Porsche 924 - My First Car 10 months on
Discussion
Thanks for the consolation GC8! 
If I could pick your brains for a moment, how much of a hassle is it to change the gearbox mounts? I see the actual parts are not very expensive and I think they're the source of my slight kangarooing effect!
Civic44 - That's true, it's a fun car to drive hard and I don't worry about breaking it. Spacers could work well, but since putting in the stiffer Koni shocks, it could do with more rubber for even more grip. I've seen a set of OZ Vega split rims from a TVR Griffith for a good price, they're staggered and I wonder how they would look on a 924. The fronts are 15x7 and the rears 16x7.5 I already have a bit of a nose down stance, so it could look good, and fill those rear arches.
I'm picking up a new door on Saturday, so I'll swap that over and have a functioning window again. Someone else in Cardiff has bought a 924 recently and is going down the light restoration/modified route too, which is great. I'll sort out my headlining this week I think. Herringbone tweed isn't too expensive by the metre and perhaps more forgiving than the thin vinyl stuff. Here's an old photo I have that shows what I'm talking about:
Imagine tweed that matches the seats around the sunroof aperture. Nice touch or too much?
Anyway, the 5 stud conversion is another thing I'd like to do, rather than spend £1000 extra insuring the Turbo, let alone putting it through an MOT in April and other running costs, if I was to spend that on my car it could be something quite special. Likewise, since modifications seem to be a blanket £50 each, a hot cam and 5 stud conversion would transform the car and cost little extra to insure.
I love the mittelmotor 924, it's got plenty of tweaks but the cookie cutters and rolled arches caught my eye:
Some black centred cookie cutters with a polished lip would look fantastic I think!
If I could pick your brains for a moment, how much of a hassle is it to change the gearbox mounts? I see the actual parts are not very expensive and I think they're the source of my slight kangarooing effect!
Civic44 - That's true, it's a fun car to drive hard and I don't worry about breaking it. Spacers could work well, but since putting in the stiffer Koni shocks, it could do with more rubber for even more grip. I've seen a set of OZ Vega split rims from a TVR Griffith for a good price, they're staggered and I wonder how they would look on a 924. The fronts are 15x7 and the rears 16x7.5 I already have a bit of a nose down stance, so it could look good, and fill those rear arches.
I'm picking up a new door on Saturday, so I'll swap that over and have a functioning window again. Someone else in Cardiff has bought a 924 recently and is going down the light restoration/modified route too, which is great. I'll sort out my headlining this week I think. Herringbone tweed isn't too expensive by the metre and perhaps more forgiving than the thin vinyl stuff. Here's an old photo I have that shows what I'm talking about:
Imagine tweed that matches the seats around the sunroof aperture. Nice touch or too much?
Anyway, the 5 stud conversion is another thing I'd like to do, rather than spend £1000 extra insuring the Turbo, let alone putting it through an MOT in April and other running costs, if I was to spend that on my car it could be something quite special. Likewise, since modifications seem to be a blanket £50 each, a hot cam and 5 stud conversion would transform the car and cost little extra to insure.
I love the mittelmotor 924, it's got plenty of tweaks but the cookie cutters and rolled arches caught my eye:
Some black centred cookie cutters with a polished lip would look fantastic I think!
Cedric - Sweden was fantastic and I'm sure I'll be back in the summer. Driving the 931 the chassis felt familiar but it did have a lot more power, I guess I can still have plenty of fun in my car too.
I'm not a fan of the spiderweb wheels and they require long wheel bolts which often cost as much as the wheels...
A good reason for the 5 stud conversion is to open up more Porsche wheel options, and like you say Cedric, my rear brakes are already out of adjustment.
I picked up a replacement door and window for £40. It needs a bit of paint but I'm anticpating getting a bit done on the rear 1/4 too. Meanwhile I mentioned to the breaker I fancy doing a 5 stud conversion and he'd sell me the front corners for £30 each and a complete rear beam for £160. I wonder if this is the best way to do it? I could take out the 924 beam with the drums on, reindex an aluminum 924S/944 beam and then bolt it up with the brake setup on there already. If I got the 944 one, would I have a slightly wider track also? And thicker torsion bars.
I'm not a fan of the spiderweb wheels and they require long wheel bolts which often cost as much as the wheels...
A good reason for the 5 stud conversion is to open up more Porsche wheel options, and like you say Cedric, my rear brakes are already out of adjustment.
I picked up a replacement door and window for £40. It needs a bit of paint but I'm anticpating getting a bit done on the rear 1/4 too. Meanwhile I mentioned to the breaker I fancy doing a 5 stud conversion and he'd sell me the front corners for £30 each and a complete rear beam for £160. I wonder if this is the best way to do it? I could take out the 924 beam with the drums on, reindex an aluminum 924S/944 beam and then bolt it up with the brake setup on there already. If I got the 944 one, would I have a slightly wider track also? And thicker torsion bars.
Oh and my Grandmother wanted to get married for some reason. And arrive in my car of all things!
So I set off for Cornwall, she promptly expressed her discomfort climbing in and told me to go slowly. Unfortunately for her, the Dansk exhaust makes all manner of fabulous burbling noises once you come off the throttle at 5,000rpm. We arrived and thanks to a Fiesta, parked very badly. I've taken the ribbons off now.
