Need advice on 928 purchase and modifications!
08-14-2008, 10:05 PM
#1
Three Wheelin'
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Need advice on 928 purchase and modifications!
Hey gang!
I've been out of the P-car scene for a while, having sold my last 944 over a year ago. I just came across what *seems* to be a fair deal on a 928, and I would love some advice!
THE CAR: The car is a 1979 928, manual trans, unknown miles. The body was updated to look like a ~1993 GTS, complete with wing and 3-pc alloys. Paint and body are good. Interior is a little beat up around the center console, some of the vinyl needs help, and it could use seats and a carpet kit. It's not a total scheisse-box, but it's not clean either. It supposedly ran and drove just fine a couple years ago, when it was last started up. It's at a tow yard owned by a friend who is trustworthy; but not a Porsche guy. It's been sitting for 2 years and is missing one of the plastic intake tubes. Other than that, it appears complete under the hood. Fluids look and smell normal.
MY QUESTIONS:
1) The guy offered me the car for $1000. I could probably get it for $800 or so. There is about $500 in DMV fees, making the total ~1300 or so. What do you guys think - fair deal? I was thinking I could part it out and make the money back if it had any major problems.
2) Performance...this is a big one for me. 220hp in a 3300lb car is simply not enough for me. Before doing any serious research, I was thinking about an exhaust, cams, lightened flywheel and perhaps Megasquirt to optimize it. I would hope for ~250 crank at that point. Am I still in reality, or am I pipe dreaming here? Beyond that, I was wondering about keeping (and porting) the 2v heads, but punching out the block. Is it possible to punch the 4.5 out to 5.0? If I needed any more, I'd probably throw in a 350 and be done with it. But my real question is...does this engine respond well to mods? People had told me the 944 was about as good as it gets from the factory, but I found that wasn't quite the case. Would adding mods to the 4.5 be polishing a turd, or can any fun be had with this engine?
3) Interior...I would love to update the dash and gauge cluster to the newer 928 style. Is this do-able? It just looks way too retro for my taste...lol!
Any help is appreciated here. Thanks so much...I missed you, Rennlist! It looks like I may have a reason to renew my membership again!
I've been out of the P-car scene for a while, having sold my last 944 over a year ago. I just came across what *seems* to be a fair deal on a 928, and I would love some advice!
THE CAR: The car is a 1979 928, manual trans, unknown miles. The body was updated to look like a ~1993 GTS, complete with wing and 3-pc alloys. Paint and body are good. Interior is a little beat up around the center console, some of the vinyl needs help, and it could use seats and a carpet kit. It's not a total scheisse-box, but it's not clean either. It supposedly ran and drove just fine a couple years ago, when it was last started up. It's at a tow yard owned by a friend who is trustworthy; but not a Porsche guy. It's been sitting for 2 years and is missing one of the plastic intake tubes. Other than that, it appears complete under the hood. Fluids look and smell normal.
MY QUESTIONS:
1) The guy offered me the car for $1000. I could probably get it for $800 or so. There is about $500 in DMV fees, making the total ~1300 or so. What do you guys think - fair deal? I was thinking I could part it out and make the money back if it had any major problems.
2) Performance...this is a big one for me. 220hp in a 3300lb car is simply not enough for me. Before doing any serious research, I was thinking about an exhaust, cams, lightened flywheel and perhaps Megasquirt to optimize it. I would hope for ~250 crank at that point. Am I still in reality, or am I pipe dreaming here? Beyond that, I was wondering about keeping (and porting) the 2v heads, but punching out the block. Is it possible to punch the 4.5 out to 5.0? If I needed any more, I'd probably throw in a 350 and be done with it. But my real question is...does this engine respond well to mods? People had told me the 944 was about as good as it gets from the factory, but I found that wasn't quite the case. Would adding mods to the 4.5 be polishing a turd, or can any fun be had with this engine?
3) Interior...I would love to update the dash and gauge cluster to the newer 928 style. Is this do-able? It just looks way too retro for my taste...lol!
Any help is appreciated here. Thanks so much...I missed you, Rennlist! It looks like I may have a reason to renew my membership again!
08-14-2008, 10:13 PM
#3
As long as you can keep the cost down. Does it have a sunroof?
You could supercharge it pretty easily, especially if you do an MS.
You could supercharge it pretty easily, especially if you do an MS.
08-14-2008, 10:14 PM
#4
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08-14-2008, 10:30 PM
#6
Three Wheelin'
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LOL! Well, I may be a noob to 928's, but I'm not a noob to horrible auto investments in general...so like I said, I'm more than willing to cut my losses and part it out if it needs anything major. The minor stuff I can handle. 
No, it does not have a sunroof.
As for the blower kits...aren't they astronomically expensive? I don't want to spend $5k on a blower kit that out-values the car itself. I'm turbocharging another VW of mine for a grand total of about $720...so I'd probably go the turbo route as I have plenty of fabrication connections, and a turbocharger costs about $150 compared to ~2000 for a Vortech/Paxton/Whipple/etc.
What are the trouble spots on the early 928's? For example, a 944 clutch job is a full weekend (books for 17 to 22 hours of labor)...is this the same crap with the 928? Any major mechanical bugs I should look for that's common with these tanks?
Oh, and suspension! Do they use that stupid torsion bar setup in the back, or is it all coil-sprung? How expensive is it to throw on sport springs and drop the ride height a little?
