1980 PORSCHE 924 TURBO

This 1980 Porsche 924 Turbo is a charming retro classic, which is presented in a period-perfect colour scheme and benefits from extensive mechanical restoration by the previous owner. It is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre inline-four, which produces around 170bhp, and drives the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. The odometer displays 99,545 miles, which is believed to be correct but is not warranted.

First registered on 13 March 1980, this UK right-hand drive Series 1 model has four previous keepers on the V5C log book. It was treated to a mechanical restoration and interior re-trim by its prior keeper – a mechanical engineer – who carried out a comprehensive overhaul of the engine, gearbox, suspension, and brakes. The car is now offered for sale by its current owner, who acquired it in September 2017.

The bodywork is not believed to have ever suffered from any accident damage, and remains in good shape, with flush shut lines around the car. It is believed that most of the Mocha Black paintwork is original, though there is evidence of touch-up repairs on the bonnet and bumpers. There are some general marks, minor bubbling, and stone chips around the body – as shown in the photo gallery – as well as small patches of corrosion around the nearside front wheel arch and offside front lower sill, commensurate with the car’s age and mileage. Upon acquiring the car in 2017, the vendor (a Porsche Club GB member) had some minor dent repairs carried out by JGC Porsche in Brackley, and shortly after this had the front lower valance repaired and repainted by Stylehaus in Northampton.

The steel sunroof’s rubber seals were also replaced during the restoration work, along with the rear light clusters, though there are a few small hairline cracks visible on the rear lenses. The windscreen is also cracked in the centre of its top edge, but this is not in the driver’s line of sight. This 924 Turbo rides on a set of 16-inch Fuchs alloy wheels, which have no kerbing damage and only minor chips in their satin black centres.

In the cabin, brown leather upholstery with black piping complements the car’s exterior finish and is in superb condition with only minor signs of wear, having been previously re-trimmed. As well as having the seats recovered in leather, the previous owner also replaced the dashboard with a new crack-free item – a real rarity among this era of transaxle Porsche – as well as renewing the carpets and assorted panel trims, which are all in good shape and have a charming light patina. The gear lever gaiter has also been renewed, which is another common wear area on the 924. Completing the cabin’s retro ambience is a period-correct Grundig radio cassette player, and the seller states that all of the interior buttons, switches and electrical items work without fault.

As part of the restoration work carried out by the car’s prior mechanical engineer owner, a wide range of items were refurbished or replaced – a full list of which is shown below. This included new valve guides and stem seals, the fitting of a new head gasket and rear main seal, and replacement of the fuel pump, injectors and seals.

The turbocharger was also completely rebuilt and a new stainless steel rear exhaust section was installed. A new clutch was fitted and the flywheel was skimmed, while the braking system was renovated with new discs, pads and fluid and the brake pipes were replaced. In addition, new front shock absorbers, top mounts and ball joints were fitted and the poly bushes were fitted to the front control arms and anti-roll bar.

In addition, minor refurbishment work was carried out by specialists JGC Porsche, Brackley in September 2017 at 98,693 miles when the vendor acquired the car. This included replacement of the rear hatch pins, welding to the exhaust and carrying out some minor dent repairs, as well as replacement of the exhaust waste gate gasket and air/oil separator bracket.

This Porsche’s last MOT test was conducted on 5 August 2019 at 99,278 miles, which resulted in a pass after a section of the nearside front brake pipe and the nearside front track rod end were replaced. Advisory notices were issued for other slight damage to the nearside front brake pipe, some play in the nearside front suspension strut, and corrosion to both nearside and offside front floors and jacking points, as well as the underside of the nearside outer sill – though none of the corrosion was recorded as being within the prescribed areas of concern.

The wheels are fitted with Falken ZE310 tyres, measuring 225/50 R16 at the rear and 205/55 R16 at the front. All four were replaced in June 2019 and are described by the seller as being like new. The car is also accompanied by the original tool kit and sunroof cover.

With its classic styling, turbocharged performance and impressive practicality, the Porsche 924 Turbo is becoming an increasingly sought-after model from the marque’s extensive back catalogue. Its retro colour scheme gives this car a perfect early 1980s vibe, and thanks to extensive restoration work by its previous keeper, it is a very well-sorted example. While the bodywork and paint would benefit from some straightforward cosmetic attention to bring it up to the same standard as the engine and driveline, this 924 Turbo is a smart modern classic that would be a great addition to any collection.

Restoration work by previous owner:

ENGINE / ANCILLARIES

• New timing belt, auxiliary belt an tensioner
• Oil flush, oil and filter and air filter replaced
• New valve guides & valve stem seals
• New rear main seal, sump, sump plug and sump pan seal
• New head gasket, rocker cover gasket, exhaust and intake manifold gaskets
• Head skim, valve lap and setting of tappet gaps
• New silicone hoses and hose clips fitted
• New low temperature thermostat fitted, water pump and coolant flushed
• New fuel pump, fuel filter, accumulator and connector pipe
• Replacement injectors and seals
• Refurbished warm-up regulator, injectors and fuel distributor
• New coil, rotor arm, HT leads, spark plugs, starter motor solenoid, battery and alternator bushes
• Strip, clean, rebuild and balance turbocharger
• New internal/external turbo oil seals and internal heat shield
• New turbo blow-off valve gaskets
• New stainless steel rear exhaust and mounts

GEARBOX

• Gearbox strip down and rebuild
• New input shaft seal, output shaft seals and magnetic oil plugs
• New clutch, pressure plate, starter ring, guide sleeve, pilot bearing, release bearing, clutch fork bearings, gear linkage  clutch cylinders and pipes
• Flywheel skim

BRAKES

• New brake master cylinder
• All round brake discs, pads and fluid flush
• Flexi and copper pipes replaced where required

Steering

• Refurbished Universal Joint Shaft, new steering column bearings and track rod ends

SUSPENSION

• New front shock absorbers, top mounts, ball joints, control arm poly bushes and anti-roll bar poly bushes

INTERIOR

• Replacement dashboard with no cracks (rare!)
• Upgrade to Porsche script door cards and Porsche crest glove box lock
• Replacement rear ¼ trim panels, A-pillar trim, sun visor trim panel, sun visors
• Replacement carpet set
• Front and rear seats re-trimmed in leather

EXTERIOR

• New sunroof interior and exterior seals
• Replacement of cracked nose vent grill
• Replacement rear light clusters
• Replacement tailgate
• Replacement bonnet badge

ELECTRICS

• Replacement speedo-drive cable
• Boost gauge installed
• Bulbs and relays replaced as required
• Replacement driving light

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