My second Porsche 928

This is my second 928, I had a silver one years ago.  After I sold the silver one, I kept thinking one day I just  might have to get another one.

   This poor old car needs a lot, doesn't look like a old car, but it's 1983 and so about 40 years old, lots of stuff just doesn't age well after that much time.

   Since it need so much important stuff, I started with the grill.  The vertical parts are made of plastic, while replacement parts are available, they are not cheap.  So I used old car math, for about the same cost as the plastic parts, I made aluminum parts, I do have lots of material left over, so that is a saving.

  I noticed the rear exhaust manifold stud on each side is broken, I think the Y pipe expands while hot, and that added some stress.  The exhaust is old, and the rear muffler was replaced, the replaced muffer is not ideal.

    I have gotten better at welding stainless, it's more work, but the finished exhaust is much nicer.  So the new Y pipe will have better flow, and the flex pipe will eliminate any stress on the exhaust manifolds.  Not finished yet, but good progress.

The 928 is such a neat car. I'm glad it's finally getting its chance in the limelight.

  Well at this point it is a old car, now there are many cars of similar or better performance.  But a 928 doesn't look old.  When looking for a car that you don't need, it's important to know what the end result will be, I often think a old Lotus would be great fun, but the end result would be basically a go kart, without A/C.   I have MS so the end result needs to be comfortable and have good A/C,  so a old Lotus wouldn't be much fun to actually use.

   Once I complete a few things, the 928 should be good for a few road trips.

    Although it looks good from a distance, it is a old car.  It leaks, every rubber hose needs replacing, not sure how it wasn't leaking fuel, 2 small fuel hoses should have been leaking.  For it's age, I think it is in good condition, but in it's current condition, I don't think it should be driven.  Lots of small things need to be taken care of, a coolant or fuel leak, wouldn't be much fun on the road.  Running it much would also create some oil fumes, it leaks....  Where does it leak from, now it's actually a little hard to tell, once a few things are taken care of and it is then cleaned, I can then sort what else to seal up.   Lots of oil at the rear of each cam box, will re-seal the rear end cap, then see how bad the cam box gasket is, that will be a bigger job for later.

I love the Porsche 928. My favorite part? The headlights–I know, kinda silly, but I can't help it. I'm excited to see the work you do on this beauty. 

   Soon I will post pictures of the spoiler, can't find a original one, and when they were available they cost to much.  Making a aluminum framework, then fiberglass.

    Looking to do some things as cheaply as possible, when new this thing cost as much as a house, but now it is a old car that I got fairly cheaply.  Some things are just expensive, like the brake master, not used on any other car, so it's a low production part.

   By the end of this week hope to have the rest of the exhaust fitted up, will still need to do some finish welding, so one part will soon be done.

   Hope to do paint improvement, touch-up, one panel at a time.  Most of the paint and body is fairly good, but every panel needs a little help.  I do better creating small projects, just the thought of doing a full re-paint, makes me tired.  This car will never be perfect, but it should be good, or better.

brave soul taking on a 928! I have struggled with mine more than any other car. 
I ended up finding a local company (meister werks) that made those grille supports with 3d printing when I needed a set. 
Don't delay those fuel lines under the hood, they have caused the demise of many a 928.  Lots of 928 resources on rennlist. 

If you take out the engine, replace the master & slave cylinders. Otherwise it takes a piece of rope and a ton of patience to replace them with the engine in the way. 
Clean the grounds all over the car. The ones in the rear near the passenger taillight are a major source of issues for the rear harness. 

I had to buy a complete car just to get a front spoiler. 

I used rectorseal 5 on the fuel strainer threads to fix a leak there. Was a different issue than the loose threaded fitting inside the tank. 
 

I've used a lot more tips and tricks than I can remember at this point to get this car back to 95ish percent. 

I haven't been really able to enjoy the car yet, and that's after 3 years of struggling with a complete rebuild, including a respray.  Hopefully yours is much less argumentative. 

   There are two small fuel hoses, at the back of the engine, they connect the pressure regulators to the fuel rail.  After I removed those, I saw some cracking, gave the hose a slight bend, and it split apart.  How did that not already leak.....   There are fuel vapor hoses in the right front fender area, one of those has a hole, big enough for a finger to go thru.  At some point I will have to drop the tank, to replace all the hoses for that, that should be fun.

   The guy I bought it from was driving it, he did mention the brake lights don't always work.

    I do intend to replace the brake and clutch masters, that does look  difficult.  I think to do the clutch master, you remove the brake master and the booster.  Removing the brake master doesn't look to easy.  One trick is to just remove the inside parts of the clutch master, working from the pedal area, but I think I need to replace all of it.

