Bodywork
Early cars were only partially galvanised (the lower half only). This means the roof gutters are susceptible to rot if water gathers. Which it does. Water then can enter the cabin, sit in footwells and rot the car from the inside out.
The rear hatch is also prone to rust on around the rear panel especially on the earlier cars. Poorly adjusted latches on the hatch damage the paint, trap water and can then lead to lots of remedial welding and painting.
Seals on the lift out roof and rear hatch can fail over time and these lead to water ingress. If the car is fitted with a spoiler, there are supposed to be drain holes in this- they often become blocked. Pooled water here can lead to leaks too.
Early ones can therefore suffer quite badly from rust and need very careful assessment. Of course, given enough time and skill they can be repaired and, it must be noted, they have suffered far less than their contemporaries from other manufacturers.
Early front wings (including S1 turbos) do not have side repeaters. Often these get fitted when repaired as they are more commonly available. Wings without repeaters are rare and pretty much unavailable in top condition.
Front wings can rot from the bottom edge. The 924 has a huge void behind the wheel that can collect road debris and act as a rust trap. There should be a small gap between the bottom edge of the inner and outer wing for drainage. If not kept clear water gathers and rust starts here. Poor repairs often close this gap up when a new wing is fitted, making the situation worse.
There is no scuttle panel- don’t expect there to be one. That huge void is deliberate even though it looks odd. The battery sits in an exposed position on the bulkhead and, especially if cars are left to sit, can get water trapped under it. This leads to rust. Lift the battery out and inspect from above and inside the footwell. Evidence of repair needs questioning. Evidence of holes even more so due to the fuse box location. If the battery tray has leaked, then expect the footwell to have issues too. This can lie hidden beneath the underseal.
The boot of the car has two “pannier” style compartments for storage under the carpet. Lift these and inspect for water damage. There are supposed to be grommets with one way valves in there. These allow the water to escape that might be trapped but they’re often replaced with rubber bungs. Rust here is a pain as it’s near the fuel tank and repairs are tricky.
The spare wheel well should be checked too. On some cars this was a collapsible space saving spare. It should have a compressor kit too. Be aware the tyres on these are very expensive and you might find the spare is original so unsuitable for road use. While there, see if the production sticker is on the rear panel on later cars. If it is, there’s a good chance the car hasn’t had any damage on the rear end.
The sills are generally quite strong and resilient to rust. Check carefully for bends from poor jacking and for crunchiness when squeezed. The sills are painted with a black textured rubber from the factory, this can often be recoated to hide problems. Check carefully.
An internal inspection of part of the sills is possible. In the door jamb there is a removable vent (it just pulls out). A camera down here will let you inspect the state of the panels behind them. Even better if you have an endoscope.
Turbo and GT sills have body kits attached. These can trap mud and debris, as all such kits do. The Turbo plastic sill covers still turn up from time to time. The issue is often the endcaps are broken or missing. You will have to wait a long time to source unbroken ones. If the car you are looking at has them in good order this is a huge plus point.
Some Turbo bodywork items are hard to source now. The badge vented badge panel and front valence are unique and rarely come up for sale. The four grill inserts are really tough to find in good condition. People have started to 3D model them but the printing process is not quite right yet. Make sure these are present and in good condition or know the cost of sourcing spares.
S models seem to have sills more prone to rust than the 1980s NAs.
Check that the sunroof opens and closes. Early cars work by manual clips that twist at the rear to allow them to sit in the gutter to tilt the roof. The later ones use electrically operated rams. If possible remove the roof and inspect the gutter. Corrosion or evidence of leaks is bad news. The drainage holes should be clear not full of water. The drainage holes lead to a braized socket under the interior trim. This can fail, leading to interior leaks. Check for evidence of this. Finally check the drainage pipes as they exit the body at the rear of the vehicle. The one on the exhaust side can seal up from the heat and then trap water.
Decals for the car (the large Porsche one above the rear bumper and the 924/924S/924Turbo ones) are still available. Beware of eBay cheap copies though they are often die-cut vinyl and a poor fit. The original type are printed onto clear vinyl and can be sourced from our club partners at not much more than the cheap ones. The difference is they will fit and will look right.
The early cars have a metal badge on the rear. These are no longer available. Used, they trade for a lot of money so make sure the car has them.
Early cars have an exposed star shaped fuel filler cap. Cars from 1980 onwards have a flap to cover a recessed red plastic cap. This cap should also have a protective rubber apron that stops excess fuel spilling on the bodywork when refilling.
All that sounds scary but the reality is these cars are remarkably tough and rust resilient not only for their time but generally compared to modern cars too. It is not uncommon to find 924s that have never been welded and show no sign of needing any in the future. Get a good one, treat it to some modern cavity waxes and expensive bodywork issues are unlikely to cause you issues.
