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Ace Le Count
Okay fellow Porsche enthusiasts, I've recently come across the opportunity to buy a 924 Martini Edition for $1,500 and I was wondering if there is a way to know for sure that it's an authentic World Championship Edition (equipment code 426) and not a standard 042-equipped car?

It comes with another car for parts. Needs a few things as it's been sitting since 2003. It is missing the plaque, but has the red interior and side stripes that it's supposed to have. The seller was driving it and cracked the head due to an air bubble. It was replaced but the fan belt snapped on the way home. After that it just sat. 17 years later, the seller claims that mice have chewed up the plug wire. What do you think? $1,500 for 2 924's. The second car appears to be pretty complete, too. Is there a way to authenticate the martini car? How can we know for certain that it's the real deal? The VIN is 9247210022

The cars are in another state.

I've posted a thread on 924Board.org, but it seems to get less traffic than 914 world, so I thought I'd reach out to the 914 guys and gals for advice.

I'm 17 and can't afford to buy a halfway decent 914 at today's prices. The unicorn deals are getting harder to find as we speak.

(That's why I'm looking at 924's in addition to 914's)

What do you all think?

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THANK YOU!!!
Ace Le Count
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Ace Le Count
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Ace Le Count
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sixnotfour
look under the seats,,, I have one,,
http://www.924.org/models/Martini.htm
billh1963
Are you wanting a car to drive or a long and expensive project?

I think the 924 is cool...always liked them. But, that's a heckuva project to get the car back on the road.
VaccaRabite
PLEASE don't take this the wrong way.
Buy a different car. One that you can drive and enjoy now and not spend 5 years and 10 grand restoring. Wait until you are a little older, out of school, and have dependable income to start tearing into old cars. There is a lot of fun to be had with more modern cars that are a good bit cheaper and a LOT more reliable and have things like decent audio and air conditioning.

Zach
BillJ
if you must have a porsche at 17 (lucky kid) then find a boxster and have fun. You can find them for very reasonable prices. That 924 duo there will cost you an immeasurable amount of time and money to put on the road unless you are already an accomplished mechanic and have access to wholesale pricing for parts.
mepstein
QUOTE(VaccaRabite @ Aug 10 2020, 09:06 AM) *

PLEASE don't take this the wrong way.
Buy a different car. One that you can drive and enjoy now and not spend 5 years and 10 grand restoring. Wait until you are a little older, out of school, and have dependable income to start tearing into old cars. There is a lot of fun to be had with more modern cars that are a good bit cheaper and a LOT more reliable and have things like decent audio and air conditioning.

Zach

agree.gif unless you have $10-15K in your pocket (to get started, not finished) I would pass.
Mark Henry
My teenager has a '82 Audi Coupe ( any '81-90) looks good but unique, sporty, handles great with nice examples from $1500 to $5K and ready for the road. Galvanized body so not as many rust issues.
They're built like little German tanks, even your parents will like it.
Jett
Agree with everyone, the cheapest Porsche will be the one you spend the most $ on... There is a Martini 924 on Pelican for IIRC 8K and it’s in good running condition.
Jett
QUOTE(sixnotfour @ Aug 10 2020, 01:49 AM) *

look under the seats,,, I have one,,
http://www.924.org/models/Martini.htm

Lol you and I have the same taste!

BTW please bug Mark, apparently my Karman tag for the Delphi car is lost in his office... I saw the tag about six months back smile.gif. Car is done smile.gif thanks for all your help!
sixnotfour
QUOTE(Jett @ Aug 10 2020, 08:54 AM) *

QUOTE(sixnotfour @ Aug 10 2020, 01:49 AM) *

look under the seats,,, I have one,,
http://www.924.org/models/Martini.htm

Lol you and I have the same taste!

BTW please bug Mark, apparently my Karman tag for the Delphi car is lost in his office... I saw the tag about six months back smile.gif. Car is done smile.gif thanks for all your help!

Ha, I talked to him the other day about it.. idea.gif headbang.gif slap.gif new office peeps ?
Ace Le Count
Thanks for all the replies! I love being well-informed.

