The Porsche 924S Is Cheaper No Frills Version Of The 944

"DailyTurismo" (thedailyturismo) 03/10/2016 at 12:17 • Filed to: Daily Turismo, Blog, Porsche, 924, 924S

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Someday in the future the Porsche 924 will be a collectible. It might not happen this week, or even in the next decade, but at some point in time even the Audi-powered 924 will be worth something to somebody.

In the meantime, you can enjoy picking up low mile nice-looking examples for dirt cheap, like this !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! offered for $6,000 in Sacramento, CA via craiglist.

The !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! was released in 1976 as the first Porsche with a water-cooled front-mounted engine — and it was a good car. Yes, the early cars were slow and powered by a 2.0 liter VW/Audi/NSU sourced 4-cylinder engine, but starting in 1986 Porsche equipped the 924 with the 2.5 liter engine from the 944 and added an S to the name.

The 2.5 liter Porsche engine is see here is basically half of the Porsche 928 5.0 liter V8 or a detuned version of the 944 engine. Power is rated at 150 horsepower in the 924, but it was quicker to 60mph than the 944 because it was a lighter car. Power goes to a 5-speed transaxle mounted at back that gives the little 924 an excellent front-rear weight distribution.

I once wrote that the nicest 924S was sort of like the curliest hair on a moose’s ass or the tallest midget at a circus convention — but I take it back.. These are sweet cars and should be worth considerably more than a Porsche 912 when the fiz dies down from the shaken coke bottle that is the classic Porsche market...but if salvage titles don’t scare you, this could be a winner.

See a cheaper way to cruise around in a Porsche? !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Originally posted as !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! on !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > DailyTurismo 03/10/2016 at 12:26

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Insane alternate plan: For nearly as cheap, obtain normal 924 and VW turbodiesel, and engage in blasphemy. Tasty, tasty blasphemy.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > DailyTurismo 03/10/2016 at 12:26

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Dat front bumper... OMNOMNOM

-this space for rent- > DailyTurismo 03/10/2016 at 12:27

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$6k for salvage 924 is crackpipe city.

http://dayton.craigslist.org/cto/5467927263…

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > DailyTurismo 03/10/2016 at 12:34

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My father in law pick up a free 924 a few months ago. It had been sitting for 7 years, we tried to get it started last night but the fuel pump wouldn’t chooch.

AuthiCooper1300 > DailyTurismo 03/10/2016 at 12:46

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In a way, between a 924S and a 944 the 924S is the better car. For starters the 924S is the car the 924 should have been from the beginning.

If I remember correctly, having a slimmer cross-section also means that a 924S is slightly faster (max speed) than an early 944.

I’d love to find a nice-ish 924 Turbo some day, but a 924S may suffice. Four-cylinder transaxle Porsches* are not exactly very collectible right now, but if that ever happens, a 924S is going to be very special indeed.

(*) yes, I know about 924 Carrera GTs, GTSs, GTRs and 968 Clubsports and Turbo Ss and RSs, but those are all rather exotic (i.e. already collectible).

AuthiCooper1300 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 03/10/2016 at 12:54

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I like it. A lot. But you would probably have to find a transaxle from a 944 Turbo, better to withstand the torque. Also - would the driveshaft be able to cope...?

I have toyed with the idea of fitting a whole Alfa 75 TD motor and drivetrain (Alfa 75 = Alfa Milano) to an Alfetta GTV chassis. With a replica Turbodelta Gr4 bonnet to match, because cooling needs.

DailyTurismo > -this space for rent- 03/10/2016 at 12:55

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I see your point...but I also see midwest rust, more miles, less stock stuff, and the Audi/VW 4-banger for that car in Dayton.

DailyTurismo > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 03/10/2016 at 12:56

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I’d only agree it if you could find an aircooled diesel from a Tatra truck.

DailyTurismo > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 03/10/2016 at 12:58

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Those non-chooching fuel pumps are the worst.

DailyTurismo > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 03/10/2016 at 12:58

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It reminds me of Jordie LaForge.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > AuthiCooper1300 03/10/2016 at 13:00

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I figure junkyard parts would risk playing heavily into any such plan for exactly that reason. It might involve using one of the smaller VW TDIs, or one might have to use the whole 944 turbo driveline or cobble something up from the stock parts, a more modern Audi box, and something more like the shaft unit for a Corvette. The “easy” thing would be to use a whole Corvette setup and engine, but screw that - we want some art involved and keeping things ZE GERMAN.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > DailyTurismo 03/10/2016 at 13:03

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Nah, bro. This needs to be artistic and as close to a stock arrangement as possible. In other words, producing a refined diesel compact sports car. Something that drives well, gets good mileage, and will run every day, while making anybody opening the hood suffer cranial extroversion.

