Project S: 1988 Porsche 924S

[Felix]

Third time lucky!

I loved driving my NA to lots of places and I love looking at the Turbo (and the power) but now's the time to combine all I've learnt through years of 924ing!

This is Project S. It's a 1988 924S, so it's got the tweakable, high compression 944 engine. Being the last of the 924 it comes with daily friendly things like PAS and central locking etc. It has been a South Wales car from new. I went to see it on a bit of a whim and was smitten. I had always had an '88 Guards Red S in the back of my mind anyway.

The plan is to drive it around for a while first, iron out any niggles that arise and then make it my own. I want to do a backdate 924. Taking an 88S with all mod-cons and a lightly tuned engine, with the styling cues of an early modified car. The wishlist includes some tasty wheels (to be collected) nice sports seats, a spoilerless hatch (chrome trim too?) and to lower it slightly. It could do with a suspension refresh and I'm torn between Bilstein B6's & lowering springs or coilovers.

Here's a photograph from the ad along with another ad which hints at what's to come this Friday...

In the meantime, if anyone has some useful tips for S ownership, fire away!

[Mvictor]

Felix, it's been 4 or more years since I first discovered your 924 thread, I liked your's very much because it reminded myself, young, first car (although mine was a "little" less fun, a Peugeot 206+). Now, years later, I reminded of Retro Rides and the first thing was to look for your 924, I'm glad you still runing one of these, you probably had the car life I've dreamed of. Thanks for that Felix, and keep going!!!

(What makes me double happy is remembering some words you typed on your first post: "To find a lovely companion to my passenger seat, with the help of pop-up lights..." and seeing that they worked! haha)

Best wishes man!

[Felix]

Haha thanks! I think after owning the Turbo I missed the ownership time of my NA more than maybe the car.


I've been using the S daily, a whole 3 days so far! It drives nicely and starts up first time with no fuss. I might throw it in at the deep end and take it to London tomorrow to pick up the wheels.

The cream interior is growing on me, although I had to get rid of this veneer! Annoyingly, it split as I peeled it off and I think a replacement gauge pod etc will be an easier way to deal with it. I changed the steering wheel and while I was there gave the indicator stalk a fettle since high beam would come on with dipped beam!

It's booked in for a check over at a local Porsche Indy on Tuesday as I'm not familiar with the 2.5 and wanted to see if there's anything else I should look at before I refresh the suspension.

[grifterkid]

That looks very nice indeed... I do like the 924 and I'm sure it's time will come soon...

[stevecrx]

Nice motor. Like the Epsilons too. I'm guessing you've seen the set on eBay for £800?

Question for you; 924 owners club. Worth the £25 joining fee?

[sumpcracker]

Great project.

I also have a red 924S.
I'm also going to do a backdate on it.

Though mine is going to be green or orange with tartan seats/ chrome trim/ no spoiler/ wide rims/ some 70s details and 944 turbo power.
Pretty much going to be a Singer 924. I have only the car and engine at this point, waiting for £ to crack on.

[g52oyc]

The 924 with the real Porsche engine. I have 2 turbo's and my series 1 has a spoilerless hatch with chrome trim which I'm not fond of. If your interested I can check the condition and get some pictures sent over to you?

[Felix]

Steve - I've found it a great resource and well worth £25. Sure, it's a one model car club but the amount of tech info & helpful members, spares etc makes it well worth it. Someone will have been there & done it, which saves a lot of frustration when you have a problem or want to find something out.

Picked up the wheels today. Cruised to London & back happily, over 500 miles racked up now! Trial fitted the wheels, I was expecting the late offset to pee on my bonfire but it looks like it could be overcome. Rears fit nicely. Fronts stick out a mile. If I go from 205 to 195 tyres on the front and have some negative camber, maybe it'll work? You'll have to look for the potential since the wheels could do with a polish, likewise the red paint. Perhaps when I go to lower the suspension, if I find some early offset hubs I can swap them in on the front?

