H2

After trying to order a few Porche parts that are NLA, I was wondering how many there are...and how many other parts were approaching that status? If I knew that, I'd order a few new parts now rather than make-do and buy later. We can do work-arounds on some parts but others are going to be more difficult. Would a list of these be helpful? The Big 3 probably already have a good idea.

For example, I'd like to buy the rear of engine, U-shaped gas hose but it's NLA.
On the other hand, enough 928s are parted out to keep us supplied w/some parts...but not all. I hate to go to a lot of work to install an old part that might fail not long afterwards.

Parts that may not have an easy replacement would be nice to know. What do you think?

Harvey

Jim bailey - 928 International

Some examples...the fuel injection brain for all 1980-1984 are no longer made, The printed circuit for the dash instruments (a common failure item) is NLA for years 1982-1984 BUT 1979-1981 IS so I just bought one for the old very brown 1980 ! Most of the owners manuals are NLA ,Factory workshop manuals NLA, there are so many NLA items it is basically impossible to list them all. I believe that auto makers who sell cars in the US are only REQUIRED to supply parts for ten years....The front engine harness for the alternator oil senders starter etc. for early cars has been NLA for sometime and ALWAYS needs replacing so Carl at 928 Motorsports MAKES them ! The other issue in my opinion is that Porsche still makes the part but has repeatedly increased the price. Like a mass airflow sensor used on all 1985-1995 cars new list at Porsche is now $1,634.95 or A/C control heads at about $1,000 new .The top of the engine LH harness 1985-1995 is $900-$1,200 depending on year and while they may be working fine but if you start moving wires around like removing the intake or plumbing a supercharger then you have problems as wires short out and connector blocks fall apart in your hands. Most of the 928s are now 20 years or more old , I remember being in college and driving a 1947 Plymouth in 1967 and that WAS A REALLY OLD CAR ! The fact that so many old 928s are still driving around is testament to how well they were built. There is no way to KNOW when Porsche will use up the existing supply of any part and decide NOT to reorder any more they obviously track sales history look at what the new cost to produce will be and the minimum order quantity and decide if they will make money on the part if not then it is NLA. Porsche intends to sell 90,000 new vehicles this fiscal year a small increase over last year.

Jim bailey - 928 International

Sterling they would probably just have the body shop spray paint the dash....

Rob Edwards

Funny, I was thinking last night exactly about this very subject, except from the perspective of restoration. I take care of a '62 vette, and there are a number of year-specific parts for some vettes which are astronomical when you can find them. I paid $275 for a coil with the correct cap configuration, and found a '62 only voltage regulator for $50 (the guy didn't know what he had) which go for $600-800 on Ebay when they pop up (which isn't very often). Yes, these prices are insane, but simple supply and demand is driving the prices, and the Boomer demographic wants their timecapsule cars right now....

So- with the caveat that 928's may never attain the classic status that old tupperware Chevys seem to have with the Baby Boomers, it seems to me that there must be some 928 parts which will be critical to a 'complete' resotration yet will be scarce. My first candidate is the belly pan, so I recently bought one (actually it was the third, the first one was broken, the second one (from Germany) was broken) from Sunset ($265 with shipping) after a two month delay. I have no intention of putting it on the car (I've got an aluminum one on order as well)

So- when the Risky Business generation wants their time capsule 928, will a 'correct' belly pan be $265, or $765, or just NLA? What other parts do folks think will be important restoration bits (as opposed to just the mission critical electronic parts which we ought to be buying/refurbishing for backup purposes)?

worf928

Blower resistor packs for pre-89 are NLA - or so I've been told. If anyone has a broken pre-89 resistor pack, I'd like to investigate the possibility of new-to-old guts transplanting.

Jim B - are the LH harnesses the same for 91-95? Or was there a functional change with the GTS? (I might want a spare in inventory.)

Jim bailey - 928 International

Dave they are different part numbers perhaps for the dynamic kick down modification on the GTS?? but they have to be 99% the same...

Fabio421

A big part of the reason that some parts are doubling in price is due to volume. At my company, we have had to raise the price on some items quite a bit over what they were a few years ago. The reason is that we no longer build one of our previous product lines. So when we order spare parts, what we used to order 100 of, we now may only order 10 or 20. When you buy in smaller quantities, especially machined parts, you tend to pay alot more per piece.

Loaded

Saddens me to read this thread.

John Speake

Prices from Porsche of most of the electronic items have been very high for some time. Even the later LH ECUs 87-95 are often NA for months at a time from Germany.

However no need to get too depressed, Loaded. If there is a viable market, then there will be people who will step in when Porsche steps out. It is possible to replicate/replace factory items.

If owners want to keep their cars on the road, then that will support the small group of specialist suppliers who are out there.

Use them or loose them !

John Veninger

Guess I better hold onto that spare 1989 engine harness I have!

6.0-928S

I used to work at Holbert's & Porsche used to send monthly 'crush' sheets to each interested dealer offering parts that were going obsolete with prices. I don't know if they still do. Your dealer had to subscribe to the list. I bought all kinds of stuff for my 86.5 car. I paid $45.00 for a complete dash/body harness!
Front control arms, etc. If there is something you need & you use a dealer who knows 'what time it is' you could ask them if it still exists. There was also a 'vintage' line Porsche promoted but most of the stuff was 356, 911, or 912. I don't know if that still exists either. I hoped at the time that it would continue because it would eventually include 928 parts. I'm sure Mark A. etc., have more current knowledge of these programs than I do. I know of an outlet for Porsche factory parts, (especially factory race program parts, Germany direct) but I would have to reopen my wholesale account with them. that's where I got a lot of my personal stuff. Does anyone on the list deal with SSF?

Hammer

John Veninger

SSF did or does sponsor Mark Anderson's car.

Nicole

THAT's why people keep tellin me I'm crazy to own a car for which parts are no longer available...

John Speake

The parts are usually available, new, used or remanufactured.....

marton

I believe all engines and gearboxes are NLA. Used is a good option although prices vary greatly.
Successfull remanufacture depends on the extent of the original problem. TBF failure is usually not fixeable?
I believe chevy motors are a viable alternative if you want new; although not politically correct for many.
I do not know of any alternative for the gearbox?

Marton