Okay this IS sort of tech related, just non-thirdgen. My friends dads friend (confusing, isnt it) has an 86 Porsche 928 just sitting in a warehouse. He is the original owner, bought it brand spankin new. now he doesnt drive it anymore because it doesn't get good mileage and the A/C doesn't work. He is only looking to get about a grand for it since its just wasting his space. Oh BTW its 32 valve 5 liter V8 with a 4-speed auto trans-axle. I really don't care about the A/C, and the car runs and drives fine, leather interior, power EVERYTHING, perfect paint. My tech question is how hard are Porsches to work on, and how expensive are parts? Lets say the motor broke, how hard would it be to swap in a ford 302 or a chevy 350 (note My bud has a spare 302 and C4 sitting in his garage, and is about to have a spare 289. I really want this car, but can I fix it myself? Any idea on insurance cost for a 17 year old with a perfect driving record?

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1983 Firebird
TH700R4 Auto
Small Block 400
LG4 ECM, Intake, Carb, Distributor, etc.
Soon to be non-computer.
Clarion Head Unit 45X4
2 Pioneer 400W 12" Subs
Third Gen Performance
"A four cylinder is half an engine."

 

My mother has a 86 928, its pretty damn fast and its an auto. It sounds really good to, its got no cats and some type of a flowmaster souynding muffler, i think the 928's are the only porsches with v8s. anyways she got hers for 8 grand with 70,000 origianl miles on it and its in perfect shape. The only thing that sucks about those cars is everything is leather inside, even the dashboard, so it creeps alot from the shifting. its a good car, there very unique cars, they got a a/c vent in the glove box

 

oh btw parts on any porsche are hella expensive, example,fuel pump went out in it and it was 300 dollars, insurance would be killer for you, probably 2grand a year just for basic insurance

 

well the price is definately right...but parts im sure will be killer. if i remember, i'll look up tuneup parts for it tomorrow at work and i'll give u prices (if someone doesnt beat me to it)just for the hell of it...


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85 Z28- 350, Comp 262, Edelbrock Performer intake, Edelbrock 600 cfm carb and Edelbrock cat back, Summit headers and vette servo
-JVC, Eclipse, Pioneer, MTX, Phoenix Gold, Planet Audio

 

Insurance actually isn't as bad as you'd think. I looked into it when I was considering a Porsche, 300ZX, and a Thirdgen Z28, and the Porsche was actually lower than all of them. Don't ask me why...but it was.

 

DO NOT BUY THAT CAR!!!!

Instead, give me the name and number of the guy selling it and I will buy it and save you from all the headaches and hassles.

 

LMAO tom, its sitting in a warehouse somewhere in Dallas. Hehe as for which one, thats for me to know :P. Does anyone know if they are reliable cars? I'm going back tomorrow to look at it better, and I'll get to hear it run ad drive it. Heck $2K a year is not much more than I pay now. I pay $120 a month for liability on my 83. Can anyone give me an estimate for liability only insuracne? BTW this is a 32 valve motor, whis was optional over the 16 valve, which will prolly cost more. Has anyone ever used like 'sunday driver insurance' where you can only put so many miles on it? I would have no problem not driving it much. I really want this car guys!

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1983 Firebird
TH700R4 Auto
Small Block 400
LG4 ECM, Intake, Carb, Distributor, etc.
Soon to be non-computer.
Clarion Head Unit 45X4
2 Pioneer 400W 12" Subs
Third Gen Performance
"A four cylinder is half an engine."

 

^^BTT^^
HOLY CRAP! I just got through searching for parts on car-part.com and on ebay and they are not any more expensive than thirdgen parts! I am finding sites out the butt that sell used porsche parts, too! Oh man I really want this car!!! I need to know if they are reliable, though. BigChevy, doesn your mom have any problems with her car? What kinda mileage does it get??? (note: In case you can't tell i dont know jack about porsches. I mostly want this car for the ****** that follows it... :P)

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1983 Firebird
TH700R4 Auto
Small Block 400
LG4 ECM, Intake, Carb, Distributor, etc.
Soon to be non-computer.
Clarion Head Unit 45X4
2 Pioneer 400W 12" Subs
Third Gen Performance
"A four cylinder is half an engine."

