imhighlander's 996 C4s build thread

I've been a car guy for decades and have done many builds and modification projects on Volkswagens, BMWs, Volvos, a Landcruiser, and a few other marques, but I've never really done a "build thread" before. I'm just a modest DIY'er with limited skills and a lot of curiosity. I joined the Porsche family in November 2018 with a 986.2 Boxster S and have had a good bit of fun with her. Those are exceptional, very underrated cars. I have since owned a 2006 955 Cayenne Turbo S (bad purchase), a 2012 970.1 Panamera Turbo (now sold, which I modified with an IPD plenum and a Softronic tune to 615hp(!!), and a 2011 958 Cayenne Turbo. After MANY years of wanting, I picked up my first 911 at the end of June 2022, a couple of days after my 50th birthday. When I was a wee lad, the first car I could recognize (and my first love) was a 911, circa 1977 - probably a story many enthusiasts can relate to. Now, I'm finally "home." I specifically wanted a 996 C4s 6MT after falling in love with the body years ago. I had considered an air cooled 911 but the prices have gotten stupid, especially for a car that seems impractical as a daily driver. The 996 seemed like a good balance between an analog driving experience with a bit of a "vintage" feel, but some decent amenities. (Heated seats are kind of a must in Colorado.) Yeah, I know the Metzger motor in the turbo is a "better" engine, blah, blah, blah. Frankly, I love the cleaner lines of the 4s (no huge wing, no big rear intake ducts) and the naturally aspirated engine provides enough fun for me. I had plenty of budget for a 996 turbo or a 997 C4S but I really wanted the 996.2 wide body 4s. I understood the IMS/RMS issues and knew I needed to find a car that had already had that sorted and documented. After a bit of a search, I got a lead on a local Lapis blue over Savannah beige 2003 C4s with 72,000 well-documented miles. The IMS had been done prophylactically (along with a clutch, water pump, RMS, etc.) at around 62,000 miles and the owner was maniacal about documenting oil changes and other items. But the car had only been driven 1,000 miles or less in the 12 years he owned the car, so it was ready for a new home. 9( This thread will be dedicated to documenting my progress as I take a great (if neglected) 996.2 C4s and make her my own. I plan for this to be a multi-year project, and hopefully a very long-term love affair. I'm not building a show car. I'm building my daily driver, as I daily drive her. The first order of business is to get everything in order mechanically so she is as reliable as possible. I plan to do that over the remainder of this year and into the winter, with a full interior redesign in early 2023. In the meantime, I plan to participate in a few HPDEs, autoX events, and tours with my local PCA club, and to her the attention - and begin to rack up the miles - she deserves. The first photo is is the drive home from Castle Rock, CO to Evergreen. I had viewed and driven the car a couple of weeks before, and had been negotiating terms with the reluctant seller. I had to take the seller back to his house, 10 miles down a dirt road in the rain. I figured I was buying it to drive it in all kinds of weather, so might as well get started. After 10 miles on a dirt road in the rain. Didn't melt. That's a good sign. Got her home and introduced her to her sister.

The first project was brakes. The pads still had a lot of meat but rotors were badly grooved and the brake pedal was pretty spongy. The car came with a good pile of records but nothing indicated that the rotors had ever been replaced. After nearly 20 years and over 72,000 miles, it was certainly well past time. I ordered rotors, pads, sensors, and a few other items from FCP Euro since they've been a reliable source for a lot of other projects through the years. I also like to install extended studs on all the Porsches, so I hit up Rennline for those. Yes, they're long, but they make it much easier to mount wheels and allow me to run spacers, while still having plenty of threads for the lugs nuts. I tried unsuccessfully to do a full brake flush in the garage, so I'll have a local indy shop do that. No problem bleeding the 986 but I guess that the PSM on the 996 requires skills or patience I don't quite have. Christmas in July. These babies are shot. Long studs installed with red Loctite. Looks like the parking brake shoes need replaced as well. Almost there.

First cosmetic upgrade. Apparently a prior owner had installed similar pedals because there were already holes in the pedal bases. Any rate, this is much better. (Yes, I vacuumed up the black plastic bits.)

