Upon first glance, this looks like little more than a Porsche 924 that needs a bit of work.
Look a little closer and you’ll notice that it’s a right-hand-drive model currently living stateside–at a Copart in Houston, Texas, to be exact.
We’re not sure where exactly this 924 originally hails from or how it ended up in Texas, but it’s an intriguing …
Great timing with my recent 1980 924 purchase.
That is an interesting car. Right hand drive, those beautiful ROW bumpers with integrated high beams, I want it just for those. That dashboard is also odd - all early 924 2.0 cars had a 3 speaker stereo with one speaker in the middle of the dash. That car has the later 944 door speakers and doesn't even have the dash cutout. Even the later 924S cars still had the cutout even though they had the 944 audio system. Maybe an RHD thing, or since it isn't cracked, maybe a dash cap thing.
The airbox is odd compared to my 1980 - mine has a very short trumpet on it. Being a European car that is a 125hp car, I wonder if that had anything to do with it. Euro was also 9.3:1 compression vs. my late US engine at 9.0:1.
In reply to gearheadE30 :
Very interesting. Thank you for the insight–now I'm even more interested.
Colin Wood said:In reply to gearheadE30 :
Very interesting. Thank you for the insight–now I'm even more interested.
we anxiously await your build thread
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:Colin Wood said:In reply to gearheadE30 :
Very interesting. Thank you for the insight–now I'm even more interested.
we anxiously await your build thread
I know, right!?! 
gearheadE30 said:Great timing with my recent 1980 924 purchase.
That is an interesting car. Right hand drive, those beautiful ROW bumpers with integrated high beams, I want it just for those. That dashboard is also odd - all early 924 2.0 cars had a 3 speaker stereo with one speaker in the middle of the dash. That car has the later 944 door speakers and doesn't even have the dash cutout. Even the later 924S cars still had the cutout even though they had the 944 audio system. Maybe an RHD thing, or since it isn't cracked, maybe a dash cap thing.
The airbox is odd compared to my 1980 - mine has a very short trumpet on it. Being a European car that is a 125hp car, I wonder if that had anything to do with it. Euro was also 9.3:1 compression vs. my late US engine at 9.0:1.
Looks like he has a dash overlay on it, I can see the seams just like the one I have (though mine does have the speaker cutout).
As to the rest of the car - I'd love to have the bumpers for sure.....hard pass on RHD though, when LHD is simply better for driving on US roads (especially country roads you actually want to pass on, with your 100-hp sportscar lol). I don't get the fascination of Americans with RHD, except on cars that only came that way and so are rare/cool regardless (e.g. JDM stuff).
I assume this is a UK market car, wonder if the VIN would confirm.
RHD appeals to me if for no other reason than having a subversive, contrary personality. Then I think about driving it on the track and missing shifts because of the lack of muscle memory and... nope.
And now I want a clean 944 to K-Swap...
These cars are very much designed to be LHD. The slant 4 engine leans to the RH side to make room for the steering & brakes. The engine recess into the firewall is offset to the RH side. The exhaust system exits the engine down low on the RH side. It all adds up to a crowded mess when converted to RHD. Note how the PB booster is still on the LH side. Can't imagine how the steering shaft passes thru the exhaust header on the RHD car.
No thanks. An old 924 is sad enough, this would be tragic to have to work on.
At the same location, there is also a 2010 Panamera Turbo.
I'm assuming the engine length is roughly the same.
I don't think I need to fill in the blanks here.
In reply to BenLikesCars :
I hate to not be an enabler, but the engine bay in these cars is tiny. Tighter than my E30s, with a very low hoodline. I had to trim the hood structure to clear the LS in the 944, and the subframe is lowered nearly an inch from stock to allow the engine, with a fabricated shallow pan, to sandwich between them.
At least that car is new enough to have the 016 transmission which I believe is the same as the NA 944, but in general a 944 is better to start with for swap shenanigans. 2.0 NA 924 uses a smaller torque tube shaft (I think 20mm instead of 25mm) and a different bellhousing bolt pattern for the EA831 engine than the later 944s and the 924S used. The pattern is common with other old Audi engines of the time, so things like an AAN swap tend to be the most viable.
All that said, I would love it if someone tried it. That would be a monster.
In reply to FJ40Jim :
As someone who has a real problem anthropomorphizing cars, the level to which early 924s are unloved means I feel that much more responsible for saving them. I'm already far too attached to the one I have.
Here's pictures of how they did the brake linkage. Simple and effective, but you're right, RHD would be a hassle: https://www.924board.org/viewtopic.php?t=27383&start=0
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