Few cars scream ’80s excess louder than the original Porsche 930, the turbocharged supercar that frightened road test editors and track day enthusiasts from its introduction to the present day. Valued have been rising, and this example here on eBay was supposedly found in an aircraft hangar in Puerto Rico after remaining hidden for 20 years. It is listed with a $95K Buy-It-Now.
Now, most of the 930s commanding top dollar are those that have been driven sparingly and remain in mint, unrestored condition. This one clearly has sat for some time, with a backseat that has deteriorated significantly and a modified rear parcel shelf with aftermarket speakers. The oxblood color looks phenomenal with the black exterior, but will still need complete restoration.
Up front, the driver’s and passenger’s seat are in far better condition, albeit modified with Porsche crests in the headrests. The dashboard will need replacement, as the leather wrap has shrunk and cracked. As seen in the first photo, paint has flaked off the driver’s door in large pieces and the body shows dings and scrapes all over. That Godawful aftermarket shift knob would need to go.
The seller claims significant money has been spent on reconditioning the drivetrain, to the tune of $50K by an “…expert certified Porsche mechanic.” The end result? “Motor, trans, suspension all new.” Color me intrigued, but more details are needed – especially since the seller apparently used a VIN he grabbed off of Google when first listing the car (see questions/answers at bottom of listing.) Overall, an interesting candidate for simply driving and enjoying if the receipts check out.
that’s what $50K in restoration work looks like on a low miles barn find? Red alert!!
Hope it isn’t now flooded like most of PR…
The listing says the car is in Austin, Texas now
I grew up in south Texas in the 80’s and made friends with a new kid in high school who was a few years younger than me. His dad had some gas wells on his place, so they were doing OK (!). The first time I went to their house, his dad mentions that the son said I was into cars. (Dad had a new IROC with a 350 that was his daily driver.) I said yes, having a 71 El Camino SS of my own. He tells the son Jason, that it is OK to show him what is in the garage. We walk out, pulled off a car cover, and there, in all it’s glory was the subject of many schoolboy fantasies; Guards Red 1979 930. WOW. I drooled over it a while. This was around 1988 or so, and the car only had around 30k miles. Eventually I got to go for a ride in it. It accelerated like a freight train but handled too. turns out dad swore the son to secrecy (he didn’t want anyone to know about it do to potential theft) and if he followed through, one day that 930 would be his. it turned out that he eventually got the car, as well as another Guards Red 930, a cabriolet that had been converted with factory parts to a slant nose. It also had a ton of Ruf modifications, and was even faster than the other. (Interestingly enough, I came across the car in an Autoweek ad, and jokingly told the dad about it. A week or so later, it was also in the garage! I lost track of the guy but often wonder that happened to him and that sweet pair of 930’s…
I’ve owned several of these and I can state with confidence that it is an awesome accelerator, just don’t put it into a corner where you intend to lift, even a bit, it will come around on you in a hurry. If you want something fast and that corners too, buy a 360 or 430, you can get one for less than the ridiculously inflated figures Porsche’s are going for these days and at the end of the day, you own a Ferrari, there’s just nothing like it.
Jim..agree. Had a original factory slantnose 930 in VG condition that of course I should not have sold but I wouldn’t buy mine back for $95k+. Ridiculous. All this will pass (cycle) I guess…..
I drove my buddy’s 360 and 360 Stradale at a few tracks in the west. Neutral as the year is long. Beautiful. I just don’t like the upkeep bills that come along with Modena cars. I’ll now stick to rare Vettes and older M3’s.
I’m with you on that Larry, the “tax” of owning an F car can be, well, taxing. However, if you’re a guy that likes to wrench and can afford a couple specialized tools, you can still work on the 360 and 430. It takes a little time in research and patience in understanding Italian engineering which I’ve had to modify a time or two, but you can save a ton of $$$. In the end though, I still get more enjoyment out of my muscle cars.
My 2nd cousin made quite a bit of money building road signs, the big steel ones that span the freeways. After a while he decided to part with some of that money so he bought a new Porsche 930. Made the deal over the phone, had the bank transfer the money; the dealer even got the title all set up. Then Marty caught a ride to Salt Lake to pick up his new ride. My cousin was always rather unkempt; he wore ragged blue demins, steel-toed boots, insulated flannel shirt and a ragged knit beanie. One look at him and the dealership tried to buy the car back. They made a big issue over this ‘scooter tramp’ buying one of their esteemed prizes. In the end Marty won out. The next time he came down to get some work done he had a large sticker in the back window saying: ‘Polish Porcupine; Pricks are on the inside.’ That was in ’87. He still has the car and it still sports the same sticker although the highway patrol pulled him over advising him to get rid to the sticker because it could be distractive….
Never owned a Porsche…yet…
Got my first motorsport prizes driving a Skoda 120 Estelle, though.
$50k Maybe BIN but it sure isn’t a $95k Car in the condition it is Outside and Inside paint and new leather..
Yes this is what I lost my license in as a young man. Same color combo. Damn if I had known the cops were behind me they would have never caught me.
Been there too….
Not to change my name to Superdequibbler but is that 3-spoke steering wheel original to a 1987 Porsche? I’ve seen that steering wheel on older models but never on one this new. I’d expect an ’87 to have the 4 spoke rectangle wheel.
Seems like a small thing but when I see inaccuracies like that I wonder what else is going on with the car. Especially when we’re talking 95 grand! I mean, how much more is a mint one?
4 spoke wheel was an option.
I’d rather have the red Chevy tuck on the hoist.
Hi Mark. I was looking at that too….
Jesse James currently owns/selling this car.
That explains a lot, another douche bag with an over priced rag.
Ruf…VERY Ruf
I get that :)
who uses a VIN number after googling it???? Scammer!!!!
Hmm, stored in PR possibly a stolen one that they think has aged out?
Guys, the car was legal. PR had probably one of the largest “fleets” of 930’s, RUF, and a few 935’s, among others. 10 yrs ago you could buy a 930 in VG condition for around $25K-$30K. Since they became a hot ticket the locals started to sell their cars in auctions and classified ads in the USA, so few 930’s left here. The one discussed here was purchased as is by Jesse James who in turn listed it on EBay for a quick buck. Hence why it is or was in Austin, TX. Those cars are not flooded, hurricane floods affected mostly regular people who can’t afford a turbo replacement for a 930. There used to be a lot of air cooled 911’s (slant, SC, targa, cabrio, turbo look, etc.), but these days you only find 3-4 on the local classifieds; those are being purchased by speculators and collectors from the USA; same trend happening with 928’s. PR has always been one of Porsche’s regions with very high sales.