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Eric P
Joined: 21 Jun 2017 Posts: 175 Location: NY, USA
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Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:18 am Post subject: |
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There's no better feeling than getting your project on the road for the first time and I finally got plates today!
Up until this point, I've been doing everything in my driveway. It's finally time to drive it to my shop to replace the engine mounts. Hopefully I've cured most if not all of the issues the previous owner was complaining about - mainly the exhaust fumes coming into the interior of the car while driving. I'll find out when I get home from work tonight! _________________ 1980 924 NA, US model
1987 924S, US model |
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Eric P
Joined: 21 Jun 2017 Posts: 175 Location: NY, USA
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Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2018 1:58 am Post subject: |
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Driving a '24 always puts a smile on my face. The S seems to have a substantial increase in torque over the 2.0L Audi lump. I'm a bit dissatisfied with the handling of the car but I think most of that stems from the power steering and non-existent rear sway bar. It seems to give a very "disconnected" driving experience without the feedback that makes me love my '80 so much. I see a manual steering rack conversion in my future. I assume it's possible to fit an early 944 manual rack on the 924S?
I finally located an engine drip tray and a 14mm rear sway bar. I was hoping to go larger on the front so that I could get a larger bar on the rear, but for $50 for the 14mm bar, I couldn't pass it up. I also found a 24mm front sway bar for a song and a dance from the same seller, so I'll be on the lookout for a 18mm rear bar to match. I'll eventually upgrade and sell off the smaller bars... or just buy another car to put them on At this point I can definitely feel the rear suspension moving independently and I want to minimize that feeling. Overall this car is much tighter than my '80 which needs new bushings all around but the '80 still corners better.
I'm also planning on installing the 200# Weltmeister springs on the front as I already have Koni adjustable sport shocks on the rear and I assume (?) koni inserts on the front as I have removable caps on my front struts. I have receipts from the PO for new front inserts, but he bought them from a shop and the receipt doesn't specify brand. I'll be checking this while I'm in there and upgrading if they aren't Konis.
I'm also assuming I'll have to re-index my torsion bars so I may go a bit stiffer in the rear depending on how it handles with the heavier front springs. My goal is to make this a sporty street ride. I don't intend to track it, but I do intend to take it for weekend trips through the mountains on a regular basis. That being said, this will be my first time upgrading suspension on any car so please let me know if I'm approaching this wrong.
In addition to the suspension upgrades, I'm still working on the motor mounts. My car has old style mounts with nuts and long bolts holding them on. The mounts I bought are the newer 951 style mounts which require shorter hardware. I finally picked up new hardware so I will be tackling that Saturday. For anyone doing this, the porsche part numbers are readily available at Clark's Garage... but in the spirit of the 924, here are VW part numbers for the same parts
38mm bolts: N0102695
42mm bolts: N0103533
Washers: N0154013
I've been enjoying the heck out of this thing and driving it will hopefully force me to fix a few of the smaller issues I've been putting off like seals and small cosmetic issues.
_________________ 1980 924 NA, US model
1987 924S, US model |
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Fasteddie313
Joined: 29 Sep 2013 Posts: 2596 Location: MI
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Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2018 2:55 am Post subject: |
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Eric P wrote: |
I'm also assuming I'll have to re-index my torsion bars so I may go a bit stiffer in the rear depending on how it handles with the heavier front springs. My goal is to make this a sporty street ride. I don't intend to track it, but I do intend to take it for weekend trips through the mountains on a regular basis. That being said, this will be my first time upgrading suspension on any car so please let me know if I'm approaching this wrong. |
I think re-indexing the T bars will just lower the car and be the same "stiffness" at just a lower ride height..
I'm not sure on the specifics but I think their is a cheap solution in aftermarket beetle T bars, for offroaders, for "stiffer" springs..
Congrats on the project progress! _________________ 80 Turbo - Slightly Modified |
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Eric P
Joined: 21 Jun 2017 Posts: 175 Location: NY, USA
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Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2018 3:38 am Post subject: |
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My thought process was that the 924S came with the following setup from the factory:
21.5mm front sway bar
no rear sway bar
23.5 mm torsion bar
My '80 came with:
21mm front sway bar
14mm rear sway bar
23.5mm torsion bar
The largest difference I see here is the lack for a sway bar on the S. The key appears to be keeping a balance between oversteer and understeer. Once I add a rear sway bar (inducing more oversteer), I'm hoping stiffer front springs (inducing more understeer) will keep the handling fairly neutral. The stiffer Weltmeister front springs supposedly lower the ride height by about 1.25 inches, so I was going to re-index the torsion bars just to level out the front/rear. It wouldn't change the spring rates at all. I was looking at the VW "heavy duty" torsion bars at cip1 as an option if the original torsion bar isn't heavy enough. to maintain neutral steering, but that would involve re-indexing the torsion bars again.
Edit: I'm assuming the torsion bars in the S are factory original. This car only had receipts for about the past 11 years and it's been sitting for the majority of those years. It's possible that I could pull them out and find a heavier bar in there. I won't know until I open it up. I know the Koni shocks on the rear aren't original and I don't have a receipt for them, but they're definitely there. Who knows what I might find? _________________ 1980 924 NA, US model
1987 924S, US model |
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Crash613
Joined: 12 Apr 2016 Posts: 12 Location: Toledo, OH
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 1:47 am Post subject: |
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What did you end up doing about the Rear Sway bar? I have the same thing in my '88.
also, any pictures of the hatch seal? how is it holding up.
Love the read, btw.. no way positng too much. in fact, too little!
Eric P wrote: | My thought process was that the 924S came with the following setup from the factory:
21.5mm front sway bar
no rear sway bar
23.5 mm torsion bar
My '80 came with:
21mm front sway bar
14mm rear sway bar
23.5mm torsion bar
The largest difference I see here is the lack for a sway bar on the S. The key appears to be keeping a balance between oversteer and understeer. Once I add a rear sway bar (inducing more oversteer), I'm hoping stiffer front springs (inducing more understeer) will keep the handling fairly neutral. The stiffer Weltmeister front springs supposedly lower the ride height by about 1.25 inches, so I was going to re-index the torsion bars just to level out the front/rear. It wouldn't change the spring rates at all. I was looking at the VW "heavy duty" torsion bars at cip1 as an option if the original torsion bar isn't heavy enough. to maintain neutral steering, but that would involve re-indexing the torsion bars again.
Edit: I'm assuming the torsion bars in the S are factory original. This car only had receipts for about the past 11 years and it's been sitting for the majority of those years. It's possible that I could pull them out and find a heavier bar in there. I won't know until I open it up. I know the Koni shocks on the rear aren't original and I don't have a receipt for them, but they're definitely there. Who knows what I might find? |
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