One to Buy: ex-works 1978 Porsche 924 Turbo Prototype
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Porsche’s competitive endeavours with the 924 are perhaps best remembered for its high profile outings with the Carrera GT-based homologation special, arguably the most famous of which was that appearance at the 1980 Le Mans 24 Hours where a trio of works entries finished sixth, twelfth and 13th overall.
Lesser known were quasi-works attempts on the 1979 Monte Carlo and Safari Rallies with a brace of 924 Turbos.
The cars used for the ‘79 Monte and Safari Rallies started life as development prototypes for the new 924 Turbo and were uprated to competition trim over the winter of 1978-1979 after Porsche’s Jurgen Barth, Roland Kussmaul and Helmut Ristl hatched a plan that would help promote the soon-to-arrive forced induction 924 (unveiled at Geneva in March ‘79).
Two of the prototypes were built up to rally specification while the other pair served as recce cars. Barth and Kussmaul would be paired together in one entry. The second was allocated to Alex Janda (the Sales Manager of Porsche Spindler in Wurzburg) and Ristl. Backing from IT service provider Datacom was secured to finance the programme.
In preparation for the Monte, both 924 Turbos were comprehensively uprated. However, as the Turbo engine wasn’t homologated until a week after the event concluded, normally aspirated engines had to be used instead. Nevertheless, Barth and Kussmaul went on to finish 20th overall (fourth in class) while Janda and Ristl retired with shock absorber issues.
Ten weeks later, and now with their forced induction motors fitted along with an array of expedition modifications, both cars tackled the 1979 Safari Rally. On this occasion, neither of the 924s made it to the finish with both Barth / Kussmaul and Janda / Ristl forced out of the event with transaxle failure.
In December 1980, the Janda / Ristl entry (chassis 9248100015, internal designation 924 L19) was sold to French Porsche distributor Sonauto who planned to use the car for an attack on the 1981 Paris-Dakar Rally that ultimately never materialised. Afterwards, the car (which had been fitted with a normally aspirated engine for the Dakar attempt) was dispatched via Jurgen Barth to the Technik Museum Sinsheim where it remained until 2022.
On March 7th, this remarkably well preserved 924 will be going under the hammer at Broad Arrow Auctions’ Amelia Concours sale in Florida. “L19” is being offered with a spare turbocharged M31/01 engine along with an impressive history file that includes the original German Fahrzeugbrief and other historic paperwork.
