'77 ('78) Porsche 928, "Number Six", Preproduction Press Car (Updated 3-18-13)
04-09-2011, 03:38 PM
#346
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Number Six, just to recap
I wrote this up for the Porsche Famiy Tree, and figured to post it up here for good measure.
"Number Six"
1977 Pre-Series Porsche 928 - Press Car
One of eleven pre-production 928's built to be used for early press review.
Late February 1977, just weeks before its reveal to the public at the Geneva Auto Salon, members of the worldwide press convened near Nice, France to see the much anticipated new Porsche 928 for their first time. Number Six was one of the cars they saw.
Driven by Joe Rusz for the Road & Track article, "928 Technical Analysis & Driving Impressions". Featured in Auto Motor und Sport's "Motor Revue", where it appeared on the cover.
Following its press duty, Number Six was then used for testing at Weissach and remained a Werks factory car until October of 1978, when it was sold to a German.
10 years later, the car resurfaced in North America, when imported into southern California, then moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. There it was owned by a high-stakes professional poker player.
Not long after, Six was sold to a man from Lake Tahoe where it was kept and driven for two decades.
In Fall 2010, I purchased Six from a second Lake Tahoe owner who had the car for a couple years.
I had it shipped to my father's farm in Michigan where the car resides in storage, as I plan its restoration. I've visited once, and found it to be in amazing original condition for its age. Most every piece is there, and it runs great!
In late 2010, Number Six won an award as the oldest Porsche 928, as part of Porsche's anniversary celebration of 60 years in America!
Also, Excellence wrote about my restoration plans in their online magazine.
Feel free to check it out on the family tree
"Number Six"
1977 Pre-Series Porsche 928 - Press Car
One of eleven pre-production 928's built to be used for early press review.
Late February 1977, just weeks before its reveal to the public at the Geneva Auto Salon, members of the worldwide press convened near Nice, France to see the much anticipated new Porsche 928 for their first time. Number Six was one of the cars they saw.
Driven by Joe Rusz for the Road & Track article, "928 Technical Analysis & Driving Impressions". Featured in Auto Motor und Sport's "Motor Revue", where it appeared on the cover.
Following its press duty, Number Six was then used for testing at Weissach and remained a Werks factory car until October of 1978, when it was sold to a German.
10 years later, the car resurfaced in North America, when imported into southern California, then moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. There it was owned by a high-stakes professional poker player.
Not long after, Six was sold to a man from Lake Tahoe where it was kept and driven for two decades.
In Fall 2010, I purchased Six from a second Lake Tahoe owner who had the car for a couple years.
I had it shipped to my father's farm in Michigan where the car resides in storage, as I plan its restoration. I've visited once, and found it to be in amazing original condition for its age. Most every piece is there, and it runs great!
In late 2010, Number Six won an award as the oldest Porsche 928, as part of Porsche's anniversary celebration of 60 years in America!
Also, Excellence wrote about my restoration plans in their online magazine.
Feel free to check it out on the family tree
04-09-2011, 09:36 PM
#347
Racer
What was the big "D" on the back for?
I just read through this thread in it's entirety... What an amazing honor you must feel! How was that first start? I would've peed my pants.
Wish I could make it for the Ho-down...
I just read through this thread in it's entirety... What an amazing honor you must feel! How was that first start? I would've peed my pants.
Wish I could make it for the Ho-down...
04-09-2011, 10:42 PM
#348
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
When the car started, it was exciting! It was almost as good as the Pirates of Penzance.
04-14-2011, 05:42 PM
#353
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Not sure buddy. We'll see! 
The thread on the party is here:
928's Down on the Farm, #6 Wrenching Party, Saturday May 14th 2011
The thread on the party is here:
928's Down on the Farm, #6 Wrenching Party, Saturday May 14th 2011
04-17-2011, 07:08 AM
#354
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Wow - fantastic thread. A true archaeological dig that is bringing up a huge amount of new information about the early 928s.
