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33k Mile V8 5-Speed: 1979 Porsche 928

This Tobacco Brown 1979 Porsche 928 has been sitting in a garage on jack stands for some time. The car looks to be in great shape. It is for sale here on eBay with 6 days remaining in the auction. It is listed with a Buy It Now Price of $14,500 or you can make an offer. The car is located in McKinney, Texas which is just north of Dallas.

I used to work at a Texas Instruments plant in McKinney 35 years ago. I know that area has grown up a lot from the sleepy little town it once was. The interior of the car looks fantastic with the 5 speed shifter proudly standing out in the middle of the console. There may be a little sun fading on the top of the dash. The seller states that the seats were wrapped with sheep skin covers their whole life so they are said to be in excellent condition.

The Porsche 928 was produced from 1978 to 1995 and received upgrades to its power plant over the years. I always thought that 928’s were equipped with 5.0 liter engines but the early cars only displaced 4.5 liters. They were rated at 219 horsepower from the factory and provided a 50/50 front to rear weight distribution. Are these wheels considered “phone dial” aluminum wheels?

I remember thinking how great the 928 looked when it was introduced. I later drove one with an automatic and rack and pinion steering and was not impressed with the power. This car is a one owner vehicle with 33,000 miles and looks like it might have some minor needs but would be a great car for the right price.

Comments

  1. Avatar Bakyrdhero Member

    My uncle had this exact car only a 1981. He bought it used in 1987 after wrecking a T-Bird turbo coupe and an 81 Vette before that. My first memory of smelling real leather is from the interior of that 928 and I think of it every time I put on a leather coat. I can’t speak to the power of it because I was too young to drive, but that car was pretty damn impressive to ride in. I still have a spare key from it. They keys are/were red and black and they have a tiny flashlight built into them to help avoid scratching the cars finish while looking for the lock cylinder. Makes me wonder what company came
    Out with remote entry first. I believe it was Cadillac. Ford of course had the combo buttons on the exterior door handle going back to the 70’s.
    The prices have climbed up on these. These were $7k cars not too long ago. I believe the steering wheel is wrong on this car and yes, those are “phone dial” wheels.

    Like 4
    • Avatar Michael Keil

      The prices have climbed a lot. I am glad to see this one reasonably priced. Any price over 15K is too much. The 928 is my favorite Porsche ever!

      Like 10
      • Avatar bronto

        Maybe too much for you! :D Haggerty says a ’79 like this is worth almost $40k, even if this one isn’t concourse condition (which it might be).

        Like 0
  2. Avatar alphasud Member

    The interior looks good on this one from what is shown. They don’t hold up well and cost a boatload to reupholster. Has a dogleg 1st. gear and fragile syncro’s. Engines are pretty reliable with proper maintenance and this one is non interference if the belt were to break. It’s definitely best to buy a sorted 928 than one that needs work.

    Like 6
  3. Avatar bronto

    Yes those are phone dial rims.

    Lots of torque in that motor for a ’70s vintage car. Note that an ’87 set a production speed record at the time; they aren’t slow. The 5 speed gearing makes great use of the available horsepower.

    I’ve had my ’79 for 14 years. Best car I’ve ever owned.

    Like 0
    • Avatar D Spickler

      I bought the clone to it brand new in 1984 it has 15,000 actual miles stored inside

      Like 0
  4. Avatar ROARRR Member

    These ARE really super cars–of their time, they were the Porsche factory’s replacement for the clattering 911, they were by all the road tests faster and easier to drive than the 911 BUT– Porsche had been telling their fans that the proper place for the engine was at the rear where it connected to the drive wheels and why have all that water for cooling when they used wind! THEN they came out with a German Corvette!!! ACH!! They’re too heavy for racing but great as a GT! They are geared very and high so won’t give you burn outs but this car WILL cruise along at 140 with no fuss–I’ve been there! They’re no worse to maintain than any modern car, same with parts. They’re on the way up now so now’s the time to buy one of you’re interested.

