This is probably one of my favorite Porsche stories of all time since I drove this car while Ken owned it and had several spirited rides in it. I can agree it was one sweet ride!
In the early 90’s I was looking through the auto trader and saw a 930 Slantnose for sale for a reasonable price of $21,000 or so. I finally got ahold of a guy that was fairly desperate. He explained that he needed money and he needed it fast. I can’t remember the details…but it had something to do with a divorce or a speeding ticket or some unfortunate set of circumstances. The owner explained that the car was consigned at a used car dealership an hour away. I negotiated with the owner until he met my request for a sale price of $15,000. The car was actually a 1977 911 that was not wrecked, but made into what might be considered a “tribute” car. It had beautiful guards red paint, a 1989 Turbo Tail, wide turbo flares (fiberglass, not steel), slant fenders, 944 headlights, functional and correct rear ducts, wide Epsilon wheels with the gold mesh style (very 80’s). The car had an awesome 3.0 litre turbo engine with the 911 5spd (instead of the correct 4sp). Black interior that was very nice as well as impressive paint, good tires. It was sweet.
I picked it up from the dealer who was not real happy that I picked it up and bought it underneath him. I would say he probably was rude and mean. Nevertheless, I started it up and was disappointed with the miss it had in the motor. Driving home, I was so bummed. It looked right, but didn’t run right. I was optimistic that it was a tuning issue and not something worse. Based on what I know now about a misfiring engine, I wouldn’t have taken the chance. But back then, ignorance was bliss.
Driving home, it just wouldn’t go. I couldn’t drive that fast, it made little boost and if it weren’t for the fact that the car looked like a million bucks, I would have been crying.
I drove straight to my mechanic. Great guy. Bad reputation. He was a VW guy that worked out of an old gas station. He was the kind of guy that you paid when it was all done no matter how much he told you he needed money for parts. A 2 day job would take two weeks. I’m pretty sure I had to go toe to toe with the guy when he “fixed” the transmission in my Audi and it went out the next week. But he was a mechanic…and this day he proved to be the best mechanic I knew.
I drove the limping Porsche to the shop…had him come out and told him that it wouldn’t run right. He listened to the engine…he had my rev it up. Then he told me to shut it off. He reached in to the far right side of the engine bay, took un unplugged spark plug wire and attached it. I started it up and it ran perfect. I don’t know when I was ever happier (car wise, anyway). I gave him $40 bucks for the 5 minutes, took off and found the boost. Wow! It was amazing. There is nothing like a slantnose…and one with boost is twice as fun.
I have had quite a few “boosted” cars since then with much more power. But that 930 was, by far, my favorite. After driving the car less then a year, I sold it to move on to something else. My loss.
Mechanics all around the world are treated like Gods when they find that loose plug wire. I’d have tossed him $40 too.
What a great story, the slantnose is is such an icon. It must have been a thrill to see that in the garage every morning.
Cool story! And therein lies the evidence of sometimes taking a chance…within reason 🙂
Just curious, why sell it after only 1 year??
That was a great story. The whole time I was reading it after you said, “Based on what I know now about a misfiring engine, I wouldn’t have taken the chance.” I was sure it was going to be something catastrophic. Was pleased to find out the story had a happy ending (other than you selling the Porsche). Did you make a profit on the car or did you take a loss?
That is cool how it worked out. Sometimes you get lucky. And to get lucky with a 930 is just awesome.
I’m wondering how that wire got loose – maybe the dealer really didn’t like having the car bought out from under him, and did some minor sabotage…still, 40 bucks, problem solved.
That is what I thought also ruthless…. That is definitely something they could have done real quick if he wasn’t watching their every move.
Weird, I thought there was a Porsche being given away today. I must be mistaken. Or in in one to many beers.
or am I in on too many.. it should say.. darn ipod..
Trying to decipher your posts, Jeremy, I’d go with one too many. 🙂
Ha, no no it’s all the iPods fault
but seriously, this day is over for our east coast brethren. Will we see a winner tonight?
Yes, I am that loser who kept checking in all day instead of spending time with my kids.. Or my friends at the restaurant. My buddy was mocking me and talking trash with his one entry.
Patience o Porsche fans. The announcement video is compressing right now and will be put up as soon as it’s done.
I’m giddy as a school girl
Joe…I sold if after a year for a couple reasons. The first was that it was a very “loud” car. It demanded attention everywhere it went and I lived in a community where I knew lots of people and was at the time working as a youth pastor. It got too much attention, I guess. Secondly, the money was hard to turn down…like I said, I was working as a youth pastor.
Jeff…that’s exactly how I feel.
Ruthless…I was implying that the dealer pulled the wire. That is precisely what I think happened. I can’t prove it…but that dealer was too sharp to have not noticed that the coolest car on his lot was not running correctly.
BTW…the car had steel rear flares (good) and fiberglass fenders (bad…or at least not as cool as steel).