I would like to try to keep her...she looks like a nice weekend cruiser. Keep the advice coming! I'm working on photos right now...
No, it does not have a sunroof.
As for the blower kits...aren't they astronomically expensive? I don't want to spend $5k on a blower kit that out-values the car itself. I'm turbocharging another VW of mine for a grand total of about $720...so I'd probably go the turbo route as I have plenty of fabrication connections, and a turbocharger costs about $150 compared to ~2000 for a Vortech/Paxton/Whipple/etc.
What are the trouble spots on the early 928's? For example, a 944 clutch job is a full weekend (books for 17 to 22 hours of labor)...is this the same crap with the 928? Any major mechanical bugs I should look for that's common with these tanks?
Oh, and suspension! Do they use that stupid torsion bar setup in the back, or is it all coil-sprung? How expensive is it to throw on sport springs and drop the ride height a little?
I would like to try to keep her...she looks like a nice weekend cruiser.
Keep the advice coming! I'm working on photos right now...
08-14-2008, 10:35 PM
#7
Robust suspension. Real, independent front and rear, with no torsion.
A supercharger may not be cheap, but for 1k for the car, 10k to rebuild the entire thing, 5k in wheels and wires, and 6k for the supercharger, you could have a very nice 22k 928.
A supercharger may not be cheap, but for 1k for the car, 10k to rebuild the entire thing, 5k in wheels and wires, and 6k for the supercharger, you could have a very nice 22k 928.
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08-14-2008, 11:08 PM
#8
L8 APEKS,
The early cars sans sunroof are sought after for track cars. They are lighter than the later cars and less money invested when gutting out. The last few years have provided some great gains with forced induction of the 928, and a light car with the right setup would rock. If you don't go for it, I'm sure there are plenty on this board that would be interested.
Good luck,
Woody
The early cars sans sunroof are sought after for track cars. They are lighter than the later cars and less money invested when gutting out. The last few years have provided some great gains with forced induction of the 928, and a light car with the right setup would rock. If you don't go for it, I'm sure there are plenty on this board that would be interested.
Good luck,
Woody
08-14-2008, 11:31 PM
#10
Three Wheelin'
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Woody,
Duly noted! I'm the type that would love to replicate an "RS" style interior, with manual crank windows (were those even available?) and pull straps to save a pound here and there.
I'm just not sure where to go with this dinosaur of an engine. I'm not willing to spend $4k of N/A mods to net ~15hp, so it looks like I've got some research ahead of me.
I was thinking an MAF conversion, cams, exhaust, and MSnS would wake it up quite a bit. Past that, it would be either forced ind. or a swap I'm thinking.
Duly noted! I'm the type that would love to replicate an "RS" style interior, with manual crank windows (were those even available?) and pull straps to save a pound here and there.
I'm just not sure where to go with this dinosaur of an engine. I'm not willing to spend $4k of N/A mods to net ~15hp, so it looks like I've got some research ahead of me.
I was thinking an MAF conversion, cams, exhaust, and MSnS would wake it up quite a bit. Past that, it would be either forced ind. or a swap I'm thinking.
08-14-2008, 11:32 PM
#11
Administrator - "Tyson"
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Oh boy....
Well, the wheels might be worth $800
Well, the wheels might be worth $800
08-14-2008, 11:44 PM
#12
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Somebody put a lot of $ into that car to make it look like a post-89. Aero mirrors, GTS rr bumper cover, etc...even a rooftop antenna.
& Hacker's right about the wheels...if they're really 3 piece & in good shape w/928 offsets, they're worth $800.
Engine looks a little scary, but the value in parts is worth what you're looking at getting it for in a heartbeat. Hopefully worth enough not to part it, but to turn it into a really nice car.
& Hacker's right about the wheels...if they're really 3 piece & in good shape w/928 offsets, they're worth $800.
Engine looks a little scary, but the value in parts is worth what you're looking at getting it for in a heartbeat. Hopefully worth enough not to part it, but to turn it into a really nice car.
08-14-2008, 11:48 PM
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Somebody put a lot of $ into that car to make it look like a post-89. Aero mirrors, GTS rr bumper cover, etc...even a rooftop antenna.
& Hacker's right about the wheels...if they're really 3 piece & in good shape w/928 offsets, they're worth $800.
Engine looks a little scary, but the value in parts is worth what you're looking at getting it for in a heartbeat. Hopefully worth enough not to part it, but to turn it into a really nice car.
& Hacker's right about the wheels...if they're really 3 piece & in good shape w/928 offsets, they're worth $800.
Engine looks a little scary, but the value in parts is worth what you're looking at getting it for in a heartbeat. Hopefully worth enough not to part it, but to turn it into a really nice car.
While a little disappointed in the power output on the early models, I have been listening to sound clips of the exhaust note and WOW does it sound sexy. I think that alone may sway me into keeping her! If and when I bite the bullet, I'll be sure to post up new pics of the freshly washed and detailed beauty. In the meantime, I will prepare to bend over once again and surrender the wallet...
08-15-2008, 12:14 AM
#15
Drifting
The nice thing about the 928 is that the sum of parts is worth more then the car as a whole. Those wheels may not be Speedlines, but they might be RH forged which are about $900 each. You could buy that car, part it out, and probably have a bigger budget to buy a car that is better to start out with. As BrendanC pointed out, for $22K you could have a really nice car. What he forgot to mention was that it will only be worth $5K-$6K when all is said and done.