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I know, I have heard it many times from many different people... "Never buy a cheap _______, you'll end up paying thousands fixing it!" Well this is the (hopefully) long story about how I completely ignored that advice.
Of course, it's great advice. It just happened to go right out the window when I found a Euro 1978 928 for $300 on the local Craigslist. It was stuffed to the brim with spare parts, and seemed like a good idea at the time. I jumped on it figuring I could at least part it out if things went south. If I can get it running I hope to sell or trade the extra parts to get the ones I need.
A picture of the car in the sellers driveway before purchasing:
Supposedly the car was parked after getting into an accident and now has a bad warm up regulator from sitting. It was only after I had purchased the car that the PO "misplaced" the keys, so I spent nearly the first week of ownership calling local locksmiths and getting shot down the moment I mentioned "Porsche". I finally located a place up north who was able to get my key code and cut a key by hand that worked in all locks including ignition!
I happily tried the key the next day only to realize I had a few electrical gremlins to work out... The only functional electronic system in the car were the windshield wipers! Out with the wire brush and electrical contact cleaner.
6 hours later, I had most lights working except for turn signals.. A relay maybe? It was an incredible moment when the headlights ascended!
The PO had been nice enough to leave nearly a full tank of gas in the car to turn to varnish, so after draining it, filling the tank, and purging the lines up to the fuel distributor I was ready to see if she would cough.
Turn the key, and "click"... No starter, and no fuel pump. Apparently I have a few more electrical issues to resolve.
Stay tuned as I explore this new car and curse my bad judgement in purchasing another project!
A noble task it is. Basically all, and defenitely the early ones, deserve 2 be rescued. Looking forward for more news on this one. Good luck with the resto.
Congrats on an early OB! I'm on the Eastside and there are several regulars in the Puget Sound. There's a local group on Yahoo (PacNW 928) that's pretty active. Be nice to see your 78 soon.
Ignoring advice makes life more interesting , remember when you were a teenager? It will either end in tears , or a smug smile!
$300? I'd buy that for what it is. It's a $1500 car in Oz...
Loving this thread already. You should check out the guy on Pistonheads forum that took a gamble on a cheap Ferrari 456 - turned out to be a gem! GO for it!!
Enjoy! That's the way to buy them! Firemed used to say, when he bought them sitting like that, "I stopped getting them running in front of the owners". Lots of times its simple stuff.
I think I saw this a year ago when he was asking about 1K...figured it was a $500 car.... is the vin 9288102433?
I was hoping to find an early 78..and since it doesn't have the passenger side mirror.. thought this one might be....but it's a later one.. (not that it's a bad thing.... I was just hoping to find a really early 78 as a project one of these days)...
Have fun resurrecting it....I'm looking forward to updates
BTW..is the original color brown?...looks like there is white peeking through the roof and doors..?
Engine looks pretty clean, actually. No Pass door mirror, which is rare and kinda cool.
Mostly gonna be time and a little bit of parts. You are gonna need to go through all the wet parts of the fuel system. It can be done for not too much $ if you buy the gauges, learn how it works, and work carefully. I have seen these early cars get trashed because the 'restorer' never really figured out how the CIS worked or took the time to go through it carefully. Starter is likely the ignition switch. You just replace the electrical part.
Not good (and not bad)928+ new owner with big ***** +will to restore it+ consciousness to start a restoration from ignoring a good advice=fascinating tread .
I will follow this tread. And I will help this guy, if I can.
08-13-2014, 03:57 AM
Saga of the $300 Porsche