One of the oft-overlooked maintenance items is the cabin air filter. I posted this on another thread but this is what mine looked like. Someone was making quite a home in there! I haven't yet found other evidence of an unwanted tenant so hopefully this is the worst of it. This is the kind of thing that just happens when you drive your 911 less than 1,000 miles per year like the previous owner did. I'll not be making that same mistake. Yes, it really looked like this. Ugh.

Very cool and I'm happy to see more and more of these types of threads.

Must have had that nice rodent smell too� good thing you found the source�

Neat Highlander 😉 Going to be following you on the journey! vetfever

This is such a great thread. I am on a very similar journey myself and I'm looking forward to your updates. Quick question about the extended studs you installed. What are the pros and cons of switching to that vs the traditional bolts? I don't have plans to take mine to the track. Except maybe once or twice to test its limits, but no serious racing ambitions.

Nice progress and keep on going! Kudos on the studs too. I love mine. There are no any inherent advantages to them, especially if you won't track the car, but I like the aesthetics and the make putting on the wheels way easier.

I don't know of any cons other than the fact that using red Loctite usually means you have to heat them with a torch if you want to get them out. I've found that the best way to install them is to pull the rotors and then install the studs directly into the hub body. The rotor slips over the studs and then put the rotor set screws back in. I don't know of any downside to using studs unless you just don't like the look for some reason. It makes the wheels much easier to mount and I think a fair argument could be made that after 20 years or so, the original lug studs on your car may be a little fatigued. I don't do much track stuff but I do run spacers to fill out the fender wells. Running studs gives me options on wheels, spacers, and offsets, while making sure I have plenty of threads available for the lug nuts.

Yesterday I replaced the front lip. The last owner had swapped the original C4S lip for a turbo lip and had it (poorly) color matched to the rest of the car. It had taken a few knocks and was pretty knackered. I picked up a cheap knockoff turbo lip from eBay for about $90 before I realized that the 4S has a different spoiler. No worries; it seems like these are pretty sacrificial parts, especially on lowered cars. I suspect I'll be replacing it again in a few years and may seek a proper 4S lip at that point. Super simple installation. Just one screw on each end in the front of the wheel well, then the lip just pops out. Installation was just a matter of putting in one screw and working around to the other side, popping the lip in place as you go. Top tip: it helps a lot to warm up the lip with hot water or a heat gun (on low, careful not to damage the plastic!) Pretty beat. Now the lip is black, matching the rest of the lower trim. Just a cheap eBay lip, but better than it was.

I bought my new OEM lip from FCP Euro. Next time it get's damaged I'll be using their lifetime replacement warranty.

