When we think of rare Porsches, it’s almost standard practice to envision a 911 or a factory race car. Rarely do we think of the humble 924, but it may be that with just 15 examples ever made, the 924 Carrera GTS Club Sport should be at the top of the list for any esteemed Porsche collector. Certainly, if a company like Canepa has one for sale, that should tell you something. This example is obviously an incredible specimen, but with just 40 original miles, it may be the best example in the world. Find this time-warp 924 Carerra GTS here on Canepa.com with no price listed.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Kyle K. for the find. The 924 GTS was an absolutely ridiculous spec compared to the standard 924 or even the respectable 924 Turbo; describing it as Jekyll and Hyde doesn’t do the transformation justice. The Carrera GTS was significantly lighter weight and more powerful than the standard 924, and this was a homologation special that didn’t leave buyers feeling as if they were short-changed when paying a premium for a racier model. This particular car takes those improvements and goes several steps further, resulting in a Club Sport trim that pus out 270 horsepower.
Deeply contoured sport seats await the occupants inside, and these seats today would be worth a small fortune if they were ever parted out from the chassis. This will never happen, of course, because this is the kind of limited-production sports car that will forever lead a charmed life. In fact, it has traded hands several times, with each owner carrying on the previous one’s history of care and attention that keeps the rare sports car in a perfectly preserved state. The black interior is in spotless condition with auxiliary gauges framing the gear shifter.
The Canepa story behind this car is pretty simple: they buy the best examples of the world’s most sought-after sports cars, like the Porsche 959. While this rare 924 Carrera GTS Clubsport may not be a 959, it is undoubtedly an incredible opportunity to buy one of the truly bonkers homologation cars Porsche built. Nothing Canepa sells is a driver-quality car; everything they offer in terms of the condition is the best of the best. The low mileage shown here, combined with the rarity of the Club Sport trim, make it a compelling alternative to a 911 in terms of desirability and performance.
Good looking rare beast. I don’t believe any of these made it to our shore when they were new. I think the additional air inlets give this car a sense of business over the standard 944 and 924 turbo cars.
“This example was hand-built and completed on 11 February 1981 at the Weissach facility, then shipped to Bob Hagestad Porsche-Audi in Denver, Colorado. It was sold to its first owner, Dr. William Jackson, an ophthalmologist and well-known Porsche collector from Pine Cliff, Colorado, on 23 July 1982.”
So apparently it was legal? I really don’t know enough about these to say. Does not seem plausible as back In those days, the car would have to have had a catalyst and been EPA snd DOT certified. Why would Porsche have gone through the trouble? But it was sold here according to the story.
See mrgreenjeans explanation below…
Checking out their inventory nothing has a price.
If you have to ask, you cannot afford it!
Is it difficult to change the timing belt?
Doubtful considering 70 and 80’s tech is easy compared to a modern car. Also these Audi engines were non-interference so at the very worse a broken belt is just a no go. Also doubtful the new owner will drive it. More likely to be hidden away in someone’s collection.
If it is the same as a standard 924, then no. I did mine, not much different than changing an alternator belt (except you don’t want to turn anything with the belt off. You just have to take a metal cover off the front of the car to get to it.
how many hands and clamps do you have?
I guess if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.
Canepa his cars are usually PERFECT and commanding top dollar.
Beautiful Porsche, but there’s no way I could own that car without driving it. It’s meant to be driven! It’s a Porsche! I’d brake it in properly and then drive the snot out of it, but that’s just me. Some people collect cars to display, but I buy cars because I love driving.
Absolutely agree!!
This is a ClubSport GTS; never intended to be driven on the roads of North America. I doubt it comes with a title, but instead would be sold with ‘Bill of Sale’, an MSO from Porsche Weissach, and corresponding logbooks, documentations, etc.
Bob Hagestad Porsche competed at LeMans with a 914-6 they owned and I believe they also campaigned a mate to this GTS in other races as well. May have been meant to be utilized as a back up unit initially but then sold to it’s first owner, the Dr./collector when no longer kept by them for this purpose,
This is ‘rarefied air’ we are breathing; the stuff of legends. Derek Bell was given a similar model by Porsche, but of road-going ability for his successful wins for them. I believe all were built as Guards Red cars initially in the three models built: GT, GTS, GTR. (I may be in error on this accounting, but there are photo archives showing a great amount of them in a factory courtyard, all colored Guards Red)
For those which would be considering this as a driving entity rather than the bauble it is, consider burying a million in cash in the ground, digging it up years later and find much of it decomposed and no longer worth the million it once was.
A better alternative would be to own this AND a 924 turbo, 944, 944 turbo (951) and use the last 3 on the street. They are all the descendants of this ClubSport and meant to do their sporting fun on street and track with aplomb.
Must agree. This car is more liability than asset. But someone´s money will be there to maintain its megavirgin status.
Racing cars as sculpture? Not a trend which should be encouraged.
I love the tool kit. That’ll get the job done and looks to be of substantial Coleman quality!
Dr. Bill and Bob Hagestad were both friends of mine, and I am familiar with Bill’s many unusual Porsches. Bob was among the first to race a 904 in the U.S., at Sebring, but he never ran at Le Mans. This car was bought by Bill as a collector car, and he had plenty of others to drive on the street. It lived in a downtown Denver warehouse for years in the company of a 911R, an Abarth Carrera, a 904, an America Roadster, a Martini Turbo Carrera RSR, an Elva-Porsche, and many others. Bill bought most of his old cars many years ago and rarely sold anything. He devoted the last years of his life to treating childrens’ diabetes.
The Duke of Richmond (owner of Goodwood) has one of these, but his is very well-used. English aristocrats wear their grandfather´s re-tailored tweeds; they throw little away…..