1982 Porsche 924 – Project Profile

There is something very pleasing about getting a premium car for not a lot of money, but that is the inherent joy that comes from buying a project car. You can set your sights a little higher if you’re willing to jump on the spanners and do some of the work yourself. Then, at the end of it all, you not only get the premium motor, you also get a sense of enormous pride. You didn’t just buy it, you restored it, you brought it back into the realms of being fighting fit, and that’s brilliant. Imagine then, that feeling when the car in question is a Porsche, namely a Porsche 924. Yes indeedy, that would be quite wonderful. And this 1982 Porsche 924 is currently on Car & Classic Auctions with no reserve. To channel that big sky-dwelling National Lottery finger, it could be yours!

What is it? 

Dullards will tell you it’s the Porsche with a van engine, but ignore them. Yes, there is some truth to that, but it’s not the huge negative people make it out to be. And it’s not the same engine as found in the Volkswagen LT, it’s the same block. The cylinder head of the inline-four was designed by Porsche. Also, Audi used the engine. And if anyone tries to bore you with the van angle, remind them that the engine block of the RS Cosworth can be found in a Transit. So ner. But we digress. Point is, yes, it’s the Porsche 924 that had the little 2.0 engine, and it was all the better for it. It was an approachable, usable, reliable little thing. The engine only had 123hp here in Europe, but it was more than enough for the featherweight 924. Add in a rear-mounted transaxle and rear wheel-drive and it made for a lot of fun, especially with the later, sharper five-speed transmission. Plus, the Porsche 924 had pop-up headlights, and they’re for winners. In fact, the 924 is for winners full stop. It was unfairly mocked for a while, but now it’s seen as a bona fide classic, and rightly so, which is why this 1982 Porsche 924 is well worth saving.

Why is it a project? 

This particular 924 has been off the road and in dry storage for a while. It’s a running, driving car though, and the seller is going to put it through an MOT before the auction ends. Furthermore, past MOTs have been free from any issues, which is massively reassuring. The interior is arguably the highlight, as it is in excellent condition. The 924 seats can split, but no such misfortune here. More than likely thanks to the low mileage of just over 55k. The dash top has warped, but they all do that, sadly. However, the roof lining, the carpets, the door cards, the boot carpet and the dash face are all in great condition. The same can be said for the outside. It needs a cut and polish, and the odd touch up here and there. There is a bit of blistering paint to be addressed, but by and large there is nothing to set off the old alarm bells. It looks like a very solid car – one that needs some refinement and TLC rather than a full-on restoration.

What should you look for?

Being an auction car here on Car & Classic, we’ve done the hard work for you by sending out one of our team to have a look over the car. If you have a look at the listing, you will find a full and highly detailed description along with over 100 pictures. We’ve covered everything we possibly can, so you can bid in confidence. The big killers of the 924 are rust and neglect, but there is very little evidence of either at play here.

What should you do with it?

You could go one of two ways, here. Bid, buy, then get it home, give it a damn good service, clean it up and polish it and then just enjoy it as a cool, usable classic. It looks great now, and that’s after it’s been stored away for a while. Imagine how good it would look with a few days of effort put into it? Parts are readily available, so getting it back into excellent mechanical health will be a doddle. And you’ll be glad you put the effort in – the Porsche 924 is a joy to drive. So much so that you might want to go the other way and make this old sporty machine a real show-stopper. There is little to suggest that the bones for such a project aren’t there. Sort the dash out, fresh coat of paint, engine bay detail, refurb the wheels – yes, this could be something very special indeed.