1979 930 purchase

[jtag]

I am in the process of purchasing a 1979 930

What I have been told:

US car

All steel body

77K miles

"unmolested" never tracked/raced

oil consumption: 1 quart in 2000 miles

"original and in NEAR PERFECT in every way"

previous owners are old guys like me :)

I will be flying to the midWest to pickup and drive back home to Idaho in two weeks time.

As I prepare for the trip, what tips-n-tricks can you provide for a first time 930 Porsche owner to be aware of on a 2000 mile return trip home? Yeah I will take my AAA card sure,, but what specifically about this model should I pay particular attention to?

Thanks for the help on my first Post to RennTech.org

John

[Chuck Jones]

John: For a trip of that distance, you'd need a really good PPI done first to give it a clean bill of health. I will say that a 2,000 mile trip in an unknown is an adventure. I bought mine in near pristine condition and even then the CDI ignition box went out on it...hoses had gotten hard and brittle over the years (87 930S), brakes needed replacing in front....tire condition should be looked at closely...not only for overall condition insofar as cracks in sidewall goes...but the DOT date of manufacture. Some have "new tires" that were actually manuafctured over 6 years ago.

Carry an extra set of fuses, check your spare to make sure it will inflate should you need to do it....does it have an air compressor with it? Jack?

Also, regardless of how unfettered it might be, you should have about $5K set aside to take care of those little nuisance things that some folks just never get around to fixing....wiper blades, footwell blowers.....what's the oil consumption been? Did they do a compression or leak down test? Especially a leak down will tell you what the ,overall health of the valves and cylinders are insofar as their ability to hold compression.

I've put a good $10K into my 87 Factory Slant cabriolet and am now ready to sell it....it seems strange that we spend years gettng everygthing just so, then we decide to sell it.

Best of luck to you in your trip....do a little research and make up an emergency kit....like an extra red and black round relay, several spare fuses in different amp ranges, and a rectangular yellow relay for the back fuse box....they leave you stranded more than you'd think. Can't recall the exact nomenclature of that relay...but it left me stranded once...as did the Bosche CDI box that I changed out for an MSD 6AL.

I keep all sorts of extra goodies around....spare fuel pumps, fuses, hoses, clamps, relays....etc. Were you nearer, I'd make you up an emergency kit with all the goodies in it.....but don't let this spook you into thinking that something will definitely go wrong....because chances are you'll be just fine if the PPI was complete and thorough.

Have a safe trip.

Chuck

[jtag]

John: For a trip of that distance, you'd need a really good PPI done first to give it a clean bill of health. I will say that a 2,000 mile trip in an unknown is an adventure. I bought mine in near pristine condition and even then the CDI ignition box went out on it...hoses had gotten hard and brittle over the years (87 930S), brakes needed replacing in front....tire condition should be looked at closely...not only for overall condition insofar as cracks in sidewall goes...but the DOT date of manufacture. Some have "new tires" that were actually manuafctured over 6 years ago.

Carry an extra set of fuses, check your spare to make sure it will inflate should you need to do it....does it have an air compressor with it? Jack?

Also, regardless of how unfettered it might be, you should have about $5K set aside to take care of those little nuisance things that some folks just never get around to fixing....wiper blades, footwell blowers.....what's the oil consumption been? Did they do a compression or leak down test? Especially a leak down will tell you what the ,overall health of the valves and cylinders are insofar as their ability to hold compression.

I've put a good $10K into my 87 Factory Slant cabriolet and am now ready to sell it....it seems strange that we spend years gettng everygthing just so, then we decide to sell it.

Best of luck to you in your trip....do a little research and make up an emergency kit....like an extra red and black round relay, several spare fuses in different amp ranges, and a rectangular yellow relay for the back fuse box....they leave you stranded more than you'd think. Can't recall the exact nomenclature of that relay...but it left me stranded once...as did the Bosche CDI box that I changed out for an MSD 6AL.

I keep all sorts of extra goodies around....spare fuel pumps, fuses, hoses, clamps, relays....etc. Were you nearer, I'd make you up an emergency kit with all the goodies in it.....but don't let this spook you into thinking that something will definitely go wrong....because chances are you'll be just fine if the PPI was complete and thorough.

Have a safe trip.

Chuck

Hi Chuck:

Thanks for the recommendations.

