For Sale at Auction: 1980 Porsche 924 in Costa Mesa, California

Chassis No. 92A0490015

When Porsche introduced the 924 SCCA D-Production racer in the December 1979 issue of Christophorus, it marked a decisive and carefully considered expansion of the company's competition philosophy. Designated Type 933, the new Weissach-engineered car was conceived specifically for the Sports Car Club of America's (SCCA) D-Production category, launching the transaxle generation in the same way the 356 and early 911 had once begun their U.S. sporting careers. Rather than adapting an existing race car to local regulations, Porsche chose to engineer a dedicated SCCA machine from the outset-an approach that underscored the importance the company placed on the program.

The first examples were delivered to Porsche-Audi's competition department in New Jersey, where they served as pilot cars to establish specifications and methodology ahead of wider availability for the 1980 season. As expected, its debut at Road Atlanta in October 1979 demonstrated that Porsche had taken D-Production racing seriously.

The body shell was comprehensively stripped and reinforced, leaving only essential sheet metal within. A welded roll cage provided both safety and substantial torsional stiffness, while fiberglass fender extensions and a deep molded front spoiler addressed aerodynamic and track-width requirements. The stripped interior was purpose-built and uncompromising, featuring a proven Porsche 935 "lollipop" seat, simplified instrumentation, lightweight controls, and a central electrical cut-off.

Beneath the skin, the engineering depth of the Type 933 becomes even more apparent. The 2.0-liter inline-four was enlarged to 2,039 cc and fitted with mechanical Bosch/Kugelfischer fuel injection, allowing significantly increased airflow and higher engine speeds. Compression was raised to 11.5:1, producing a homologated output of 180 horsepower at raucous 7,000 rpm. Cooling was addressed with an upgraded radiator and auxiliary oil cooling, while the drivetrain incorporated Porsche's five-speed transaxle with interchangeable ratios and an 80-percent locking limited-slip differential. Suspension geometry, wheel bearings, and rear springs were strengthened specifically for circuit racing, and braking was handled by Turbo-derived dual-circuit discs.

With its factory-backing and rigorous development, the 924 SCCA proved its competitiveness almost immediately, achieving national success and firmly establishing the Type 933 as a serious Porsche competition platform within D-Production by the 1980 season. In fact, there were nearly a dozen Type 933s racing in the United States that year, yet 924 SCCA D-Production chassis number 90015 did not enter the cut-and-thrust of SCCA competition. Instead, the car remained unassembled changing hands among a short list of U.S.-based owners before eventually landing at Freisinger-Motorsport of Karlsruhe, Germany, world famous for their race team, exacting restorations, and incredible supply of road and racing Porsche parts.

Interestingly, given the style of construction allowing those American-dealer teams to complete the cars to their specification, the car remained in "new-in-the-box" condition as it would have been delivered to the United States in early 1980. Numerous images from the completion that began in 2013 reveal all of the special chassis features and race specification parts like its lollipop seat, BBS wheels, Momo steering wheel, and Kugelfischer injection are present. As expected, the experts at Freisinger left no stone unturned with chassis 90015 given their in-house engine and transmission builders, chassis technicians, and paint shop. Most impressive is the dedication to the spot-on replication of the white and red livery as seen on the cover of the December 1979 issue of Christophorus. The completed car is as good-or perhaps even better-than those turned out by Holbert in Warrington, Pennsylvania, Bob Hagestad in Denver, Colorado, or any of the other SCCA dealer teams in the winter of 1980.

The first new 924 SCCA D-Production in nearly 40 years emerged fresh from Freisinger's workshop in late 2019 and was immediately snapped up by the consignor, a collector of many of the finest Sonderwunsch Special Wishes and "one-off" Porsches ever created. Naturally, chassis 90015 slotted into the group with aplomb as a near-as-makes-no-difference "deadstock" factory Porsche racing car.

Naturally, there are parallels to be made with the 1978 924 Turbo Rally and 1993 968 Turbo RS on offer by Broad Arrow Auctions-each a rare, factory-built Porsche with a specific competition purpose at either end of the transaxle era. The 924 SCCA D-Production, however, was engineered with a different mission: not to serve as an early Turbo test and rally or a final Transaxle racing statement, but as a naturally aspirated firecracker to be delivered as a factory-prepared racing car for U.S. dealer teams to campaign in SCCA D-Production. What makes 90015 extraordinary is that it remained in the state it was delivered-essentially "fresh from the box," a rare, preserved chapter in Porsche's competition story-a highly focused factory racing car that, as of yet, has not run a lap in anger, its competitive future still to be written.