996 - What could you do with one?

[OlberJ]

Seeing as they are still so ridiculously cheap, what could you do with one?

I'm thinking suspension, exhaust and a full interior retrim, save the proper engine work if it lets go.

Something along the lines of a water cooled Singer.

Appreciate it could all go horribly wrong and leave you with something worth less than you paid for it initially but if it was done right?

I know Dom went that route with a "GT3-lite" as it were but the cars were on their way down steeply then. Now they've bottomed out does it start to make more sense?

[mr pg]

You could consider an RPM Te 996 CSR? I started to consider one with them last year, got some quotes, but have stuck with my current 996t in the end. I think they have a customer doing this just now.

[monthefish]

Been wondering the very same recently...

[mr pg]

Not sure why my previous post has a censored on it?

[csmith319]

How about sticking an LSx engine in... There's a company (renegade hybrid) that does kits - actually lighter than the flat 6, easy 450 NA bhp... Sorry I know this idea may offend!!

[csmith319]

Comes as a kit - engine can be bought new off the shelf for relative peanuts.. it'll never carry favour with most Porsche fans but with 996's so cheap it's an interesting option - Porsche themselves toyed with a V8 911 before.

[mollytherocker]

The problem with this sort of project is they often make no sense when you add it up. What starts as a couple of grand on suspension, a bit of paint, etc etc can end up being 10k very easily. Theres no point in doing a half assed job.

By the time you have done your 'improvements' you're probably getting close to 996t money.

Of course, if you are making your dream car then that doesn't matter.

[OlberJ]

If you're going for a V8, might as well make it the Audi RS4 engine and keep a similarish character. Plus it should bolt up to the gearbox as it does in the Boxster.

Still, without touching the engine, thinking about the rest of the car, £15k I think might be a doable budget if the base car is sub £10k.

What do 996T's start at £25k? No fan of turbo engines and 4wd tbh.

[thegoose]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I don't think there's any point in getting obsessed with a low mileage car if you're going to modify it anyway. Get the best "donor" car you can by all means, whether that's in terms of spec, condition, already got bits on that you'd want, or whatever, but there's no point at all in paying a premium for a low number on the milometer.


My 996 has some of the mods people are mentioning - lowered suspension and uprated dampers, spacers, genuine PSE (if it didn't have it I'd be happy with the Gundo hack) and K&N induction kit (been on years, no MAF issues at all - sounds great). It also has a shortshift although I'm not a big fan (it's very/too short). I'm thinking of getting some BBS replica wheels in gold with polished rim (car is black) as I think that'll really make it stand out. I'd love to get the real thing but couldn't justify the cost (an eBay seller had the replicas at about £600+VAT for a set new).

I've been on track in it a couple of times and it goes well - that's where I could really tell how well it's been set-up - but I don't intend to do so very much at all so I'm happy with the standard seats (wind the backrest back, lock the seatbelt manually then wind the backrest up with the switch and you're held in reasonably well).

I really do love the way it drives and for the money I don't think there's anything else at all I could get that would do the same job (including comfortable motorway trips and even taking 2 blondes home
from the pub last weekend

I have however just bought a 1997 M3 Evo convertible as I fancied something for summer where the roof comes off - I won't use it much but will enjoy doing so when the weather's good and under £3k (plus a new clutch) it's no money at all to tie up in something that I'll get pleasure out of and will appreciate in value in years to come.

[Mr Ping]

thegoose said:

I don't think there's any point in getting obsessed with a low mileage car if you're going to modify it anyway. Get the best "donor" car you can by all means, whether that's in terms of spec, condition, already got bits on that you'd want, or whatever, but there's no point at all in paying a premium for a low number on the milometer.


My 996 has some of the mods people are mentioning - lowered suspension and uprated dampers, spacers, genuine PSE (if it didn't have it I'd be happy with the Gundo hack) and K&N induction kit (been on years, no MAF issues at all - sounds great). It also has a shortshift although I'm not a big fan (it's very/too short). I'm thinking of getting some BBS replica wheels in gold with polished rim (car is black) as I think that'll really make it stand out. I'd love to get the real thing but couldn't justify the cost (an eBay seller had the replicas at about £600+VAT for a set new).

I've been on track in it a couple of times and it goes well - that's where I could really tell how well it's been set-up - but I don't intend to do so very much at all so I'm happy with the standard seats (wind the backrest back, lock the seatbelt manually then wind the backrest up with the switch and you're held in reasonably well).

