About twenty years ago, we took an ordinary 924S and turned it into a 924 Carrera GT look-alike. It was wonderful red with a black interior and white-centered 16″ Fuch replica wheels. While not a true “replica,” it transformed the narrow-body 924S into an aggressive-looking car with great lines and a distinctive attitude. The suspension was slightly modified with Koni’s and coil-overs, along with some stout sway bars, but the interior remained stock with only the addition of a four-point bolt-in roll bar. We retained the power steering, air conditioning, power windows and such and used it as a daily driver around the Daytona Beach/DeLand area. Of course, someone made an offer and the car was sold about six months after we finished the build.
Now two decades later we are thinking of taking that same design and attitude to the next level. We have a red 1987 924S that is very solid and rust-free, but otherwise needs everything to make it useful. So…can we duplicate the magic of twenty years past?
A 924 Carrera GT tribute car with the suspension, wheels, body modifications and such, but with a few more not-so-subtle changes may in the offing. We have a 5.7L Chevrolet LS6 engine; freshly rebuilt 951 transaxle with LSD and factory cooler; and all the Renegade Hybrid stuff needed to install it into a 924S or 944. Additionally we have the Wilwood front brake conversion kit. That means that we have 400 horsepower, 400 pounds/feet of torque, all at about 2700 pounds.
We have the wheels in stock, brand new. We would have to change the transaxle mounting, which means plastic Series II gas tank and trans mount system, which we have in stock. We have a four-point bolt in roll bar. There are other obstacles, but we have been thinking about this for many years…and there is nothing that is insurmountable.
The 924S has two separate systems for climate control – one for heat and defrost, one of AC. That is why there are two separate controls for the two systems. But what about a Vintage Air combined unit that will accommodate both heat and AC with one electronic control? The Vintage Air unit is the same size as the AC under-dash unit, which means we could trash the heater control unit entirely, opening up a lot of room behind the console. Double-din touch screen, anyone?
Of course, all of this means that we will outspend the value of the finished car by a lot. No doubt. But what a machine!
No decisions have been made as of this point, and any work on it will not happen until late in 2022 if we decide to go ahead. We tend to be purists, but…
What do you think?
I think it is a great idea. Purists modify cars all the time. A better exhaust or shocks. A different turbo. It’s still a Porsche. I’d bet you will love the car when it’s done. Maybe a color other than red
People who know me know that I am into the 924S Special Edition cars, and they need to be left as “stock.” But a run-of-the-mill 1987 924S is a different story. And while red may not be a fan favorite, the car that I have in mind is red, and doing a complete color change may not be something that I want to do. We will see!