1979 Porsche 930 (...and 78's too!)

Late-model U.S. 1979 Porsche 930 Turbo (85mph speedo, Nippondenso A/C compressor, flush headlight washers and late-style Blaupunkt radio knobs) posted on Car & Driver. All photos courtesy Car & Driver.

1978 Porsche 930 Turbo Tested Today ? Review ? Car and Driver
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Rich,

Referring to the photographed 930, the C&D article notes, “…returned to the factory after less than 10,000 miles of use by a benevolent owner heading home to Singapore…” Sounds like another early 3.3 has exited the States.

Decent article but I have to agree with all of your observations, that beige 930 is not a 1978, it’s a late (1980 build) 1979 right down to the Sugar Scoops with their adjustment holes. Red dot brake pedal, a very nicely preserved early 930!
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Bud

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The article is a bit confusing as I believe they are referring to two turbos in the article (one a late model being returned to the factory with 10,000 miles). The reference to 1978 in the article's title may be a tribute to the original 1978 C&D article on the 3.3 liter turbo (vs. the 930 in the photos).

 

i like the color. price seems high fore having a repaint.

 

Damn mine has less mileage and original paint.

 

Very nice car.. I noticed that the wheel well detail was incorrect.. these cars were body color in that area. You can see where this car was spray painted black.. although I've seen many done this way, the guess is that it is personal preference.

 

onboost,

Good observation. I suppose with Porsche anything is possible but to my knowledge, North American build ’79 930’s received black undercoating (paint) on the underside of the front and rear fenders as well as in the luggage compartment on the upper pivot shock mounting areas and where the RoW metal I.D. tag would have been mounted.

Just as with the application of the exterior color paint on the 930’s undersides, the coating in these areas is not based on exact science and varies from car to car. The inner fender coating itself might be a carryover of added protection for the hand welded outer welding plates the early 930’s received.

Absence of the black undercoating on ’79 930’s can occur because of a re-paint or the owner’s choosing to remove it for personal reasons but it is correct.

Bud


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The wheel wells are correct. This was standard (except black and metallic black). They had a matte finish in the wheel wells to give it depth. See below from John Paterek:

Many 911 turbos and wide body cars have a satin black finish sprayed over the body color wheelwell area.The finish is not baked like body color therefore it will wash off with solvents.I use P21S total auto wash,it is a wonderful cleaner that does not disolve this finish.You can reapply the satin black with Wurth black trim paint or Duplicolor semi-gloss black.The paint is aerosol and will fog off into the pan and rocker aresa just like the Factory finish.The only cars we have found not to be coated are black and metallic black finishes.

John Paterek - PCA WebSite - 9/2/2006

 

Dittto.

 

Jay,

Thanks for sharing the answer for why 930's wheel wells are always black.

Appreciate the tips on how to care for and maintain it that John Paterek gives..

Bud

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Hello,

If anyone has or knows of a 78 for sale, I'm looking. I am not a dealer but a Porsche head just entering the game. Would love to have an odd ball 70s color.

Thanks!

Rick Rothenberger

Please reply here or to [email protected]

 

I do find the comparisons interesting between what has been written & read vs. that of what has been seen. As I have met and know John's work very well, I would also want to point out that he states "many 911 Turbos" .. not all. I would have to agree with that statement as I have seen both and thus I'm fairly confident not all of them have the Wheel-wells painted black. That being said, I'm not completely sure this was done by the factory.. but possibly the dealer in some cases...not that it really matters. Further, I have actually participated in some PCA sanctioned concurs where points are detracted for black wheel wells.

Additionally, in the inspection of a number of 930s and other 911 based models, we have seen the black wheel-wells used indiscriminately in an attempt to hide previous damage, or undisclosed metal repairs to the tub. So beware,

 

He said the only cars they have found not to be coated are black and metallic black. John is a top PCA national judge and long time body and paint expert. I own two 930's one of which I am the original owner and I can tell you that it was not done at the dealership. Every 930 that I have owned in the past has had the black finish in the wheel wells and there was never any documentation on any that it was done at the dealership. I read in a Porsche publication that it was done at the factory to give it depth. I will try and find it.