Center console "GT3" delete: After a bit of internal debate, I decided to go ahead with the "GT3" center console delete. While I may miss the storage a little, I really like the clean look. It evokes a bit of the vintage feel of the older air coolers and I understand that it's an option unique to the 996 (and 986). I guess the 997 and newer Porsches have a different console structure so the 5th gen is the last 911 that can do this. Kinda cool. It's a nice, straightforward project. I didn't take pictures of pulling the original center console but it's a piece of cake. I'm going from memory but these are the steps I remember. Sorry in advance if I missed an important step. There are also some really good tutorials around if you ask the YouTube or Googlebox. Pull the side panels off the center console. (Pull outward from the back side of the trim panel. They pop in with three plastic clips). Then pull the side panels off the console body. Insert a nylon trim tool in the top of the console to remove the upper shelf accessory (CD holder, cassette holders, or top shelf); it should slide right out. Pull out the lower shelf in the center console. Pull the bottom "batwing" piece. I have heated seats and needed to relocate the controls somewhere, so I disconnected the switches from the back of the batwing and then removed the switches. To remove the switches, gently flex the rectangular slot holding in the switch and push the switch out through the back of the batwing. (I used a nylon trim tool again.) Remove four T20 Torx screws that hold the console body to the metal frame. There are two screws on each side. The console frame should now come out. There's a metal "H" shaped upright that supports the front of the console that's held in place with four 10mm nuts. I was able to get a ratcheting 10mm box wrench under the front of the main console to remove the nuts and remove the upright. The next several steps only apply if you're routing heated seat controls to the HVAC bezel: Remove the rectangular HVAC surround piece. It simply snaps into place with two plastic tension plugs. Work a nylon trim tool between the HVAC surround and the arched HVAC bezel and GENTLY work to pop the rectangular surround off. Be careful not to crack the plastic trim or break the tension plugs. Remove the HVAC control. It's held in place by four T20 Torx screws. Slide the HVAC control out. I didn't disconnect it; I just let it dangle. (It's light and shouldn't stress the wiring harness.) Remove the stereo. This may not be necessary but if you have the stereo removal keys, it's just a few quick seconds. Removing it gives you plenty of room to get your seat heater harnesses organized. Push the heated seat wiring harness through the rear console upright (under the dash) and poke them behind the dashboard up into cavity behind the stereo/HVAC unit. There should be plenty of room. Pop out the HVAC bezel to get access to the switch blanks. Start at the top with your nylon trim tool and gently snap the bezel out of the dash. There are four plastic prongs on the bezel that snap into metal tension clips in the dashboard. You'll need to disconnect the accessories in the upper switches to get access to the lower blanks. I had to disconnect PSM, central locking, and defroster. I didn't have to disconnect the windshield wiper potentiometer or the 12-V lighter; I just let the bezel dangle while I removed the blanks. Pop out the switch blanks by inserting the nylon trim tool in the back of the rectangular slot that holds the blank in place. The blank will push out from the front of the bezel and out the back. Snap the heated seat switches into the bezel where you popped the blanks out. Now you can reconnect all the accessories in the bezel and snap it back into the dash. Quick note, on my 996.2 the left heated seat had a white plug; the right heated seat had a black plug. Pay attention to how you route the heated seat connections. I cut away some of the cloth tape around the harness so the seat plugs would reach the switches in the bezel. Make sure the harnesses go through the correct holes in the bezel so you can get the HVAC and stereo back in place. (It should be obvious; just pay attention.) Reinstall the HVAC control, HVAC rectangular surround, and stereo. The heated seat harnesses should have plenty of slack to allow everything to fit back into place without binding. You can now turn your attention back to installing the console delete piece. Remove all the Torx screws that secure the center console. If memory serves, there are several to remove: Front edge of main console (T20) Underneath the shift boot (T20). The shift boot is held in place with four spring clips and two plastic prongs on the front edge (near the dashboard) of the boot. Insert your nylon tool and gently pop up the boot. Lift from the rear to slip the plastic prongs out. Lift up the boot to get access to the T20 under the boot. If you have the little storage cubby in place of the ashtray, pull the rubber mat up with your nylon tool and remove the two T30? plastic Torx screws. (I can't remember how the ashtray is attached, but it will be similar.) Pull the storage cubby out and remove the T20 screw hiding under there. Open the armrest, clean out all your junk, and remove the rubber mat. Remove the T20 in the rear of the armest to remove the black plastic piece that covers your handbrake cable. Remove the T20 screw in the front right corner of the armrest body. Pull the coin tray from the left front of the armrest cavity. Insert the nylon tool and pry upwards; the coin tray will pop right out. Remove the T20 screw from under the coin tray. I THINK that's all of them. The main console should be nice and loose now. If it isn't, we forgot a screw. (Sorry) The GT3 console delete trim piece has two holes on the front edge. Those holes need to be drilled out a little so they'll fit over the studs where you removed the 10mm nuts. Work the delete trim into place. It's a little fiddly, but not bad. Make sure the tabs on the back of the console delete trim slot onto the console rear support frame (silver metal frame near the firewall), and make sure the holes on the front of the delete trim slip over the studs under the front console. Put the main console back in place and reinsert all the screws. Hopefully you won't have any left over (aside from the four that originally secured the plastic console upright to the console frame). Slip the plastic prongs on the front of the shift boot into the main console body and snap the boot back into place. Insert the final trapezoidal piece of trim into the front of the main console. Unfortunately, I haven't yet found a piece in Savannah Beige so I had to settle for a black piece. Looks a bit out of place but it'll do for now. Clean up your stuff, put your tools away, and open a beer to celebrate the simplicity that is your retro GT3 console delete! Before. Need to wipe up that coffee spot! Heated seat switches pulled from the batwing and inserted in the HVAC bezel. Looks a lot better without the blanks. Getting the wiring in order. Make sure to run the wires through the right openings to connect to the switches. You should have plenty of slack in the wiring harnesses for everything to fit. The finished product. Nice and clean.

nice project!

