1981 Porsche 924 Carrera GTS – SOLD 🏁

Group 4 Homologation Special, Most Iconic Transaxle Variant - One of Only 44 Produced & Fully Federalized

Offered at $0

Chassis No: WP0ZZZ932BS710020

Odometer: 37,045 Miles

Engine: 2.1 Litre EA831, Inline-4 SOHC with KKK Turbocharger @ 1.1 bar

Transmission: Getrag 5-Speed Manual, Type G31

Performance: 275 bhp @ 6,500 rpm / 247 lb-ft > 0-60 mph 5.2 sec / 160 mph

Exterior: India Red

Interior: Black Fabric

About This Car

“No other Porsche or Ferrari could be faster at 275 bhp with an unbelievable fighting weight of 1,060 kg. With the 924 Carrera GTS Clubsport, Porsche stretched its limits and reached the zenith of all road-legal Porsches. In order to keep the weight of this high-performance package low, even damping materials and other comfort elements were removed, leading to the phenomenal acceleration of 0 to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. Porsche priced the Clubsport variant with a sticker price of 120,000 DM. The GTS Clubsport was the fastest and most expensive road legal Porsche of the time by quite a margin. For comparison, the Porsche 911 SC or the Ferrari 308 GTB could be had for less than 60,000 DM, after all it was the only 924 variant built entirely by hand at the development center in Weissach”.

When Porsche was planning its racing program for 1981, it faced an unusual problem: Its world-beating Type 936 prototype was outdated, and, as has been noted elsewhere, the ferocious 911-based 935 was still being raced with great success by private teams, especially in IMSA. Management decided that the best way to build customer interest in its two-year-old entry-level VW/Audi–powered 924 was to take it racing.

To build a true Group 4 two-liter race car based on a current production model—the 924 Turbo—Porsche had to create a higher-performance derivative called the Carrera GT. Initially, 500 examples were required by the FIA, but during the development phase, this number was relaxed to 400. The Carrera GT was lighter by 330 pounds, lowered, and fitted with an uprated engine producing 210 horsepower. The Carrera GT’s body was modified to allow much wider front and rear track with extended front fenders and rivet-on flares on the rear quarters. These changes accommodated seven- and eight-inch-wide Fuchs forged alloy wheels and correspondingly wider tires.

Dieter Landenberger, Porsche Museum Manager of Historical Archives on the 5 most rare factory models

When this series had been completed, Porsche took another step, creating an “Evolutionary” model that required just 50 street-legal examples, and they were named the Carrera GTS. All of these cars were aimed at winning FIA recognition for the brilliant 924 GTP, of which three were constructed to compete in the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans. The trio not only completed the twice-around-the-clock endurance classic, but finished a quite amazing 6th, 12th, and 13th overall.

The 924 Carrera GTS is easily recognized by its flush, plastic-covered rectangular headlamps and additional venting in the nose. The rear body panel bore a very subtle molded plastic GTS badge. The GTS produced a healthy 245 bhp at 6,250 rpm with 1.0 bar of boost on a compression ratio of 8.0:1. A skilled driver rowing through the Getrag G31/03 five-speed could reach 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds.

The 924 GTS was further lightened—down to 2,300 pounds—by use of hollowed-out, metal-framed fiberglass door shells fitted with sliding, rather than wind-up, windows that were now made of plastic. The GTS had a thinner and lighter flush-mounted windshield and a molded clear Plexiglas rear hatch to which the familiar black rubber spoiler was glued. The hood was now fiberglass with a functional air intake, with sliding panel and racing hold-down latches and a simple decal in lieu of Porsche’s metal badge. Underneath, protective plastic panels were removed, and the suspension was upgraded from torsion bars and steel shocks to Bilstein coil-overs at all four corners, the stock steel rear semi-trailing arms replaced with cast light-alloy, and the big four-wheel ventilated and cross-drilled disc brakes came from the 930 Turbo parts bin. The uprated GTR five-speed transaxle with a 40 percent limited-slip was cooled with an additional radiator.

Inside, there was a full bolt-in, heavily gusseted Matter alloy roll cage, a special VDO tachometer, and a pair of deep 935-type ‘Lollipop’ racing bucket seats with AUTOFLUG race harnesses. The collapsible emergency spare wheel was mounted on the rear cabin deck (the back seats were deleted) to make room beneath for a 120-liter gas tank. A Halon fire-suppression system was also available to owners who wanted to race and upon request, there are ignition cutoff switches installed on both the dashboard and front windshield cowling.

The 924 GTS was a costly automobile when new, carrying a factory-delivered price near four times that of a standard 924. Still, their brilliant performance and scarcity meant they were quickly snapped up by eager enthusiasts. Famed factory driver Derek Bell was among them and has been quoted as saying the 924 Carrera GTS is among his favorites.

Porsche built 44 units of the 924-GTS-model and 17 units of the 924-GTR race car in Zuffenhausen. However, the absolute rare 924 GTS Clubsport was built by hand in the development center in Weissach and it was considerably more powerful. The bore was increased slightly to raise displacement to 2,093 cc, and a larger air-to-air intercooler helped produce 275 bhp at 1.1 Bar. It could reach 60 mph in 5.2 seconds at a top speed of 160 mph. At the time, it was the fastest production car Porsche had ever built. Only 15 examples left the factory. Nine of them found their home in the United States with only six remaining in Europe.

Speedart Motorsports is delighted to present homologation special, chassis No. 020 for your serious consideration.