     All the rubber hose under the hood is bad, like uncooked pasta, touch any of it and it will break off.

    I think mostly a lot of little things, it did run and drive.

     I have some of the under hood rubber hoses replaced, next step for that is coolant hoses and washer hoses.  Must be about 20 foot of washer hose, 3 washer pumps.

      The gear shift now works like it should, so that is progress.

      After I have the exhaust, grill and spoiler done, it will really feel like progress.

    They no longer make the spoiler, even if they did it would cost to much.   I had left over aluminum, add some fiberglass, and I will have a new spoiler.   Made a mistake, should have added some screen mesh or something, the fiberglass sagged between the aluminum, needed to use a lot of filler to make it work.  The end result is ok, but that added a lot of work.  So next time it will be easier.

     New exhaust almost done, well a lot of finish welding to do, but it all fits.  All stainless steel.   My first 928, years ago, I did a after CAT exhaust, it wasn't stainless, this is much better than last time.     

      After buying a 40 year old car, need to find and replace every rubber hose.   See the big hole in the hose, that is part of the fuel vapor recovery system, maybe that shouldn't have a hole in it?  Hoses under the hood, some of them would snap like uncooked pasta.  So things that are not leaking, would soon leak.

     Spoiler almost done, way to much filler needed, will improve how I do something like this next time.  At least it didn't cost much, left over aluminum, and a can of fiberglass resin.  I already had fiberglass left over from something else.  Biggest expense, all the bondo filler!

   Soon I might actually finish a few things....   I keep getting stuck, with little issues that stop progress.

     1.  The oil fill / oil vapor separator is a common source of oil leak.  Also it's a good idea to add a baffle under it.  Have to remove the coolant bridge/thermostat housing to gain access, that is held on with bolts that the head will strip, I assume by design.   After getting all this off and ready to go back on, new baffle, thread repair of bolt holes, new bolts, now hoses, everything nice and clean, can't put it back on.  The throttle body connects to the manifold with a large dia but short rubber hose, that should be replaced, while I have access, didn't plan to have that part.

    2. Another little delay, simple job, replace the fuel vapor hoses in the right front fender.  There is a plastic T fitting, I have some brass fittings.  Well the old fitting is 3/8-3/8-5/16  I have a 3/8 T,  so I need a 3/8 to 5/16 adapter, had to order that, week delay.

    It seems every simple job has a delay.   So while waiting for a few little things, will finish the spoiler and the exhaust.   Before taking anything else a part, want to put some stuff back on, finished.  After some little things are done, next is power steering leaks, will use AN type hose, not buying new hose assemblies, that would cost money.

I like that front spoiler you're doing, looks more like a front splitter. Looking forward to seeing it done, and your posts remind me of how many vacuum lines I need to replace!

What part of the country you in? I know a gearhead in the Chicagoland into these.

Maybe another resource?

I am near Philadelphia, would be great to meet up with some of car folks, but it seems often everyone is too far away.

    The spoiler is done and it is now on the car, will have to post some pictures soon.  The repaired grill is also back on, so it looks like progress.  The gear shift now actually work like it should, so some actual progress.

     These cars are now old, about 40 years, so every rubber hose needs replacing.  Little things, like a rubber hose will make it unreliable, but once a bunch of small things are taken care of, it should be great again.

Definitely ready for pictures!

    The exhaust is done and mounted.   I have 2 O2 ports, one for the original sensor, and one for a air/fuel gauge.  Still have to install the O2 sensors, but there is plenty of other stuff to be done.

     The spoiler and the grill are done and back on the car, the grill was a lot of work for something you can't see.  I might add some vertical supports to the spoiler, if it does actually create any down force, it looks like it would break off.

     Vent fan:  The fan motor can be replaced with a Volvo 850 fan motor.   The part that the fan mounts to was removed, because it was full of leaves and stuff, it also smelled bad.   That part has the flapper door for fresh air or recirc, replaced the vacuum actuator, and added a filter.   Removing and reinstalling the fan and the part under the fan, not fun.   Have to unbolt at least one side of the hood to get the fan out, the part under the fan, is removed thru the foot well, after unbolting the fuse/relay board.

With the fan assembly back in the car, can I actually replace the white filter?  Won't be easy, but it should keep leaves and dirt out of the vent system.  I tried to vacuum stuff out but only had limited success, at least I can limit more stuff getting in.

    Next finish replacing the 3 washer pumps, and hoses.  Seems to be one for the head lights and 2 for the windshield, separate tank for intensive washer fluid.  Can't really trace all the hose and tubing, so much other stuff is in the way.