TRANSMISSION THE CAR'S THE STAR

All versions of the 924 Turbo sold in the UK featured the G31 five-speed manual gearbox. This unit is renowned for poor first and second synchros. If a test drive indicates crunching when selecting these gears, you’re looking at a potentially large bill to remediate. Tread carefully. The synchros are intolerant of transmission oil changes occurring beyond recommended service intervals. If the Turbo you're buying at has a good gearbox, ensure you change its oil every other year with 80w90 GL4 fluid, available direct from aaoil.co.uk. The 924 Owners Club can point you in the direction of sources for dog teeth and synchros (these parts are no longer available to buy direct from Porsche).

Although the G31’s internals are similar to those of the Type 915 gearbox found in the 911, there are few shared components.

924 Turbos were offered with the option of a limited-slip differential (LSD). If the car you're considering shelling out for has this rare factory part fitted, it will have /12 listed at the end of the gearbox serial number. This identifier can be found on the lowest central spline on the bottom of the transmission casing. Another way to check if the car makes use of an LSD (the Type 915 gearbox differential fits and may have been retro-fitted) is to raise the car's rear end and spin one of the back wheels. An LSD will spin the other wheel in the same direction, a standard differential will spin it in the opposite direction.

Bearing wear manifests as a high-pitched whine. As long as the noise isn’t too intrusive, it shouldn’t be seen as a big problem — most well-used 924s, 944s and 968s emit a whine from the rear.

The gear linkage is fairly long. The locator on the rear has a rubber cup holding it onto the torque tube. A rose-joint replacement makes for a better part than factory rubber prone to wear.

A 924 Turbo’s gear lever includes two nylon bushes known to wear over time, resulting in a loose feel when shifting. These bushes are available to buy new and make a huge difference to the driving experience.

The G31’s dog-leg pattern is something many drivers struggle to get to grips with, but once you’re comfortable, it’s a delight on twisty B-roads, allowing you to slot up and down between second and third, keeping boost on song.

The 1980 924 Turbo in our photographs was Porsche Centre Bournemouth's entry into Porsche Cars GB'S 2016 Classic Restoration Competition. The Centre's team was driven by three main philosophies: to find a car in need of attention in all areas, to find a rare model and, last but by no means least, to retain the integrity of the vehicle. In order to achieve the third objective, it was imperative to approach the restoration in a methodical way, beginning with a complete strip-down and assessing the interior, bodywork and mechanicals, thereby determining the level of work required. As you'd expect, only genuine Porsche parts and highly skilled technical partners were employed throughout the project.

A full 550 hours were spent bringing this turbocharged transaxle back to the as-new condition you see here, leading to the car taking centre stage at the 2016 Silverstone Classic. A celebratory lap of the Nürburgring followed.

"I’ve owned 911s since the late 1990s," smiles current owner, Danny Lucas. "My first Porsche was a mauve 996 Cabriolet. This was followed by various 997s, 991s and 992s. My current 911 is a new GT3 Touring, but going back to my teenage years, I remember launch of the 924 and promised myself I'd one day own a 924 to call my own. Wind the clock forward to late 2022, and this stunning Guards Red Turbo was on display at Porsche Centre Bournemouth, which is one of only a handful of Official Porsche Classic Partner Centres in the UK. I wasted no time in heading over to look at the car and was gobsmacked by the museum-quality restoration, which was documented in a special hardback book. The team even recreated the famous 924 press launch photo from 1979, using this car and the Dorset coastline to mimic Porsche's marketing in period." 911 & Porsche World contributor, Karl Meyer, was working at Porsche Centre Bournemouth at the time and is pictured in this very photograph, taking on the role of the 'father' from Porsche's original promotional image.

Danny didn't hesitate to buy the car, reasoning this was the very best example of a 924 Turbo he was likely to come across. His younger self's dream of 924 ownership was now reality, and he very much looked forward to exhibiting the car in his personal museum, where it could be enjoyed by himself and others ("I was keen to put the car on display"), but fate had other ideas, leading the Porsche to be put into storage following closure of the site. "I no longer have space for the car, which is why I've decided to sell it," he tells us.

As the imagery on these pages demonstrates, this is a truly exceptional Turbo. No expense was spared during the restoration, and though the car didn't win the competition it was entered into, there's no doubting the high standard of workmanship involved in bringing it to the condition you see here. "I am merely the custodian of this car," Danny reflects. "I view it as being a Porsche heirloom. As such, it needs to go to a new home, where I hope it will be cherished and taken to various shows for marque enthusiasts to enjoy. Ownership of this Turbo has been an absolute pleasure, but it's now time for someone else to get enjoyment from it."

Interested in seeing this tip-top Turbo in your garage (or museum)? You can contact Danny directly by emailing danlucas@mac.com or by calling him on 07973 501170. ●

THERE'S NO DOUBTING THE HIGH STANDARD OF WORKMANSHIP INVOLVED IN BRINGING THIS TURBO TO THE CONDITION YOU SEE HERE