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A little over 35 years ago, one of my best friends wanted to buy something special in celebration of his first years of successful law practice. He ended up ordering a new 928S from the factory, and took delivery in May 1983. For 35 years, he was pretty much the only person who drove it. It was maintained by 2 local area Porsche dealers. The last few years found little use and maintenance due to family priorities. Sadly, it was parked in the corner of the garage for most of the last 24 months.
In early August, my friend told me that the 928 reluctantly had to go…there was only so much space in the garage and driveway. Daily drivers and kid’s cars had created a traffic jam that he and his wife could no longer tolerate. He knew I shared a passion for the 928, and offered it to me first. But having completed a major restoration of a 1975 Toyota FJ40, I knew selling another project car to my wife would not be easy. After all, according to her, the 911 was a much more desired car. And with the FJ40 restoration being a very expensive and complicated project, “why would I want to do that again, even if it was a Porsche?” she argued. Somehow, I had believed the 11 years my family enjoyed the FJ40 since restoration would have dulled any negative memories. Not. It wasn’t easy, but my wife finally gave me her approval.
Folks, this Rennlist 928 group is, without question, the most supportive and knowledgeable owners’ group I have experienced (I have been a part of some very good Mercedes, Lexus, and Toyota groups over the years). Thanks to this forum, I was able to become somewhat knowledgeable on the 928, and provide some assurance to my wife that this 928 could be restored, maintained, and safely driven by our family for many years to come (though I did forget to mention that it would be expensive). I would not be taking this 928 project on without this group’s collective wisdom and committed vendors.
With this in mind, I am asking for any last minute advise or thoughts as I relocate our 928 from Portland, Oregon to its new home in Boise, Idaho this Saturday the 29th (at least that’s the plan). If you’ll forgive me for the aviator jargon, here is what I know:
Equipment: 1983 928s; 147,000 miles; 5 speed transmission; 1 owner maintained by Portland area Porsche dealerships since new. Garaged with the exception of the last 8 weeks where it sat at the dealer for PPI and compliance with all due maintenance items and inspections.
Route: Portland, Oregon to Eagle, Idaho via Interstate I84…during daylight if at all possible. Saturday 8/29/18. Driving vehicle solo. Approximately 435 miles and 6.5 hours
Vehicle condition: Fair to good.
--Maint. Overall vehicle inspected. New battery, Oil change, Front Brakes, Timing Belt, Water Pump, Tensioners, Belts, Hoses, lines, wiring inspection, wiper blades, speedometer replacement and main headlight replacement completed.
--All lighting operational
--Sunroof drain holes inspected and clear
--Toolkit and rear cargo panel missing. In its place is a custom 928 fit subwoofer panel and speaker enclosure that was available in the mid-80s. Needs refurbishment.
--Interior overall good. Hatch cargo cover and rear carpet needs replacement. Front mats need replacement. Dash in good shape for 35 garaged years
--Paint in good condition…a few door dings
--Seats have been covered in sheepskin since new. Leather like new condition
--Custom stereo installed in 1984 inop. Equalizer occupies ashtray location. Needs head unit, amp, speakers (including sub-woofer) and a replacement ashtray assembly and associated hardware
--Maintenance records are available for only the last 15 years
--Electrical systems…check out ok other than Voltage gauge inop. Voltage gauge reads low or no reading at all, but dealer verified alternator putting out spec. power. (Dealer has not been able to diagnose or address the issues on voltage gauge).