924 in looking small, nimble & fun to drive compared to other cars shocker
So I set off for Cornwall, she promptly expressed her discomfort climbing in and told me to go slowly. Unfortunately for her, the Dansk exhaust makes all manner of fabulous burbling noises once you come off the throttle at 5,000rpm. We arrived and thanks to a Fiesta, parked very badly. I've taken the ribbons off now.
924 in looking small, nimble & fun to drive compared to other cars shocker
Hey Stu,
Sorry I didn't make it to the South Wales meet the other day, I'd booked Saturday off instead of Sunday!!!
I'd still like more rubber so it never really breaks traction and goes around corners even faster. However it's great fun on the 6 inch wide wheels still, perhaps I'd miss that side of it.
A few days ago I was talking about how reliable it is and then of course, the next day the car was dead! The battery could hardly turn the starter motor. I got a jump start and then it worked fine. Volts seemed a steady 10-11, which is too low. Once again today, the car started fine, drove for plenty of time but as soon as I came back to it, the battery was dead.
I have a 3 year warranty on my battery, which is still under 2 years old, so that's being checked tomorrow morning. I'm not sure if I'll make the 924 meet-up at the Ace Cafe tomorrow now, which is a shame. I'm hoping it's the battery at fault, considering I had the alternator and loom replaced at relatively great expense in September 2011. If it's more serious than the battery I'll probably have to let it languish for awhile and my paint plans will be put on hold :S
Sorry I didn't make it to the South Wales meet the other day, I'd booked Saturday off instead of Sunday!!!
I'd still like more rubber so it never really breaks traction and goes around corners even faster. However it's great fun on the 6 inch wide wheels still, perhaps I'd miss that side of it.
A few days ago I was talking about how reliable it is and then of course, the next day the car was dead! The battery could hardly turn the starter motor. I got a jump start and then it worked fine. Volts seemed a steady 10-11, which is too low. Once again today, the car started fine, drove for plenty of time but as soon as I came back to it, the battery was dead.
I have a 3 year warranty on my battery, which is still under 2 years old, so that's being checked tomorrow morning. I'm not sure if I'll make the 924 meet-up at the Ace Cafe tomorrow now, which is a shame. I'm hoping it's the battery at fault, considering I had the alternator and loom replaced at relatively great expense in September 2011. If it's more serious than the battery I'll probably have to let it languish for awhile and my paint plans will be put on hold :S
LasseV – I can get very high 30's on a steady run but probably get high 20's low 30's overall.
I'm feeling very car motivated today having picked up the perfect accessory and realised it's time I updated on a few trails & tribulations I've had in the past couple of months.
My alternator died and was outside of the 12 month warranty, but my garage is nice and I just paid labour for a new one to be fitted. The voltage was still quite low, so I replaced the battery as another measure and so far it has been fine. The voltage reads 12.5v with the headlights, heater etc on but otherwise it's strong and there's not too much in the way of electrical systems drawing power.
The nights got longer and the weather milder and it's always a good feeling reaching spring in an old car you've run all through the winter. I went to Brean Sands for the Retro Rides Beach Party, which provided a great chance to catch up with friends and have a look at some other cars to my taste!
With the lowered suspension the car looks so much better in my eyes, and handling is vastly improved with the stiffer shocks. Here's what it looks like now:
And an annoying dent in the front valence after I entered a roundabout
Compared with a couple of years ago at Brean Sands on the standard setup:
Then I had another problem! The car wouldn't start at all once I got out of work. Not feeling very enthused, I lazily phoned the AA to tow me home. Being a Sunday evening it was contracted out to someone else, who wanted to get a flatbed because it was too nice to tow, ha!
Once at home, it became clear the fuel pump wasn't doing anything. Before shelling out for a new one, I pulled out the fuel pump relay and jumped it with a paperclip. As if by magic, I hear the pump, and the car starts with a turn of the key. I ordered a new relay for £25 and fitted it. Problem solved I thought! Only the next day in town it cut out again. With another AA callout on the way, I tried to start it again and it fired right up. The relay was getting quite hot and this made me suspect a wiring fault. With the AA to help, we tracked it down to a dodgy continental fuse. The fuel pump was drawing less than the 16a fuse but enough to melt the plastic of the fuse without blowing it. This lead to an increasingly worse connection and some hot wiring, which then made the relay stick. I drove to Halfords with the AA in tow this time and bought a blade fuse holder and the patrolman kindly fitted it in the car park and now my problems have subsided, for now!
Today I stumbled upon something I've been trying to find for ages, having only seen one for sale since buying the car. Roof bars!
After giving the bars and car a quick wash and winding up a friend by putting my studio lighting kit on the top:
I'm into my road cycling and being able to perch my bike on top of the car and have space in the boot would be useful. I'm sure I'd find a use for a roofbox too. The bars are made by Eckel and I think they're the OE ones. As I turned up the seller offered another set, which are thinner in construction and have 4 ski mounts. They're in great condition considering their age if I don't pass them on to another enthusiast, I think I'll keep them for myself, put some skis on and cruise around like the coolest kid in South Wales!
Next up is the 924 National rally on May 19th, where I can upset purists with a modified car as I laud my roof bars over them!