Another couple of projects in the rear view mirror now. Late last week I replaced the engine mounts with these mounts from PRG Products . There's no point in a tech writeup because our friends at FCP Euro have an excellent video here . I ran into a couple of issues that had nothing to do with the process. PRG accidentally shipped the wrong bolts, so I had to get longer bolts from my local hardware store. Greg at PRG was monumentally helpful and apologetic for the oversight and inconvenience, and were more than generous with a partial refund. I have nothing but good things to say about their responsiveness and their effort to remedy the problem. The other issue was that somehow I didn't have the right deep sockets, so I had to get those as well. The only thing to note about installing the PRG motor mounts is that you have to secure the top of the hex bolt while you're tightening the nut on the bottom of the mount. (Factory motor mounts have a stud in the mount, so you can just tighten the bottom nut and then the two nuts in the engine bay.) It was quite easy with a couple of ratchets and a few extensions; I was able to hold the bolt on top with one socket and tighten the nut with the ratchet+extensions on the bottom just reaching around the bumper. Kind of like giving the car a hug. (Which may or may not happen periodically.) Tightened to torque specs and good to go. The old mounts were a little cracked but not as bad as I'd expected. There was no evidence that these had been replaced so with 75,000 miles and 19 years on the clock, I figured it was time. This was a VERY easy and gratifying project. There's no sense paying a shop to do this. I didn't even get to use the lift. Air box & secondary air out. Two nuts on the top of each mount, then one on the bottom. Looks like an original mount. Yeah, that bolt isn't going to work. Finished product, right side. Finished product, left side. Both mounts in. Time to put the air box and secondary air back.

Today was transmission mount day. This was a little tedious at times, but with the special tool from AGA, really straightforward. I had been experiencing some clunks during shifts, and a little vibration at times. Since the engine mounts had been original and I hadn't seen any evidence that the transmission mount had been replaced, I figured it would be another good project to knock out. I bought the (ahem!) $400 transmission mount installation tool from AGA , together with their Lemforder transmission mount. Spendy, for sure. But we also have a 986.2 Boxster and I have two friends with 997s, so this tool can get some more use. I also read several tech articles that the mount is usually a transmission-out job, which would be a nightmare if you don't otherwise need the tranny out. The unit from AGA is well made (it freaking better be!) and really made the project straightforward and satisfying. AGA has an indispensable video here: youtu.be/jwznwND__zc A few photos from the process: Annie in the "waiting room." The area of attention. The old mount. Rubber had separated from the aluminum sleeve. Small bottle jack to support the weight of the transmission. A couple of extensions and a universal joint do the trick on the upper transmission mount nuts. These little urethane washers help reduce vibrations. A few notes to self to get them back the right way. Just about to pop the mount out. Nice, clean sleeve. Use a little anti-seize compound to get the new mount started. Inside the sleeve: the old mount. Important torque specs for the transmission support to the body. Really a fun little project.

Nice. Changing the engine and transmission mounts made a big improvement in shift quality for me and really improved the overall drive.

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You may be able to rent the tool out on here as well. I made my own when I replaced the tiptronic mount but stupidly didn't replace the rubber mount when I swapped the manual transmission in. It's on my list of things to do but not sure my homemade tool will work.

Wow, another blue C4S in Evergreen (mines Midnight Blue Metallic)! Seems we�ve both been on a similar path, as I�ve been catching up on maintenance since purchase (to include engine mounts, all fluids, Rennline pedals &#128077 . Also had a harrowing first drive home, but my drive was Thornton to Evergreen�on summer tires�at 30 degrees�with snow on the ground. Hope to run into you!

