Tom. M

I haven't yanked the rear quarters on my 89GT...might just do that to see....
Hmm...a non sunroof SE or GT import next year... timing could be just about right....but I'm being tempted by the other prancing horse too LOL...

ROG100

Trying to import my SE has become a PITA - not that it will stop me.
US based companies are scared by the rules to import cars - happy to export to other lands but import is ARHHHH!!!! What I have gleaned so far is few know about the 25 year rule. My advise is to use a UK based company to do all the transportation and find a US based broker to handle the paperwork.
Once everything is complete and my car is sitting in my driveway I will document my findings for others to follow.
Shipping to the ASIAN region is very common and very well documented so little in the way of "issues".

You can still find a good SE in the UK for not a lot of $$ but times are a changing.

Tom the SE is much lighter and I know because I picked it up in my right hand and it felt so much more powerful. Now where do I find that special SE or CS with the all superior "RogerBox" 8>)

Tom. M

I know all too well the hassles of importing 928s... Adam and I jumped into the importation ranks a number of years back with an eye to importing German GTS (with all the unique colors and options). We were even registered importers....but insurance issues after 9/11 created probs and we never got off the ground ...

I'm still curious about those CS's here in the US...always hear about someone who's uncle saw them next to elvis in a spaceship or something like that....but not one iota of proof so far LOL...


Regading that superior Roger box.. I will personally swap in a Roger box into your CS for you.....just give the me the old junky G28/55 in exchange and we'll call it good LOL..

Gary Knox

Several people have stated that the '89 GT is much more rare than the S4. THAT IS TRUE if you count all S4's, including the automatics. BUT - the '89 S4 manuals were made for 6 months and the '89 GT's were produced for 6 months. I did see the worldwide production numbers some place, and I think they were within a dozen or so vehicles of being the same. Might even have been fewer S4 manuals than GT's.

I've driven both, and yes, the GT - when the cams come on is a rush. BUT at RPM's below the 'on' for the cams, it seems lower on torque than the S4, even though it has a higher numerical rear axle. Having ridden in several GT's on the race track, and driven an '89 S4 manual there for the past 6 years, I've found the lap times at a long track, like Watkins Glen or VIR are within a second (out of ~145 seconds). In some instances the S4 reaches a higher speed on uphill fast sections, as the GT runs out of revs sooner than an S4. Shifting from 4th to 5th in the GT actually slows the car, while the S4 can reach about 135 in 4th, then modulate. Just my experience.

Gary Knox
'89 S4 manual
'94 GTS auto

PS: Yes, I know the redline for the GT is higher, but even at that redline, it is still traveling at fewer MPH than the S4 at it's redline. AND, a low cost chip will remove the limiter on the S4, so in a straight line it is easy to reach the GT redline and modulate there.

Rob Edwards

For '89 in the US/Canada, I see 873 Automatics, 201 S4 5-speeds with the G28.12 box, and 115 GT's with the G28.55.

Tom. M

I've experienced the S4 cams vs GT cams on the track...and with the S4 cams..it's like it hit a wall of air that it couldn't bust through... the GT just screamed through it and kept pulling so hard it was scary..but again..just my impressions on the track..

When talking 895sp vs 89GT...I like to think of the GT as a complete package..the whole kit is what makes the GT feel like it does...I've driven an 89 5sp..88 and back S4's etc..and my GT...they all feel different and my favorite of them all is the GT.. the port matching, exact 10:1cr, short shifter, wider track, lighter wheels, and on and on... It's like the x50 package in the 911...only like 20 extra HP..for like $15 K, but it feels night and day different from a stock 911

Regarding the number of 895spds vs 89GTs...there is an Erkka verified thread somewhere here...but from what I remember (US numbers)..109 GT's....and 200 plus 89 5spds... so yes..dozens..but still more

ROG100

My views on the S4 v GT/SE were on the initial run to 60 - an assometer impression nothing else concrete. As always my views are clouded by alcohol so take it for what it is worth 8>).
Beyond that the GT/SE would be better I know.

SeanR

Just remember, the first job that SE get's is a cam cover job. I can't promise those cams will be usable when I take the covers off. They might get tossed in an S4 as spares though.

Hilton

WP0JB0922JS865061 options: 158 167 393 441 474 481 607 637
WP0JB0924JS865062 options: 167 393 474 481 637

Both are MY88, have country code C02 (USA), and options 637 (clubsport) and 393 (clubsport wheels), as well as no sunroof.

Wonder what the hell option 607 is? I have it down as "607 More numerous cables for dashboard" lol. Whatever it is, its an option code found only on 10 of the clubsports, and no other 928's.
(edit: hmm.. seems to correspond with the ones which had option 441 - "Prepared for radio". guess thats what the numerous cables are for then)

Sadly, no records on Autocheck for either VIN, so odds are they're sitting in a private collection somewhere and never been registered, or they were used for some nefarious factory purpose and destroyed.

Vilhuer

Reason why CS and SE was rated just same 320 DIN hp as normal S4 was that even though it had what later became known as GT pistons, cams and ecu it didn't have intake. For '89 MY GT factory at first modified normal S4 intake and heads and later made different intake casting to get 330 DIN out of the engine. Without intake and head changes GT would have gotten 324DIN rating at most as some engines didn't make more than that. In US SAE hp terms this would have meant 320 in GT vs 316 in S4. During '90 MY S4 started to get same GT parts once older style part stock was used up except of course GT cams and ecu software. So late S4 is on average slightly more powerful than earlier MY cars but difference was so small that factory didn't see need to change official numbers.

All '90-95 bodies have rolled fenders regardless of what wheels they were delivered with. Its very likely one can only get later style rolled S4 fenders as replacement part from factory and most if not all non rolled ones were used up on production line during '89 MY.

Bare bones CS had less wiring than S4. If it was ordered with either radio preparation or sunroof it meant normal S4 dash wiring needed to be installed. This was informed to production line by M607 option. M441 option was used for indicate dash should have wiring ready so that radio can be installed easily but no radio itself is put in at production line.

Cheburator

Having held in my hands both front and rear fenders at Porsche recently I can confirm that only rolled ones are available these days

Hai gebissen

Very informative thread, thanks. Now I want to identify what trans/final drive is in my '87...it was built with LSD, but that has been swapped out...perhaps for a later 2.64 final drive unit...

Landseer

Begin by snapping a picture of the numbers stamped on the bottom of the unit. (ie, facing the road)

But I'd suggest putting into another thread so that we don't sidetrack this superb 89 GT/S4 discussion.

Gary Knox

Hai,

You can pretty well tell the axle ratio by the RPM and MPH. IF it is going ~2K revs at 70 MPH, it is the '87, '88 2.2 ratio. IF it is going about 2600 RPM at 70, then it is probably the 2.64. IF it is about 2700 or 2750, then it is the GT 2.73.

Gary

928cs

And both were red also.

I still wonder where these two are...