1980 924 Turbo, tell me what to look for.: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Nov. 21, 2011 2:00 p.m. Jeff Dork

I'm going to be checking out a 1980 924 Turbo. I have not talked to the owner yet or seen the car. He claims the car was safetied last year and was on the road. Claims it runs and all that.

I was initially interested in the NA 1st gen 924 for fun and to eventually run in vintage events. We all know the horror stories of the 924 turbo. Whats the real poop? Can they work as a semi daily driver (have a backup car)? Do they make you want to run out and buy big collar shirts and a members only jacket? Do they make a decent historic racer?

Price will be challenge money, even if it's mint (set the tone for that already).

Thoughts?
Nov. 21, 2011 2:14 p.m. docwyte Reader

There's NO WAY I'd buy one, at any cost. Maybe if it was mint, running perfectly and the seller paid ME I'd take it...
Nov. 21, 2011 2:17 p.m. Javelin SuperDork

They're total crap! You should buy it and immediately trade up to a real Porsche, like a 944.

Consequently, I have this 944...

I like the 924 Turbo's. They're neat, have a solid competition history, and you can say that you own a "Turbo Porsche". I've never owned or worked on one though. Paging fiat22turbo!
Nov. 21, 2011 2:24 p.m. Maroon92 SuperDork

I like the 924 turbo, but there are a few NLA parts that are getting impossible to find.

If the Crank position sensor fails, you have an expensive paper weight of an engine. There is nobody reproducing them, and the part has been NLA forever.

Would I let that deter me? Not if the price was right.

If it's less than 3 grand, grab it.
Nov. 21, 2011 2:34 p.m. Otto Maddox Dork

docwyte wrote:

There's NO WAY I'd buy one, at any cost. Maybe if it was mint, running perfectly and the seller paid ME I'd take it...

Exactly. The thing to look for? A different car. A turbo 924 is no faster than an NA 944. And it is a reliability and maintenance nightmare.
Nov. 21, 2011 2:36 p.m. 93EXCivic SuperDork

If you want a 924 with a turbo, I would get a normal one and swap a Audi 5-cylinder in.
Nov. 21, 2011 2:57 p.m. pres589 Dork

Is this something a Megasquirt or similar ECU would make easier to live with, maybe with EDIS bits added?
Nov. 21, 2011 3:13 p.m. rotard Reader

I'd take one over a 944, but that's just me. I was interested in getting one for a long time. If it's cheap and runs, why not? If it is ever sidelined, you can part it out pretty easy.
Nov. 21, 2011 3:18 p.m. docwyte Reader

There's basically no market for used 924 turbo parts. You're going to have a heck of a time parting it out. With no performance advantage and only detractions compared to a later model 944, for the same price, buy the 944.
Nov. 21, 2011 3:24 p.m. Cotton Dork

I think they are kind of cool. If a good one came around for the right price I'd take a look.

As far as all the comments about this part breaking and rendering the car useless....people have been keeping obscure cars with little support alive for a long time, I can't imagine the 924 turbo is the worst of them.

Of course the support for my 944 turbo and 3.2 Carrera is great, so I'm not speaking from actual ownership experience with the 931.
Nov. 21, 2011 3:34 p.m. rotard Reader

docwyte wrote:

There's basically no market for used 924 turbo parts. You're going to have a heck of a time parting it out. With no performance advantage and only detractions compared to a later model 944, for the same price, buy the 944.

Other people (all 6 of them) with 924 turbos will want that stuff. Some people like having a complete interior and what not. There's always someone wanting an unobtanium part.
Nov. 21, 2011 5:18 p.m. turboswede SuperDork

Maroon92 wrote:

I like the 924 turbo, but there are a few NLA parts that are getting impossible to find.

If the Crank position sensor fails, you have an expensive paper weight of an engine. There is nobody reproducing them, and the part has been NLA forever.

Would I let that deter me? Not if the price was right.

If it's less than 3 grand, grab it.

There's a BMW sensor that works and the crank sensor was only used on the 1981 or later turbos. The 79-80 turbos used a standard distributor solution.

Of course with MegaSquirt, MegaJolt, etc. one could make it work.

BTW, it's essentially the same underneath as a 944, so what exactly is crap about them? The engine has its issues, certainly, but it is an early turbo motor with mechanical fuel injection, so they can break ring lands and exhaust manifolds can crack overtime, plus the CIS system hates leaks and poor maintenance.

For everything 924 Turbo (931 in Porsche nomenclature) head over to 924.org for some basic info and 924board.org for a great forum on the cars. Ideola's Garage is one of the few places that specializes in 924/924 Turbo parts and he's active on the 924 board.
Nov. 21, 2011 5:26 p.m. turboswede SuperDork

Oh and my buddy daily drives his 924 Turbo. He even took it to the Porsche Reunion at Laguna Seca:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-924-944-968-technical-forum/630600-my-car-s...

he drove it from Portland, Oregon to the track, camped for the weekend, did the parade laps and drove back. This was the second trip to that track for him within a month as they were down there for the ALMS race.

Also, we gathered a few of the local 924's together for the Portland Historic Races:

http://www.924board.org/viewtopic.php?t=34422&postdays=0&postorder=asc&...
Nov. 21, 2011 5:29 p.m. turboswede SuperDork

rotard wrote:

docwyte wrote:

There's basically no market for used 924 turbo parts. You're going to have a heck of a time parting it out. With no performance advantage and only detractions compared to a later model 944, for the same price, buy the 944.

Other people (all 6 of them) with 924 turbos will want that stuff. Some people like having a complete interior and what not. There's always someone wanting an unobtanium part.

Sigh, they are mostly standard 924 on the inside and out with 944 drivetrain (same clutch, transaxle, etc. On the S2 turbo). The exception being the vented nose and hood.

If you find one with the Pascha Interior, that is in good shape, they are worth saving!
Nov. 21, 2011 6:17 p.m. Jeff Dork

I just talked to the guy on the phone. Seems like a nice guy, a mechanic. He's owned for 2-3 years, bought off a mechanic friend. He replaced the turbo shortly after he got it. The clutch master slave is leaking. That limits how much it can be driven. He also says there is an issue with the lights and the headlight motor. I have not seen the photo's yet. If I can get it for around a grand, would it be worth it? How hard to fix the clutch master cylinder?
Nov. 21, 2011 8:59 p.m. turboswede SuperDork

Same as a 944's. Hit up Clark's Garage, but I imagine it won't be all the fun since the brake master has to come out.

Headlights are likely an issue with the relay or the ground bloom behind the fuse panel.

So, yes!
Nov. 22, 2011 6:40 a.m. Maroon92 SuperDork

Jeff wrote:

I just talked to the guy on the phone. Seems like a nice guy, a mechanic. He's owned for 2-3 years, bought off a mechanic friend. He replaced the turbo shortly after he got it. The clutch master slave is leaking. That limits how much it can be driven. He also says there is an issue with the lights and the headlight motor. I have not seen the photo's yet. If I can get it for around a grand, would it be worth it? How hard to fix the clutch master cylinder?

A grand or less, I would jump on it. They are fun little cars, and for that price, if it poops the bed in a year, you could easily part it out and get your money back.
Nov. 22, 2011 12:39 p.m. turboswede SuperDork

I forgot to mention, the motors are interference on the turbo. So, the timing belt breaks, and you get to buy new valves, etc. Timing belt is super easy to change and it allows you to check/repair the air hoses that run behind the belt that can cause drivability issues.