Questions About a Ridiculous Project

Hello all,

I'm considering a project, which by most accounts is a waste of time. However, since I got both cars for free, I already have a "real Porsche" in the form of an 84 Carrera, I need a winter beater, I value my time investment at nothing and I'm thrifty to a fault...

Car 1: 1987 Porsche 924S, runs good, 60K miles, looks like it was hit by a freight train. Drivetrain was undamaged in the accident but the unibody is clearly beyond economical repair.

Car 2: 1977 Porsche 924. A clean, rust-free and generally good little car that smells like moth balls and is (under)powered by a lowly 90hp Audi engine.

I'm considering gutting the 1987 924S and installing the 4-wheel disc brakes, 5-lug wheels, 150hp (944) engine and 5-speed transmission in the lowly little 77 924.

Has anyone done any part of this conversion? Is it really as much of a bolt-in deal as many publications will have one believe?

Thanks for the advice! If it works out, maybe I can even enter it in the $200X Challenge!

• Brian

Yes, it has been done. The chassis are essentially the same between the two cars. The difference being in the front cross-member/steering rack and of course the dashboard and electronics.

hit up http://www.924board.org where they talk nothing but 924 and 924S and there have been quite a bit of discussions about parts swapping. They've even detailed the late model dash swap.

Now, if it were me, I'd find sell the 924S engine off and swap the rest of the drivetrain and suspension over to the 924 and simply add a turbocharger or supercharger to the little Audi mill. Quite a bit less effort and the 924 engine is fairly bullet proof (if not anemic thanks to Porsche brass castrating it to not show up the 911)

If you're not interested in that, then perhaps sell the 924 and buy a 944 with a bad motor for cheap and swap your 924S motor over and get on down the road (after you do the timing belt, and clutch of course)