For Fan Car Friday this week we bring you Neil and his 1986 Porsche 928S.  Fan Car Friday is a segment where we want to share with the world the automobiles that our fans have. We have absolutely no affiliation/relationship with the cars, the build or the owners. This post was made with written consent from the owner.

“I have always been a ‘car guy’… maybe it’s in my genes from my Dad (it has to be, I figure).

Of course I saw it in movies. Like: ‘Weird Science’, ‘Risky Business’, ‘Scarface’ and even remember one appeared for a bit on a TV show ‘LA Law’ long ago. But I liked it more for the engine. But the naturally-aspirated 5L, V8, 32V, 4 overhead cams was the thing for me. European Muscle car for a change. I really didn’t care who made the car, it just happened to be Porsche.

Here’s the weird, Matrix-esque part of my story. I like the model since 1985. And in 2000 I had the help of a long-time friend’s help for the day to work on renovating one of my (rental) suites. And we were close to the property and he spotted it first. Knowing I liked the car he said: ‘Hey… there’s a ‘shark’… want to look at it? I replied: ‘Sure… anything that keeps us from getting to work sooner’ (lol). It was actually broken down (unskilled, lacking knowledge 911 mechanic was maintaining if for the owner as I came to learn) in the parking lot of my property. So in a city (Calgary, Alberta, Canada – larger in area than New York City) of only 1.1 million and only about 12-15 of these cars in the city, here was my dream car I wanted for 15 years, in the year and color I wanted on MY property! So as I watched it drive away on the flat deck as we arrived, I approached the owner of the car just standing there and asked if he’d like to talk about the car? In that conversation, I said I always wanted one and he replied he wanted to sell it. Needless to say, later that week, after a vehicle inspection to get the grocery list (extensive) of all required repairs (the 911 mechanic/race team owner really didn’t know how to maintain that car) it was mine. And it’s been lovingly cared for since then. I bumped into him a few years later. With the care I gave it he even asked if I repainted it (I had to give credit to my car detailer). He said he really missed the car… ‘the torque of the V8.’

I don’t know what public opinion is about these cars (this model specifically), but it’s an incredibly hearty build with very low maintenance (after it’s been properly maintained, restored). True when it goes into the shop it can be a hefty bill, parts are expensive, the timing belt/water pump replacement is the biggest bill… but like I say, required work/maintenance is rare (other than fluid changes before/after winter storing season being the only constant). It has been the best car I have ever owned. I had it topped-out at 265kms/hr (165mph) but only did that once, and not up for doing it again. It’s a strong, reliable car. And hunkers down nicely at 200kms/hr and could run at 240kms all day long if my heart and reflexes could stand that. It has over 200,000 kms (125,000 miles) on the OD as this is a driver (and is driven hard), it’s not a trailer princess.

The ’86.5 with the last 4 digits of the VIN 1000 and over were special cars. Most/all the benefits of the following years 928 S4 (upgraded brakes… thank goodness, the S4 suspension, etc.). So it’s a rarity and a real jewel.

It gets compliments anywhere I take it, which is nice, but I didn’t buy it for that. It’s just a timeless classic and love affair that hasn’t shown any signs of letting up after 19 years. It’s built like a Rolex and I’m sure it will outlast me.

I may get other cars in my future, Corvair Monza, a ’63 ‘Kennedy’ Lincoln (hard top), etc. But I will never sell my 928. ‘Freddie’ (the car’s name… after Mr. Mercury, Queen… another passion of mine) will always be in my family. The lad is 33 years old this summer, and still takes a LOT of NEW sports cars off the line (I don’t initiate ANY such ‘tests’… but when the other guy chirps the tires on a green light… the gloves are off. LOL!).

Freddie, my 1986.5 Porsche 928S is one of my indulgences. It’s just strange how manifesting that car made it appear in my life. That stuff works!”

The Porsche 928 is a luxury grand tourer produced by Porsche AG of Germany from 1978 to 1995. Originally intended to replace the company’s iconic 911, the 928 combined the power, poise, and handling of a sports car with the refinement, comfort, and equipment of a luxury saloon. Porsche executives believed such a flagship would have wider appeal than the compact, quirky and sometimes difficult to drive 911.

The 928 has the distinction of being the company’s first production V8 powered model and the only coupé powered by a front-mounted V8 engine.

Porsche updated the North American 928 S for 1985, replacing the 4.7 L SOHC engine with a new 5.0 L DOHC unit sporting four valves per cylinder and producing 215 kW; 292 PS (288 hp). Seats were also updated to a new style, these cars are sometimes unofficially called S3 to distinguish them from 16-valve “S” models. European models kept a 4.7 L engine, which was somewhat more powerful as standard, though lower 9.3:1 compression 32-valve engine together with catalytic converters became an option in some European countries and Australia for 1986. In 1986, revised suspension settings, larger brakes with 4-piston callipers and modified exhaust system was available on the 928S, marking the final changes to old body style cars. These were straight from the 928S4, which was slated to debut a few months later. These changes came starting from VIN 1001, which means that the first thousand 1986 cars had the old brakes, but later cars had this equipment available. This later 1986 model is sometimes referred to as a 1986?1/2 or 1986.5 because of these changes. The name is a little misleading as more than 3/4 of the 1986 production had these updates.

The 928 S4 variant debuted in the second half of 1986 as a 1987 model, an updated version of the 5.0 L V8 for all markets producing 235 kW; 316 hp (320 PS), sporting a new single-disc clutch in manual transmission cars, larger torque converter in cars equipped with automatic transmission cars and fairly significant styling updates which gave the car a cleaner, sleeker look. S4 was much closer to being a truly world car than previous models as only major differences for North American models were instrumentation in either kilometers or miles, lighting, front and rear bumper shocks and the availability of catalytic converters in many other markets. The Australian market version was the only one with different horsepower rating at 221 kW; 296 hp (300 PS) due to preparation for possible low grade fuel. Even this was achieved without engine changes.

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