Oil consumption has been one quart in 2K miles,,,

Tires look to be in good shape

I have not had a PPI completed and am uncertain what that exactly means. I assume it is an End to End check of systems functionality and inspection.

I will ask the seller if his mechanic can complete a leakdown test for me: this will provide me with a baseline for current engine condition.

I will also look for the various relays and fuses and create an emergency kit as you suggest: I don't have an extra $5K around for the small stuff (Gees), and if something requires repair or replacement I will have to wait until additional funding is available.

I had another question regarding updates that should be completed to this vintage 930:

Will it require cam chain tensioner upgrades?

I understand the 78 and 79s had improved suspension and brakes from the RSR learnings on the track (as compared to the 76 and 77 model years)

Also, the cooling fan was redesigned with an increase in the number of cooling fan blades.

This car has updated rotors which are slotted and cross drilled. It has also had an updated SS exhaust system installed, but the rest of the car is box stock (I am told)

The seller states (rust free)

Thanks for any other suggestions:

John

[magcuda]

PPI is pre purchase inspection, best done by a third party shop

I used to take pictures of the car including underside and engine to document any leaks and rust.

the oil consumption is OK, well within specs

one driving tip, these old turbos come on with a blast. be sure you are pointed in the direction you want to go when you mash the gas.

[Chuck Jones]

I cant' answer your questions about the tensioner upgrades or some of the upgrades done to the old versions since I have an 87 and most of my knowledge base is around the 86-89 era.

As macuda said...the PPI is an end to end inspection looking for obvious oil leaks, broken or frayed hoses, belts (carry an extra one of those too) brakes...PLUS the emergency brake since it's separate from the rears....mine rolled out of the driveway because they missed the ER brakes on the PPI...ended up on the neighbors lawn.

Your emergency kit should contain the most common points of failure...and do yourself a favor...do some searches on points of failure by entering certain search criteria here and on Rennlist, 6 Speed and Pelican. Some of the guys have put together some pretty concise kits and suggestions for things to carry. Invariably if something goes down, it happens in some small burg with a population of 7000 and no Porsche parts around. At least my two "stranded" events occurred less than 50 miles from home and I had the AAA 100 mile towing policy.

When you test drive it, make sure the tranny shifts smoothly, has had service and is properly adjusted and filled, and take a look at the repair and/or maintenance records to see what's been done recently....plugs? These cars can foul plugs quickly if the AFR's aren't set right. Ask what AFRs it's running. (measure of Air Fuel ratio...perfect is 14.7) Ask about any idiosyncracies that the PO may have encountered like a slight hesitation in a particular gear or a surge etc.....most up front guys will tell you. Ask him for a list of things he'd recommend you do if you had the time and money in the next year....

There's also a list of what to look for posted on some of these forums under the caption of PPI or similar captions....just some suggestions that make you stop and think...hmmmm, maybe I should check that, or get one of those....Some of the other guys can jump in here with the link to one of those PPI lists...

As I said, this may sound like I'm coming across negative, but I'm not....just that you have 2000 miles to go on what should be a great adventure....had I done that, I would have been stranded because my first failure...in spite of the PPI occurred when the CDI box went 500 miles after I got it. A PPI wouldn't have caught that...it's just one of those things that happen...like a broken fan belt, or a burned out fuse or relay. That yellow relay in the back is something I'd check into...more guys have been stranded as a result of that little bugger....happened to me but it wasn't the relay itself, it was the wire connection to the 5 pin blade socket that had come loose UNDER the socket it fit into....car would just stop dead.

Happy motoring and enjoy the new ownership of a fine automobile.

Chuck

[03BoxsterS]

Yeah I will take my AAA card sure,, but what specifically about this model should I pay particular attention to?

Welcome to Renntech and good luck with your trip. Word to the wise, don't expect AAA to bail you out if you have trouble; they basically work within your city limits. I tried to use them once on a cross country trip and found out the hard way they offered absolutely zero outside my city limits. You should call them and confirm what services they will provide, and where. The other thing I would do is take a list of PCA contact lists for the zones you will be driving through (assuming you are a member). PCA members can be a real lifeline when looking for repair shops or assistance in unfamiliar areas.

Best of luck.

[jtag]

Hi Boxter:

Thanks for the pointers and I should probably join PCA since this could be a real opportunity for help should I ever need it.

yes, AAA is good for about 100 miles, and that is it.

Thanks,

John