drooman

About four years ago I ran across this one-line Autocheck report on 928 #2 VIN 9288100012:



Since I live in CT most of the time the location kind of intrigued me, but the date... 1988, being the last entry in this car's history, made this a very long shot that this car still existed. "What the hell?" I thought... "I'll stake a stab at finding it." The DMV was no help to me since all records are protected by privacy laws. I asked my cop friends to look it up but no one was willing to give up their job for it (apparently a firing offense to break the privacy laws for non-legitimate purposes) I know a circuit court judge and he had a way around it, but the records from that era are not digitized, and no one at the DMV was willing to go dig for it, even for the judge. They kept saying "we have no record of that vehicle" which translates to: "that's buried in a paper warehouse somewhere and it does not come up on my computer"

Through the four year period I kept trying different angles, property tax offices, towing company records...nothing. I was sure this car was gone years ago. Then in a quick series of events that started a little over a week ago there was a new lead...and an address, and a picture from google street view:



I took the trip to the location, 62 miles from my house, to just cold call the guy at his front door like a vacuum cleaner salesman. Wouldn't you know it? no one home. The cover on the car was multi-layer, and tied down, and it took a lot of self control not to pull that cover off but I did look under the car it and saw the car was white. I left the guy a note and went home. It took two long days but he called me and invited me back. We pulled the covers off together and there was 928 #2. A few hours later we were loading it up and heading home...soon to be reunited with a VERY old friend.

drooman

Immediate removal of rub rails, passenger mirror, S -Spoilers, and federalizing lights ensued. It's more dignified even with the 38 holes left in the body.

drooman

merchauser

WOW....what an incredible story....and a great one. congratulations on an incredible find, and an incredible story. forget about the FBI, your are the new Columbo, Banacek, Matlock, and Baretta rolled into one. will be following this one closely.

merchauser

keep the info and pics rolling....and in your home state?

drooman

Rob Edwards

You're the Tom Cotter of 928dom, excellent sleuthing!

EDIT: Is the pattern of grooves in the gas pedal different? So many differences in the footwell- no 928 on the pedal pads, rubber(?) pad to the right of the gas pedal. Any idea when the car was Federalized? Looks like it has a later gauge cluster, center vent, etc.

Tony

OK..this is unbelievable. WOW. this will be a good thread.!

That dash!!

drooman

Bertrand Daoust

#One and #Two together!

Incredible!

It only takes a true and dedicated 928 fan like you sir to make this happened.

You have all my admiration.

I had the chance to see and sit in #1 and #6. Hope to have the chance to do the same in #2 some day.

Congradulations and keep up the good work.

Jason89s4

Very interesting that they both appear optioned the same paint/interior.
Awesome story...pics of engine?
And where is #3?
-Jason

drooman

Federalized early 80s. There's a few mods and parts swapped out over the years.. a borla exhaust, the speedo (only), radio... and this gem:

Mrmerlin

Ho LEE ShVeeet ! Andrew you have outdone yourself
Perfectly done now where is the Brumos car for a backround participant

drooman

the "typical" prototype stuff is present in the engine compartment: Airbox, Brass coolant tank, oversized brake reservoir. It is pretty much exactly like car #1, including non-A/C.

Tony

so what does the headliner look like under that sunroof.? thats about the biggest bummer in the find i think? Thankfully the guy kept it covered it seems