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Hello all! I have been meaning to get something posted for the past couple of weeks and I’m just now finding the time. I will cut to the chase and say that VIN 9288100021, S CX 2142, Number 11 Petrolblau Preproduction Car, 1 of the 12 apostles, is now here in the great USA!!!
The road to getting Number 11 here all started back in February when I got a lead on its possible availability. Although I have begun to thin the herd as of late my 928 affliction runs deep. I’m wanting to get down to 2 or 3 great 928’s to keep for my collection. After reading about all the great work that Jim with #6, and Andrew with #1, had done in documenting and saving these significant early cars along with seeing both at PVGP, I had been somewhat searching for an early one myself. I knew that that the odds of finding one of the early preproduction cars would be slim at best. I began to look and put the word out to a few. I had run across a few early ones but none that did it for me. I had settled in on finishing out my 79 Petrol/Cork Pascha Euro as my early example.
So out of the blue one day in February I received an email from a friend of mine saying that one of the early preproduction cars is available!! Seriously! I immediately jumped at the chance and started communication with the owner. He turned out to be a fine gentleman that lives in Sweden. He is no stranger to the 928’s and currently owns several very unique examples. He had purchased #11 several years earlier with the intention to restore. As other cars took priority he decided to see if he could find a buyer. We communicated back and forth with emails and photos for a few weeks before we struck a deal. He got the car running as it had been in storage for a number of years and hauled it a couple hundred miles for me to the nearest port. On the ship it went for its month-long journey at sea.
May is now here and it has finally arrived! Now the fun begins, almost. From the time the car reaches port in Galveston until I have it on my trailer is almost another 3 weeks. Turns out Customs decided they didn’t want to clear it. I had a broker working the deal that was a recommendation from another Rennlister. The broker was blown away with what was going down. All paperwork was done correctly and on time and for a 41-year-old car it should have been no problem. As we were reaching the 2 week mark my broker met with them to go over the paperwork personally. Two days later they sent notice that the car had to go to an importer for federalization! Turns out their recommendation is known for dishonest business practices and that I probably wouldn’t see the car for year and a lot of money. Now we are past the 2 week mark with no General Order and I’m told that the car is going to Customs impound where it would most likely be auctioned off. WTF!! My broker heads back down to their offices and gets a different Customs Agent. They spent the next hour and half going over all the paperwork three times to show that everything was in order and nothing was out of place. The agent reluctantly cleared the car and I was there the next day with the trailer. Of course I got fleeced a bit more to bring my trailer into the shipyard to get my car but at this point I really didn’t care anymore. I have no clue what was going on, but it seemed that someone was wanting that car.
So now on to the car. Did I get a great deal? YES! Did I pay too much? PROBABLY! Do I care? NO!! With this car I really didn’t have a clue how to price it other than it was worth exactly what I was willing to pay. This car will need a full restoration and it is going to get it. I will not be sparing any cost to get it back to its former glory and it has now replaced my 79 as my early “keeper”.
Looking it over a lot of the original pieces are present but it has been put thorough the paces. It had a very crappy color change along with the original Pascha being replaced with leather. It had a light fender bender as some point as the left fender and hood have been replaced. All remaining panels are original. What I like about its condition is that I don’t have to obsess over whether or not to keep the horrible 41-year-old original paint because it’s not there. I have no choice but to repaint. Same goes for the interior. Should I keep the original torn, faded worn out Pascha or replace? No need to agonize over that as it’s not there. I must replace with new. Anyway, enough babbling and on to the pictures. This is going to be a great car and I will be trying to research out as many original photos and parts that I can get. If anyone out there is hoarding some rare early parts, I may be your buyer!!!
Cheers!
Brian Original under hood shot from press launch Current under hood shot Dirty but leak free! Early cross brace Metal dust shields in rear fender wells Early fuse panel What is to become the tool tray in later cars Awesome early spare tire cover Still some Petrol Blue here and there. Someone left their news paper in there from 1991 Dash and pod are decent! Press launch photo of Number 11 Current state Press launch photo of Number 11 Current state What she is headed back to Press launch photo
Fantastic Brian - and now there are 3 in the fold. The most important cars to us merry band of enthusiasts. I am thinking a reunion of the 3 pre-production cars back at the PVGP in 2021, when Porsche will be the Marque of the Year - you've got 2 years
Anyway let me know if you need pictures of things. Mine isn't an early 78, but it has most of the original 78 special stuff. Also, call Jim and get the blue air cleaner element, steel hood and hatch shocks and steel polished gas cap (among many other goodies). And subject to Jim and Andrew's confirmation, the bumper cover beading should probably come off?
06-20-2019, 07:37 PM
Number 11
. The most important cars to us merry band of enthusiasts
. I am thinking a reunion of the 3 pre-production cars back at the PVGP in 2021, when Porsche will be the Marque of the Year - you've got 2 years