I'm feeling very car motivated today having picked up the perfect accessory and realised it's time I updated on a few trails & tribulations I've had in the past couple of months.
My alternator died and was outside of the 12 month warranty, but my garage is nice and I just paid labour for a new one to be fitted. The voltage was still quite low, so I replaced the battery as another measure and so far it has been fine. The voltage reads 12.5v with the headlights, heater etc on but otherwise it's strong and there's not too much in the way of electrical systems drawing power.
The nights got longer and the weather milder and it's always a good feeling reaching spring in an old car you've run all through the winter. I went to Brean Sands for the Retro Rides Beach Party, which provided a great chance to catch up with friends and have a look at some other cars to my taste!
With the lowered suspension the car looks so much better in my eyes, and handling is vastly improved with the stiffer shocks. Here's what it looks like now:
And an annoying dent in the front valence after I entered a roundabout
Compared with a couple of years ago at Brean Sands on the standard setup:
Then I had another problem! The car wouldn't start at all once I got out of work. Not feeling very enthused, I lazily phoned the AA to tow me home. Being a Sunday evening it was contracted out to someone else, who wanted to get a flatbed because it was too nice to tow, ha!
Once at home, it became clear the fuel pump wasn't doing anything. Before shelling out for a new one, I pulled out the fuel pump relay and jumped it with a paperclip. As if by magic, I hear the pump, and the car starts with a turn of the key. I ordered a new relay for £25 and fitted it. Problem solved I thought! Only the next day in town it cut out again. With another AA callout on the way, I tried to start it again and it fired right up. The relay was getting quite hot and this made me suspect a wiring fault. With the AA to help, we tracked it down to a dodgy continental fuse. The fuel pump was drawing less than the 16a fuse but enough to melt the plastic of the fuse without blowing it. This lead to an increasingly worse connection and some hot wiring, which then made the relay stick. I drove to Halfords with the AA in tow this time and bought a blade fuse holder and the patrolman kindly fitted it in the car park and now my problems have subsided, for now!
Today I stumbled upon something I've been trying to find for ages, having only seen one for sale since buying the car. Roof bars!
After giving the bars and car a quick wash and winding up a friend by putting my studio lighting kit on the top:
I'm into my road cycling and being able to perch my bike on top of the car and have space in the boot would be useful. I'm sure I'd find a use for a roofbox too. The bars are made by Eckel and I think they're the OE ones. As I turned up the seller offered another set, which are thinner in construction and have 4 ski mounts. They're in great condition considering their age if I don't pass them on to another enthusiast, I think I'll keep them for myself, put some skis on and cruise around like the coolest kid in South Wales!
Next up is the 924 National rally on May 19th, where I can upset purists with a modified car as I laud my roof bars over them!
Thanks Deltashad, I'm planning that or to wrestle it out with some molegrips.
Those wheels look good, but the 924 is 4x108. They remind me slightly of the 924 steel wheels that came on a few very early cars:
Imagine if I could get my hands on a set in the next couple of weeks and knew a talented person who could widen the rears an extra inch or two since they're only 5.5j and then got them painted all nicely
With the adjustable Koni's, Dansk exhaust, tweed seats, roof bars and steels I'll have to try hard to find another special part!
Those wheels look good, but the 924 is 4x108. They remind me slightly of the 924 steel wheels that came on a few very early cars:
Imagine if I could get my hands on a set in the next couple of weeks and knew a talented person who could widen the rears an extra inch or two since they're only 5.5j and then got them painted all nicely
With the adjustable Koni's, Dansk exhaust, tweed seats, roof bars and steels I'll have to try hard to find another special part!
Oops, I've neglected this thread, time to bring it up to date again!
hadenough! - I did have the car up for sale as I wanted a 924 Turbo. However, at the last moment insurance was a lot more, so I decided rather than waste money insuring an unknown car to me, I should invest it into my 924.
Stu - Well spotted! Yes, earlier in the year I photographed a sublime 944 for Retro Cars & GT Porsche magazine. Speaking to Gav, the owner, was fantastic, as we were two transaxle anoraks sharing ideas all day! Of course, I'll never forget my ride in an early oval dash 944 with 340 conservative BHP. This was before my car was lowered, it looks more purposeful now! I'm spending a lot of time with a particular 911 at the moment, there's some images on www.felix-page.co.uk under current projects.
As for my 924, I've put the roof rack to use:
And then had some niggles come back, with my alternator being a bit temperamental. Luckily, it seems this was just a loose earth connection and since I tightened it up, the voltage is strong. Earlier this week the car wouldn't start again, I suspected a flat battery after my alternator woes, so turned up with another charged and ready but alas, no start. I called the AA and the patrolman recognised me & the car!!
Infact, he came to it when the starter motor broke. Same again. Paying the labour last year to fit a used one turned out to be a false economy. With the 924 National on Sunday I really wanted it fixed. The indy that does my MOT and big jobs I can't muster managed to get a starter overnight and fitted it for me. £267 poorer, I was at least able to arrive at Coventry Transport Museum in a 924..
