5 WAYS TO MAKE IT BETTER

TUNE THE ENGINE 1

Fitting a Piper camshaft, a Vernier pulley, a larger throttle body from an Audi 100 or Golf GTI and a panel filter to aid breathing – followed by a rolling road session – will gain an easy 10-12bhp on the 2.0-litre Audi engine while keeping things tractable. Similar improvements can also be made to the 924S, which benefits from the large following of the 944.

SHORTEN THE 2 GEARSHIFT

Gear linkages are always difficult to get right in cars with rear-mounted gearboxes, though Porsche does have more experience with them than most. Nonetheless, any wear in the linkages will have a greater effect than in most cars due to the length of the parts involved, so it is worth switching to aluminium if your car’s gearchange is showing slop. It will transform your gear changes in standard form, but better still, they’re adjustable so you can also shorten the gear shift by up to 25 per cent.

LOWER THE CAR’S 3 RIDE HEIGHT

Front lowering springs are cheap and you can drop the rear by turning the eccentric bolts on the beam axle. Bilstein B6 dampers are a good intermediate choice or you can go for GAZ Gold coilovers if you’re racing your 924 – they are popular in the British Racing Sports Car Club.

IMPROVE THE 4 BRAKING

You won’t run out of braking power in a 924, even with the standard rear drums and solid front discs. Even racers retain the drums and standard linings, but a set of fast road front pads and braided pipes will improve feel and performance.

MAKE SOME NOISE 5

The 924’s standard exhaust note isn’t especially exciting because Porsche gave the car a fairly sensible engine note, what with the car being aimed at mainstream buyers when it was new. Enthusiasts may feel the need to liven things up a bit, and fortunately there are plenty of aftermarket stainless steel options that will add some volume and character to the car’s sound. Prices vary wildly, so shop around before parting with any money.