I'm homeschooled and I've finished high-school a year early. I also have a steady job.

The 924 seems to be the porsche with the least amount of problems besides good rust-free 914's.

They're galvanized, (914 problem) the 2.0's have non-interference engines (944 problem) they don't have IMS, RMS, or air/oil separator problems (boxster) plus a lot of their parts are shared with VW and Audi.

Even 928's are getting very expensive. Correct me if I'm wrong, but from based on the things that I've read, they seem to be cars that are doable for the home mechanic.

But I wouldn't know since I've never had one lol-2.gif

I'm into doing as much as the work as possible by myself and with limited tools.

Thanks everyone!
Jett
QUOTE(sixnotfour @ Aug 10 2020, 08:37 AM) *

QUOTE(Jett @ Aug 10 2020, 08:54 AM) *

QUOTE(sixnotfour @ Aug 10 2020, 01:49 AM) *

look under the seats,,, I have one,,
http://www.924.org/models/Martini.htm

Lol you and I have the same taste!

BTW please bug Mark, apparently my Karman tag for the Delphi car is lost in his office... I saw the tag about six months back smile.gif. Car is done smile.gif thanks for all your help!

Ha, I talked to him the other day about it.. idea.gif headbang.gif slap.gif new office peeps ?

Ya smile.gif
Dion
Prolly in the minority here, if you enjoy a challenge and it’s not crazy $$ for you.
Go for it. I bought my son a 944 to learn on.
It needed a few pricey items but that’s the cost of admission to this game.
These p-cars aren’t everyday Chevy’s.
Enjoy it! & Good luck.
Sounds like you did some research.
mbseto
I suppose I'm in the minority too. I often wish I had started this in my teens. Especially after seeing the craftsmanship of the real masters here. The real relevant question is, are you the type that like to play the long game?
mb911
I say buy it and learn. $1500 is nothing for a good education in vintage automobiles. I would have never gotten through life without first cutting my teeth on cool projects.
Tdskip
QUOTE(Ace Le Count @ Aug 10 2020, 11:49 AM) *


Even 928's are getting very expensive. Correct me if I'm wrong, but from based on the things that I've read, they seem to be cars that are doable for the home mechanic.


A 928 makes these 924 looks like legos as far as complexity and parts costs go. Don't even think about, maybe, possibly, considering a clapped out 928.

I would offer the following slightly different perspective;

- so long as you are cool with driving it scruffy (wash it but don't otherwise touch the body etc)
- have a coach/adult who will partner with you
- won't walk away after it costs you $3500 to get it mechanically healthy
- look at the money and time as hobby rather than investment

then by all means go for it

People here and on other Porsche forums will be eager to help and share information.

To be clear the other advice give is excellent, I just have a slightly different perspective and don't mind my cars being scruffy so long as I can DRIVE them.
Jonathan Livesay
QUOTE(mb911 @ Aug 10 2020, 12:31 PM) *

I say buy it and learn. $1500 is nothing for a good education in vintage automobiles. I would have never gotten through life without first cutting my teeth on cool projects.

agree.gif Go for it, although a 924 is not a real Porsche. biggrin.gif
jd74914
QUOTE(mb911 @ Aug 10 2020, 02:31 PM) *

I say buy it and learn. $1500 is nothing for a good education in vintage automobiles. I would have never gotten through life without first cutting my teeth on cool projects.

agree.gif

My first 914 (at 14) was waaaaaaaayyyyy worse! Fun project though-even if it did take 7 years. If you're OK playing the long game totally go for it. Just can't expect instant gratification. beerchug.gif
KELTY360
QUOTE(Ace Le Count @ Aug 9 2020, 10:27 PM) *

Okay fellow Porsche enthusiasts, I've recently come across the opportunity to buy a 924 Martini Edition for $1,500 and I was wondering if there is a way to know for sure that it's an authentic World Championship Edition (equipment code 426) and not a standard 042-equipped car?

