If someone described a car as a rear engine, rear wheel drive sports car made in Germany, even if one wasn’t a car person the obvious conclusion would always be Porsche. Then, in 1977 the unthinkable happened in Stuttgart, the engine was moved to the front and two more cylinders were added, arranged in a V formation and for the first time since 1948 the little car company from Gmund, Austria had a true GT car for the masses. This new step forward for Porsche didn’t come without hurdles, but it easily solidified their ability to meet market demands and produce anything they set their minds to. The technical specifications of the 928 are interesting. As the goal was to create a Luxury GT car to (at the time) hypothetically replace the famed 911, the car needed solid attributes of previously successful V8 powered cars, and successful GT cars. All while trying to meet new US safety and Emissions regulations while continued pressure was placed on the 911 for failing to meet requirements. As a result the 928 had similarities to that of the Chrysler 426 Hemi with 122MM Bore spacing, and early prototypes even had a 4 barrel carburetor for testing.

 

When it debuted at the 1977 Geneva Motor Show it was well received due to its comfort and power as a GT car but it struggled to sell against the 911 and never really took off as Porsche anticipated. 18 years later however the 928 saw quite a few variations, such as the S, S4, GT, and GTS models amongst others. As the years went on the car was significantly improved on and in final form by 1995 the 928 boasted a 5.4L V8 with 345HP and 369FT. Pounds of Torque. Today the 928 has become somewhat of an icon for an era, but has always been a car with a cult like following that still is embellished by enthusiasts around the globe.

 

The example on offer here, a 1982 Porsche 928, VIN# WP0JA092XCS820830 is a 54,452 example finished in its factory color combination of U7U7 Black Metallic over VB Brown Leather. It shows to still retain all of its original paint with no exceptions noted along with a beautifully preserved original interior. Options when new according to this 928’s Certificate of Authenticity show it to first and foremost be a manual transmission example (very rare); ordered options include 220-Locking Differential, 428-Comfort Seat, Right, 471-Integrated Rear Spoiler, 494-2 Speakers on Back Shelf, 533-Alarm System, and 650-Electric Sunroof. No doubt a very well optioned example finished in excellent period colors. The car was ordered new by a Dr. John H. Zimmer of Maple Grove, MN. The original “in service date” is reported to be 1/15/1982 showing just 28 miles on the clock. The car stayed with its first Midwest owner, always serviced at the seller Porsche dealer until about 1989 when Dr. Zimmer moved to Oregon. There it received additional service by the local Porsche dealer of Eugene, OR per the stamping in the original log book which states January 5^th, 1989 at 19,466 miles. A few years later in 1992 the car was sold to a Mr. Lansdale, (at 34,173 miles) who would be the 928’s primary caretaker for the next 14 years. Carefully enjoying and servicing the car through the years, clearly caring for it, Mr. Lansdale understood the value the of a well kept 928 and so it remained in climate controlled storage and was given a cost-no-object service as needed throughout his years of ownership. A rare occurrence for most 928’s which were often left to languish due to the fact that the service cost were a rather large percentage of the cars overall value. As a result most who could afford one, couldn’t afford to service one. There are multiple receipts with this car for thousands of dollars spent at once, at the right shops, to make sure it was kept perfectly in order to factory correct standards. By 2014 the car was available once more and traded to a Porsche collector in Pittsburgh, PA before passing on to LBI in early 2015.