It was a great venue for it and there were a lot of projects ready for it. Most surprising was the total of 11 road going 924 Turbos, which are the rarest of all and outnumbered the 2.0 and 2.5 n/a cars. My car did look conspicuously daily hack against the rest ha! I got re-elected onto the committee again to do the publications, so I can keep working on the magazine amongst other things:
Tax was then due, so it was an usually costly month of 924 ownership!
Having established a good relationship with Porsche Cardiff recently, it's currently in their workshop for a front wheel bearing. Hitting the front valence wasn't the only damage I inflicted, as the anti roll bar link was bent and a steering gaitor ripped. I'm having a bit of a front end refresh as bushes are very cheap and a few other little bits. It's due a service also and some new rear hatch struts, since mine have never had the strength to hold the rear hatch up. I can't wait to drive it again already, the front should be nice and tight, and it already handles well with the koni shocks. Sadly the starter motor and tax took up my wheel fund, although I do still want some slightly larger wheels so I can have less side wall. The 15x6 spiderwebs are tempting, but really some more dishy period wheels would set it off...
hadenough! - I did have the car up for sale as I wanted a 924 Turbo. However, at the last moment insurance was a lot more, so I decided rather than waste money insuring an unknown car to me, I should invest it into my 924.
Stu - Well spotted! Yes, earlier in the year I photographed a sublime 944 for Retro Cars & GT Porsche magazine. Speaking to Gav, the owner, was fantastic, as we were two transaxle anoraks sharing ideas all day! Of course, I'll never forget my ride in an early oval dash 944 with 340 conservative BHP. This was before my car was lowered, it looks more purposeful now! I'm spending a lot of time with a particular 911 at the moment, there's some images on www.felix-page.co.uk under current projects.
As for my 924, I've put the roof rack to use:
And then had some niggles come back, with my alternator being a bit temperamental. Luckily, it seems this was just a loose earth connection and since I tightened it up, the voltage is strong. Earlier this week the car wouldn't start again, I suspected a flat battery after my alternator woes, so turned up with another charged and ready but alas, no start. I called the AA and the patrolman recognised me & the car!!
Infact, he came to it when the starter motor broke. Same again. Paying the labour last year to fit a used one turned out to be a false economy. With the 924 National on Sunday I really wanted it fixed. The indy that does my MOT and big jobs I can't muster managed to get a starter overnight and fitted it for me. £267 poorer, I was at least able to arrive at Coventry Transport Museum in a 924..
It was a great venue for it and there were a lot of projects ready for it. Most surprising was the total of 11 road going 924 Turbos, which are the rarest of all and outnumbered the 2.0 and 2.5 n/a cars. My car did look conspicuously daily hack against the rest ha! I got re-elected onto the committee again to do the publications, so I can keep working on the magazine amongst other things:
Tax was then due, so it was an usually costly month of 924 ownership!
Having established a good relationship with Porsche Cardiff recently, it's currently in their workshop for a front wheel bearing. Hitting the front valence wasn't the only damage I inflicted, as the anti roll bar link was bent and a steering gaitor ripped. I'm having a bit of a front end refresh as bushes are very cheap and a few other little bits. It's due a service also and some new rear hatch struts, since mine have never had the strength to hold the rear hatch up. I can't wait to drive it again already, the front should be nice and tight, and it already handles well with the koni shocks. Sadly the starter motor and tax took up my wheel fund, although I do still want some slightly larger wheels so I can have less side wall. The 15x6 spiderwebs are tempting, but really some more dishy period wheels would set it off...
On the weekend I picked up these spiderweb wheels, with almost new Maxxis tyres and the long wheel bolts for £100.
I'm getting the wheels refurbished in all silver with black bolts. The Turbo's had the lattice wheels without the black detailing and I think they look fine:
The tyres on the new wheels are 205/60/15 and currently I have 185/70/14, which I hope will have a positive effect.
I have the car back now from Porsche and it drives very well! A full service, all new fluids, front wheel bearings, new ARB bushes and mounts, steering rack regreased with new gaiters, brakes adjusted, exhaust fettled and a full alignment! I fitted the new hatch parts too, it takes some force to close it now, instead of it falling on my head! Tidied up the interior trim too, replacing any worn items.
The engine is sweet at 142k and the handling is immense! The turn in is amazing and then there's the balance of the chassis. The car has never felt so good and it feels like after a couple of years ownership it has gradually reached this point, so a big thanks to everyone who has helped!
It's not quite wanting for nothing, the leather on my steering wheel has come apart, is it worth getting it recovered? Or should I save up for a Momo Prototipo or something similar? The bodywork lets it down too, but that doesn't worry me. I did pull the front valence out with some molegrips though. Without sounding too car proud, it's got to be the tightest daily driven 924 NA around. It's a testament to the cars that it drives the way it does with 142k on the clock after 29 years on the road.
I'm getting the wheels refurbished in all silver with black bolts. The Turbo's had the lattice wheels without the black detailing and I think they look fine:
The tyres on the new wheels are 205/60/15 and currently I have 185/70/14, which I hope will have a positive effect.
I have the car back now from Porsche and it drives very well! A full service, all new fluids, front wheel bearings, new ARB bushes and mounts, steering rack regreased with new gaiters, brakes adjusted, exhaust fettled and a full alignment! I fitted the new hatch parts too, it takes some force to close it now, instead of it falling on my head! Tidied up the interior trim too, replacing any worn items.
