Tell me about 924 Turbos

[wayner]

Originally Posted by motion

Run! No, Do It! No! Don't Do It! Do It!!!!

Channelling my inner crazy...

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by wayner

If I like big and wide, why is small and skinny getting my attention (cars I mean)
This traditionally has been more my style

The you should look at a 924S, the skinny 924 body with the real Porsche 2.5 SOHV.

[CJFusco]

If you like narrow and lithe, get yourself a 924S: they are light enough, handle and brake really well, and have a fairly durable Porsche powerplant. If you want a (relatively) inexpensive Porsche Turbo, get a 951 and just prepare yourself to have to work on it from time to time.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

I drove a 931 once and would describe it as a 944 NA with turbo lag.
Unless you have a concours/collectors fetish-

Just buy a 951. They are absolute hell to work on, have no soul, but they are da#$ fast!!!!!***

***with some simple modifications that don't really hand grenade the engine.

My 951 drove (well- once I pulled it apart and replaced everything) pretty much maintenance free for 8 years until it burst into flames and burnt to a crisp- so yeah- check the fuel lines.

(warning- with a 951- you will yearn for even MORE power and wish to install aftermarket kits and such)

[wayner]

Well, I've been thinking some more, and trying to figure out what I was thinking when I took interest in this car.

I've always known that there are better Porsches and I'll bet even better 4 cylinder cars from other brands. Back when the 924 Turbo was new I had a narrow 240z. I could always go back and get one of those if I just wanted a better car.

No, its not so much which 4 cylinder front engine Porsche car to get but rather, should a 924 Turbo be saved.

I think we all agree on the answer for this car that needs too much. At best I should buy it and store it if I felt the market would reward that, otherwise let someone else get it and part it. It probably makes no sense for me to buy it and put any work into it.

I've only seen the pictures so far but I'll bet if I see it in person I'll just feel like throwing a sheet over it and saying a few words...

What a shame

[porsche4life]

That rust be ugly!

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by LEAKYSEALS951

My 951 drove (well- once I pulled it apart and replaced everything) pretty much maintenance free for 8 years until it burst into flames and burnt to a crisp- so yeah- check the fuel lines.

Haha that's what happened to mine!
I miss my 951 daily.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Sounds all too familiar.

Damn ethanol crap.

[VincentVega]

Originally Posted by wayner

I've only seen the pictures so far but I'll bet if I see it in person I'll just feel like throwing a sheet over it and saying a few words...

What a shame

Some one will be paid to haul that away

[Scuba Steve]

Yup that's a parts car.

I miss my 924S all the time, it was my daily driver for a few years and was neglected pretty badly before I picked it up for $500. Most people think they're the same as the 924 made 10 years earlier, even at 944 meets. They're fun and as reliable as you want to make it - a mix of early and late 944 parts and the only thing they have in common with a 924 are the fenders. From what I remember parts were

early 944:
Interior but gauges have white numbering (MUCH better), cable driven speedometer
Front suspension
Fender mounted radio antenna, mine was non-powered
Metal gas tank with all the wonderful vent hose/cracks around the sending unit issues

Late 944:
Engine electronics and DME
Timing/balance shaft belt setup
Rear suspension
Clutch and brake pedal pads

[beepbeep]

It is basically a rather pedestrian and complicated car, built from parts Porsche had lying around at the time. Unfortunately, those parts are getting quite expensive/hard to get by, to the point that it is not worth restoring such a car.

Example:

Wastegate is exactly the same as 930 one. Need to replace it? Roughly 2000$ for OEM stuff.
Gearbox grinds? It's a 915 repacked into transaxle and will costs at least as much as rebuilding 915 tranny.

Engine is a CIS job from a VW LT31 van with turbo tacked on...on the other side of fricking engine!

Once you have spent 10000$ restoring it you have a nice 5000$ car. Approximately as quick as 944 N/A but with lots of lag and more stuff that will fail.

[wayner]

I'm convinced.

Idea scrapped.

Having said that, comparing it to better cars is not the point.
If I did that with my 911 I would never have bought it. I think for any old car there is always a better performing newer one.

There are always newer and better model 911s than my 1973 car, but before the market heated up, I'm glad that I didn't listen to the people telling me to get a newer one. Same for the 924 Turbo. Much better performing newer cars. Could a 924 Turbo stand on its own as an interesting piece of Porsche history?
The market will decide, but for me the price of entry is too high a price to pay (and it sounds like a big part of that 924 price is not just financial)


Thanks everyone.

[DanielDudley]

Originally Posted by wayner

I'm convinced.

Idea scrapped.

Having said that, comparing it to better cars is not the point.
If I did that with my 911 I would never have bought it. I think for any old car there is always a better performing newer one.

There are always newer and better model 911s than my 1973 car, but before the market heated up, I'm glad that I didn't listen to the people telling me to get a newer one. Same for the 924 Turbo. Much better performing newer cars. Could a 924 Turbo stand on its own as an interesting piece of Porsche history?
The market will decide, but for me the price of entry is too high a price to pay (and it sounds like a big part of that 924 price is not just financial)


Thanks everyone.

928S, pre 85 or Euro. Not that a 32 valve 928 isn't nice...

[Arizona_928]

Unless you work on a 32 valve 928. The early 16 valve are way more diy friendly.

[wayner]

To my disturbed way of thinking, my 73 911 checks all the boxes for reliability and ease of maintenance.

The front engined cars all seem to be so much more complex, and even the later air cooled 911s.

Of the 928 era, I always felt that they had biodegradable wiring harnesses, and LOTS of wires.
Of the 924 first generation era, I always felt that they were poorly built or at least with poor quality components.

I could be wrong on both counts but that has been what has kept me away.

The 924 Turbo had some appeal not because it was a faster 924, but because it was a more interesting one from a historical perspective, otherwise I would never have considered a 924 based on my bias.

I trust a 944 a bit more but there are still lots of them and no rush to find the last one.

So, for now I'll stick with my 911 and my 914 and keep my options open with my new education on 924s

[wayner]

Poll says 24 interesting car, 14 run away


Poor old thing

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by wayner

The front engined cars all seem to be so much more complex, and even the later air cooled 911s.

Of the 928 era, I always felt that they had biodegradable wiring harnesses, and LOTS of wires.

My 91 928 has a LOT of wiring, a lot more than a 911. It's 94-95 E320s that have biodegradable harnesses, just replaced one, easy though annoying job that you have to do it at all.

But rebuilding the engine in a 928 is substantially easier than building a 911 engine.

So far I've found my 928 to be a joy to work on. It's an extremely well-engineered car and only got better with time. Once sorted, because like 944s, so many people owned them that couldn't afford to maintain them, they are very reliable cars. And they are appreciating.

[petrolhead611]

That old chestnut again about the 924 engine being a van motor.The bottom end was an Audi engine, designed by Mercedes when they owned Audi. The head was a Porsche design. And it was strong enough to survive the 24 hours of Le Mans whilst pumping out 375 bhp.

[wayner]

I don't think the head on this one is very good...

[ckelly78z]

I have never been a fan of the normal 924, just too skinny, with a poor powerplant. I really like the widened 944 and the better "Porsche" engine. Not sure if the 924 turbo, or was it just the 924S that had the 2.5 L Porsche motor, but a turbo version of that in a lightweight car would be fun.....still don't care for the styling.