This 1980 Porsche 924 is an interesting specimen, as it’s a gray market car that’s also sporting a period-correct Carrera GT-style bodykit, featuring fender flares and NACA duct on the hood. The seller mentions it also has the Europe-only dogleg-style manual gearbox, and that the 924 was quite a formidable opponent on the track. Find it here on craigslist under a pile of mattresses for $7,900. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Patrick S. for the find.
The 924 in Euro-spec formation is a fair amount more interesting than the standard U.S. car, even in this long-idled state. The seller notes that the car could easily pick on vehicles twice its size when it was running and competing, so it’s tempting to think could return this 924 back to track-ready condition – but was its prowess due to trick suspension or something more robust under the hood?
Even though the gray-market cars lost the restrictive emissions equipment and were lighter-weight than their U.S. counterparts, that alone would not necessarily help this 924 beat up on the Vipers and Porsche 911s the seller describes in the listing. The interior is nothing special, despite the hopes I had to some more thickly-bolstered sport seats to go along with the wild widebody conversion.
Here you can see details that come with the 924 Carrera GT replica kit, but could it be this 924 is a genuine turbocharged example (which received the hood vents and NACA duct)? The seller leaves many questions as it relates to what this 924 is truly capable of performance-wise, but does note that the tires are dry-rotted and there’s evidence of “….some manifold leak and leaky clutch slave cylinder.” The seller seems to think it is worth bringing it back, and if no one buys it, he’s going to bring it back as a track build. Would you keep the kit or return it to original spec?
Wow 😯 that’s one shagging machine.
I can see it cruising around with
mattresses in first picture going “hey is that a mirror in your pocket” to ladies!
Getting by the reply “what” ?
Then the “I can see myself down there” and on my portable mattresses of course ….
Maybe wearing early 80s outdated leisure suit to add to creepiness of it …
Yep what a Porsche 😂😅😅😅😅
Seriously why the picture of a Porsche and mattress??????
“Seriously, why the picture of a Porsche and mattress?”
I guess he or she was trying to make it a “sleeper”. Of course, the fender flares give it away a bit…
Without a roll bar it only qualifies for the beginer level track outings where it’s all street cars.
Steve R
Crash padding.?
The VIN doesn’t make much sense to align with a 924 Turbo. If it’s a pre-80, it would have a “93x” number instead of 924. It’s listed as 9249401862 and a 1980. 1980 924 VINS generally follow this but the sixth digit would be a “5” for a 931. “0” as listed would actually correspond with a 928 – 924s for 1980 had a “1”.
https://www.stuttcars.com/technical/vin-decoder/
Here’s an example of a ’80 931. VIN is 93A0152845
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1980-Porsche-924-Turbo-/252986106160?nordt=true&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m43663.l10137
More likely than not it’s just a 924 Turbo hood that was slapped on in the process rather than the ducted Carrera GT replica hood.
To me, it looks like a 1979 model
9249401862
924 = 924
9 = year (’79)
4 = 924 turbo
0 = coupe
Nice research Carter and Jeff. Appreciate your knowledge and input. Apparently the seller is smarmy. ie: “…no silly offers and history lessons please…” When I read lines like this, along with “…don’t need any pen pals..”, etc, my reaction is — keep it. This seller says he will keep and repurpose if he doesn’t get his price. Good, then keep it. Why bother listing with that attitude?
“Track” car? I’m thinking “Crack” car.
Reminds me of this one I probably should have bought.
Why did you pass on it?
Nothing says your wife kicked you out of the house more than driving your Porsche down the road with your mattress strapped to the roof…..
Strapped to the roof? Everybody knows that to transport mattresses, you use twine and you & your passenger stick your hands out the door and hold it down. Should be safe up to 45mph.
I have to admit, that one leaves me a little confused.
Under those mattresses, if it wasn’t a Porsche, I’d say it’s a textbook example of a redneck camper but what self respecting redneck would be caught driving a Porsche? It’s a conundrum, a peculiarity, and a contradiction in stereotypes to be sure. Maybe a redneck who went to Harvard?
It was a very common conversion back in the day. I remember seeing several companies offering the transformation in Porsche club magazines etc.
Speaking of mattresses on the car roof. Here’s a local joke from So Cal. What do you call a surfer who just broke up with his girlfriend? HOMELESS!
Drummers, too
While it may be a real turbo, it is not a rare Carrera GT. When he first started the listing here in my area he was claiming it was a real GT until I emailed him and challenged that claim. He then listed it as a “replica”. The Carrera GT used a different hood completely with a raised scoop. It too was vin specific . So it is a real 924 Turbo with GT flares. If it was real it would be in my shop right now.
What we have here is a vehicle commonly used when searching for the elusive Red-haired, double-breasted, mattress-thrasher.
That’s one way to keep the roof from getting dented!
Interning car. I’m considering getting this. Let me sleep on it…
You can buy a running 944 for less and have more car than he’s asking for this gamble. Engine and tranny parts for 924 Turbos (AKA 931) are scarce to non-existent by the way. If this thing is such a racer what’s it doing with that upholstered boat anchor of a power seat and not even a sports seats at that. Too bad it’s been butchered and painted. A nice 931 is a rare bird these days and prices are on the rise. YMMV