[Felix]

I took the car to a local Porsche Indy for a good checkover and the feedback was encouraging:

Slight oil leak from the top front of the engine
ARB bushes worn
Play in steering shaft
Tired shocks
A few other niggles I'm not worried about and a cosmetically challenged interior!

I've been busy polishing lately. A friend recommended Meguiars NXT metal polish. After making no progress with Brasso, I was amazed how good it came up with this polish! I put a pea sized amount on a cloth, wiped it for a few seconds and they came out shining! I imagine it's great for exhausts too. Really impressed!



I fitted the cream leather rear seats that came with the car too, a Porsche horn push for my steering wheel and the throttle response cam.

The black car went to its new owner on Friday and so I bought lots of things from Rose Passion to help me get over it! Should turn up later this afternoon...

In the meantime, I took advantage of the 3 for 2 cleaning offer in Halfords and got a clay mitt (saved a lot of time for a similar result!) some compound, polish & wax. Spent the morning making my arms ache to achieve this:











Sadly the bird poo on the back won't come off and the paint is a bit rubbish on the bonnet. However, I didn't want the burden of an immaculate car! The paintwork is more of a Mars Red than Guards, perhaps due to age and various touch ups :whistle:

Comes with the standard delaminating windscreen & broken sunvisor clips

[jimmy]

She looks lovely mate, just need to get the epsilons on and a nice drop an' she'll be about perfect!.....

[Felix]

Some shiny new bits! Lowering springs to follow.

[ChasR]

Ah wow, you have gone with proper dampers .

If they are anything like what was on my Pug they will be leagues ahead of what comes off and IMO possibly better from offerings from Koni and Spax .

[stevietuck]

Love the new car Felix, reading your three threads has really got me looking at 924's in a new light so thanks for that

[grifterkid]

Looking good... Looking VERY good!!!

[Felix]

Didn't get much out of the eccentrics on the back, will save up for reindexing & clutch later in the year.

Still a vast improvement to ride quality!

[ChasR]

It is looking pretty good it has to be said! A little more lowering on the back and that should look great.

If there was one thing I may have preferred a tiny amount of stretch on the tyres but with the same profile. It is pretty good as it is! Great to see you removed the old rubber in place of some fresh stuff , that probably aided things quite a bit!

This should turn out very well if your previous cars are anything to go by .

[woolie]

that looks ace!

[Felix]

I've been tackling a non-start issue the last few weeks and overcame it at last. The ECU was u/s. The last couple of days I've had great fun driving it, such a blast down the lanes! I miss the turbo sometimes but a narrow body car with poor paintwork is easier to place on the road!!

I had a new windscreen fitted but it's left a lot to be desired, I came back to the car today to find a puddle in the footwell! The bulkhead drains are clear, the battery tray isn't rotten and the sunroof doesn't leak which points at the screen. That and it never leaked before.

The rear still needs to be reindexed and the rubber centre of the clutch is past it so I've been gathering quotes for that in the meantime. I keep checking eBay waiting for the right interior to come along as well but nothing yet...

Permanent bird poo and yellow shocks, a lovely rear!



Give it a few weeks and it should sit like this

[Mark]

I really like 924. Ideally an early one, slammed on Fuch wheels.

I simply don't have the room or funds though, so your threads supply my 924 fix.

[Felix]

I've been waiting desperately for some sports seats to appear, knowing that when they did, I would have them!

Saw a set of seats on eBay just listed and offered a cash on collection price. 300 mile round trip ensued (you have to make your own fun with shift hours). I couldn't believe it when I saw them and feel slightly embarrassed by my excitement over a set of seats! They are a garage find having not been in a car for a long time, the fabric isn't faded and the foam is still very taught. Even all the paint on the bottom of the runners is there, I almost feel bad fitting them in my car! It's a bit like having new-old-stock.

My rear beige leather seats are in excellent condition and I was thinking about dying them black? Just the wooden centre console to go now and the interior is looking better!