Marine Blue

So I have a lead on a 1980 928 MT, 80k miles with pasha and light blue metallic exterior. I haven't seen it in person but from what I know the car needs the full gambit of maintenance including fuel lines, power steering hoses, timing belt water pump and likely motor mount. It hasn't been properly maintained at all and the current owner is the 2nd owner and has had the car for 30 years. No records sadly.

Outside looks better than expected, truly a 80k mile car that hasn't seen much weather. No rust at all and the trim and parts are all in place.

Inside has a leather dash and console so as you would expect, it's shrunken and needs to be redone. The drivers pasha is also torn but otherwise the interior doesn't look too bad. The car runs good but does have occasional start issues that the seller says is related to the clutch switch.

Having only had newer 928's I realize I am probably over my head and I won't be doing the work myself but I can get the car cheap. Famous last words I know.....

For those of you who do this regularly, any thoughts on what kind of cost I could be getting into to rebuild the car. I have no idea what the dash and console will cost, seats are likely $500 max and the mechanicals I'm estimating $5k but I lost track of parts costs.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated..

mj1pate

Good question; bear in mind that a rebuilt MAF is $300ish, maybe more. Water pump is around the same. Power steering lines around $400. Motor mounts are cheap but require ~12 hours shop labor. Tune up parts including sensors could run $600ish. All rest of flammable fluid lines should go like you said. Remaining engine compartment rubber/hose parts may cost $300ish. So 5k should get you close to a running, safe car. Like the rest of us, winter projects will be booked for the life of the car.

linderpat

no MAF on an 80. I'd budget $25K for the effort, for both inside and out, if paying someone. And you will not have a concours car, but a nice driver.

PorKen

Clutch switch in all 928s is only for cruise control. It does not inhibit starting.


(Factoid: clutch switch is open with the pedal pushed down.)

Marine Blue

Thank you for the reply, seeing as I'm not going to do the labor I'll probably need to add even more to my initial estimate.

$25k for a driver would be a deal breaker, I could afford it over time but I would be better off buying a car that's all done which we all know is the best approach when it comes to 928's. . I likely wouldn't paint it and I would leave most of the carpet and seats alone, just focus on what's damaged inside and get the maintenance up to date. Doors are in good shape as is the carpet in back and it has all tools and spares etc. so it's a whole car.

I was wondering about this, I know the clutch actuation to start a car didn't really kick in until much later so when the seller stated this I thought yeah there's probably something bigger going on than a simple switch.

Thanks again for the input everyone.

Shawn Stanford

Sounds like the green wire. If it is, it's a simple fix.

The cost to make it a daily driver is going to depend on what you want to get out of your car. I bought my 82 for $4k and I've got another $5k or so into it, including a couple thousand to have my indy redo the brakes and a grand having the sides repainted where I removed the rub strips.

I've done a lot of stuff myself, and that's going to continue. I bought it because I wanted a project. I know I need to do the cam tower gaskets and the transmission line o-rings (mine is a Rogerbox).

Once those are done, I expect to have a daily driver. The interior isn't perfect (I pulled the **** leather off the dash and pod and coated them in Plastidip), it's got 10ft paint, the door and rear panels need some work, etc. But I believe I can go from Point A to Point B with reasonable expectation of arriving under my own power and not on the back of a flatbed.

$25k? Easily. But that's a decision, not an inevitability.

mj1pate

About the dash.
if it was covered in leather and the leather is aging/shrinking: try using Leatherique Rejuvinator. Follow their directions after applying, letting sit in sun, windows up. on the hottest day, maybe with a windshield screen to block the worst direct sunlight.
The 30 year old seats in my 86 were stiff as cardboard when I purchased it 10 years ago. Since that treatment, they are as supple as the leather in my new Avalon.
BTW: i have about $10,000 in parts for my 86 since I bought it. Generally doubling the parts cost might account for what a mechanic would charge total. You're probably better off doing what we tell everyone. Buy the best you can afford. Have them hand over a box of maintenance receipts

hlee96

Off the top of my head to make it a driver but not a beauty? Parts cost only, labor is yours or extra
-fuel lines: greg brown ~$800 for all lines (2 in the compartment, fuel tank lines)
-fuel pump if needed ($150-250) and filter
-water pump: $250-300 for geba metal impeller, or $350-450 for laso composite impeller
-front lower ball joints: $300 for both, $400 with eccentrics
-brakes rebuilt with pads and rotors: $200-400
-oil, coolant, rotors/cap, filters, spark plugs: $300
-aforementioned power steering lines

Good luck. Then the real fun begins with interior and exterior restoration.

Adk46

I think you can get a good driver for about $18,000. I'm thinking about an S4. It won't need anything immediately, but you'll want to keep up with the little things. You can strike some middle ground between being super fastidious and negligent, as long as you make the car better.

Rick3452

All we need now is Carl L. Sounds like we're getting the band back together!

worf928

Afshin, buy back your '90.

Marine Blue

Is it for sale?

Dave honestly I don't want another show car, I want something I can drive around and enjoy without worry. I would see this as a shorter term purchase and then sell and buy another, something with more power like a nice 89 with some miles on it.

This car looks nice but the maintenance could be a deal breaker even at the price I can get it.

Marine Blue

Exterior....the rear wheel offset looks wrong to me but I don't know what the offset was on the older 928's.

mj1pate

I've had a lot of thought to the fact that I would not presently buy the car that I own today, in the shape it was in when I purchase it 10 years ago. It would require too much to do, too soon.
But wait... There might be an exception. If I could get the car *really* cheap, even with the scope of necessary refreshes, I might. The refresh approach would shift to an upgrade. Instead of doing the OP gasket, MM, VC gaskets m, etc... with the engine in the car, I might pull the engine and do a full on upgrade. Do all the above plus conn rod bearings, valve guides/seals, head gaskets, etc and a proper super charger. Chip or upgrade the EMC and upgrade the exhaust. Naturally refresh the usual engine top side with the engine on a stand, while standing or sitting. Now, this is less of an expensive PITA and more of an interesting and gratifying project. But the entry price would have to be almost insanely low.

VanD

I like the color combo. Pretty rare to see Pascha post '79 let alone in a hellblau car. Early cars had the rear wheels "tucked" to allow for tire chains, in '83 or so spacers pushed the wheels out more. You could get spacers to do the same easily. Blue/black Pascha luckily is available. The leather dash is also lucky, as the vinyl dashes crack and are NLA. Rob Budd can Redo along with pod and seats. The period Alpine is cool as well. Paint looks like it may clean up as well. In non-running condition this is sub 3k car, if runs 5k or so. Would be worth the save I think but will be some $$....