriate. as was pointed out with the spec miata is the car wont lose value, and that class is good for honing in on driving skills. and while he is racing that they can be building a car for him to move into.

or build something with a 2.0l and boost it in the future.

Miatas suck. If he wanted a miata he wouldnt have asked what was the best 2.0l motor to put in a 944. As much as people hate hondas, nothing 2.0l 4cyl n/a will touch that little f20c.

I bet a 944 with a f20c would be very fun... don't think he'd get tired of it. If they wanted to turbo the f20c, they could easily get 400+ whp...

Anyways, it their project... I'm done! Goodluck Murray