[This message has been edited by Ward (edited May 14, 2001).]

 

IMO, not a good reason to buy any car....if ya can't get it on your own, then that's just sad. I read on camaroz28.com where one guy's boss rented him a Diablo for him to go to prom in. Lucky SOB. That's the kind of car you'd buy for tail....not an 86 Porsche.

[This message has been edited by Ovrclck350 (edited May 14, 2001).]

 

Hey Ward, buy the thing. When are you ever going to get the chance to own a Porsche especially at your age. Spend the grand, if it breaks down so what, its a porsche for a grand. PORSCHE=****** CATCHER

 

I've wanted to buy one for almost 20 years now (remember the movie "Risky Business"?) and have done some studying of these interesting machines. Let me tell you the little that I do know:

1) Pre-1988 928's have a weakness in the motor and they have a reputation for throwing rods.

2) Since there were relatively few 928's produced (Europeans avoid V8 engines due to fuel costs), parts are scarce and expensive.

3) I know that the 911's are built to aircraft tolerances, unlike "normal" cars. I am not sure if this applies to the 928's. If it does, then you will need to make friends with an good mechanic with exceptional tools ($$$).

4) A guy showed up at an autocrass event that I was driving in two weeks ago with a 928. It was beat but ran pretty good. I went over and told him I found 928's interesting. He replied by saying that it was a "money pit" and getting it just to the state it was in was "unreal". He would not elaborate.

The idea of a V8 Porsche is very appealing to me.

If I were you, I would:

1) Buy it for the $1,000
2) If it becomes a "money pit", sell it to someone else. If it is good shape, you should be able to sell it to someone else for the cost of the car and the money you put into it.

If you get to the "money pit" point, contact me. We may be able to arrange something. Heh. heh.

 

Buy the car. Don't even think twice about it. If you need more reassurance, go on a 'car trader' web site and look them up ... be sure to put in a very high number as your 'max' to spend and take a look at what they sell for ... you should probably mention that to your dad's friend ... never f**k a family friend ...

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R.C. Righter
86 Trans Am

 

Okay Im pretty sure I will buy it now. My friend's dad is gonna talk to the owner today and ask him what all the car needs. And I'm going back today to see it again. We're gonna start it up and drive it around the warehouse lot (no insurance, can't go on road). Seriously, I don't only wanna buy it for the ******, I want it because its a good deal and its loaded. Options include power heated mirrors, power doors, locks, windows, sunroof. The car comes with a tool set and plastic gloves under the spare so you don't get your hands dirty when changing a tire ... thats freakin funny!

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1983 Firebird
TH700R4 Auto
Small Block 400
LG4 ECM, Intake, Carb, Distributor, etc.
Soon to be non-computer.
Clarion Head Unit 45X4
2 Pioneer 400W 12" Subs
Third Gen Performance
"A four cylinder is half an engine."

 

Also, the pre-88's had some electrical gremlins too. That V8 is sweet, if you take care of it, don't race it or be too hard on it, and you will have a nice cruiser. That is a sweet find, and if you decide you don't like it, you can put up it back up for sale.

Chris

 

Parts for the car are going to be expensive, but from what I know they are great cars. When I lived in Germany one of my friends had a Porsche and it was pretty nice but I never rode on the autobahn in it. If the guy is just wanting to get rid of it take advantage. You can always sell it and make some greenbacks later.

European cars come with all kinds of things that you never see in an American car. My BMW in Germany had a tool kit on the bottom of the trunk lid, and it had a really great gas can which tucked into the spare. I actually used it more than you would think. I love German cars, but one of the disadvantages are the cost of parts. They were even expensive in Germany.


