924Board.org

[Khal]

Check out these while you're looking...

GOD or DOG? Porsche 924

924... The $10,000 Porsche

Practical Classics (you'll have to buy it, the article's not on the 'board)

Selected quotes on the 924 from the Porsche website...

Derek Bell's 924 Carrera GT (link to PDF near the end of the thread)
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'80 924 Turbo

[CBass]

A 924 can be a very reliable car, as long as you find a well maintained example. There are lots of them out there, just find one that's not leaking any oil, has had recent brakes, clutch(big job), etc...

Get an '80-82, best option to look for is M471, which are the 5 bolt brakes/wheels. If you can't find a good car with these brakes fitted, you can get them used from a 924 Turbo or an 83-85 944. Takes an afternoon to do the swap.

As for handling vs a 944 or 968, pretty much any 944 or 968 suspension components, with very few exceptions, can be, and alreadly has been installed in a 924 body as an upgrade. You can swap over the alloy trailing arms, 944 brakes, any spring or strut combination, with some modifications... At the end of the day, the 924 is lighter, and any flares that fit on a 944 will fit on a 924.

As for straightline speed, we have more than one member here who has swapped a smallblock chevrolet engine into a 924, and you are dreaming if you think Porsche engineering is so much better than the vast domestic aftermarket that they can extract more power out of a < 3.5 liter 4 cylinder than you can get out of a 7.5 liter smalblock V8.

Now, engine swaps are by no means an easy undertaking, but they're not impossible. I wouldn't recommend to anyone getting their first car to think about getting a 924 and swapping in an engine, as that's a PROJECT, and not a DAILY DRIVER, believe me, I know.

That being said, it's not difficult to fabricate the things you need to do that, if you have the skill set and the tools at your disposal.

The 944 stock for stock, is a better performing car than the 924. It's also more expensive to purchase and maintain, and more difficult to work on. If you want to get into modifications, the 924 has a major advantage over the 944 in a lighter curb weight. My 924 tips the scales at 2350lbs wet, and I have VERY little money into weight savings. With $1000, I could get that to under 2200lbs.

At the end of the day, my 924 is cheap to run, and loads of fun. I don't mind that a 944 has slightly better grip, or better low end torque than my modified 2.0 liter. I don't have a 924 to win bragging rights or bench race, I have it because it's a load of fun, cheap to run as a VW if you know where to get your parts....

Cheap, fun, awesome handling, great potential for chassis modification, members here have proven it's possible to extract double the stock output from a 924 turbo with the right modifications... The performance is there if you're savvy and have the money.
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'81 931 in various states of assembly

[SoCalLove]

Okay, thanks. One final question, I know that 924's cannot be made ridiculously fast but could they be made fast enough to keep up with a Honda Accord or Prelude?

Also, you recommended me the M471. Is this a 924? I tried doing a little research and it seemed like it was a 911. Why would you choose this car over the 924/944?

Thank you.

[Chrenan]

Depends where the comparison takes place. On a track I think the answer is yes, given the very capable handling of a 924 with well tuned suspension. Stop light to stop light, I'm not sure, the 924 (or any transaxle car for that matter) does not make a good drag car.

Let's put it this way, on some very empty rural highways where I live, I have cruised comfortably in my 924 at 100 to 110 mph. I'm not sure I would be comfortable doing that in many cars. The 924 chassis seems very comfortable with high speeds, which may not be the case with a Honda Accord or Prelude.
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1987 951 - M193 Version for Japan

[SoCalLove]

Okay, thanks. I meant mostly for just stop light to stop light. The highest we would probably ever reach consistently is 70-80 MPH.

[Lizard]

stoplight to stoplight, against those cars is impractical, however you do have an advantace with torque against those cars, so if you MUST drag them take off the line quick get upto the posted speed limit (30mph?) and stay there, you will get the jump on them and get ahead and it will make them think you just dont consider them much of a challange

the M471 is an option on the 924 line. basically it means that the car has disc brakes at all 4 corners, which is a VAST braking improvement.
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3 928s,

[CBass]

the 924 disc/drum brakes provide plenty of stopping power, but the 4 wheel disc (M471) is good for ease of maintenance, you don't have to adjust teh rear brakes, as you have to with drums.

You can make a 924 as fast as you'd like, depending on your resources. It's not hard to convert the car to electronic fuel injection. A few modifications to the cylinder head, such as a little porting work, a better breathing camshaft, and then better flowing exhaust will net a noticeable power gain. If you throw in a nitrous kit on top of that, you'll be able to smoke an accord or prelude at a light, unless it has been tuned well.

You can buy aftermarket exhaust from a few places, the EFI can be put together for around $500 USD, although it is somewhat of an undertaking to do the conversion, requires a bit of knowledge... The headwork is best left to a professional, unless you are willing to garner a certain level of understanding of fluid dynamics, and concepts such as flow vs port velocity, etc...

Think about keeping it reliable, and getting the chassis tuned the way it was meant to be. Once you can control the car like your arms and legs, and trust me, you will be able to, then you can start adding more power.
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'81 931 in various states of assembly

[SoCalLove]

Thanks so much guys. What do you think it would run in the 1/4 mile if I just stick on the usual exhuast, intake, etc? Also, how much horsepower does the M471 have? Is it the same as the standard 924 (95 HP or something, right?)?

CBass, do you think that a 924 would make a good car/daily driver? The only big thing that I'm worried about right now is that insurance may kill me although I'm not sure yet, I still need to get quotes. They just might think young kid, first car, porshce...

Thanks so much guys!

[ozarknight]

My choice was an 88 924S. I found one that had been extremely well maintained. The previous owner had done a few mods and was more meticulous than I'll ever be. He didn't think the LED in the lighted key head was bright enough so he replaced it with a very bright blue LED. It's cool but,....

So far the car has been a great daily driver. Two months and 2000 miles later all I've had to do was replace an alternator. Insurance to add the car to my existing policy was $120/6 months. I thought it would be more, but like Peter said I avoided that nasty T word (turbo).

In a previous life I had a 79 924, the 924S is a whole different world. I love it.

Good luck,
Doug
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'88 924S Slate Gray Metallic

[Lizard]

quarter mile times, as we have said not a stop light racer, 18 sec plus
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3 928s,

[SoCalLove]

Oh dear. Didn't think it'd be that bad. Oh well, I guess I'll have to live with it. Anyways, can anyone answer the HP question for the M471?

Thank you.

[tj924]

[Khal]

[SoCalLove]

Wait so it's an aftermarket upgrade? Anyways, I didn't know if he was talking about the Turbo or non-Turbo so I didn't know how much HP it would have...

[Khal]