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Yeah, I figured I might once the Boxster is done. I plan to do that in a few weeks and will start a new thread for the tool rental. The tool apparently does the 986, 996, 987, and 997 with manual. There's another piece you need for the Tip' that AGA sells separately.

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For sure! I'll DM you. I plan to do "Singer" stripes also when I do a paint correction this winter. Did you DIY them or have those done?

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I'll take a closer look at mine to see if my jackleg tool will work when its up on the lift. If not, I'll reach out.....

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I went DIY and have no regrets! Easy and inexpensive, and a good way to change things up with minimal investment. Wrapped a previous car myself, and have worked with vinyl since my teen years on dirt bikes.

$600 (idiot) PSA: If you have a four-post lift and you do a brake job, make sure you wipe out any accumulated brake cleaner from the gutters before you park underneath it again. I failed to pay attention to the mass of accumulated brake cleaner in my gutters and when I parked underneath the lift, a steady "drip... drip... drip..." of this nasty stuff trickled onto my taillight. It happened overnight so by the morning, the passenger taillight was indelibly stained. The light was also cracked, so I decided to swallow the (gulp!!) $600 for a replacement light. It could've been much worse! Nothing touched the paint. (whew!) No amount of cleaning would get rid of these nasty streaks. I thought about sanding it out but I noticed there was a preexisting crack in the lens anyway. These dudes aren't cheap!

That looks like a close call! Glad it stayed away from the paint! These taillights all seem to develop stress cracks (raises hand), so I was curious about replacements. Looks like that slid WAY down my list of priorities! LOVE the Porsche lettering on the reflector!!

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Thanks. I'm trying out the decal to see how I like it. I'm really pleased with it in general. The adhesive isn't as secure as I'd like so I'll eventually have it remade. It'd be great if a Rennlister with the correct font and a cutter would make these. I saw it on a 996 owned by a guy in Instagram. I reached out to him and he had this one as a spare, but I think it was a bit old so the adhesive isn't as robust as I'd like.

Moving my UAOS complaints here because there's no point in cluttering up the forum with an unnecessary post just to gripe. I've had good help from @Porschetech3 and a few others and I don't think I'm confused; just trouble with access and dry plastic parts that have been in place for 20 years in a dry climate. I'm just now able to get back to the UAOS project after two weeks of work travel. This may go down as one of the most unpleasant, fiddly projects I've ever undertaken. I have the AOS mounting bolts undone and the connector hose at the bottom of the AOS loose. It looks like the only thing holding the AOS in is the plastic circlip hose on the bottom left side of the AOS by the left intake. I can get the circlip to flex but just can't get the hose to pop off. I THINK that's the last step to get this part out, but it's every bit as hard as the bitch bolt under the intake manifold and the hidden 10mm nut on the bottom front of the AOS. It's buried under the AOS hose and the wiring harness that runs across the top of the fuel rail(?). If the photo isn't particularly helpful, it's because the position is nearly blind. I've been taking my time and have only broken one plastic bit (new one on the shelf), but this is a PITA. I tell myself I'll be a better man having done this, and I'm surely saving a good bit of money with the DIY, but a word to the wise: this project kind of sucks. At least on a .2 4S. This will be a good project to be done with.

how would it compare to dropping the motor to get access?

I really think that would have been the better move.

Yes, especially when you could do other things with it out. I would like to get the uaos and do other work. Apparently it's possible engine-in so good luck with your progress.

I'd be interested in renting the trans mount tool. If you have any interest just shoot me a PM. EDIT... This forum can be an awesome place. A very kind RL'r saw my post and is getting me sorted. Glad I have @imhighlander DIY post to refer to when I tackle the job.

Sounds good @zbomb . I figure the "rental" cost will be the full original price of the tool. Once you're done and you send it back in good working order, I'd refund the price minus $50 for the actual "rental." You'd pay shipping both ways. Is that a fair deal? BTW, the tool cost me $450, so that's the deposit I'd look for. https://agatools.com/collections/too...16924684156974

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Another member reached out to help me out - but thank you. Maybe a good thing you got the info out there as it could definitely help someone out in the future. Like I said above, great write up - I'll be referencing it soon.

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Good deal. You'll have no trouble. I've followed your threads, so this will be a cakewalk for you.