I really do love the way it drives and for the money I don't think there's anything else at all I could get that would do the same job (including comfortable motorway trips and even taking 2 blondes home
from the pub last weekend

I have however just bought a 1997 M3 Evo convertible as I fancied something for summer where the roof comes off - I won't use it much but will enjoy doing so when the weather's good and under £3k (plus a new clutch) it's no money at all to tie up in something that I'll get pleasure out of and will appreciate in value in years to come.

Hmm I've been looking at a "family" convertible (me, missus and toddler) and been considering old M3's - are they more reliable / cheaper to run (servicing) than say an old S4?]

With regards to sticking a V8 in a 996, that just seems a bit weird to me but then again I have seen a video of an MX5 with a 400BHP (apparently) V8 in it and think that it sounds like a hilarious idea

[monthefish]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

It's really not.

The condition of both bodywork and interiors depend on the owners care, or lack thereof.
It's that simple.




This is especially so in the context of the 996/986 etc etc where a low-mileage car is still likely to have 40k miles+

[monthefish]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

isn't a hard and fast statement, and certainly not one you can add 'simple as that' to.

[V8KSN]

mr pg said:

Not sure why my previous post has a censored on it?

Quote your censored post and you will see the spelling mistake you made

[thegoose]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I'm not sure how 60k or 70k is high mileage on a 10-17 year old car?

Anyway, that aside, it seems that condition is most important to you, so if you were offered a beautiful condition car which had done motorway work (i.e. similar engine hours and probably less work/wear than most lower mileage cars) with a higher number on the dash, would you still turn it down just because of that number?

The reason for putting it that way is one of the best condition 997's I've had had done 60k in 3 years, but in only 1100hours and was driven on a 104-mile each way commute (so it wasn't gotten in and out of very often, just one occupant, little use of steering/brakes/clutch etc). As these cars are so old now (over a decade) I can see how condition is important and that can vary a lot more so I think it's much more significant than what the speedo says.

[Dan911]

I've been looking at a nice 996.1

I understand the 1997/98 engines were better? No bore score but you have to have the IMS replaced? (please correct me if I'm wrong??)

I would - (and thinking about)

KW's
Buckets
RSR's (Gert or alike)
Roll over bar
K+N cone filter
Wheel spacers
BBS or alike
R888's

New rads
Clutch
Engine hoses

Nice car...

Just the engines worry me!!

[uktrailmonster]

My 996C2 had KW V3 suspension, GT3 top mounts and arbs, Manthey exhaust, Hartech engine rebuild, GT3 wheels and side skirts, centre console delete and a few other tasteful mods. It was quite a bit more focused than a standard C2 and great basis for a track day car. Bit too stiff and rattly on the road though.

[thegoose]

Fair enough - but for most people money would enter the equation at some point, but if it can be (largely) ignored then I can see why you'd want the best you can get.

I thought the thread was angled more towards people modifying and improving older, cheaper cars, to get a good value personalised car, so we've probably strayed a little from that now.

[Dan911]

uktrailmonster said:

My 996C2 had KW V3 suspension, GT3 top mounts and arbs, Manthey exhaust, Hartech engine rebuild, GT3 wheels and side skirts, centre console delete and a few other tasteful mods. It was quite a bit more focused than a standard C2 and great basis for a track day car. Bit too stiff and rattly on the road though.

Sounds like what I will be trying to build!

[monthefish]

Dan911 said:

uktrailmonster said:

My 996C2 had KW V3 suspension, GT3 top mounts and arbs, Manthey exhaust, Hartech engine rebuild, GT3 wheels and side skirts, centre console delete and a few other tasteful mods. It was quite a bit more focused than a standard C2 and great basis for a track day car. Bit too stiff and rattly on the road though.

Sounds like what I will be trying to build!

also sounds a bit like Jethro Bovingdons...

[Dan911]

monthefish said:

Nice colour.

Ok..

Lets get some cost -

KW's (inc fitting and bushes)
Buckets (inc runners)
RSR's (Gert or alike)
Roll over bar
K+N cone filter
Wheel spacers
BBS or alike
R888's (£850)
IMS

New rads (£650)
Clutch (£500)
Engine hoses (£600)

Lets also add £1500 for things found when doing the above work...