The engine is sweet at 142k and the handling is immense! The turn in is amazing and then there's the balance of the chassis. The car has never felt so good and it feels like after a couple of years ownership it has gradually reached this point, so a big thanks to everyone who has helped!
It's not quite wanting for nothing, the leather on my steering wheel has come apart, is it worth getting it recovered? Or should I save up for a Momo Prototipo or something similar? The bodywork lets it down too, but that doesn't worry me. I did pull the front valence out with some molegrips though. Without sounding too car proud, it's got to be the tightest daily driven 924 NA around. It's a testament to the cars that it drives the way it does with 142k on the clock after 29 years on the road.
Little update of bits & pieces I've done lately:
Cut out old headlining neatly and glued in the rubber insulation, not going to bother with new lining, looks good enough.
Got a glovebox for £2 off ebay to replace my ripped old one.
Added a momo steering wheel from an MX5. Same diameter and in perfect condition. Will cash in the 3 spoke Porsche one on eBay.
Painted the sills, my hand, legs and one of my shoes black. Meanwhile Ben with the Beige 924 makes a point of buying the spray can at the back and applies paint neatly where wanted.
Two of my spiderweb wheels are refurbished to mint condition and the other two aren't quite done yet. They'll look superb on my car even if they show the rest of it up. Feels a bit wrong to run them daily through the winter but oh well!
A few of my friends have 924's now, so we went for a little drive around yesterday. Later we loitered outside McDonalds, joined by a 964.
Cut out old headlining neatly and glued in the rubber insulation, not going to bother with new lining, looks good enough.
Got a glovebox for £2 off ebay to replace my ripped old one.
Added a momo steering wheel from an MX5. Same diameter and in perfect condition. Will cash in the 3 spoke Porsche one on eBay.
Painted the sills, my hand, legs and one of my shoes black. Meanwhile Ben with the Beige 924 makes a point of buying the spray can at the back and applies paint neatly where wanted.
Two of my spiderweb wheels are refurbished to mint condition and the other two aren't quite done yet. They'll look superb on my car even if they show the rest of it up. Feels a bit wrong to run them daily through the winter but oh well!
A few of my friends have 924's now, so we went for a little drive around yesterday. Later we loitered outside McDonalds, joined by a 964.
Well I got my spiderweb wheels back from Porsche, a poor soul sanded them down by hand and painted them! The finish is stunning and I feel a bit bad sticking them on a daily car just before winter!
Going from 185/70/14 tyres to 205/60/15 is a noticeable difference, hopefully the front doesn't rub on the arch, it seems okay but a big bump with a lot of steering lock might prove otherwise.
It has had new tie rod ends also but there's still play in the steering, which I think must be the shaft, so I ordered a new one of those along with some washer jets and hoses ready for the MOT. The shaft was manufactured back in 1994 and came in from Germany! I managed to loosen off all the required bolts this evening and hope to swap it over tomorrow.
This Sunday I'll be at the NEC Classic Car Show with the 924 club on stand 7-230. If you're there come ask some questions without mentioning van or engine!
A few weeks ago I went to see a friend in Sweden again. In one day I drove a '76, an '82 with 4 into 1 manifold and weber throttle body and a beautifully setup Turbo track car. Went to a great meet-up of 924's and a cool 80's car show too! Met some great people too, including a few familiar names from various forums.
Passing the Swedish MOT with the '76 car. Significance being 1976 was the first year of the 924 and it has a lot of unique touches, even if this one has been modified slightly.
The Turbo track car. It's fully corner weighted, has lots of lightweight panels, 911 turbo rear shock towers and torsion bars grafted in and not much interior. It steered flawlessly at any speed. I felt it was almost too good, you had to go very, very fast to even start to push it.
16x8 ET23, somehow! The owner is a track driving instructor and these are the road wheels/tyres. He has plenty of cookie cutters with semi slick tyres which he's helping develop.
The '82 with the 4 to 1 manifold and weber throttle body. It was a lovely car, sounded amazing!
Morning of the show:
Dials at an angle for extra cool points:
Patrik's Dad, with another silver 924 Turbo:
An impromptu meet-up:
Arriving at the show:
Some well turned out cars:
In the convertible area:
The track car handled superbly!
Are my tweaks a match for Patrik's local knowledge?
At the end of a great weekend:
To conclude: Sweden has so many great roads and so few cars. I found the track car handled so well it was a different type of fun. I think I like the balance between grip and fun my car has.
Going from 185/70/14 tyres to 205/60/15 is a noticeable difference, hopefully the front doesn't rub on the arch, it seems okay but a big bump with a lot of steering lock might prove otherwise.
It has had new tie rod ends also but there's still play in the steering, which I think must be the shaft, so I ordered a new one of those along with some washer jets and hoses ready for the MOT. The shaft was manufactured back in 1994 and came in from Germany! I managed to loosen off all the required bolts this evening and hope to swap it over tomorrow.
This Sunday I'll be at the NEC Classic Car Show with the 924 club on stand 7-230. If you're there come ask some questions without mentioning van or engine!