It comes with another car for parts. Needs a few things as it's been sitting since 2003. It is missing the plaque, but has the red interior and side stripes that it's supposed to have. The seller was driving it and cracked the head due to an air bubble. It was replaced but the fan belt snapped on the way home. After that it just sat. 17 years later, the seller claims that mice have chewed up the plug wire. What do you think? $1,500 for 2 924's. The second car appears to be pretty complete, too. Is there a way to authenticate the martini car? How can we know for certain that it's the real deal? The VIN is 9247210022

The cars are in another state.

I've posted a thread on 924Board.org, but it seems to get less traffic than 914 world, so I thought I'd reach out to the 914 guys and gals for advice.

I'm 17 and can't afford to buy a halfway decent 914 at today's prices. The unicorn deals are getting harder to find as we speak.

(That's why I'm looking at 924's in addition to 914's)

What do you all think?

Click to view attachment

THANK YOU!!!


I have a hard time believing someone would clone a special edition 924. Was it equipped with performance goodies or just stripes and decals?
AZBanks
There is no such thing as a cheap Porsche!!


Plan to spend an extra $5000 to get it really reliable and then you will have a great little car.

You may be able to fix it up for less than that but if you plan for $5000 and spend less you are ahead of the game.
ctc911ctc
QUOTE(VaccaRabite @ Aug 10 2020, 07:06 AM) *

PLEASE don't take this the wrong way.
Buy a different car. One that you can drive and enjoy now and not spend 5 years and 10 grand restoring. Wait until you are a little older, out of school, and have dependable income to start tearing into old cars. There is a lot of fun to be had with more modern cars that are a good bit cheaper and a LOT more reliable and have things like decent audio and air conditioning.

Zach



agree.gif agree.gif agree.gif agree.gif

I had a 914 in college, it owned me.........

I also have had many after college and have owned every one of them.

Nothing worse than a car you cannot afford.
Ace Le Count
QUOTE(sixnotfour @ Aug 10 2020, 03:49 AM) *

look under the seats,,, I have one,,
http://www.924.org/models/Martini.htm


Look under the seats?
Ace Le Count
QUOTE(KELTY360 @ Aug 10 2020, 03:44 PM) *

QUOTE(Ace Le Count @ Aug 9 2020, 10:27 PM) *

Okay fellow Porsche enthusiasts, I've recently come across the opportunity to buy a 924 Martini Edition for $1,500 and I was wondering if there is a way to know for sure that it's an authentic World Championship Edition (equipment code 426) and not a standard 042-equipped car?

It comes with another car for parts. Needs a few things as it's been sitting since 2003. It is missing the plaque, but has the red interior and side stripes that it's supposed to have. The seller was driving it and cracked the head due to an air bubble. It was replaced but the fan belt snapped on the way home. After that it just sat. 17 years later, the seller claims that mice have chewed up the plug wire. What do you think? $1,500 for 2 924's. The second car appears to be pretty complete, too. Is there a way to authenticate the martini car? How can we know for certain that it's the real deal? The VIN is 9247210022

The cars are in another state.

I've posted a thread on 924Board.org, but it seems to get less traffic than 914 world, so I thought I'd reach out to the 914 guys and gals for advice.

I'm 17 and can't afford to buy a halfway decent 914 at today's prices. The unicorn deals are getting harder to find as we speak.

(That's why I'm looking at 924's in addition to 914's)

What do you all think?

Click to view attachment

THANK YOU!!!


I have a hard time believing someone would clone a special edition 924. Was it equipped with performance goodies or just stripes and decals?


I don't know... The seller doesn't seem to like crawling around very much. I asked for the sticker codes under the rear hatch and he said that the lock is stuck. I don't know if it has the sway bars, I'll ask him again. It does have the correct interior, though. Minus the plaque
Ace Le Count
It won't be my only car. I usually drive one of my parents cars.
Tdskip
One lesson you learn, usually the hard way, is that you’re buying the seller as much as you are buying the car. Good sellers who are informative, cooperative, willing to put the effort into making sure that you know what you’re buying and are happy with the purchase generally results in a good experience.