I just picked up a "rescue" '79 5-speed no sun roof India Red 928. It has around 56Kmiles and has sat in a garage for probably 20 plus years. There has been some mechanical restoration done and the interior is mostly intact.
This thread gives me a lot of great information to start bringing this sad '79 back to life.
My "other" '79 Euro is a track car, so he has a brother! My younger 32 valve 928s seem smug to their new older brother.
I just picked up a "rescue" '79 5-speed no sun roof India Red 928. It has around 56Kmiles and has sat in a garage for probably 20 plus years. There has been some mechanical restoration done and the interior is mostly intact.
This thread gives me a lot of great information to start bringing this sad '79 back to life.
My "other" '79 Euro is a track car, so he has a brother! My younger 32 valve 928s seem smug to their new older brother.
04-17-2011, 08:48 PM
#355
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Wow - fantastic thread. A true archaeological dig that is bringing up a huge amount of new information about the early 928s.
I just picked up a "rescue" '79 5-speed no sun roof India Red 928. It has around 56Kmiles and has sat in a garage for probably 20 plus years. There has been some mechanical restoration done and the interior is mostly intact.
This thread gives me a lot of great information to start bringing this sad '79 back to life.
My "other" '79 Euro is a track car, so he has a brother! My younger 32 valve 928s seem smug to their new older brother.
I just picked up a "rescue" '79 5-speed no sun roof India Red 928. It has around 56Kmiles and has sat in a garage for probably 20 plus years. There has been some mechanical restoration done and the interior is mostly intact.
This thread gives me a lot of great information to start bringing this sad '79 back to life.
My "other" '79 Euro is a track car, so he has a brother! My younger 32 valve 928s seem smug to their new older brother.
Would like to see what you got goin' on with your '79 save!
04-17-2011, 09:10 PM
#356
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Jim,
Been casually following this off and on. Really a monumental undertaking. Had a very odd thought, #6 was the moniker for Patrick McGoohan in "The Prisoner" TV series. Also same for the mini-series with James Caviezel in the lead role. Sadly, no 928's in the show. However, I can't help but keep thinking of it when reading about your car.
You have been doing some great things here. Wonderful piece of Porsche history. Can't wait to see it when it's done.
Cheers!
Been casually following this off and on. Really a monumental undertaking. Had a very odd thought, #6 was the moniker for Patrick McGoohan in "The Prisoner" TV series. Also same for the mini-series with James Caviezel in the lead role. Sadly, no 928's in the show. However, I can't help but keep thinking of it when reading about your car.
You have been doing some great things here. Wonderful piece of Porsche history. Can't wait to see it when it's done.
Cheers!
04-18-2011, 02:34 AM
#357
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
04-27-2011, 03:16 PM
#358
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Update: Interior - need some help folks
Bob Budd from Classic9 has been out to assess the interior condition, and his his assessment fell inline with mine - pretty much every panel needs work.
The good news is we both believe that reupholstering the seats, installing new carpet, recovering the steering wheel, and a massive cleaning would put the interior in a comfortable state for driving. Right now it is just too ratty.
This interior R&R would be in process if not for the fact the pasha needed for seat refinishing is not available, from many sources (some of which you folks have already listed here). #47A, Black/Brown
After "getting to know" Six in February, it became clear to me this car has a tremendous amount of originality. I was SO happy to see it hadn't been messed around with like so many have.
My short-term goal is refresh #6 into a nice, showable, unrestored condition.
There is something to be said for keeping a car unrestored - which I think is "it's only original once".
It's my style to want to drive a Porsche, so Six will be driven for a while.
I will still move forward with my long-term restoration plans, but figured I would give you a little more insight on the nearer term.
My quandry is I haven't a functional interior, and until then, the car will remain out of driver status.
Ultimately, the original interior will be restored. That will be a long process, with most effort spent finding pasha and an original mottled-brown vinyl dash.
