It all started as a bit of a joke.
Whilst bringing my daughter back home from her school prom in my 997, the conversation drifted on to what cars some of her friends would be getting, and what she would like.
There was the usual list of Fiat 500’s MINIs, Clios etc for many of her friends, whilst my daughter liked the look of early MX5s for their pop up headlights.
“The problem with the MX5s sweetheart” I said, “is that the insurance will be expensive for a 17 / 18 year old girl.”
“If you couldn’t have a MX5, what else would you like?”
“A Porsche Dad”
Oh how we laughed.
Once we got back home and my Wife and daughter had both gone to bed, curiosity got the better of me.
Porsche 924 projects can be had for under £2000.
The insurance on a MINI / Fiat 500 is around £3500 p/a with a black box fitted.
However, the insurance for an 18 year old girl on a Porsche 924 2.0, with one years NCD, is only around £1100 p/a, with NO black box fitted.
No road tax or MOT too boot as well.
At this point, a plan was hatched. Now all I needed to do was sell the idea to the Wife.
Man-maths kicked in over breakfast, (whilst our daughter was still recovering from the night before in bed).
A Fiat 500 or a MINI costs three times as much to buy, costs three times as much to insure, and is a devaluing asset.
A Porsche 924 will probably go up in value, is a cool classic car, and will probably be a ‘forever’ car for our daughter. We could also restore it together in some quality daddy - daughter time.
To my absolute amazement, my Wife, usually boringly sensible, mature and prudent with money, actually said ‘Yes’.
I nearly fell off my chair !
This was on Sunday morning.
By Sunday evening, I’d bought a non running, 35 year old Porsche 924, sight unseen, from the other end of the country for the princely sum of £1500.
Thankfully, the owner was a straight-up, honest guy and an absolute gentleman to deal with, (many thanks for everything Mark).
Two days later, a day before our daughters 16th birthday, a white Ford Ranger, towing a trailer with a blue Porsche 924 pulled up outside our house.
I’m not going to post those pictures or the video of that moment, but my daughter was in tears of joy, and I got the biggest hug from her that I’ve received in years.
To my relief, the car isn’t as rotten as the previous owner had alluded to.
The inner and outer sills are shot, as are the battery tray.
There’s a couple of other scabby bits here and there, the interior is a mess, but overall, it doesn’t seem too bad.
I have a few other projects to complete first before moving onto this one. I aim to have got started with the teardown and engine removal by (hopefully) next spring.
The initial plans are to cut out and replace any rusty sections, strip down and rebuild the engine and gearbox / transaxle, convert to EFI, new wheels, (15”), all new suspension components, a custom interior to my daughter’s design, (she’s hoping to study architecture), and have the car painted in Porsche ‘Super Red Metallic’, as seen on the 992’s.
That’s about all to report for now.
Oh, and of course pics.
Whilst bringing my daughter back home from her school prom in my 997, the conversation drifted on to what cars some of her friends would be getting, and what she would like.
There was the usual list of Fiat 500’s MINIs, Clios etc for many of her friends, whilst my daughter liked the look of early MX5s for their pop up headlights.
“The problem with the MX5s sweetheart” I said, “is that the insurance will be expensive for a 17 / 18 year old girl.”
“If you couldn’t have a MX5, what else would you like?”
“A Porsche Dad”
Oh how we laughed.
Once we got back home and my Wife and daughter had both gone to bed, curiosity got the better of me.
Porsche 924 projects can be had for under £2000.
The insurance on a MINI / Fiat 500 is around £3500 p/a with a black box fitted.
However, the insurance for an 18 year old girl on a Porsche 924 2.0, with one years NCD, is only around £1100 p/a, with NO black box fitted.
No road tax or MOT too boot as well.
At this point, a plan was hatched. Now all I needed to do was sell the idea to the Wife.
Man-maths kicked in over breakfast, (whilst our daughter was still recovering from the night before in bed).
A Fiat 500 or a MINI costs three times as much to buy, costs three times as much to insure, and is a devaluing asset.
A Porsche 924 will probably go up in value, is a cool classic car, and will probably be a ‘forever’ car for our daughter. We could also restore it together in some quality daddy - daughter time.
To my absolute amazement, my Wife, usually boringly sensible, mature and prudent with money, actually said ‘Yes’.
I nearly fell off my chair !
This was on Sunday morning.
By Sunday evening, I’d bought a non running, 35 year old Porsche 924, sight unseen, from the other end of the country for the princely sum of £1500.
Thankfully, the owner was a straight-up, honest guy and an absolute gentleman to deal with, (many thanks for everything Mark).
Two days later, a day before our daughters 16th birthday, a white Ford Ranger, towing a trailer with a blue Porsche 924 pulled up outside our house.
I’m not going to post those pictures or the video of that moment, but my daughter was in tears of joy, and I got the biggest hug from her that I’ve received in years.
To my relief, the car isn’t as rotten as the previous owner had alluded to.
The inner and outer sills are shot, as are the battery tray.
There’s a couple of other scabby bits here and there, the interior is a mess, but overall, it doesn’t seem too bad.
I have a few other projects to complete first before moving onto this one. I aim to have got started with the teardown and engine removal by (hopefully) next spring.
The initial plans are to cut out and replace any rusty sections, strip down and rebuild the engine and gearbox / transaxle, convert to EFI, new wheels, (15”), all new suspension components, a custom interior to my daughter’s design, (she’s hoping to study architecture), and have the car painted in Porsche ‘Super Red Metallic’, as seen on the 992’s.
That’s about all to report for now.
Oh, and of course pics.
.
. And I thought classic insurers usually expect the classic to be a second car.