If the seller is being a pain in the neck, or can’t be bothered, spouts hyperbole about how wonderful it is or how valuable it is you can pretty much count on getting hosed.
garrettlee2
I have a 924 martini it’s slow but drives much better on the highway then my 914. 924s are a mix of rabbit, super and wired Audi parts. They have weak heads and all the parts are hard to get. If I where you I would look for a early 944 or 924s everything is better. Plus 924 engine swaps are not as easy as you think check out boosted brothers for the 944 engine alternative
KELTY360
QUOTE(Tdskip @ Aug 10 2020, 03:46 PM) *

One lesson you learn, usually the hard way, is that you’re buying the seller as much as you are buying the car. Good sellers who are informative, cooperative, willing to put the effort into making sure that you know what you’re buying and are happy with the purchase generally results in a good experience.

If the seller is being a pain in the neck, or can’t be bothered, spouts hyperbole about how wonderful it is or how valuable it is you can pretty much count on getting hosed.

agree.gif
Ace Le Count
Thanks everyone. It's great having you. I'm on a road trip with my family. We're off to Idaho for some camping.

Anyways, I live in Laughlin, NV and the cars are located in Chico, CA.

We're in a pinch and we'll most likely be moving up north within the next few months.

IF ANYONE WANTS A SIDE JOB---- ⬇⬇⬇

I'm looking for a way to get the cars away from the seller and into a safe place.

Maybe not Laughlin because it'll be that much harder to bring them back up north when we move.

Is there anyone that would be interested in helping me move the cars that might also be able to store them for me as well? Or one or the other? I could pay you by the month for space rent.

It would only be for a few months.

If anyone is interested, you can PM me and we'll work out a price. It would be nice to find someone between idaho and Chico.

I know it's a huge favour, I just thought I'd ask. I might post this question as a new thread... idea.gif thanks everyone!!
Ace Le Count
QUOTE(garrettlee2 @ Aug 10 2020, 08:17 PM) *

I have a 924 martini it’s slow but drives much better on the highway then my 914. 924s are a mix of rabbit, super and wired Audi parts. They have weak heads and all the parts are hard to get. If I where you I would look for a early 944 or 924s everything is better. Plus 924 engine swaps are not as easy as you think check out boosted brothers for the 944 engine alternative


Nice! I'd like to hear more about it.
BuddyV
I have a 1988 Special Edition.... and I'm warning you about two things:

A. You will probably spend three times what it will eventually be worth. (even if you stop short of your goal)

B. It will be slower than you ever imagined.

I have some disposable income, so I swapped the stock motor for a 968 motor (and my car had the 944 NA motor from that year, stock, and ran PERFECTLY.... slow). I am so happy that I did the swap,,, but it was costly.. I felt it was worth it because the rest of the car was rather mint.

but,,,,

I wouldn't try this again..... my car was in GREAT shape.....most other 924s would have needed so much OTHER work. It would have been a never-ending project.

in short, they are slow.

But I love mine. So.... well.... think carefully

Good luck
AZBanks
I had an 86 944 Turbo.

A friend and I rebuilt and upgraded the entire drivetrain. Complete engine rebuild, new intake, turbo, SFR header, full 3 inch down pipe and exhaust, new engine management system, AOR limited slip trans out of an 89 turbo S.
Everything from the air cleaner to the tailpipe and transmission was new and/or upgraded.
323 RWHP
326 RWTQ

tt was anything but slow.

Like a 968 swap, it was costly but it was so worth it.
JamesM
QUOTE(VaccaRabite @ Aug 10 2020, 05:06 AM) *

PLEASE don't take this the wrong way.
Buy a different car. One that you can drive and enjoy now and not spend 5 years and 10 grand restoring. Wait until you are a little older, out of school, and have dependable income to start tearing into old cars. There is a lot of fun to be had with more modern cars that are a good bit cheaper and a LOT more reliable and have things like decent audio and air conditioning.

Zach



This is sound advice, having gone down a similar path with 914s in the 90s I can attest to there being zero logic in owning a fixer upper Porsche as a teenager, at least not as your daily driver like I did.

