Vilhuer

I had privilege of driving fairly good condition '78 5sp today. Owners son was supposed to take it to magazine shoot but couldn't due to work situation. Car is very early chassis number US model, 9288200016. Story goes that it spend it's first years behind window in some US Porsche dealer and was licenced only later on. Some time in in eighties or early ninetiies it was purchased by a Finn living in USA and imported into Finland when he moved back here. Since then it had few owners before current one. Past several years it has seen very little use.

Vilhuer

Vilhuer

Build date on door sticker is August '77. Depending on which order ROW and US models were made it's possible there were many Euros made before it but I doubt it. Reason being some uncommon features that I haven't seen on other early cars. We'd like to know which of these (if any) are abnormal or were they all modifications done some later time.






Main point of these messages is question if cloth on seats and door is normal production material. PET lists grey/black berber cloth but I can't remember ever seeing what it looks like. It's probably only possibility what it is as other cloths available at the time sound unlikely candidates. Or is this something limited to few early cars and not listed in PET?












Should there be vent adjustment **** instead on Porsche badge?




Door knop is different to later cars. Was this **** style used on other period Porsche models for example?




Rear belts are different type than what I have seen on other 928's.




There are no holes for belt lock on side panel. ROW '78 chassis 9288100221 for example has those holes already.




Does rear seat release **** look exact same as on other early cars?

Ispeed

Who wouldn't love that car. Rare seat combo.
Two thumbs up!

SharkSkin

Erkka,

Sorry, I don't know what to tell you about the cloth.

Some observations comparing your pix to my '78 #0853, starting from the first pic and working downward:

1) What's up with the fog lights on that car?
2) Black anodized finish worn off quarter window trim, same as mine
3) Chrome rosettes on door lock cylinders -- same as mine
4) Hatch lock cylinder recessed, same as mine. This is different from every other shark I've seen.
5) Most folks seem to agree that the intake tubes did not have the venturi area on early cars. Engine bay looks same as mine, except that I can't see the AC dryer on this car.
6) Redline on the tach is marked 200 RPM higher than on my car.
7) Windshield trim is anodized??? This is the first one I've seen that wasn't painted to match the body.
8) Voltmeter markings are different; mine is marked 10-12-14-16 with red zones at either end.
9) My rear carpet had faded to that same puke green color before I re-dyed it... looks authentic
10) On my car there is a vent **** instead of the badge.
11) The door locking **** setup is very different from mine, which is more rounded and the rose screws down over the lock assembly rather than having three screws on it.
12) Rear belts are different. Mine look like later years.
13) The rear seat latch **** would look identical to mine if you cleaned it up a little.

Looks like a real sweet ride! It's in incredible shape.

rixter

amazingly enough, it's Euro "twin" is in the US and these are the 2 lowest known vin#s
every chassis under 50 (IIRC) is a prototype and anything is possible as far as options are concerned
I have triple airhorns (factory) on #34 as well as some other oddities

the door ***** I've seen in a few real early cars, the fabric pattern as well... the dash vent **** is wrong and was probably broken off ,the rear belts were most likely added on here in the US

let them know if they ever decide to sell it I'd def be interested
great looking car for it's vintage

Kevin Michael

A guy down the road claims to have a 1977 928, when I told him he was nutz, he said anytime I want to see the title research the vin etc. The car is in a hideous state of disrepair, but if it is true, worth anything?

rixter

Kevin,
get the vin#, if it's sub 100 I'm interested
value is just like any other car, it's worth what someone is willing to pay for it
if it's a Euro and has the original import papers and has minimal federalization it may be worth more...
however, I believe Chucks frog probably is worth more than any early 928 due to it's condition

the gent who owns #29 has the original german title with Ferry's signature on it, and is believed to have been the Frankfurt Auto Show car... it's in a state of disrepair but the paperwork raises it's value

Nicole

Very nice car!

However, there are lots of things that are definitely not from the factory.

1. The fabric of the seats - only possibility would be that someone sent it to the factory for a custom interior option - I highly doubt that. It was probably put in because no Pascha replacement cloth could be sourced.

2. The center vent shoudl have a round **** where the Porsche logo is.

3. Porsche never made such door lock ***** - even earlier press cars did not have this type.

4. Louvers in front bumper should be body color. The bumper cover is nice and straight - rare for the year.

5. What's up with those fog lights?

Overall a clean and desirable car to have. It could be brought up to top standard rather easy. Would make a nice rixtermobile...

BC

I respectfully disagree. They should be black on the early cars.

rixter

1. please see:
http://www.928registry.org/1978-928-0061.htm
http://www.928registry.org/1978-928-2.htm

3. I have seen these on other early cars, and have a set around here somewhere

4. should be black, not body color for this early vin

rixtermobile? would make a nice addition to the pack, actually considering getting another 78 to restore... but currently only looking for a rhd unless a sub 100 vin comes my way

Mark

Only to Rixter!

Nicole

rixter:

1. The fabric in the Finnish car is not the same as the Porsche berber, which was available starting in 80 or 81. In '78, there were only Pascha (op-art) , and pinstripe as fabric options. The texture of the fabric shown is nothing I have ever seen on a Porsche.

3. I'll do a little more digging to be sure

4. Hmmm... even early press cars had it in body color. I'll check for that also.

I might learn something from 3. and 4....

SharkSkin

Rixter, Nicole,,

My grill, louvers, -- whatever -- are black, but I guess that doesn't really help either side of the argument...

928FIXER

If this is car # 16 I would like to know what the engine number is as I am trying to understand the engine build sequence numbering.I would like to know what the alternator cooling duct is made of.Is it plastic or metal?