--Taillight message on (dealer addressing)
--Front spoiler minor damage (will wait to replace until kids and wife learn to drive it)
--A/C fan and compressor operating, but no cold air coming out. Also center vents very low air flow (dealer addressing). Have not been able to confirm if it has been converted to R134 (Dealer doesn’t have record either)
--Door locks op check good
--Window and sunroof op check good
--3 full sets of OEM keys
--Tires: 50% tread remaining
--Gasoline condition likely marginal. Vehicle was driven 50 miles to dealer with no issues. Dealer has tested vehicle locally. Estimated total < 200 miles total time over last 2 years
Pre-delivery Preparation:
--Read the manuals, twice…Check
--Read the FAQ section, twice…Check
--Read what could happen when you drive across country in your newly acquired classic 928…Check (wish I hadn’t)
--Put an extra $20 in the collection plate with a safe travel prayer request…Check
--Water and Cliff Bars for 430-mile journey…check
--Maxxed out the AAA road coverage (200 miles max towing)…check
--Buy a fire extinguisher when I land PDX…TBD
--Find a local Boise area 928 competent mechanic…help…
--Find a regional area 928 experienced stereo installer…help…
Hopefully I’ve done everything I can to ensure a safe drive and delivery to the 928’s new home. But in the event you read about a vehicle Roman candle incident on the Oregon/Idaho eastbound freeway (page B9 of your local Sunday newspaper this weekend), well…you’ll know…
I think replacement of fuel lines including and especially the little short 50mm ones leading into each injector is something I'd consider pretty quickly. They get brittle and decay.
Watch your engine temp, should run below gauge midpoint. Waterpumps on long sitting cars have been known to fail and replacing these isn't a simpl matter. But you should be fine
Congratulations. Both looks and sounds like a terrific example.
The under-volt reading is common. Really very unimportant next to things mentioned like fuel lines, but when you get round to it it may involve cleaning up the edge connectors at instrument pod, or the terminals where voltmeter attaches to the PCB inside the pod. I think early cars may even have a little potentiometer on the gauge to adjust reading too.
Hard to be certain from angle, but she looks to be riding a little low which is to be expected if shocks are original. You should consider replacing all these and you can adjust ride height at front to spec after replacement and settling the suspension (I don't think early cars have height adjust at rear, but new shocks will take care off that).
That is a great story and sounds like a very solid car to be starting out with. Nice work on getting so many things taken care of prior to the drive.
A few pieces of unsolicited advice, take it or leave it If the tires are older than 4 years, I would replace them before the trip. They should be replaced after 6 years normally, but if they have been sitting for several years unused, you probably don't want to take any chances.
If at all possible acquire a spare tire and suitable jack before the trip. It doesn't have to be a perfect match, just something that fits the bolt pattern (5x130) and will fit in the wheel well of both the front and rear and the mounted tire is less than 6 years old. The Porsche dealer may even have something laying around that would work. If you do get a flat on the front, and you have a spare that isn't a great match, put the spare on the rear and the good rear on the front.
A can of "fix a flat" is a potential alternative or backup. Less than ideal, but it might keep you moving if it's just a leak and not a blow out.
I'm guessing that since the rear tool kit is missing, the tow hook is missing as well. You should source one before the trip, and ask the dealer to check the toy hook receiver on the front and rear of the car to see if they are usable. Or, check them yourself when you get there. If you need to get towed, you'll want to know what your options are.
For the drive back, if you like music or audio books, you may want to consider a portable bluetooth speaker that plugs into the cigarette lighter and has enough volume to overcome the road noise.
For what it's worth, I bought my 1987 928 S4 and drove it back from Salt Lake City, UT to the DC area. In the winter, between snow storms. I did get caught in a bit of snow for a significant portion of the drive, but managed the entire drive in under 48 hours. Zero problems the entire way. So, hopefully you'll add your trip to the list of uneventful new;y acquired 928 drives home!
Route: Portland, Oregon to Eagle, Idaho via Interstate I84…during daylight if at all possible. Saturday 8/29/18. Driving vehicle solo. Approximately 435 miles and 6.5 hours
The first real drive in your new 5 speed no rub strip 928...This ^^^^ is going to be the most fun you have all year.
Wow, that is gorgeous. One of the best colors too - kiln red! Great combination, 5 speed, no rub strips. You scored well. Also, your buddy must have been one hell of a lawyer to be able to afford a NEW 928 back in the day in his first years of practice! They were not cheap cars then at all, and it took me many years of toiling in the law to get to a good level.
Anyway, sounds like you are on a good path with this car. If you haven't already, read the FAQ sticky from top to bottom at the top of this forum. Also, consider joining rennlist - cheap $18 and it gets you access to more content on the site, plus more memory for pictures, and some other things.