[This message has been edited by 91DropTopTA (edited May 17, 2001).]

 

Yeah this thing has a tool kit in the back. He actually wants $1500 for it, and it needs a tune-up. Parts are actually not that bad, its the labor you pay for when you go to a prosche dealer. I have metric tools out the wazoo and all kinda u-joint extensions and stuff. I figure I can do most of the work myself. There are plenty of tech sites with help, and I even found a company that makes body kits for it, wide-body style. I kinda want to put a wing on the back just to mess with ricers until they realize its a V8! The only parts i'm having trouble locating are tranny parts. I need a tranny gasket set because the tranny is leaking fluid from a gasket, most likely from sitting for over a year.

------------------
1983 Firebird
TH700R4 Auto
Small Block 400
LG4 ECM, Intake, Carb, Distributor, etc.
Soon to be non-computer.
Clarion Head Unit 45X4
2 Pioneer 400W 12" Subs
Third Gen Performance
"A four cylinder is half an engine."

 

Sheesh, you cant even buy a decent ford ESCORT for $1500. I cant believe you are still talking about it!

Just pick up yer damn Porche, willya!?? I want to see pictures posted when you do, too!

 

Well its got 70 k on it, and shes got the paper that they hang on the car in the lot with all the oprtions and the gas mileage and stuff, and i think it was 15 city 17 highway, it sounds really good, sort of like a 5.0 mustang, plus my dad took the cat off because the old one crapped out and replacement one was so expensive so he just stuck a straight pipe in there. the 0-60 for an auto is like 6 seconds, not bad for an 84, its a 928s and i think its the 24 valve not the 36, they changed it on your year i bet, i would get it, its a good deal

 

oh yea looking at the price tag sheet, it ws a little over $50 grand brand new, talk about a low resale value

 

I guess I sound like a true "hot rodder", but buy the thing drive it for a few months sell it and the money you get for it, say 10k, put it in your thirdgen and make it bad-*** . That what I would do!

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91 B4C 305 TPI - SOON TO BE 383
TREMEC 5-SP, STOCK 1-BOLT REAREAND w/342 GEARS
K&N, AIRFOIL
EDELBROCK HEADERS, DUAL CAT TO HOMEMADE Y-PIPE & 3.5" SINGLE PIPE W/ FLOWMASTER
CRANK PULLEY, MSD, FUEL PRESS REG
COWL HOOD, WELD WHEELS
14.1@ 98MPH
-------------
OTHER RIDE
67 CAMARO - STREET CAR
BIG BLOCK, PUMP GAS
350TH w/ATI 10"
12-BOLT w/373 GEARS
10.90s ON MOTOR - ET-STREETs w/MUFFLERS

 

What's the question? If it is in reasonable condition, it should really be priced several thousand dollars higher. Around here, it's tough to find a RUNNING car that has all its parts for less than $1,000. They're really not any more difficult to maintain and repair than any other car. And parts prices don't have to be that expensive. I recently helped a guy with a 911T replace rotors all around, and they were about $60.00 each - not too bad for cast steel (not iron). It's like buying factory GM parts. How many of us would buy their spark plugs at the dealer for $6.00 eash?

The tough part about the 9 series is the weight distribution. They tend to push a lot on hard cornering, but you'll learn the limits if you take it easy and work up to the point of the ragged edge. If you decide not to get it, drop an email. I know someone who can be there with a trailer in 1½ days to pick it up...

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Later,
Vader
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"Fear is how I fall, Confusing what is real..."
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

don't buy it, it may be a cool car BUT it will consume more money that you could ever imagine, trust me on this My family has ha 5 porsches 69 targa flat 4----71 914 4cyl----84 924 I-4 -----85 944 I-4 and we still have a 87 carrara conv this one still leaks oil and my dad has spent thousands on repairs PLUS this one caught fire due to a battery short in the front end they are prone to have severe injector problems etc