Hi Perry,

While I'm a big proponent of "its your car, do what you want with it", it's good that you recognize the value of keeping it stock. My car is going to start making some serious cosmetic and mechanical transformations in the upcoming months. I don't have any regrets builidng what will by my version of the ulitmate 928, but I fully understand the appeal of enjoying a stock 928. When I happen across pics of my car when I first got it, it seems like a totally different car. For me, a stock 928 will always be special and when I see one in person I always hold it in the highest admiration.

 

Brendan, Some mechanicals are okay for me. I am referring to the internals of the engine ect. I can unbolt and replace pieces but I dont have the knowledge to do say the timing belt on my car. That is too critical for me to mess with. Having a nice engine compartment is something I also would want. I am envious of these guys that have everything powder coated and painted. This is something I have always wanted to do and being that I am priced out of housing, a car is the next area of interest to me. Not to mention a whole lot cheaper.

 

Brendan, I didn't mean it in a hurtful way, but rather in a "slippery slope" kinda way. Once a project gets started, it is easy to find it getting bigger and bigger. Most of us here know how slippery your slope has been These are things to be considered before starting down a one way path. I've been there too....

Rich

 

Adam, I would love to have a stock five speed GTS and a custom S4 sitting in my garage but that is a pipe dream right now.

Rich, that slippery slope scares me. I have also seen how fast you can slide when it comes to reapirs let alone customizing.

 

Beth and Brendan have it.

 

A lot of hot rodders wind up with one car, and it is ''it''. They build and modify it as time and money allow, but sooner or later wind up going whole hog. In your case, it sounds like you could use a good runner. Cosmetics won't be important, just a good base. Certainly some of the strongest running Porsches I have driven were not real good looking. I don't have anything against modifying a nice car if the end product is going to wind up resembling the original car. It doesn't sound like you have that in mind.

 

Aw, yeah, I know. The one thing is that I hate working on dirty cars. The only car that will be clean is one I rebuilt from the ground up. And then it won't need much work.

 

Ah, well... There are very nice 200,000 dollar 1 bedroom condos in OC. Same down here.

 

Show me a 200k one bedroom condo in O.C. and I will buy it!! A one bedroom here starts at 350k

 

Find an 85-86, rip the interior out, put 2 Cobra Imola Suzukas in there, X-pipe with Dynomax Resonators, Fikse FM5 17" wheels, and make your neighbors deaf, take it racing and show 911 owners that your car makes sweeter music than theirs..

 

By the time it does, much of the dirt may have found it's way back...

 

Such true words by reverend Dave.

 

Perry
I guess it depends on what level of customization your are talking about....something very extensive...then I would get another 928 (which increase the cost by a square factor)...if its just interior...you could remove your excellent interior and sell it to help offset the cost? Its a hard decision, since the cost of buying an maintaining another 928 will probably cost way more than you had planned for the entire project!

But you can never have too many 928's....tough call

 

I'd like to add that if you don't like explaining incomplete projects you should keep and drive your pristine 928 (its losing value quickly - just drive the damn thing) and build another car any way you want, racing seats, leather dash in purple, whatever. That way when you pick people up, its a complete car with normal seats that are comfortable for long drives.

I always have the problem of thinking of dirving the car that is not my fastest or best. Its like I am missing out. I know, I have issues.

 

BUY AN ORPHAN, an older model that runs but has a trashed interior, (I have a few designs for smoothing and modernizing the interior) build up a stroker motor or turbo, SC and possibly a jacomond body kit. Then you will have a compleatly differant ride then your S4.
I have toyed with a design of a 928Ks(917Ks GULF) prototype with the gulf blue and orange paint work, right down to the white number circles blacked out wheels and blacked out head light sections, i would use the jacomound wide body kit and custom the front end ot have the front openings as the 917 and add the radiator outlet in the hood....i know i know 917 was a race car from 1969 but its my favorate Porsche race car. Well anyways thats my daydream but if you would like and interior designs just drop me a line.