The MPI Porsche 928 that never was.

[V8FerrariGuy]

A bit of well known Magnum PI trivia is that the Ferrari 308 wasn't the first choice for Magnum's character in the show. It was written as a Porsche 928.

I found out just recently a small bit of possibly related trivia. By way of storytime: I messaged the Glen A Larson FB page for entirely different reasons hoping to find out some provenance trivia on the rare LP400 Countach Periscopio used in Automan in 1983. Chuck Wagner, one of the show's stars thought it was Glen's personal car: https://youtu.be/ezIQnAVVJYc?t=810

Side bar: (The reason is there were only around 150 to 157 LP400 Periscopio cars produced, with only one known to come from the factory in Black on Black (nero). The Lamborghini community has documented ONLY 4 that ended up being Black on Black: During the late 70's/Early 80s: SNs 1120182 In Japan, 1120110 in Pa, 1120104 Used in 1982's Parasite, and #1120152 used in 1989's "How I Got Into College." The thing is, the AUTOMAN car had none of the later LP400s bodywork/spoilers/fender flares that are on the #104 & #152 cars. So it doesn't seem like it's #104 because that body work was present on the car in 82 when Automan would have been filming, and it's suspected that the bodywork was on #152 when it went into black paint... leaving the question of where it went and which car was it open... )
Anyway:

The Glen Larson FB page is managed by his son. IDK if that's who responded but we didn't get to far on the LP400. What the person DID remember though is that Glen drove a 928 around that time and had one for himself and his wife. (Also used in "The Hardy Boys"). So.... Connection? IDK! But it seems like the kind of mundane trivia that us MPI fans love... so... sticking it here...

~~V8FerrariGuy

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

A bit of well known Magnum PI trivia is that the Ferrari 308 wasn't the first choice for Magnum's character in the show. It was written as a Porsche 928.

I found out just recently a small bit of possibly related trivia. By way of storytime: I messaged the Glen A Larson FB page for entirely different reasons hoping to find out some provenance trivia on the rare LP400 Countach Periscopio used in Automan in 1983. Chuck Wagner, one of the show's stars thought it was Glen's personal car: https://youtu.be/ezIQnAVVJYc?t=810

Side bar: (The reason is there were only around 150 to 157 LP400 Periscopio cars produced, with only one known to come from the factory in Black on Black (nero). The Lamborghini community has documented ONLY 4 that ended up being Black on Black: During the late 70's/Early 80s: SNs 1120182 In Japan, 1120110 in Pa, 1120104 Used in 1982's Parasite, and #1120152 used in 1989's "How I Got Into College." The thing is, the AUTOMAN car had none of the later LP400s bodywork/spoilers/fender flares that are on the #104 & #152 cars. So it doesn't seem like it's #104 because that body work was present on the car in 82 when Automan would have been filming, and it's suspected that the bodywork was on #152 when it went into black paint... leaving the question of where it went and which car was it open... )
Anyway:

The Glen Larson FB page is managed by his son. IDK if that's who responded but we didn't get to far on the LP400. What the person DID remember though is that Glen drove a 928 around that time and had one for himself and his wife. (Also used in "The Hardy Boys"). So.... Connection? IDK! But it seems like the kind of mundane trivia that us MPI fans love... so... sticking it here...

~~V8FerrariGuy

But did anyone actually say that that was the plan? To have Magnum drive a 928? Other than Larson and his wife driving one.

[V8FerrariGuy]

But did anyone actually say that that was the plan? To have Magnum drive a 928? Other than Larson and his wife driving one.

I think there's an interview with Bellisario and Larson saying as much, but it's also well documented.

http://magnum-mania.com/Articles/The_Ferrari.html

http://www.comicbookandmoviereviews.com ... story.html

~V8FerrariGuy

[Styles Bitchley]

Interesting tie bit. Thanks for sharing. It’s been a while since I read the origins of the show and the 928 and the details are fuzzy. I’m almost thinking that they got as far as to put one on a ship from the mainland to Hawaii before switching to the 308. People often forget the huge status of the 928, as they didn’t age well over the past few decades. But they’re just now starting to get some of the respect and $$ they once commanded. I’d love to pick one up, but need a mechanic in the family. All that said, one thing is for certain: MPI would not have been the same without the 308.

