Yea 83-84 USA gets you a 4 speed trans you still have a none interference engine if the belt lets go . They do not seem to have thrust bearing issues like later cars. Liek Mike said they are cheap to buy ! Problem is they are just not all that quick but you can look good going slow

 

I'll probably only get it up to 120 or so every now and then anyway! ;-)
Other than not being the fastest 928 it's a good one though?
BTW, what's "not all that quick"?

 

1/4 mile around 15.4 seconds....but 0-20 can seem like it takes forever

 

James
Why is the 89 GT the best ? is it because of the engine being blue printed.
If this is true are the 89 S4 the same too? Do the 89 S4 come with GT internals (rods) exept the cams are different ?

 

I think the Austin guys get together every couple weeks (or once a month?). It would be good if you could hook up with them next time and compare for yourself. You should see a post on Renlist next time they get together...

Personally, I used to think it was a bitch to do anything under the hood on the 84. Now that I own the 93, I'd rather work on the 84--any day! And, with some deletes (air pump, vis. fan, etc.) no cat, borla cat-back, advanced timing, etc, the OBs really can come to life. At least mine did. My $.02.

 

Thanks. I'm going to OCIC so hopefully I'll get it narrowed down.

 

No ROW '89 GT for you then.

 

Let me give you some perspective before people start poopooing the OB for lack of quickness.
In my opinion (like Danglerb said) the 83-84 is the best OB to have with a budget. The 85-86 have the 5.0 32V and command a higher price, the 78-84 almost ALL go for the same price, so under certain peoples opinion mine being get up and go, get the 4.7 liter motor!
83-84 4.7 had abour 230hp/260lbstrq, thats not too bad for about 3200-3300 lb car! The 5speed is pretty fun with that set-up and the autos (like Jim said) are the 4 speeds! Since our cars were meant to break top speed records our gearing isn't so hot for the stop and go or 0-60 race. But although this car runs the 1/4 in about 15.4 second that GT will only do it in 14.1, and you could buy 4-9 OBs for that price
The 94-98 or so Mustang GT V8 were about 225hp and 250trq and the 99-04 were 260hp and 300trq, so you can see that the 16V OB isnt all that slow. Exhaust mods help ALOT on these cars! Headers, Y pipes, Catback, anything and everything makes a big difference too!

 

Hey I'm not trying to hijack a thread, but I've gotta ask. What quarter mile times are most people getting? At Indianapolis Raceway Park my '81 5 speed has run two 14.7's and a 14.6 with only exhaust (including y-pipe), fuel adjustment, and slightly advanced timing on 87 octane. On one 14.7 my tires were old and a little tricky to hook.

 

Most people are focussing on the differences between the generations of 928 (v early no spoiler > S > S4/GT > GTS) and not the OP's question which was about exact model years.

Owning an MY80 as I do, I find that the differences are very subtle. Here's some that I've noticed... rear wiper switch in central console (in 79, on pod), hazard on pod (in 79, in central console), rear luggage cover like the later cars (on 79, small net between seats) etc etc.

I don't think any of these make one car "better" than the other, just different. There are some major mechanical shifts clearly, but most of these are generational rather than MY specific.

Joel

 

I've said it many times, if you want the best bang for your buck 5-speed 928 you should be looking for an '85 US 5-speed. The transmission is light years better than the earlier 5-speeds and you can get a nice one for $5k - $6k these days. 288hp max and 302lb.ft @ 2,700RPM makes it a very fun car that can still keep up with a lot of cars today and the 2.2 pinion means you can drive on the highway in 5th and get 24 - 25mpg.

Dan
'91 928GT S/C 475hp/460lb.ft

 

80 - 82 928 non S
US '80 is the best. Last year of US low-option cars. Usually non-sunroof, factory no airpump. L-Jet is easier to maintain than CIS. Upgrade with '78-'79 cams, and exhaust.

83 - 86 S models
US '85 5-speeds. Better manual. The lightest weight of all thirsty-two valvers, and with a few easy mods, makes well over it's crank rated 288hp/302tq... at the wheels! (Higher serial #'s have '86 engine upgrades.)

86 1/2 stand alone
The GT-S of OBs (but all that good stuff is heavier)



If someone asked me, today, if I could have only one: I'd trade my '85 manual, and '86.5 auto for one '86.5 manual.

 

I have a strange aversion to anything but 89. I've gotten so used to the features of the one I have, I don't feel at home in other model years. 88 is missing the remarkably useful digital dash and the all-electric door locks. 90 is burdened by the bulky steering wheel airbag that makes the whole car feel porkier, a complex window controller that seems to get flaky in my experience and a nuisance knee bolster under the steering column. I'm sure the 90+ owners would miss these items if they got into my 89. Certainly, these are very minor things when you consider the car as a whole, and when I think about owning a 928, I'm more interested in quality than model year. I bought the best car I could find in my price range without regard to model year, color or transmission option.

 

I really enjoy the handling and feel of the 79 (auto). It had light steering, but was very stable at speed. It was comfortable to drive, and it had good power. It had no sunroof so headroom was excellent. One evening a Ford pickup pulled up next to me on the freeway and was obviously wanting a race. I floored it. He floored it. He left me in his dust.... His was a Lightning... I understand they are very fast trucks, but after that I knew I needed more ponies. The 80 was a great car too. I didn't like the clutch or shifter feel in that car. It might have been worn out components (I hadn't found rennlist yet)... But the 79 auto was a much more "fun" experience. More of a "point and shoot" experience. The old style seats (i believe up until 84?) were more comfortable in my opinion, but less supportive in corners...(more lazyboy-like)... Also, as time progressed through the model years, the ride quality changed from that of a very fast luxury car ride to more of a built for the track kind of suspension. Where the 79 would fly along soaking up bumps just gliding along (think classical music and tea), the newer models got more of a harsh ride where you can feel imperfections in the road. I think when the wheel widths changed from 7" all around to wider in the rear, the natural steering harmony went away a little bit too (IMHO)...

The 86.5 has the original body with "S" spoilers I love, the power of the 32V, and the suspension and brakes from the S4. It has less electronics and weight to deal with. Up until last week, it was the ultimate incarnation of a 928 to me. The intake is the most impressive looking, but hides the rest of the beautiful engine. It's got no flappy valve to mess with like the S4, but it also does not benefit from the torque change that the flappy provides.

The 89' auto I have been driving around in the last week or so has quickly grown on me. The original plan was to fix it a little to use as a daily driver until the 86.5 is finished. I am now obcessing on this S4. I want to fix everything on it to like new. I want to drive it constantly.... I took my wife out for a spin up to El Segundo yesterday, and we had a great time! I had a few thumbs ups thrown our way, and even spotted another shark on our way home. I'll post a couple of phone photos in another thread. AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Now.... if money were no object, a 95' GTS with a Greg Brown stroker.......

Long story short..... The best 928 is the one you call your own. If you like the OB, get one. If you like the old body style with power, get an 86.5. If you like the S4 with no airbags, get pre 90'MY. If you want pure sports, get a GT. If you want the biggest rear tires possible, get the GTS. If you want to be broke and eventually divorced, get any 928....

 

Mike, I get that warm, fuzzy feeling every time I hear how much you love the 89