I am sure there are 930's that do not have the black finish. If I was buying a 930 and found one that didn't have the finish, I would be curious if the owner removed it or if it was repainted.

 

Jay, I am well aware of who john is and what he does. Thanks, Again, I have read many of the same publications as you, and I have been around these cars long enough to also understand that there are often times many variations on the theme above and beyond what is written. Porsche, like many small automakers of the day often wrote one thing and did quite another. Cash in hand could easily change specifics and record keeping was often shoddy, as witnessed by number of incorrect CoAs provided by the factory today.

That being said, I too have owned a number of 930's as well and I have had one that was coated in the wheel wells as discussed. Have I seen others yes. I recently sold (past summer) a very nice all original Blk/blk 89 Cabrio.. never blacked in the wheel wells as discussed. My very early 78 (Petrol Blue) never black in the wheel wells, very documented history, and I know the previous owner. So I'm just saying, not all of them were done this way.

Thx

Thanks Mang.. that would be interesting to note.

 

This phenomena is very common in the vintage car world, and even worse with manufacturers which went out of business many years ago. the 'Monocle' windshield you often see on brass-era raceabouts is almost certainly an invention of the 1950's, an adaptation of an early protective screen meant to shield racers from clods of debris. A prominent collector glazed one of them, mounted it on a Mercer, and ten years later all the model car kits come featured with a Monocle. Just one of hundreds of examples in the old car world of how elastic 'factory correct' can become with time...

 

It would make sense that your blk '89 was not blacked in the wheel wells as they didnt do it with black and metallic black.

Anything is possible and cars could have slipped by and through the years I have seen other paint issues from the factory but generally the majority of 930 turbos will have the wheel wells blackened and it is correct.

Sloane

 

The COA for my 1978 930 under 'Optional Equipment' list
"Without fog Lamps"
Would Porsche charge extra for that 'option'
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Very cool - no doubt a very rare delete option that was probably an extra cost. Are the fog light holes still drilled in the front and is there a switch in the dash?

 

Fritz,

This is very interesting and certainly different. I can see from your engine number that your 930 is one of the RoW models. I’m not entirely sure exactly what the case was on the ’78 RoW’s but I’m pretty sure all USA early build 3.0 and 3.3 930’s came standard with Fog Lights from the factory.

Do you know for a fact that your ’78 came without them or are you only relying on the COA? As Rich noted, “was it delivered without holes in the valance? Do you have the normal Fog Lamp Switch above the Radio?"

WITHOUT FOG LAMPS might mean they were not installed but they still came with your car. I’ve seen something similar to what I reference on an early 930 (USA I think) that was delivered without the rear fender shields (shark fins), but they were still came with the car upon delivery.

Bud

 

My car has the fog lights on it now and the switch over the radio for them.
I do not know how the car was received by the original owner.
I do have the registration from Germany for the car by the second owner ( it was imported in 1984 to the USA) with a special note on the color (yellow) of the fog light switch, which leads me to believe it was added after deliver by the manufacture. German registration has incredible details of your car and notes are usually made of any modification. My camera is down now, I could take a picture later of the German registration if that would be interesting?
A funny detail was the Original owner being listed as the 'Trouser King' I guess a pants store had first ownership.
This car does not have the sunroof option or electric seats.
I am the fourth owner of this car.
I first saw it in 1985 at a car show, I saw it again on a Porsche club drive in 1986. I brought it in 2012 and have fulfilled a dream. Piecing and deciphering the history is fun, thanks for the help.

 

If there's any correlation, my 78 SC came with 'Foglight Delete'.

The lower front valence has no holes in it and there's a blank where the fog switch would go.