A few weeks ago I went to see a friend in Sweden again. In one day I drove a '76, an '82 with 4 into 1 manifold and weber throttle body and a beautifully setup Turbo track car. Went to a great meet-up of 924's and a cool 80's car show too! Met some great people too, including a few familiar names from various forums.
Passing the Swedish MOT with the '76 car. Significance being 1976 was the first year of the 924 and it has a lot of unique touches, even if this one has been modified slightly.
The Turbo track car. It's fully corner weighted, has lots of lightweight panels, 911 turbo rear shock towers and torsion bars grafted in and not much interior. It steered flawlessly at any speed. I felt it was almost too good, you had to go very, very fast to even start to push it.
16x8 ET23, somehow! The owner is a track driving instructor and these are the road wheels/tyres. He has plenty of cookie cutters with semi slick tyres which he's helping develop.
The '82 with the 4 to 1 manifold and weber throttle body. It was a lovely car, sounded amazing!
Morning of the show:
Dials at an angle for extra cool points:
Patrik's Dad, with another silver 924 Turbo:
An impromptu meet-up:
Arriving at the show:
Some well turned out cars:
In the convertible area:
The track car handled superbly!
Are my tweaks a match for Patrik's local knowledge?
At the end of a great weekend:
To conclude: Sweden has so many great roads and so few cars. I found the track car handled so well it was a different type of fun. I think I like the balance between grip and fun my car has.
Thanks all as ever!
It was great to meet you too Cedric and I'm sure I'll be back at some point!
I'd guess the car owes me between 2.5-3k total including purchase price over 3 years.
I started a proper job this week and the car was due MOT and moving to a new flat on the weekend so stress all over!
I was worried it would be a catalogue of problems but it only failed on a front shock. I fitted second hand Koni adjustables 10 months ago (old school, look to be dated '86) with 60mm lowering springs.
I think the ride height/stiffness is a good balance. Now do I:
Put new standard shocks in the front, leave the old Koni's in the rear: £115
Put new koni shocks in the front, leave the old Koni's in the rear: £300
New Koni shocks all round: £560
GAZ GHA/Spax RSX coilovers (coilovers at front, shocks at rear): £450
I have new wishbones and top mounts coming because they're cheap and I might as well do them.
Curveball: Sell up and get a 944 S2 or something and run that with my new job? Or hold onto it and get a 924 turbo as a toy in a year or so? It's a 15 mile commute working continental shifts, so a clear run through A roads.
It was great to meet you too Cedric and I'm sure I'll be back at some point!
I'd guess the car owes me between 2.5-3k total including purchase price over 3 years.
I started a proper job this week and the car was due MOT and moving to a new flat on the weekend so stress all over!
I was worried it would be a catalogue of problems but it only failed on a front shock. I fitted second hand Koni adjustables 10 months ago (old school, look to be dated '86) with 60mm lowering springs.
I think the ride height/stiffness is a good balance. Now do I:
Put new standard shocks in the front, leave the old Koni's in the rear: £115
Put new koni shocks in the front, leave the old Koni's in the rear: £300
New Koni shocks all round: £560
GAZ GHA/Spax RSX coilovers (coilovers at front, shocks at rear): £450
I have new wishbones and top mounts coming because they're cheap and I might as well do them.
Curveball: Sell up and get a 944 S2 or something and run that with my new job? Or hold onto it and get a 924 turbo as a toy in a year or so? It's a 15 mile commute working continental shifts, so a clear run through A roads.
I'm going to fit an old standard shock tomorrow with a friend and get it retested by 11am for the MOT.
I could buy a 924T later down the line, I'd like one just not as an only car/daily. I know of a couple which are excellent mechanically and I could buy when I get the cash together.
My insurance is due in January when I'll be 24, with 3 years NCB. Quotes so far:
My 924 with mods: £500
924 Turbo with vague engine changes box ticked, ie intercooler: £600
944 Turbo SE: £800
944 S2/968: £1000
924S: £1200
I could buy a 924T later down the line, I'd like one just not as an only car/daily. I know of a couple which are excellent mechanically and I could buy when I get the cash together.
My insurance is due in January when I'll be 24, with 3 years NCB. Quotes so far:
My 924 with mods: £500
924 Turbo with vague engine changes box ticked, ie intercooler: £600
944 Turbo SE: £800
944 S2/968: £1000
924S: £1200
No images yet however this weekend I will receive the fruits of my bargain hunting:
A very sweet running low miles engine complete from a lovely 924 club member. Also includes a hard to find big throttle body with ported manifold to match.
Gaz coilovers, lightly used on a hillclimb/sprint car.
Paid £320 before P&P for all of it
Gaz coilovers will be fitted with new wishbones and topmounts. Hoping to put a hot cam in the engine before swapping it in. Aiming to have it sorted out for the summer!
I see Piper Cams do a fast road and ultimate road cam, would the ultimate road be too much for regular use?
A very sweet running low miles engine complete from a lovely 924 club member. Also includes a hard to find big throttle body with ported manifold to match.
Gaz coilovers, lightly used on a hillclimb/sprint car.
Paid £320 before P&P for all of it
Gaz coilovers will be fitted with new wishbones and topmounts. Hoping to put a hot cam in the engine before swapping it in. Aiming to have it sorted out for the summer!
