AN UNSUNG HERO

An Unsung Hero

Thea Blurton's relationship with a plucky Porsche coupe

“I had no idea cars could have so much personality until I got her. I feel like we’re on the same level, we’re sisters and we look out for each other. Some cars make their drivers look like they’re wrestling with a tiger, but Camille and I get on well, apart from the occasional bicker.”

It’s an early 80s rear wheel drive two door coupe with a clean profile, lots of glass and one of the most geometrically pleasing cabin designs the period had to offer. A recipe for gold dust in the wave of radwood classics and 80s nostalgia. The current trends have marked a surprising turn of fate for cars that have been overlooked or outright looked down upon for decades, so you might imagine that the time has never been more ripe for the Porsche 924 to shine. Still however, it’s difficult to overstate just how hard it is to make an impact when you were born in the shadow of the Porsche 911.

For Thea Blurton, comparisons with its rear engined sibling don’t even enter the picture. Camille the 924 was her first car, driven often and treated like a member of the family. Between her and her friends, the question of the 924’s ‘worthiness’ is completely irrelevant. She manages the UK’s young 924 owners club, a handful of first time drivers who meet often and do everything together.

“It started off with a couple of us meeting at 924 events. I met my friend Lee driving in the Peak District, Euan at Silverstone not long after. Eventually we started a WhatsApp group to stay in touch. We spoke daily, describing what we were working on with our cars, asking one another for advice and eagerly waiting the next opportunity to drive together. There were five of us to begin with, but it grew like wildfire. Once word got out that someone our age had bought a 924, we were on it, inviting them in. There are more than 30 of us at this point.

To me, the 924 is like an unsung hero, under appreciated in so many ways. They’re gorgeous cars and handle very well, but they also helped the company survive during some tough years and they deserve credit.”

Thea’s 924 is a very special car to spend time around. The condition of the vehicle was impressive enough before she bought it, but the way its since been cared for and added to speaks to the authentic, genuine enthusiasm that Thea and the other young members of the UK 924 owner’s club have been cultivating these last few years.

“I like cars from the 80s, particularly those with pop ups. When I found insurance costs on a 924 were basically the same as a modern hatchback, it seemed silly not to go for such a beautiful car. I wanted one with a black interior, metallic paint, a sunroof and crucially, no rear spoiler. It needed to be structurally and mechanically sound, ideally with a minimally cracked dashboard (the 924's Achilles heel). When this one showed up, I knew it was exactly what I was looking for.

"To me, the 924 is like an unsung hero, under appreciated in so many ways. They’re gorgeous cars and handle very well, but they also helped the company survive during some tough years and they deserve credit.”

I really enjoy looking for period accessories. I swapped an aftermarket cd player for a more fitting Panasonic radio, and I also added an original car phone which one of my friends helped me to wire up. I found the big Olympus suitcase discarded outside a neighbours house and that’s what I keep tools in, the colour matches the car well and an original boot net holds it in place.

She’s been really reliable, only letting me down once. I was on my way to meet other members of our owners club at the time, and they all came over to help. I didn’t even know where to start, but my friend David figured out that it was worn brushes on the voltage regulator, and it just so happened he had a spare. We figured out how to replace it and were back on the road in less than two hours.”