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After only having eyes for porsche for the better half of my existence, I have finally put my name to one!
Saw the ad pop up in July and contacted the seller, who ended up being a friend of the PO (now deceased) helping the family sell off his estate. I wasn't able to view the car as it was 4000km away (literally middle of the Australian desert). He informed me that the PO had bought it as a project but his health declined soon after, so into his shed it went for the next 7yrs. The sellers knowledge of this car (and cars in general) was minimal, but he did let me know the engine was removed and disassembled. He seemed genuine and was willing to help freight it so i rolled the dice and bought it for 2000 bucks.
Two months of wading through the logistical nightmare of getting a car + engine in 1000 pieces across the desert during a pandemic.... and the sand shark arrived! Far surpassed expectations, love the colour 'zincmetallic 956', no option sticker unfortunately, burgundy interior wouldn't have been my first choice but it's growing on me. Car came with a bunch of new parts, water pump, solid engine mounts (not using), rod bearings, rings, complete gasket set etc. Good brands too. Heads machined, valves done. No accidents, no TB failure. No where near as cooked as i thought it would be. Seemed to be well maintained up until the point that it was torn down. Block was just CAKED with red desert sand, but cleaned up good, minimal corrosion/scoring for 260K on the clock anyway. All the other parts were stored much more cleanly and all hoses + openings blocked off. Two tires did pop on the journey though so getting it off the car trailer and into my shed was a challenge! Luckily a local tyre recycler had a set of Michelin PS 3's on the shelf the right size, not sure ill run those wheels i'm a big teledial fan so no new rubber yet.
15 grand will get you into a fairly decent, at least roadworthy 928 in Aus, which would have saved me a LOT of time and money. But this one will be the teacher for me, not my first engine build but it is my first Porsche.
Will have the short block built by a machine shop that knows these engines, and i will take it from there. In the meantime, lots of scrubbing and maintenance to get done, and rubber to replace. Looking to make the car safe and get it running, Then tackle the rest in stages.
Rennlist has been my best resource to date so look forward to sharing my story and learning from you all.
Thanks Shawn. i believe you are referring to my dogs turtleneck jumpsuit, and the answer is I have no idea why my dog is wearing a turtle neck jumpsuit, but If I had to guess i’d probably go with warmth/layer of protection from my kids.
Nice, and love the name for the car. It fits. No matter what you do with the mechanical, and I'm sure you'll get it running beautifully, please don't paint it! With a name like Sand Shark, that patina is perfect for it.
it is CIS (k-jet) and auto (3 speed). I’ll get it running and see what the box is like. If no good or I don’t like it my local p parts shop has a 5 speed on the shelf I’ve had my eye on.
Be nice to drive it for a while first though!
Linderpat
i will give it crack! I also love the patina, particularly on the rear. It appears to have aged differently to the rest of the panels losing its top coat completely. Is this common on 928’s or has it undergone a dodgy paint job at some point? Have see some small bubbles under the paint on the roof driver door... poor surface prep perhaps?
Congrats on the purchase. I was reading your story, nodding my head as it was very similar to my purchase adventure, until you got to the part about the engine in pieces. You're a better man than me, Gunga Din. I would have passed on mine if the engine wasn't in 1 piece. 928s are cool cars. Fun to work on, just bring a pile of patience. Good luck.
most daunting part is assembling something I didn’t take apart. Easy to miss something or do things in the wrong order.
Planning to post a lot, with lots of pics In the hopes that someone will notice if something’s not right.
That is exactly right. It's much easier to put back together if you're the one that disassembled it. Bought mine this way with respect to the interior, but it ran and drove at least - you're doing a much larger project. In any case, love the can-do attitude and interested to follow along here so keep this thread running as you work through the car.
Here are a couple befores and afters for inspiration - we'll be here for you....
it is CIS (k-jet) and auto (3 speed). I’ll get it running and see what the box is like. If no good or I don’t like it my local p parts shop has a 5 speed on the shelf I’ve had my eye on.
Be nice to drive it for a while first though!
Linderpat
i will give it crack! I also love the patina, particularly on the rear. It appears to have aged differently to the rest of the panels losing its top coat completely. Is this common on 928’s or has it undergone a dodgy paint job at some point? Have see some small bubbles under the paint on the roof driver door... poor surface prep perhaps?
The CIS can be a problem to get it running after all those years inactive... be sure to clean everything and flush with a fuel solvent additive before mounting it all ....FD,injectors,fuel lines,pump,tank....
"5 speed on the shelf "....besides a transaxle , remember you need torque tube , flywheel,clutch set , master and slave cilinders ,pedal,master firewall bracket and a rear cross member of a manual....don't know if the bellhousing is different....
it is CIS (k-jet) and auto (3 speed). I’ll get it running and see what the box is like. If no good or I don’t like it my local p parts shop has a 5 speed on the shelf I’ve had my eye on.
Be nice to drive it for a while first though!
Linderpat
i will give it crack! I also love the patina, particularly on the rear. It appears to have aged differently to the rest of the panels losing its top coat completely. Is this common on 928’s or has it undergone a dodgy paint job at some point? Have see some small bubbles under the paint on the roof driver door... poor surface prep perhaps?
I would suggest sticking with the 3 speed auto first. Properly setup they suit the car well and it's obvious why Porsche went auto. They are nothing like the 4 speed auto in later cars. Buy the 5 speed box though and stick it in a safe place as an investment. They are getting rare and expensive to fix. I have just converted my K-jet car to full EFI and have a perfectly serviceable K-jet system sitting in the shed I'm willing to sell cheap.
The CIS can be a problem to get it running after all those years inactive... be sure to clean everything and flush with a fuel solvent additive before mounting it all ....FD,injectors,fuel lines,pump,tank....
"5 speed on the shelf "....besides a transaxle , remember you need torque tube , flywheel,clutch set , master and slave cilinders ,pedal,master firewall bracket and a rear cross member of a manual....don't know if the bellhousing is different....
plan is to send off injectors for cleaning + testing (using my local indy Porsche shops guy) and possibly a new set of injector lines if I’m not happy with the ones I’ve got. Tank flush is on the list too. should I attempt to rebuild the k-jet with a kit? Have read mixed outcomes...
hoping the trans is solid so I can keep. I have enough on my plate!
I would suggest sticking with the 3 speed auto first. Properly setup they suit the car well and it's obvious why Porsche went auto. They are nothing like the 4 speed auto in later cars. Buy the 5 speed box though and stick it in a safe place as an investment. They are getting rare and expensive to fix. I have just converted my K-jet car to full EFI and have a perfectly serviceable K-jet system sitting in the shed I'm willing to sell cheap.
Do you prefer the 3sp? They have a 4speed on the shelf as well. I have wondered about an EFI conversion! Did you make a thread or have one you can recommend?
Petza, That thing is a weapon. Wiring will be the main hitch in my giddy up. Might bring someone in when i get to that part. One of Seans engine harnesses looks like a good investment.
09-16-2020, 12:37 AM
The Sand Shark - 83 Euro S