I see Piper Cams do a fast road and ultimate road cam, would the ultimate road be too much for regular use?
Thanks!
Aside from the ignition coil breaking, my car continues daily duties. Happily, changing the coil has solved an occasional misfire and improved cold starting massively. Having taken off the roof rack, I washed it yesterday and even cleaned the windows, it still looks quite presentable.
I purchased the coilovers from a gentleman who has rallied 924's for over 20 years. He is stripping a 924 Turbo rally car and I'm going to have the big 924 turbo brakes with master cylinder and braided hoses to go with them. Also in the deal is a set of cookie cutters, 6j on the front, 7j on the rear, at the correct offset with black centres & polished lips.
This is how they would sit:
However I'm tempted by 928 wheels, with 16x7 on the front and 16x8 on the rear:
I'd like the sweeter engine, coilovers and 5 stud conversion done by May, which shouldn't be too much to ask I hope!
Aside from the ignition coil breaking, my car continues daily duties. Happily, changing the coil has solved an occasional misfire and improved cold starting massively. Having taken off the roof rack, I washed it yesterday and even cleaned the windows, it still looks quite presentable.
I purchased the coilovers from a gentleman who has rallied 924's for over 20 years. He is stripping a 924 Turbo rally car and I'm going to have the big 924 turbo brakes with master cylinder and braided hoses to go with them. Also in the deal is a set of cookie cutters, 6j on the front, 7j on the rear, at the correct offset with black centres & polished lips.
This is how they would sit:
However I'm tempted by 928 wheels, with 16x7 on the front and 16x8 on the rear:
I'd like the sweeter engine, coilovers and 5 stud conversion done by May, which shouldn't be too much to ask I hope!
Thanks Ari, I guess I'll have to hold onto it!
Glad you liked the article too Cedric, hope I did it justice! Cookie cutters looked great on your car, I hope mine turns out a bit like yours!
It seems like the cookie cutters are the way to go and I know this set are tried & tested!
I booked the weekend off with the idea of swapping the engine with a couple of 924 owning friends at first but then with a poor weather forecast, the engine being in the wrong garage and time limitations we fitted the Gaz coilovers instead. We also fitted new topmounts, shared with some USDM VW of the late 80's and £30 a pair posted from the states!
With the old lowering springs removed and the coilovers fitted 10 turns up from the lowest point the car is noticeably firmer but I'm hoping I can mellow it out a little. The plan is to drop the rear beam 1 spline soon, which should balance everything out.
Interestingly, I'm told the Gaz coilovers come from a tarmac rally/hillclimb sprint car and were commissioned as part of a magazine feature for Octane or similar, with the car built by the gentleman I bought them off. There's a few differences to the ones my friends have bought, most notably the lack of any way to retain the brake line and grub screws in the adjustable collars. This made it easy to count the turns at least!
New stuff fitted. Sadly the new ARB, tie rod ends, steering shaft etc all look like they're much older already!
Anthony's topmount tool, which has come in handy a few times and always proves a time & effort saver!
The spares 944 stuck behind my engine in a cheaply rented council garage somewhere...
Glad you liked the article too Cedric, hope I did it justice! Cookie cutters looked great on your car, I hope mine turns out a bit like yours!
It seems like the cookie cutters are the way to go and I know this set are tried & tested!
I booked the weekend off with the idea of swapping the engine with a couple of 924 owning friends at first but then with a poor weather forecast, the engine being in the wrong garage and time limitations we fitted the Gaz coilovers instead. We also fitted new topmounts, shared with some USDM VW of the late 80's and £30 a pair posted from the states!
With the old lowering springs removed and the coilovers fitted 10 turns up from the lowest point the car is noticeably firmer but I'm hoping I can mellow it out a little. The plan is to drop the rear beam 1 spline soon, which should balance everything out.
Interestingly, I'm told the Gaz coilovers come from a tarmac rally/hillclimb sprint car and were commissioned as part of a magazine feature for Octane or similar, with the car built by the gentleman I bought them off. There's a few differences to the ones my friends have bought, most notably the lack of any way to retain the brake line and grub screws in the adjustable collars. This made it easy to count the turns at least!
New stuff fitted. Sadly the new ARB, tie rod ends, steering shaft etc all look like they're much older already!
Anthony's topmount tool, which has come in handy a few times and always proves a time & effort saver!
The spares 944 stuck behind my engine in a cheaply rented council garage somewhere...
Hey Cedric,
Thanks, yeah under the bonnet is functional
Running standard geo settings apart from max negative camber on the front. Going to turn the rear bars down 1 spline and take out the yellow Koni's for the Gaz's that came with the coilovers.
I work on shift in my new job and am fortunate to find myself with time & funds and yesterday something came up I had to have!
I've been looking out for a set of sports seats for awhile, but they always seem to be the electric ones or in poor condition. To my luck, a very tidy set of manual sports seats appeared on eBay just 30 minutes down the road from me! Black with Porsche script fabric, they're exactly the ones I'd choose.
I made a fairly generous offer on eBay to get the auction to end early as it's been a long time searching and they were so close I wouldn't have to pay much in fuel/p&P. Offer accepted, I drove up to collect them. The seller was a really nice guy with a 924 NA that had been sat for ages but with lots of Turbo parts on it. I asked about the scripted door cards and dashboard with two tiny cracks in it. Kindly, he liked the idea of them being put to use on my car and living on, so gave them to me.