Any help on this long term effort would be most appreciated.
In the near-term, I need mottled-brown vinyl seats, with pasha (a matching set to include rear seats and door cards is preferred.)
It doesn't have to be perfect (just not ratty), nor does it need to be the correct color pasha. These pieces would work well until the original interior is ready to be restored (long ways off).
If anyone has a line, or finds a line on a good set like this, please send them my way!
Lastly, and I know this is a longshot... I would be interested in buying a complete "period correct" interior, in decent shape.
This way, I could remove the original interior, clean, inventory and store it.
This will give me the opportunity to assess the interior pieces inside and out, and prepare individual pieces for restoration, as time and money permits.
In this case, color is not necessarily important, though I would prefer brown or black vinyl with pasha.
I scour CL and ebay ads almost daily. And our Pasha expert, Bronto is also looking.
All I ask is could ya'll keep your keep on the lookout for me?
Thanks for reading, sorry so long!
Here are a couple reference pics of the type of brown vinyl I referred to as "mottled" or "aggregate". It's not a solid brown color or the same texture as later model 928's. Probably only found in MY 78-80.
The good news is we both believe that reupholstering the seats, installing new carpet, recovering the steering wheel, and a massive cleaning would put the interior in a comfortable state for driving. Right now it is just too ratty.
This interior R&R would be in process if not for the fact the pasha needed for seat refinishing is not available, from many sources (some of which you folks have already listed here). #47A, Black/Brown
After "getting to know" Six in February, it became clear to me this car has a tremendous amount of originality. I was SO happy to see it hadn't been messed around with like so many have.
My short-term goal is refresh #6 into a nice, showable, unrestored condition.
There is something to be said for keeping a car unrestored - which I think is "it's only original once".
It's my style to want to drive a Porsche, so Six will be driven for a while.
I will still move forward with my long-term restoration plans, but figured I would give you a little more insight on the nearer term.
My quandry is I haven't a functional interior, and until then, the car will remain out of driver status.
Ultimately, the original interior will be restored. That will be a long process, with most effort spent finding pasha and an original mottled-brown vinyl dash.
Any help on this long term effort would be most appreciated.
In the near-term, I need mottled-brown vinyl seats, with pasha (a matching set to include rear seats and door cards is preferred.)
It doesn't have to be perfect (just not ratty), nor does it need to be the correct color pasha. These pieces would work well until the original interior is ready to be restored (long ways off).
If anyone has a line, or finds a line on a good set like this, please send them my way!
Lastly, and I know this is a longshot... I would be interested in buying a complete "period correct" interior, in decent shape.
This way, I could remove the original interior, clean, inventory and store it.
This will give me the opportunity to assess the interior pieces inside and out, and prepare individual pieces for restoration, as time and money permits.
In this case, color is not necessarily important, though I would prefer brown or black vinyl with pasha.
I scour CL and ebay ads almost daily. And our Pasha expert, Bronto is also looking.
All I ask is could ya'll keep your keep on the lookout for me?
Thanks for reading, sorry so long!
Here are a couple reference pics of the type of brown vinyl I referred to as "mottled" or "aggregate". It's not a solid brown color or the same texture as later model 928's. Probably only found in MY 78-80.
Last edited by Jadz928; 02-03-2012 at 05:48 PM.
04-27-2011, 03:50 PM
#360
Drifting
Jim,
How does the driver seat look at the bolster areas? Did any of these press cars have the manual 911 style seats installed? I know some of the early production cars did.
I still have these that I need to repair. The inserts are PERFECT! I still need to remove and resew the seams but they will end up nice I am sure.
How does the driver seat look at the bolster areas? Did any of these press cars have the manual 911 style seats installed? I know some of the early production cars did.
I still have these that I need to repair. The inserts are PERFECT! I still need to remove and resew the seams but they will end up nice I am sure.