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Installing 944 crossmember into early 924

 
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Robb Northrup  



Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 49
Location: Mesquite, Nevada

PostPosted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 10:43 am    Post subject: Installing 944 crossmember into early 924 Reply with quote

Gentlemen, I'll be going the route of an engine transplant, and will need to install the 944 crossmember into my early (1980) 924. I've read (maybe in a post on this site) that the best way to do this is to cut out the mounting pad/area on a 944 and splice it into the correct position on the 924 and weld it in.

Is this possible? What kind of reinforements are needed? Who's done it?!

Also, I understood that the under the skin, the 924 and 944/924S ARE THE SAME. But a shop here in Vegas is telling me they are way different. Does anyone know about this?

Robb
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I've owned too many cars. 1980 Porsche 924 with European bumpers
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fiat22turbo  



Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 4040
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 1:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You'd be better off buying a 924S. There's a very nice one on the Portland Craigslist for $1500 with a branded title, but it looks great.

That said, I'd look at keeping the stock crossmember and building mounts to use the 944 mounts.

The suspension and drivetrain can be swapped between the different 924/944 series. With the exception of the crossmember, steering racks and engines. You do have to pay careful attention to control arm length and wheel offset as they changed and can cause you hassles if get them wrong.
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1979 924 Carrera GTS (clone-ish)
1988 944 Turbo S (Silver Rose)
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ideola  



Joined: 01 Oct 2004
Posts: 15548
Location: Spring Lake MI

PostPosted: Wed Nov 13, 2013 2:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What I would do is get an alu cross member and use it as a pattern to fabricate mounting points on the early 924's steel cross member. I think someone here has already done that, maybe do a bit of searching in this sub-forum.

You might need to consider gusseting or strengthening the steel cross member, as it was not intended to carry the 300+ pounds of weight, but as for the geometry, I think it would be easier and safer to create mounting pads for the stock 944 engine mounts than welding mount points onto the frame spars.

The other thing you will probably need to do is to cut out the early 2.0L's mounting brackets at the back of the engine bay, as they may interfere with the 2.5L lump, and particularly the exhaust arrangement.

As for the 924 vs. 944 monocoque, they are essentially the same. The really early 2.0L monocoques purportedly do not have some of the chassis stiffening measures of the later cars, which many attribute to its lighter weight; but AFAIK, there is nothing about a 2.0L chassis that would preclude dropping in a 944-derived motor, other than the engine mounting points.

Of course, there are other issues to consider, such as the torque tube, trans, clutch, wiring, etc. But I presume you've already thought about those...???
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ideola  



Joined: 01 Oct 2004
Posts: 15548
Location: Spring Lake MI

PostPosted: Wed Nov 13, 2013 2:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ah yes, see this thread:
http://www.924board.org/viewtopic.php?t=35178
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