BUT

That being said there really is no point in your life where owning a Porsche will be the logical/responsible choice. Zero, nada, never, at no point will owning a Porsche make sense. You do it because you love it and if it is within your means and its what you want to be doing, go for it, enjoy your life the way you want to.

Dont waste your time with a Boxter, they are soulless hot garbage.

Back to your original question though, I actually own an 80 924 Turbo that i purchased not running a few years back so I have some experience in this department.

So some thoughts:
Be glad its not a turbo. Seriously i think 931s are probably the most insane Porsche to attempt to own for reasons i wont get into here because you wont have to worry about them.

These are relatively simple cars to work on but mostly like you will have to do everything yourself as you will be hard pressed to find a mechanic that knows these cars (or knows these cars and is still willing to work on them)

The used parts market and network of support for these cars is FAR less (practically non existent) than with 914s or 944s as you have seen. 924s are the true unloved Porsche. That being said you will have a VERY unique car. Seriously, other than my own, I have NEVER seen another non "S" 924 on the road... like ever. I have seen people show up to meets in 959s and Carerra GTs, never seen a 924.

Probably even more so than 914s, 924s were severely neglected by their owners so expect to go through literally everything. Starting with the timing belt (which is stupid cheap and simple on this car compared to a 944) and the entire fuel injection system (old gas really likes to gum up mechanical injection) I believe there is a post on the 924 board about resurrecting one, but out of the gate budget on at least having to buy a fuel pump, fuel accumulator accumulator, possibly injectors, in addition to the timing belt and all the normal tune up stuff.

Are you happy with the cosmetic condition of the car? Speaking from experience here, unless you are capable of doing this yourself, decent paint/body work on the car is usually out of reach for most younger people so expect the car is going to look more or less the same for a long time.

My biggest concern would be the mouse situation. Thankfully the mechanical injection doesn't have much wiring to chew up, but that doesn't mean that they cant cause crazy damage to the car still. The electrical systems in these cars had a lot of issues to begin with, adding mouse damage on top of that might drive you insane. Get a REAL good feel for where they have been before going any further.

Negotiate the price down. Don't be afraid to low ball the crap out of him, and don't be afraid to walk away. I promise no one is beating his door down to buy these cars. When I picked up my 924 the only reason I even went and looked at it was because it was a Porsche for sale within walking distance of my house. He was asking $1500 for the car. I didn't really have an intention to buy a 924 but given he took the time to show me the car i figured I would at least drop some offer. Jump to 10 minutes later and im pushing my $600 Turbo Porsche home. Point is, get it at a price that makes good sense to you and dont be afraid to ask. I think that was my biggest mistake buying my first Porsche as a teenager, getting to excited about it and just buying what was being sold. Slow down, take your time, shop around, get familiar with what is out there. Maybe work on the seller a bit, he has basically yard art at the moment and you are an excited kid(short on funds) wanting to bring them back to life, use that to your advantage.

Click to view attachment
JamesM
QUOTE(BuddyV @ Aug 10 2020, 09:39 PM) *

I have a 1988 Special Edition.... and I'm warning you about two things:

A. You will probably spend three times what it will eventually be worth. (even if you stop short of your goal)

B. It will be slower than you ever imagined.

I have some disposable income, so I swapped the stock motor for a 968 motor (and my car had the 944 NA motor from that year, stock, and ran PERFECTLY.... slow). I am so happy that I did the swap,,, but it was costly.. I felt it was worth it because the rest of the car was rather mint.


The 88s are 944s in a 924 body, whole different animal. Would be a LOT more difficult to swap a Porsche transaxle era motor into the 70s Audi block cars. Also the 88 "S" car is going to seem like a rocket next to an NA Audi block 924. lol-2.gif Speed isnt everything though, these cars are still a ton of fun without it.
dt4
I have just bought a 2.0 N/A over here as my next project.
It has great body work but the entire running gear and suspension needs an overhaul or replacement, I have had to use rope to hold the gearbox to the chassis as an attempted clutch change was abandoned and the bell housings at either end plus the torque tube are all unbolted but still in place
The fuel and brake lines from front to back will need replacing, the timing belt plus others will need replacing and the fuel pump and FI will all need attention.
The clutch master and slave cylinders all look crusty too.
There have been mice in the car and they have damaged an otherwise immaculate interior put it will provide a challenge and should be great when its complete
jmitro
QUOTE(JamesM @ Aug 11 2020, 01:37 AM) *

Dont waste your time with a Boxter, they are soulless hot garbage.


