1986 Porsche 928 S

Highlights

• Low mileage example
• Stored for much of the last 20 years, part of a classic collection
• S2 model with mid-production 4.7 V8
• Recent electrical/mechanical overhaul and clean, current MOT

The Background

Originally conceived of as a replacement for the 911, Porsche's 928 was a truly special piece of motoring history, even though it ultimately didn't succeed in nudging the brand's famously rear-engined sports car out of the door.
The 928 was the brand's second front-engined coupe, following the 924 by two years, and the first Porsche to use a V8 engine. As a luxury grand tourer it was up there with the best, and an 18-year production run with over 60,000 examples sold meant it was a much bigger success than it's often credited as.

The History

This S2 was first registered in January 1986; Roger Clark Cars in Leicestershire – the company owned by 1976 RAC Rally winner Roger Clark – gave the car its first two run-in services, and as the local Porsche specialist may well have been the point of delivery. At some point early in its life it moved down to the London area, where it spent most of the next 20 years.
In 2003 the car went into storage for around 15 years, being recommissioned for road use in 2018. It caught the eye of the current owner only this year and became part of their collection of classic cars, but unfortunately the storage facility they use has become unavailable and they have to thin the herd a little.
That provides a great opportunity for a new owner to get hold of a fully roadworthy and cared-for classic.

The Paperwork

Considering that the car was squirrelled away for 15 years, there's a decent chunk of paperwork which includes bills and invoices and a lot of original material.
That starts with a wallet of original handbook material, including a Driver's Manual, a guarantee and maintenance book, and a “pocket guide to Porsche ownership”, all in the period red vinyl folder.
The service record is pretty well stamped, from the first service at 852 miles by Roger Clark, up to a Porsche Centre stamp in 2004 and a Porsche specialist stamp in 2005, with 70,000 miles on the clock.
There's a few invoices dating back to the car's early life, as well as some more recent documentation regarding the recommissioning. Around £2,500 has been spent bringing it back to full roadgoing condition, and the two most recent MOTs give a clean bill of health with no advisories.

The Interior

In contrast to the white exterior, the inside of the 928 is a splash of colour. The burgundy/brown mix, with half-leather seats, is the original interior, and it looks to have stood the test of time rather well.
In the front there's a pair of electric adjustable seats, which work well, and there's no damage to the seats at all, only the surface patterns on the bolsters characteristic of lightly used leather. As a 2+2, there's a pair of seats in the back – best reserved for occasional use – that are in similarly high condition, with the only blemish a small tear on the stitching on the backrest of the offside item. The rather bold burgundy-striped fabric is wholly intact.
The carpets are original items too and seem to also be in great condition, with some aftermarket mats protecting them from any major wear.
Generally the material on the door cards, dashboard, and centre console is in excellent condition with no fading evident, though it appears that someone has mounted a mobile phone on the passenger side, with four small screw holes the only evidence it was there – and the only damage.
As far as we can tell, all of the electrics work as they ought, with the exception of the central locking which can be a bit temperamental and the owner believe needs a new relay. The remote tailgate release operates intermittently as well. Fortunately the car also has two keys... There's also an aftermarket Kenwood DAB+ headunit with USB connectivity.
The boot compartment is fully carpeted, with a factory space saver spare beneath the floor and the original toolkit with all items present and correct. There's an area of the roof lining within the boot hatch itself that looks to have warped slightly, which the owner thinks simply requires the fibreboard backing to be heated and coerced back into shape.

The Exterior

The all-white exterior of the 928 is just about as good as they come; we've hunted for any marks or blemishes on the paintwork and come up empty-handed. Although there's nothing in the paperwork to corroborate it aside from a receipt for a touch-up stick, the current owner thinks the car has been resprayed in its original Grand Prix White, likely around the time it went into storage, and it shows.
In addition the car sports the original seven-slot “manhole cover” alloys, and these are all also in good condition. There's some marking around the bolt holes, and a couple of other bits of bubbling on the offside front, but nothing that stands out or is in need of repair.
Those characteristic rubberised front and rear spoilers are in good condition, though the owner points out that the front item has – unsurprisingly given the low ride height – been damaged in a couple of places and repaired.
A repaired crack across the offside rear light cluster is the only blemish on the vehicle lighting and glass too, and the lights – including those important pop-ups – appear to function as they ought across the board.
Underneath there's nothing dramatic or concerning to report. The exhausts look to be in good condition from front to back, there's no corrosion to the floorpan – indeed it looks to have been undersealed – or major structural components, and no drips or drops from the mechanicals.

The Mechanics

The V8 in the S2 is a 4.7-litre item which was a development of the original 4.5, with substantially more power. It appears to start and pull without any issue whatsoever, and with no concerning noises or wisps it runs so sweetly that the owner decided not to fit a set of new injectors which had been purchased, and these will be included in the sale
That will go with a new air filter, new plugs, and new distributor caps already fitted when the car was brought back to the road in 2018, so it's in pretty fresh condition.
There's no grumbling from the brakes or suspension as the car goes, and it seems to both steer and shuffle through the auto 'box without any problems either. The four Continental tyres all look pretty new and with plenty of wear left in them.
One thing the owner does note is that the air conditioning will need re-gassing, though with winter around the corner that's a job the new owner can put off for a little while!

The Appeal

If there's such a thing as a forgotten classic, or a forgotten Porsche, the 928 is it. Despite being so good it won European Car of the Year in 1978, it's the 911 that hogs the limelight; good for buyers, at least for now!
This particular car is not only the improved S2 model, but it's almost entirely in original condition and is mechanically and structurally sound. If the current owner could keep it, they would, and with “a little more love” – as they say – would bring it back up to top condition. As it is, it's what they describe as “the perfect canvas” for a new owner instead.

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Vehicle specification
  • Year 1986
  • Make Porsche
  • Model 928 S
  • Colour White
  • Odometer 72,343 Miles
  • Engine size 4700
Auction Details
  • Seller Type Private
  • Town Harrogate
  • Location Yorkshire
  • Country United Kingdom
Bidding history
6 bids from 4 bidders
  • nu•••• £14,750 14/12/21
  • Br•••• £14,750 17/12/21
  • Br•••• £14,000 14/12/21
  • nu•••• £11,000 14/12/21
  • 50•••• £10,000 09/12/21
  • Ma•••• £2,000 09/12/21
Message C&C Auction Team

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