Eric,
What is the date stamp on those tires? In other words, how old are they? NO doubt the drive will be epic from Oregon to Idaho and everything should be fine with the amount of tread you have left, but I would worry about the tires heating up at highway speeds and coming apart out in the middle of nowhere if they are ancient.
Excellent first post. You've done your homework and even posted photos!
Great looking car and enjoy your trip. That is a great way to learn your new car.
Originally Posted by linderpat
Wow, that is gorgeous. One of the best colors too - kiln red! Great combination, 5 speed, no rub strips. You scored well...
...Anyway, sounds like you are on a good path with this car. If you haven't already, read the FAQ sticky from top to bottom at the top of this forum..
Good job posting pics in your "Hello" thread...
But we need more. Some pics of the interior would be nice. A pic or two of the engine is also a good idea. There are a few on here that can spot all sorts of things from just a pic.
Also, good of you to read the "New Visitor" sticky.
Really nice looking car. You did well with it. 147k on the odo is enough to make it unattractive to the 'collector crowd' (not that they like the early 80s ones anyway), but it's nowhere near 'worn out'. You can drive this one to your heart's content without worrying about putting 'too many' miles on it.
Have fun driving it home. I drove mine 300 miles from St Paul to home. I had the advantage of having the friend that drove us out along for the trip in case anything went wrong, but it was also in January and freezing to death on the side of the road was a real worry.
But...
Tires - If they are old, think very seriously about new ones. Check the date code. Generally, 6 years is 'old'. They can be safe and driveable longer than that, but they tend to get hard and lose grip. If they are older, but still in good shape, don't push it on any curves. I would think if they were really old, dry rotted or badly flat spotted, the inspection would have revealed that.
Fuel lines - This is a real danger. If they are original, then they are 35 years old. There's no 'visual inspection' that will tell you they are on the verge of letting go. The line itself is internal to the 'line assembly'. If you don't replace them before you go home, plan on it soon. Greg Brown makes replacements that have a lifetime guarantee. You can get them direct from Precision Motorwerks, or through Roger at 928s R Us.
Gas - It sounds like the gas in the tank is rather old. Personally, I would top it off with new premium, then run it down as far as you can, fill it up with premium and add a can of 'treat'. I prefer SeaFoam, but there are a variety of good choices. I don't remember if the 83 requires premium, but it has a much better additive/detergent package.
Last but not least...
Enjoy the drive. It's what the car was designed and intended for. Once you get on the open road, you will find out how well this car eats miles. I'm not familiar with that stretch of road, but if all goes well, you may find your time estimate to be a bit conservative. I think that you could make it in around 5 hours. With a good radar detector and a bit of luck, maybe even less.
Get a cheap VW Golf rim in a breakers yard including a set of lug nuts, or maybe two with a tire on each before leaving town. Have a jack of some kind and know where the jack points are. Most of the issues that come up with 928s are electrical related, so get a cheap volt-ohm meter and have it in the car since your dash voltmeter is not working. Check voltage at the jump post(right front inner fender) each fuel stop with engine running should be ~13.5 volts with lights and wipers off. Look at all the soft hoses, fuel and power steering. Look at them again. Check under the car at each stop, and check the power steering dip stick. If you see losing fluid, stop immediately and locate the problem. No carbeques. Keep the extinguisher in a handy place, and get a fairly large one.
When you start out - listen to the car at cruise. How it has a characteristic sound, and remember that sound. If something is going haywire along the way, the sound will change. It will 'talk' to you likely before any catastrophic type failure.
I drove a ratty, beat-down 928 from Boston to Fort Worth on a whim. Only trouble I had was not getting the anti-theft system cleared before trying to start the car. I'm sure you'll be fine.
09-27-2018, 01:27 AM
My 928 Story...Part 1
If the tires are older than 4 years, I would replace them before the trip. They should be replaced after 6 years normally, but if they have been sitting for several years unused, you probably don't want to take any chances.
