TeufelHei

My understanding is that the latter half of 86 was full of all sorts of goodies. OB styling with S4 tech, bigger brakes with ABS, and the like.

The question is, how does one go about "updating" an 85 S2 (or any other OB) to this spec? Can one add ABS later? Is it just a matter of changing the front suspension, or is this even neccesary to get the same functionality?

Shane

Tim my early '86 has ABS. Your '85 might also, you can check this by pulling one of the front wheels and looking for a set of teeth and a mag pickup up front.
Otherwise it is just that the 86.5 is as close to having an S4 as you can get and still have the early style body. It is also a bit lighter than the S4, and has the more reliable LH and ezf brains.

John Struthers

I haven'r gone thru the 928 Intl catalog to bump part# differences but as you say brakes, and some suspension changes were all that I heard about -though there was a mention of a small jump in H.P.-.
I and others of my ilk do like the the "older" body style and the 86.5 with its maxed out performance/handling/braking is as far as the FACTORY went with the older style body. I did notice that there is a specific wheel hub for the 86-86.5 and someone posted a bracket mod that you could mount the later model calipers without changing the hub, (A arms/ball joints? guru's?) wheel bearings etc... . As to ABS ... I haven't checked.
I'm not saying some of the suspension pieces were optional or not but there is a flop over period -by part number- from 85 to 95 shocks to A/C pieces that were 85.5 particular. And if you go thru the catalog there are wide ranging changes -variety of pieces- that change from 83-86.5, 85-86.5, and 86.5- 95.
There are other pieces (tranny pan for example) that run up to 86., that change at 86.5 and go thru 95. Why ??? space, better cooling, hose routing...beats me. It is obvious that you can mod-up but if you don't spec the task out you better talk to BTDT guy's or someone from the Big Three, or you can put some serious money into the project out of simple ignorance. ASK!
It's a great car/ride as it sits and if you don't plan on utilizing 90% of what a 86.5 can do bone stock why bother upgrading?
Doesn't matter, I want one.
Eventually, after Shane is killed in a tragic processing plant (avalanche off the roof) accident while writing his name in the snow with yellow ink, I'll buy one of his 86.5 's with the SC (for cheep) and smoke the tires back to Texas in the body style I like.

Shane

John you don't know how close to true that is! We recently purchased a Bar up here and both of my sharks were, lets say endagered of relocating to new owners. It was close but I think I'm out of the woods now. Had some really heated arguements with the war dept. on their current welfare.

John Struthers

Bar?
As in purveying adult fellowship, under a good roof, generously lubricated with foriegn and domestic libations.... or,
BAR, as in Browning Automatic Rifle - cover me, Kirby- ?

Shane

Yes the kind with refreshing beverages. However I wouldn't mind having the other one too!

Bill 86.5 928s

This is a Good thread..I too have been wondering what the difference was. I have only owned my 86.5 since October 2004 and haven't really looked closely for the differences. My previous MY 84 had more options I know but this 32 valve Euro spec car might not be what I'm expecting. Can you tell by the VIN number if the 928 is a 86 or 86.5.My Vin being WP0ZZZ92ZGS849605 does it mean anything? Either way it doesn't matter it is still a nice car(burgandy interior and all) I drove it 300 kms to the Porsche dealer in Calgary and that was all. I haven't had it out since....T minus 30 days and counting....really looking forward to it....any known points for the 86 - 86.5 difference would be appreciated...tnx all

James-man

Don't forget exhaust. The 86.5 RMB is the only modification that I have ever heard of that only applies to 1/2 year of production.

Shane

All Euro Spec 1986 928s are point 5 material. The early US '86s were put together with left overs from the '85 parts inventory. All the european models got the the S4 suspension and brakes, just like the the '86 S2 models.

James-man

Has anyone found the elusive extra 1/2 valve giving the 86.5 the 32.5 valves?

But seriously though, I think that the only real difference on the exhaust is bolts vs welds between the resonators and the rear muffler unit. I don't think that there are any performance benefits except as stated above. No, not the 1/2 valve thingy, the RMB mod option is readily available to us half-year folks.

James-man

Shane,

Do you think this was because the Euro spec cars are a bit faster (higher HP) and have greater need for the brakes, etc. OR should we take it personally that Americans are stuck with Porsche leftovers?

Shane

It is because we have speed limits and revenue collectors, and thus no need for the bigger binders!

Vilhuer

Very interesting VIN Bill.

Your car is originally form Japan? Neither factory Tech Spec Book nor Jörg Austen's book lists Japanise VIN's for '86. If yours VIN is original and correct it means factory did at least 45 Japanise models in '86. Number 45 coming from VIN GS849561 being first normal production car for Japan. It would be very interesting to know exactly when it was made and what suspension and brakes it has. Does it already have aluminium mounting point for rear suspension arms for example? If it was made before first '86.5 US (VIN GS861000) it would very likely mean entire '86 Japanise production got later style parts.

In general whole '86.5 US thing is bit misleading. According to Jörg Austen Porsche did 2881 '86 model year 928's for US, Canada and Japanese markets. So almost 2/3 of all '86 are in fact '86.5. Japanise cars are included in Austen's US total but there can't be more than few hundred of them. It's also confucing to have Japanese included to US total production especially if all Japanise '86 had later style suspension but that's how Austen groups production data. Also some 40% of entire model year production was made already later part of calendar year 1985. So '86.5 US should really be called December '85 or something similar.

Bill 86.5 928s

Hello Erkka....Yes the 928 is a Japanese model imported to Canada sometime around the year 2000 as far as I know. It is supposed to have some history associated with it in Japan but I cannot verify it's truth. I guess that I will have to look for some of the features you pointed out as being 86.5 and I guess look to see if the 928 has the S4 style brakes. I do know that when the car was up on the hoist, it had dual cats that fed into a single muffler at the rear. I guess really, it could have been a salvage job before it arrived here, who knows right?...Once I get it out of winter storage I'll get it up in the air ,take some pictures and perhaps the list can help me confirm it's 86 or 86.5 designation...tnx

Darien

True Dual Exhaust (2 into 2) and S4 Brakes, a definate plus for anyone that likes the older body style with extra's