 

The condition of this example is worth considerable attention and thought as one really need to consider the world of 928’s in general and then look at this car; a rarity which cannot be stressed enough. Yes, there are blemishes as expected of a car with 54,000 miles but nothing that warrants attention. The paint is absolutely 100% original throughout both by touch, sight, and metering which shows 3.1-5.0 on every panel. The thickness and consistent factory orange peel is indicative of exact original paint. There are a few very minor dents noted on the right rear quarter and one or two other spots. We also noticed one or two minor chips touched up along with a few chips to the front bumper and hood from high-speed highway travel, which this car was meant for. Again, nothing works addressing as it would be a crime to blemish the original paint; only upon extreme close inspection are these flaws noticeable. The windshield has a receipt for replacement within the past few years but the remainder of the glass is in excellent condition as are all rubber components. The wheels are the originals, showing a few minor instances of curb rash and still have the correct green caps on the valve stems. The optional Aero package equipment (designated by the 471 option code) rounds this example out nicely in its presentation. None of the associated rubber components however are dry or cracking and are still in excellent condition. The factory chip guard is still on the rockers and in the wheel wells where it is supposed to be and nothing about the car shows to be altered or ever apart for that matter.

 

Upon entering this 928 the first thing noted is the clean door jams with factory stickers still well in place, many items cadmium plated and no blemishes noted. The interior could easily pass for 20,000 miles as the wear on various components is minimal if any at all. The bolsters are clean, the seats supple and blemish free with only slight puffiness on the seat bottoms due to the seat threads loosening. The center console, door panels, carpets, dash, rear stowage area, rear seats, seat backs, headliner and any/all trim items are blemish free, in superb original condition, and absolutely the best we have ever seen in a 928. We only noticed a slight bit of dash pull beginning on the passenger side dash vent. All of the buttons are in perfect condition and absolutely everything works exactly as it should. The one and only item that appears to not work is the gauge cluster lights at night when the headlights are turned on. We believe it to be a fuse and will be inspecting the matter. The seat functions work as they should and the car is incredibly comfortable for Gran Touring per its original design. On the highway it works tremendously well. Opening the rear hatch reveals the tool panel which if opened gives way to an untouched set of factory tools and related accessories. The original spare is present in its dedicated compartment and there is nothing missing as is often the case. If one is careful enough to notice, they will also see that the “Operation Identity #” is located underneath the luggage compartment floor and rear stowage area near the tools. These are indeed factory reference marking done by hand and still preserved to this day.

 

Opening the hood of this car is the number one indicator of how this car was cared for. If there was ever a standard to judge another example buy, we can confidently say this is it. Cadmium plating and hints of remaining Cosmolene are still present throughout with every possible clamp, screw, nut, bolt, and hose original to the car. There are signs of use, perhaps dirty, but absolutely in order and original with nothing ever left to be un-serviced. Factory markings are present throughout the engine bay as are stickers and original equipment in its entirety. Any service work that was completed was done so with keeping the cars original condition intact, as a result it presents beautifully with no issues noted and also operates as it is supposed to.

 

Driving a 928 is an interesting task. The car works well at high speed and for long cruises, as intended. Around town or as a sports car it didn’t quite make the cut. It has good power, torque, and in general handles well with decent balance. This particular example starts instantly, runs strong with no smoke or engine noise and all systems operate as they should. It steers well, brakes like a Porsche from 1982, and in general is free of any faults. The only item noticed is that the clutch releases a touch high and on rare occasion a bit of chatter can be noted. Otherwise, the transmission shifts well through all the gears. No major leaks are present, nor are any abnormal noises from the engine, transmission, or running gear. It has been well tended to over the years and is likely in better order than any other example on the market. All with records to match, mileage history, service history etc…

 

928’s aren’t rare, they are hardly as desirable compared to other cars of the era, and most are reported to be service nightmares. This isn’t just the case with 928’s, there are many cars like this in the market place of interesting cult-cars. The reality is however that few correct stellar examples exist, examples that define how good one can be and how it was when new in 1982. This is one such example that even the most sophisticated collector can appreciate for it’s well preserved original condition and completeness as an example that checks all the boxes. Complete with all of its original books, advertising material, a clean CARFAX, spare, jack, and detailed service history this is an opportunity to buy a needle in a haystack in the world of 928’s, the best, and a fun addition to any garage big or small.

 

 

Available Documentation: (Click on the links below to view the file)

 

• Porsche Certificate of Authenticity

 

• Original Books, Service & Brochure

 

• Service History