The sports seats are fantastic, the comfort of the tombstones is there but they're so much more supportive. Without sounding like a hooligan, with the previous seats I found myself hanging onto the wheel during spirited driving. Now you stay perfectly placed in the seat. I hope they're as comfortable over long distance!
If anyone is interested in my old herringbone tweed seats, drop me a PM
Seats of old:
Thanks, yeah under the bonnet is functional
Running standard geo settings apart from max negative camber on the front. Going to turn the rear bars down 1 spline and take out the yellow Koni's for the Gaz's that came with the coilovers.
I work on shift in my new job and am fortunate to find myself with time & funds and yesterday something came up I had to have!
I've been looking out for a set of sports seats for awhile, but they always seem to be the electric ones or in poor condition. To my luck, a very tidy set of manual sports seats appeared on eBay just 30 minutes down the road from me! Black with Porsche script fabric, they're exactly the ones I'd choose.
I made a fairly generous offer on eBay to get the auction to end early as it's been a long time searching and they were so close I wouldn't have to pay much in fuel/p&P. Offer accepted, I drove up to collect them. The seller was a really nice guy with a 924 NA that had been sat for ages but with lots of Turbo parts on it. I asked about the scripted door cards and dashboard with two tiny cracks in it. Kindly, he liked the idea of them being put to use on my car and living on, so gave them to me.
The sports seats are fantastic, the comfort of the tombstones is there but they're so much more supportive. Without sounding like a hooligan, with the previous seats I found myself hanging onto the wheel during spirited driving. Now you stay perfectly placed in the seat. I hope they're as comfortable over long distance!
If anyone is interested in my old herringbone tweed seats, drop me a PM
Seats of old:
Thanks for the heads up Rob, I've changed it now.
I went back to the gentleman who sold me the seats and bought his 5 stud setup. 924 Turbo hubs, calipers, disks, master cylinder and 5 stud spiderweb wheels for a bargain £250 and then I sold the dash for £200. He also gave me a set of bumpers with the rubbing strips removed.
The front wheel bearing on my 4 stud setup had gone and so I parked the car since the last update, knowing the 5 stud setup would be fitted. In exchange for some photography work, the fronts were fitted by a chap who rallies 924's and makes lots of bespoke parts. His attention to detail was more than I ever expected, with everything wire brushed/greased etc as we went along. It was some 5 hours before the car was set back on the ground. I will go back to have the rears swapped over in the near future. I fitted the bumpers as my old ones were cracked/trim was hanging off/both. The Cookie Cutters I'm getting are currently painted with bright orange centres. One of the rally cars has orange bumpers, and we offered them up. The whole thing looked surprisingly neat. Eventually I'll get a proper respray and go back to black & white details but that's at the bottom of my list for now.
Once the rear 5 stud setup is on I'll get a full alignment done. However, since I have only lowered the rear on the eccentrics I need to sort out the torsion bars really. I phoned EMC Motorsport to ask about this. They can either drop the rear beam or cut the sills. Personally I don't see a problem with cutting the sills as my car isn't the best aesthetically and I can always put the turbo sill covers on afterwards. They suggested replacing the bars with 968 ones at the same time and it would be about £300 all in. With my luck finding the recent parts so cheaply, it seems wise to spend some money getting it setup by EMC?
Bumpers:
From little solid discs to large vented discs. Excuse the red calipers and awful tyres, these will not be staying.
Still not convinced though...
I went back to the gentleman who sold me the seats and bought his 5 stud setup. 924 Turbo hubs, calipers, disks, master cylinder and 5 stud spiderweb wheels for a bargain £250 and then I sold the dash for £200. He also gave me a set of bumpers with the rubbing strips removed.
The front wheel bearing on my 4 stud setup had gone and so I parked the car since the last update, knowing the 5 stud setup would be fitted. In exchange for some photography work, the fronts were fitted by a chap who rallies 924's and makes lots of bespoke parts. His attention to detail was more than I ever expected, with everything wire brushed/greased etc as we went along. It was some 5 hours before the car was set back on the ground. I will go back to have the rears swapped over in the near future. I fitted the bumpers as my old ones were cracked/trim was hanging off/both. The Cookie Cutters I'm getting are currently painted with bright orange centres. One of the rally cars has orange bumpers, and we offered them up. The whole thing looked surprisingly neat. Eventually I'll get a proper respray and go back to black & white details but that's at the bottom of my list for now.
Once the rear 5 stud setup is on I'll get a full alignment done. However, since I have only lowered the rear on the eccentrics I need to sort out the torsion bars really. I phoned EMC Motorsport to ask about this. They can either drop the rear beam or cut the sills. Personally I don't see a problem with cutting the sills as my car isn't the best aesthetically and I can always put the turbo sill covers on afterwards. They suggested replacing the bars with 968 ones at the same time and it would be about £300 all in. With my luck finding the recent parts so cheaply, it seems wise to spend some money getting it setup by EMC?
Bumpers:
From little solid discs to large vented discs. Excuse the red calipers and awful tyres, these will not be staying.
Still not convinced though...
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