Introduced in 1979, the Porsche 924 Turbo is a short-lived and rarely-seen variant of the company’s transaxle-based four-cylinder lineage. While later 944 and 968 models had widened fenders to project an aggressive image, the turbocharged 924 retained the standard model’s slim body; only vertical air slots in the front apron, four openings between the headlight, a NACA duct on the hood, and a black rear spoiler hinted at the extra performance on offer.
Powering the 924 Turbo was a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, delivering 170 horsepower. In its time, the forced-induction engine bridged the performance gap between the standard 924 and the six-cylinder, rear-engine 911 SC. Racing versions of the 924 Turbo racked up successes in rallying as well as endurance racing, proving the versatility and strength of the new front-engine, rear-wheel drive platform.
This particular 924 Turbo comes to us by way of a longtime customer of Porsche Centre Vaughan, and a well-known Porsche collector. An enthusiast of the company’s transaxle cars, a 924 Turbo was the second Porsche he purchased after immigrating to Canada – a vehicle he purchased from Hans J. Pfaff, who founded our dealership. That car led to a life-long obsession with the model, and indeed, he currently has four 924 Turbo models in his collection.
The vehicle was purchased over 10 years ago as part of a plan to amalgamate a number of parts cars into one perfect vehicle. However, time got away from the owner, and it sat in a barn for an extended period of time, and was last driven over five years ago. While its exterior cosmetics require attention, with faded and mismatched paint, the body is straight and accident-free, and the vehicle is in driveable condition.
Over the next several weeks and months, the body will be refinished to like-new condition by a Porsche Certified Collision Centre, and a sympathetic mechanical restoration will be completed, using as many of the original parts as possible, while upgrading and replacing items such as suspension pieces that have worn out. The interior, which has a cracked dashboard, aftermarket electronics, and moldy carpets, will receive an extensive makeover. The seats and door panels will be re-upholstered, the dashboard will be replaced, and new carpets will be installed.
We are excited to get this project underway and bring new life to this unique 924 Turbo. You can follow the project on this page and on our social media channels here.
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It’s been an eventful few weeks for “Code Brown,” our 1980 924 Turbo restoration project.
First, in order to gauge the true condition of the car, we sent it out to be dry ice blasted. After the underbody was cleaned using the innovative new process, we found that the body structure of the car was in generally good condition. While a number of suspension components were showing surface corrosion, the body itself had very little rust.
Upon returning to Porsche Centre Vaughan, Classic technician Dave Draganac fully removed the drivetrain, suspension, and the interior of Code Brown. In its disassembled state, it our restoration project was the centerpiece of a special event held in partnership with the 924/944/968 Special Interest Group of the Porsche Club of America – Upper Canada Region. Over 20 participants were able to see our disassembled project up close and learn more about the process of bringing this vehicle back to life.
Now mounted on a set of chassis rollers, the 924 Turbo’s body was sent to Pfaff Autoworks in Markham, our Porsche Certified Collision Centre. There, it will be stripped down and refinished in its original colours with Glasurit paint products and processes – the same as used by the Porsche factory for new vehicles.
With many worn out and broken parts, we have big plans for the interior of our 924 Turbo. The carpets will be replaced with new ones, and the seats will be reupholstered in beige on brown Pasha cloth – an iconic Porsche look. The cracked dashboard cover and other broken plastic items will also be replaced. Dave Draganac will also disassemble, clean, and completely rebuild the engine and transmission, refinish a number of chassis components, and attend to other pieces that need to be replaced in time for when the body returns to us.