Master Cylinder > DailyTurismo 03/10/2016 at 13:07

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Maybe the market is just inflated in CA, but that is CP here. $6000 can get you a pretty well-sorted late 944, and can even still get you a rough-but-driveable Turbo if you look around.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the 924S and I agree with all the nice things you said about it, but it would have to be pretty cherry to be worth $6K in today’s market, IMO.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > DailyTurismo 03/10/2016 at 13:08

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Indeed. It is getting voltage tho, so we’re going to slap on a pump this weekend and hopefully get it running. We have yet to test the brakes but there was so fluid in the reservoir so that’s not a good sign.

AuthiCooper1300 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 03/10/2016 at 13:11

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Yes, that’s the spirit. The challenge is in using as many VAG/Porsche parts as poss. so as to make it appear almost stock, for even bigger comedic value.

AuthiCooper1300 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 03/10/2016 at 13:15

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Renault marketed a Renault Fuego Turbodiesel, back in the day. No, not kidding. Man, they were brave. (Of the two big French car manufacturers, Renault used to be the leftie, pinko, unorthodox type. For staid solid conservative values you had Peugeot. Those differences extended even to the political leanings of the workforce.)

Now that I think about it the Fuego was very much inspired on the 924, and not at all a bad car, considering. But FWD, of course.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > AuthiCooper1300 03/10/2016 at 13:20

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Yep. The objective is to put it together like LEGO. Evil LEGO. The minute you start having to use something way out of brand for the “ha ha stock but not really I mean what the fuck” kind of project, or something custom-made, you’ve admitted defeat.

What you want is something that resembles a one-off-because-cocaine 80s special updated just slightly for modern function - kind of like a special Foxbody GT with an AussieFord turbo six, but sillier.

AuthiCooper1300 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 03/10/2016 at 13:31

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Those projects are the best. I suppose you have heard about this car:

Fiat 131 Diesel by Abarth (live axle rear suspension, not IRS). Three built for the 1977 London-Sydney Rally. The engine must have been the prototype version of the 2.5 SOFIM powerplant later fitted to so many Euro-market Fiat 131s and 132s. Notice one of the drivers for the team was Giancarlo Baghetti.

I admit my idea of a TD Alfetta GTV was partly inspired by this very same car.

I mean, surely it wouldn’t be that difficult to do.

A Mk1/2 Escort with a (European) 1.8 TDCI engine from the noughties could have a nice turn of speed. I wonder how the weight up front would compare with a Pinto engine (but that is too heavy already for proper balance).

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > AuthiCooper1300 03/10/2016 at 14:10

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I have not heard about that car. Very similar to what I proposed doing in broad strokes... if the 924 were fitted for rally. Actually, come to think of it, I can’t see why the 924 diesel shouldn’t have some light rally mods. No flares, because they ruin the lines, but some flaps certainly - an inch or so up on the suspension, tire size increase, improved bumpers, rally lights...

AuthiCooper1300 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 03/10/2016 at 14:30

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Jürgen Barth used to rally a 924 with Roland Kussmaul. For fun, on weekends. Of course it was seriously underpowered. Barth and Kussmaul, having the huge resources of Porsche-Weissach and its impressive parts bin, set about turbocharging the car. You know, why not.

And that’s how the 924 Turbo was born. I have it on good authority.

This is Barth/Kussmaul during the 1979 Monte. If I remember correctly the car was already a 924 Turbo, but there had been some last-minute problems with the homologation so they ran the normal, aspirated engine. Notice the 5-stud hubs though, and the Fuchs wheels. It seems the service barges were... 928s and 930s. Driven by “friends and family” from the factory, of course.

Below, same car on the 1979 Safari Rally:

(Of course you could go the whole hog and give it the appearance of Röhrl’s “Warsteiner” rally Carrera GTS... but that would be a bit on the obvious side. The Datacom one is a more subtle proposition.)

A showroom-looking, diesel-guzzling 924/924S/924 Turbo would be fantastic. With 70s style amateur rallying apparel/props... well, you said it yourself.

Do find out about the 131 Diesel by Abarth. I still think it would be hilarious to build a replica. By the way, I mentioned it not as a template for the TD 924, but as an example of apparent silliness... which makes it even more attractive, of course.

Another fine car to replicate would be Peugeot’s first Group B. It is certainly not what one might think.