Few people are as big an automotive enthusiast as Jay Leno. The former chat show host and comedian has an amazing collection of cars, and he showcases many of them on his Jay Leno’s Garage YouTube channel. In a recent video, Leno invited Kent McCord, famous for playing Officer Jim Reed on the classic 1970s LAPD cop show Adam-12, to the garage to showcase his 1980 Porsche 924 Turbo.
It might not be the flashiest or greatest Porsche ever made, but the 924 Turbo has become a 1980s classic, and Reed has actually owned his example for over four decades. He has kept the sports car in truly pristine condition, as evident when it came to Leno’s garage.
What makes the car so special is that Reed has owned it from new. He bought it 46 years ago, and it’s never left his ownership. Making it one of those rare cars that remain with the same owner for a very long time.
However, owning the Porsche hasn’t always been plain sailing. In fact, as Reed explains, the turbo on this Porsche has been a real nightmare, and his example of the 924 has gone through its fair share over the last four decades.
This Is How Reed Came To Own the Porsche 924
Reed had always been a Porsche fan, and in particular the 924, which has always been an automotive enthusiast. In fact, as he explained to Leno, he’s owned various Chevrolet Corvette sports cars and a Saab Turbo. Reed said he had even taken part in amateur racing, such is his love for all things with four wheels.
However, in the 1970s, gas prices began to rise, and that meant that Reed needed something a little bit more fuel efficient. But he didn’t want a car that didn’t have performance at its core, and that led him to the 924 Turbo. It actually started as a joint Audi-Volkswagen project, before Porsche took it over and got it over the finishing line. Reed wanted a bit more performance; hence, he bought the turbocharged version, a model that was still quite economical, while offering all the good things a sports car can.
Reed hasn’t just garage-queened the car, though. In his ownership, he has driven 128,000 miles in the 924 Turbo. That isn’t a lot for 40 years of ownership, but it’s a good amount of mileage, and it proves the actor is a true petrolhead. Plus, he has added those miles while still keeping the car in pristine condition. But despite Porsche’s good reliability records, this car has given him a bit of trouble.
The Porsche Had Gone Through Its Fair Share of Turbochargers
The turbochargers have been the main bugbear with the 924 Turbo. Reed said in the video that he had been through ten of them over the years. This is because the early technology in them could suffer damage if the engine was turned off before the turbo had a chance to cool down. The SOHC inline-four engine, on the other hand, has been trouble-free.
A lot of this car is original. It still has the original window sticker, and most of its parts, such as the engine, are original from the 1980s. An unexpected challenge was that, due to the pandemic and not being able to drive it, Reed had to deal with rodent damage on the car. Finding spare parts was often a challenge too, such as radiators and shift bushings.
What Is the Porsche 924 Turbo Like To Drive?
Leno was lucky enough to have a chance to drive the car before Reed took it back home. The comedian was very impressed by the engaging feel of the steering, and the boost you get once the turbocharger has kicked in gives the car a very lively feeling. It is a fun and engaging car to drive, and despite some bemoaning its VW origins, the 924 Turbo has become more appreciated as time has gone on.