    Like 2
  5. Avatar Mitchell Sigman

    Back in the early 2000’s there was a well-respected Porsche shop near me in North Hollywood, CA. At the time, I was up in the air between getting a 928 (which could be had really cheap) or a vintage 911. I talked up the owner of the shop and he told me not to touch a vintage 928 with a ten-foot pole – they’re elaborate cars and lots of very expensive things go wrong with them (I seem to recall some kind of hyrdraulics or bad electrical or both, can’t remember specifically). At the time was brokering the sale of two 911’s from the same selleer. One was a ’73 911T Targa (with a rebuilt-to-S-spec motor and mechanical fuel injection), told me to buy it and I’d thank him later (for which I paid, get this, $12,500). It was an awesome car, super reliable, super fun, and super stupid of me to sell for around the same price a few years later I kick myself all the time, especially since it would be worth around six times that price today. Anyhow… 928’s are very cool looking cars, no question about it, but apparently are major money pits; that’s why you can get them so cheaply.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar DETROIT LAND YACHT

    EV CONVERSION.
    That center console is made for a 12inch infotainment screen retrofit. Three motor setup…with plenty of battery space.

    Like 1
  7. Avatar Nick

    It a ways from west Texas, where the film was based, but that engraved steering wheel says this was owned by a character in No Country for Old Men.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar Spit

    These early models had an issue with broken camshafts- I’m not sure of the root cause but as the miles piled up it was something that pretty much totaled the car.
    For a while in the late 90’s you could find these really cheap (3-5k cheap) with broken cams and crashed valves.
    Beautiful things tho

    Like 0
  9. Avatar luckylugnut

    My son has a 928 of similar vintage in the less desirable automatic and in a light blue paint job. As was mentioned already, the interiors don’t hold up well and his is no exception. But the interior not withstanding, it hauls a$$ and is a fun driver.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar PairsNPaint

    Not crazy about the filigree engraving on the steering wheel, otherwise a beautiful car. Would love to have it in my garage.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Jasper

    Sweet. Looks pretty nice. Rare to see such a tidy interior in one.

    Had a 911SC and loved it. Got priced out of them and recently ended up with a 944. Different and not as rowdy but certainly has its own merits. Maybe I’ll try a 928 some time.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Jonny the Boy

    When I was a kid back in the early 1980s, there was a 928 this same color that I’d see as I rode my bike on my route delivering newspapers. I would gaze longingly at that car. One thing people of today don’t have an appreciation for is how advanced the styling of the 928 really was in its time. In a world of boxy cars with chrome bumpers, upright headlights, and huge grills, the 928 really stood out as wide, sleek, exotic, and futuristic!

    Like 2
    • Avatar Bakyrdhero Member

      I agree 100%. Then when those frog eye headlights pop up, man that was out of this world.

      Like 1
    • Avatar Jasper

      It still looks sleek, exotic and futuristic next to today’s cars.

      Like 0
  13. Avatar Craigo

    The businessman’s Porsche fitted with amenities. Great looking and driving car.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Cam W

    These are great cars. I happened upon a European gray-market 928 (with bigger engine) behind a car dealership about 20 years ago.
    It was a “divorce sale”. The guy was desperate for cash, and the dealer was reluctant to retail it, as he was afraid to warranty it.
    The dealer was also worried about finding some of the parts that were unique to the Euro model, and not supported by Porsche in North America.
    I bought it for under $5K, and drove it home. A good friend owned a large Porsche parts and wrecking business. He had many disassembled and crashed 928s, including several Euro models in stock. I spent about $1,000 on new tires, brakes, and various other parts to make it nice. It dark green with a black interior with auto trans. It cleaned up nicely. It was fun to drive, and practical with the hatch-back. I kept it for several years, and when I traded it in on a Ferrari, the dealer gave it a value of $7,500.
    The dealer ended up selling it to an enthusiast who still has the car and enjoys it regularly.
    While some say the 928s are expensive and difficult to repair, I actually enjoyed working on it. There are many sources for reasonably priced parts, if you hunt around.
    If you like these, buy one now before the prices go up even more,

    Like 2
  15. Avatar Geoff

    Love these an almost of the ones I see are automatic. Price seems fair

    Like 1
  16. Avatar David LaPerche

    Who is the U boat Commander?

    Like 0

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