I'd have to seriously disagree. Mine is more fun than most of the Porsches I've owned (including three 944s) and I track it also

OP - check the forums on rennlist.com and pelicanparts.com. they both get a lot of 924/944 traffic
Jett
QUOTE(BuddyV @ Aug 10 2020, 10:39 PM) *

I have a 1988 Special Edition.... and I'm warning you about two things:

A. You will probably spend three times what it will eventually be worth. (even if you stop short of your goal)

B. It will be slower than you ever imagined.

I have some disposable income, so I swapped the stock motor for a 968 motor (and my car had the 944 NA motor from that year, stock, and ran PERFECTLY.... slow). I am so happy that I did the swap,,, but it was costly.. I felt it was worth it because the rest of the car was rather mint.

but,,,,

I wouldn't try this again..... my car was in GREAT shape.....most other 924s would have needed so much OTHER work. It would have been a never-ending project.

in short, they are slow.

But I love mine. So.... well.... think carefully

Good luck

+1. The only other P car that is more expensive and sure to put you under water is an early 928... although not slow. Buy a 914, you will be much happier in the long run and as previously stated, find a seller you can trust.
JamesM
QUOTE(jmitro @ Aug 11 2020, 04:05 AM) *

QUOTE(JamesM @ Aug 11 2020, 01:37 AM) *

Dont waste your time with a Boxter, they are soulless hot garbage.


I'd have to seriously disagree. Mine is more fun than most of the Porsches I've owned (including three 944s) and I track it also

OP - check the forums on rennlist.com and pelicanparts.com. they both get a lot of 924/944 traffic


Fun sure, but mustangs can be considered fun too. Boxters lack soul, ride/feel just like any other modern car. When i sit in them i am overwhelmed by the feeling of cheap plastic, they completely lack the rawness of any pre 90s Porsche, and then there is the matter of repair bills/working on them. They are quick and comfortable, but i just dont see the appeal. Nothing in the world would make me trade my 944 Turbo for a Boxter.

A friend of mine had a Cayman, I thought it was an amazing car, but he wound up letting it go for the same reasons and dumped a bunch of money in his 914 instead. They just lack the feel of being anything special or unique.
Ace Le Count
What are some of the most crucial things to look out for on 2.0 924s? Would it be a bad idea to bring a battery and attempt to start it after it's been sitting for 17 years? If so, why? I would just like to get an idea of where it's at... Would it harm anything?
DblDog
There’s a Brumos 924S for sale over at the Pelican. Down to $8,800. In the long run this could be much cheaper and it drivable!
Front yard mechanic
Buy them you can always stuff in a nice LS grouphug.gif
Johny Blackstain
I don't like that's it's a Martini edition. Being an original owner of an 914LE I've had to battle both internal & external voices about modifying a limited edition for years, & how they should be left as OEM as possible for both historical & monetary reasons. This is why I bought my six- was already a hot rod when I bought it so no one can blame me for any mods on a genuine six biggrin.gif
Martini's are limited editions and you really have to consider putting her back to factory specs dry.gif
Tdskip
QUOTE(Ace Le Count @ Aug 11 2020, 11:43 PM) *

What are some of the most crucial things to look out for on 2.0 924s? Would it be a bad idea to bring a battery and attempt to start it after it's been sitting for 17 years? If so, why? I would just like to get an idea of where it's at... Would it harm anything?


May / will kill it for good - don’t try to start it.

At most see if the electrical system (lights and gauges etc) come up.
Ace Le Count
I got some more photos... Any advice?Click to view attachment
Ace Le Count
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Ace Le Count
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Ace Le Count
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mepstein
QUOTE(Ace Le Count @ Aug 15 2020, 07:35 PM) *

I got some more photos... Any advice?Click to view attachment

Run away.
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