Raymond Arsenault on Life and Business: Hemmings Find of the Day

From the seller’s description:

A 1977-1/2 Porsche 924, purchased new and owned by a retired colonel USA for forty years, is up for sale. As stock a model as is possible, this well-cared-for Porsche is excellent in every way. Bought in CO, it was always garaged and is RUST FREE! The Bahama Blue metallic paint is original and bright. The owner’s manual is the original and all service records are available. The car itself is in EXCELLENT condition. $17,825.

This car runs and drives like the day it was made. The odometer just turned over 27,800 miles on the 110-hp, 1,984-cc four-cylinder engine. Four-speed manual transmission.

The removable tilt sun roof is in excellent shape; no leaks. The folding headlights work perfectly. The interior is mint. The original Blaupunkt cr.-4091 AM/FM radio works fine and the 8-track player is intact; however, it could use some attention. The carpet and floor mats are perfect and so are the seats, headliner and door panels. All of the rubber body seals are pliable.

Maintained as original, this 924 is easily eligible for entry into the Porsche Club of America car show concours category. In addition, Kelly-Moss Porsche MotorSports and Auto Racing facility, Madison, WI, – known for its superior Porsche service – has provided the maintenance for a long time. As a vehicle, the Porsche has an interesting history. The car that started as the Porsche-designed VW project EA425, became the Porsche 924. It was the first front-engine, water-cooled Porsche, a landmark model and the start of a new era.

The design later morphed into the 944, which is mostly a 924 with wider fenders and a better motor, that finally became the 968 by the time this platform’s 19-year production run ended in 1995. The beautiful, sleek design that began with the 924, continued to be Porsche’s basic design for 19 years! Today, the 924 is considered the last vestige of affordable classic Porsches – it was known as “the Poor Man’s Porsche 924”.

All in all, the Porsche 924 is regarded as a success. It sold in numbers unprecedented in Porsche history. Of the 25,000 produced in 1977, 7,496 were sold in the US.