[Pahonu]

I remember this storyline from the 80’s. I don’t recall it specifically being a 928 from back then, just a Porsche. Their are two other things I remember with certainty. Selleck was too tall to fit and Porsche wouldn’t work with the producers to make modifications. I definitely took note, as I was Selleck’s height by my junior year in high school and I still don’t fit into many cars comfortably.

In thinking about it since, I speculate that modifying a hardtop like the 928 would have been much more involved than with the open top Ferrari. Padding was ultimately removed from the 308’s seat for Selleck, but that could have been done by any automotive upholsterer I would think. I’m not sure of all that might have been necessary for the 928. Of course they could have picked a 911 targa and done something similar to the Ferrari, so who knows?

[Styles Bitchley]

I recall reading some details in an academic-type paper that is posted here somewhere. Anyone remember what I’m thinking of? It goes into minute detail on a number of things on the show origins. I know Sam still lurks here from time to time and likely has some info. He’s one of the most informed Magnum fans around.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

But did anyone actually say that that was the plan? To have Magnum drive a 928? Other than Larson and his wife driving one.

I think there's an interview with Bellisario and Larson saying as much, but it's also well documented.

http://magnum-mania.com/Articles/The_Ferrari.html

http://www.comicbookandmoviereviews.com ... story.html

~V8FerrariGuy

Ah ok, thanks. I didn't know about the Porsche story. I thought Glen Larson driving one wasn't enough reason to believe it was intended to be in the show.

But I just can't imagine it being a good fit for Tom. He's a big guy so he would look silly in a small car. I dunno - I think of the 928 as kind of a compact small car. As opposed to the Ferrari 308 which somehow seems bigger to me, or at least longer length-wise. It just looks bigger and classier. Even though I know it wasn't exactly easy to get into or out of, especially with Tom's long legs.

[V8FerrariGuy]

Tom fit fine in a 928 in fact. He bought 3 of them AFAIK with 2 being gifts for his co-stars (along with a lot of other gifts for the crew).

Stuttgart was apparently approached to provide the Porsches, but with a modified open sunroof or maybe a Targa top because of the way they wanted to film the car in Hawaii.... and Porsche not wanting to set a precedent refused... so... he ended up in the 308, which is a REALLY tight car if you've never been in one. It's pretty darned small. It's a tad bigger than a Miata.

And of course they went on to make HUGE fun of this in the "Blind Justice" episode where Magnum is forced to buy his own car.... and he tries to keep up appearances in a Red Jaguar e-Type convertible with all the stereotypical British Leyland reliability. They've got his head sticking out over the windshield top in most shots, and in one you can see the extra cushioning they put him on in the seat to raise him up when he opens the door to the car. The show was meta on meta. What would you call that? Breaking the 5th wall?

~V8FerrariGuy

[waverly2211]

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche- ... ather.html

[Styles Bitchley]

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche- ... ather.html

Gorgeous interior. Thanks for sharing!

[Pahonu]

I recall reading a review of the 308 in the premiere issue of Automobile Magazine back in 1986. It was actually a comparison with the Toyota MR2 by the publisher and writer David E. Davis Jr.. He had a real way with words. He described the 308 interior, and I’m paraphrasing here, as built for someone with a size 15-36 shirt and size 8 shoes. Basically, it had little leg room requiring knees up driving position, a small pedal area cramped by the front wheel well, and a steering wheel tilted too much and too far away so the top was unreachable. I think he called this an Italian style driving position. This was near the end of the 308 run and he described it as not nearly as sophisticated or technically advanced as the Toyota. I can still picture the cover showing it. The Ferrari was white and the Toyota was red!

Edit:

I found the cover image online!

https://ibb.co/4SX66JG