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1979 Porsche 928 ‘SBC Renegade’: Craigslist Find

We adore the Porsche 928. It debuted the distinctive, sloped-back wedge shape later capitalized on by the 924, 944 and 968; it had a potent, front-mounted V8 of anywhere from 4.5 to 5.4 liters of displacement, depending on the year; it had active rear-wheel steering, four seats, and more prestige than it knew what to do with.

It was, simply put, the coolest super car of its day, and it was intended to inherit the 911s throne.

We’d own one if we could, but the chief problem of the Porsche 928 was the aforementioned V8 engine; it never seemed to want to do engine things, like start, or run. And it’s not only that; it was also one of the most notoriously difficult engines to repair, owing largely to a timing belt so long that it could run to the moon and back.

So then, how about this Craigslist find in Ottawa, Illinois? This Porsche 928 is powered by a Chevy 350 – an engine more bulletproof than Teddy Roosevelt. It has the rare 5-speed manual transmission, which was reportedly optioned on fewer than one in five cars, and it rides on exquisite BBS wheels.

But most important of all, this Porsche 928 was painted to match the winning 1979 Profile Formula Porsche, of which there is a toy model, whose likeness lurks on the ad as proof. Granted, this Porsche 928 is anything but subtle, and there’s something to be yearned for in the superb – while impossible to keep alive – factory V8. But knock a couple of grand off the purchase price, and this deal would be just right.

Aaron Birch is an automotive enthusiast and writer/filmmaker from Detroit, MI. As a rule, he only buys cars older than himself.

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