Weekend Edition: Risky Business – 1982 Porsche 928 for sale

porsche928
Sometimes you come upon a bad idea so obvious it’s visible from space. Last night, out on the town with the Peugeot, I did a double take not entirely dissimilar to the scene in Christine where Arnie first sees the decrepit Fury hulk. Parked across the street from a used car dealer, there was an early Porsche 928 in gunmetal brown, covered in evening mist. It looked completely alien sitting on its own, with a quickly written note on the window that yes, it is for sale, here’s the number.
The difference with anything usually left out for sale was that this Porsche seemed exceptionally clean. No clearcoat damage, no rips on the leather, nothing that would immediately point out a history of abuse or deferred maintenance. It wasn’t your usual Craigslist special, one that would best serve a LeMons prospect. How bad could it be?

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Although there was no price affixed to the window, I found an outdated ad for the car. It’s said to be a 1982 car with the 4.5-litre engine, and the side markers and other details mark it out as an US-market car. It’s been with the current owner for a decade, there’s valid inspection until April and so on. The seller notes it’s completely original inside out, rust free underneath and that the engine bay has no sketchy modifications, meaning it would easily make historic plates if one so wished. Even if the ad with a 9300 euro price tag wasn’t current, the fact that the car was still sitting there with a phone number on it means it’s up for grabs, probably for a little less, as the nights are getting colder and the Porsche’s not getting any younger.
The odometer reading is said to be 107 000 km, which in this case probably means 66k miles and change. Not too bad for a 1982 car, right?
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There’s a lot to love about the 928, but my favorite detail is the deep-set original taillight cluster. A simple design, but it just works so well. The US-market bits aren’t too bad either, like the dumpy rear bumperettes screwed on the both sides of the rear plate. The body colour 16″ flat discs work too.
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There’s something about the 928’s front that makes me compare it to being eye to eye, face to face with a shark. It’s completely emotionless, just waiting for you to take custody and start pouring money into that wide and long engine bay with the two-metre timing belt. It’s daring you to jump into the water. Come on, do it. How deep can it be?
But still, I love the shape and the colour of this car. The matching brown leather is a perfect fit for it, instead of the often-seen wacky checkered cloth. It’s an automatic, but that suits the GT character fine. It’s not cheap, but how much is 9k for a 928? Like I said on Instagram, which you would know if you followed me on Twitter (wait, I’m not Doug from Jalopnik): God created the Porsche 928, and the Devil took a marker and scribbled a “For Sale” sign on the window.
[Images: Copyright 2015 Hooniverse/Antti Kautonen]

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  1. salguod Avatar

    Awesome cars, but $10,500 is a little steep. In the US these go for silly cheap.
    Here’s a very similar car with a 5 speed for under $8K:
    http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/5200266514.html
    This one is $5K, but it’s an automatic:
    http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/5215951511.html

  2. hwyengr Avatar
    hwyengr

    It’s got to be hard to sell a US-spec 928 over there, the Euro version S has 60 or so more horsepower. At least someone put proper headlights back on it, instead of the lousy,smaller US sealed beams with a chrome trim ring.

  3. Jeepster Avatar
    Jeepster

    Yep a bit steep, since it needs a LS swap – to alleviate that maintenance pig drivetrain.

    1. Batshitbox Avatar
      Batshitbox

      I was going to ask if a Corvette drivetrain swap wouldn’t be the perfect thing for an older, less well maintained 928. If you’re already looking at a high-maintenance high-cost nightmare, why not concentrate the hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars into one 6-month long conversion to something that goes like stink and can be fixed in a K-Mart parking lot?
      I suppose finding a mechanically passable Corvette and a cosmetically acceptable 928 is a tall order, though.

      1. nanoop Avatar
        nanoop

        Why not combine the two funds (beater car and engine/swap) and buy a proper example? I get the point of wrenching as a hobby, though.

      2. CraigSu Avatar
        CraigSu

        Renegadehybrids.com has your answer. They have full LS conversion kits for purchase or they’ll do the conversion for you.

    2. hwyengr Avatar
      hwyengr

      The engine and transmission are stout. Especially the older L-Jetronic cars like this one. Also, being an ’82, the engine was non-interference, which makes it even easier.

  4. nanoop Avatar
    nanoop

    The price is sound for a good example in Europe, assuming there is documented service history (expected, one owner last 10 years). Non-drivers start creeping over 3-4kUSD here, rough drivers are 6-8kUSD. I’ve seen an ad for a ’78 300Mm with special history for 35kUSD recently.
    The US versions were weaker, but that doesn’t play so much a role in a 30+yo car. Bumper looks and lights can be swapped, luckily, and the speed limits and lack of road salt in some areas of the USA make imported cars an attractive alternative for collectors – 100kmls autobahning through the winters of the 80ies can take their toll if not followed up by preventive maintenance.
    I’d get this one and drive it home (would be a 20hr trip), if I had time, space, a little more money – and no family, no job, nor a project car already.

  5. Rust-MyEnemy Avatar

    I shouldn’t be up reading this.
    I’ve got a Trig mid-term tomorrow.

    1. nanoop Avatar
      nanoop

      That’s trigonometry? The rear side window is a triangle, projected on an ellipsoid. Now that that is clear, here’s some more reading for tonight: http://ateupwithmotor.com/model-histories/porsche-928/

      1. Rust-MyEnemy Avatar

        Good Stuff!
        Also 928 Carchive link.
        Also Also; Risky Business car chase:

        1. nanoop Avatar
          nanoop

          As a hobby carchaeologist I’ve read your article already, of course! I never watched that movie, though, and I probably am not going to…
          How did it work out with the triangles?

          1. Cool_Cadillac_Cat Avatar
            Cool_Cadillac_Cat

            The excitement was damped…

  6. Rover 1 Avatar
    Rover 1

    In ten years time I’d rather be working on a nice one of these than a current (anything newer and European)

  7. theskig Avatar
    theskig

    I played “Chase HQ” too many times for not loving that car!

  8. ConstantReader Avatar
    ConstantReader

    Most of these in the U.S. are automatics and that “wacky checkered cloth” is known as the Pasha interior and is a highly sought after rarity.

  9. Van_Sarockin Avatar
    Van_Sarockin

    Looks like a pretty good deal. I’d never buy the auto, on principle. And of course, the usual caveat applies: the purchase cost is merely the price of admission. Repair and maintenance may be astronomically higher.