Autobiography

This very significant Porsche is well known to us, since James Hondros helped his dear friend and long time client verifying and ultimately purchasing the GTS back in February of 2011. The 924 Carrera GTS was ordered by the original owner directly through Weissach’s customer  program and was delivered on August, 1981. According to the factory invoice, the lofty sum of 110,000 DM was paid for the privilege.

What is notable on this rare Porsche is that while all the Clubsport designated equipment like seats, AUTOFLUG harness, lightweight shell doors, Lexan sliding windows and rear screen, Sigla thinner windscreen as well as the deletion of the cloisonnĂ© badge with a corresponding decal,  the roll cage is absent while some insulation and carpeting was fitted at the factory as per the owner’s wishes. With this bespoke configuration it is obvious that the intention of the original owner was to enjoy this track weapon on the American highways.

Upon delivery, the Carrera GTS was immediately shipped to Southern California  but being a limited production, homologated car it was never destined to be exported or retailed in the North American market. The motorcar was imported on a bill of sale and according to our records it was stored as part of a private collection until the later part of the decade.

At that point, the owner decided to attempt to legalize the car as initially intended to and no one at the time had the means or expertise on federalizing these kind of sports cars other than Bruce Canepa, the man responsible for developing a legalized version of the 959 as well as been successful in passing the Show and Display law in 1998. After a great expense of time and money the Carrera GTS passed the emission test at the Palmdale, CA inspection facility on January 22, 1998 although the car was issued a California title for the first time on June 3, 1986.

A California Vehicle Information label certificate number N5334958 was issued by the bureau and prominently placed in the engine bay, clearly stating the required codes of PCV, EVP, FR, CAT, SPK, CCO, O2 and quite possibly constituting this motorcar as the only Carrera GTS fully compliant for road use in California. During the required conversion a catalytic converter was fitted and certain lightweight panels were replaced in order to meet the DOT prerogatives. All such items were safely stored in a palette and to be reunited with the automobile once it met the 25 year exemption returning the car to its original feather-weight glory.

After the original care taker sadly passing away the dazzling Carrera GTS was sold by the late owner’s estate to car aficionado and well known automotive accessories manufacturer, Henry P. Camisasca. During its first quarter of a century custodianship the GTS clocked 22,205 careful miles (35,737 kilometers at the time of sale). Mr. Camisasca took possession of the Porsche  on May of 2007 and a California certificate of tittle was issued in his name on the third day of June 2007 in the city of Irvine in Orange County. Henry, curated the Carrera GTS for about three and a half years by impeccably maintaining and enjoying less than a thousand driving miles before deciding to list the motorcar for sale in January 2011.

The obscurity of the little known 924 Carrera GTS in the California car circle did not last long and on January 2010 the editors of Porsche Excellence Magazine contacted Henry Camisasca in order to publish a story of this rare specimen alongside the more popular 944. The article by Ray Thursby, highlighting the mystique and stellar performance of the GTS went on print in the April’s issue and it is attached here as a further accolade to chassis No. 020.

Porsche Excellence Magazine Editorial, April 2010 Issue

The third and last owner, a true enthusiast of the German marque and collector extraordinaire from Miami, Florida came across the listing and decided instantly to pursue this elusive homologation special from Zuffenhausen. After some due diligence and short deliberation a deal was struck with Mr. Camisasca and the car was on its way to South Florida via an enclosed carrier. The Carrera GTS arrived in Miami in the first week of February 2011 and registered for road use on the eighth day of the same month. Since then, the Carrera GTS has been part of the same prominent collection with less than 500 maintenance miles added to the odometer over the course of a decade.

Speedart Motorsports, taking great pride on sourcing some of the rarest automobiles in captivity is thrilled to offer for sale this poster child from Porsche’s transaxle era.

The motorcar is presented in truly spectacular form with unquestionable originality and authenticity. The first paint India Red exterior is showing extremely well and with the exception of a respray of the front and rear valances the automobile still retains 90% of its original Glasurit single stage enamel. The ‘business office’ is equally unmolested and free of any blemishes with the high-grip fabric on the 935 race buckets in as-new condition, further attesting to the meticulous provenance and no evidence of track time.

The original 16×7 and 16×8 Fuchs alloys are rash-free and wear modern tread Bridgestone Potenza, Pole Position tires. The turbocharged motor and Getrag dog leg gear box operate as intended from the manufacturer and guarantee analog driving thrills to its lucky occupants. The Bilstein coil over suspension is dialed-in for hard cornering speeds and the oversized 911 Turbo brakes will allow spirited drivers to apply maximum force on the straight line or employ trail braking technics to a great effect.

One important note for the prospective buyer is that although the dial of the VDO speedometer was exchanged for a miles only dial, as it was required at the time of federalization, the core unit stayed intact and as such the odometer displays the correct 37,045 kilometers  (23,018 miles) at the time of this listing.

Although the attached photographic lot represents faithfully the condition of this legendary Porsche in explicit detail, we encourage all interested parties to witness up close and personal in our Miami, Parc Fermé this Teutonic homologation masterpiece in its all original glory. With only 59 units ever produced, including 15 Clubsports and have already achieved cult status, the idea of even seeing one in person is an extreme rarity, never mind owning one.

Disclaimer

Whilst Speedart Motorsports, LLC. (“We”) make a sincere effort to contain information  that is accurate and complete, we are aware that errors and omissions may occur. We are not able therefore, to guarantee the accuracy of that information and we do not accept liability for loss or damage arising from misleading information or for any reliance on which you may place on the information contained in this website. We highly recommend that you examine the vehicle to check the accuracy of the information supplied. If you have any queries with regard to any information on our website, please contact us at [email protected]. This disclaimer does not affect your statutory rights.