If you are struggling with the Norma Quick Connnectors there are some tools to make life easier...Quick Connectors are mainly designed for "quick assembly" on the assembly line to save labor cost/time and not nessesarily designed for "quick dissasembly" ...so can be challengine in some circumstances.. As a "pro finesser" I don't find the special tools nessesary , but they can be helpfull in some cases... Either one of these will work .. https://www.nationaltoolwarehouse.co...l-P314208.aspx https://lnengineering.com/products/p...86-models.html

After laboring over the UAOS install intermittently for a month, I got the car fired up, took her for a bath (previous post), and took her for a spin. Realized way too late that I should've had the battery on a tender. Car was idle for a month and it frankly just skipped my mind. Somewhere around 6:30 PM near Morrison, all warning lights and errors start popping and I'm losing power. Ended up towed to a local indy for diagnostics but 99% sure I just killed the battery. I had to be wheels up again today and with all the UAOS install time, I wasn't willing to tow it home and diagnose there. Hopefully she'll be done by the time I get home.

If the car was running and died its more then likely the alt. Maybe u didnt tighten the charge wire?

Long time since I posted on this thread; too busy enjoying the car and working on other stuff. Now that winter has landed in the Rockies, the 911 is off the road for several weeks while get started on a load of projects I've deferred for driving season. Here's what's on the menu this winter: This will keep me busy. Annoying scuff. Need to sort that before paint correction. Calipers have peeled clearcoat. Ducktail-type tea tray on order from DNS (Britain). Gauge faces in tartan. Brake lines in the queue with suspension work.

Not pictured, but parts on hand: Feal coilovers Retrofit labs HID kit (replacing the LED kit, which is annoyingly bright. That LED kit will be for sale.) Spoiler switch, which has been sitting around for two years Grill inserts, also sitting around for an embarrassingly long time

Converting 996 C4S to C"2"S. (Convert AWD to RWD). Largely following @Capt. Obvious 's help thread located here , I converted my C4S to a C"2"S over the weekend. I took a few notes and will do the write-up here, and I'll also cross post to his thread for those who might find the additional info useful. This is not a daunting project. Echoing others from the Captain's thread, Porsche's engineering for the AWD system is impressive. Simple, lightweight, and well organized. So why did I want to make my AWD a RWD only? A few reasons: First, my transfer case was showing some leaks. Nothing bad, but it would need attention at some point. It will be free to a good home, provided someone wants to come pick it up in Colorado. Second, I want more tire options than the limited options available for the AWD setup. Now, different tire diameters aren't such a problem. Third, I no longer drive the 996 in particularly nasty weather or heavy snow. I don't pamper her, but I have an old Land Cruiser I now drive in winter and when the roads are crappy. Finally, why not? I like the idea of a slightly more tossable 911 and I had loads of free time over the Thanksgiving break. Everything is pretty light. The transfer case is cast aluminum and if you remove the front axles and the drive shaft first, nothing is particularly heavy or unwieldy. My approach was a little different than the Captain's, because I had my entire suspension out at the time. Below is my step-by-step process as best I can remember. It will help if you spray a little PB Blaster on the hardware before you get started. Pop center caps off the front wheels. Loosen front axle nuts. (Nut is 32mm. I had to stand on a breaker bar to loosen the nuts.) Loosen wheel lug nuts/studs. (Nuts are 19mm.) (Makes it easier to remove.) Jack up & secure car. Remove wheels. (Nuts are 19mm) Remove all plastic splash guards/trays. (I needed a flat screwdriver for front clips, 10mm socket/ratchet, T–20, T–30 drivers/bits.) Remove 2-piece V-shaped brace under differential. (Four 16mm bolts) Disconnect axle shafts at differential. (5mm hex, I think. Maybe 6mm.) Counter-hold other side. Press axle shafts out of wheel carrier. I put a dead blow hammer on the axle stud and hit the dead blow with a 2-lb sledge. Remove axle shafts from vehicle. You'll have to separate the outer part of the axle shaft at the joint. The teeth on the outer part of the shaft integrate with the ABS system at the wheel carrier, so you'll need that section. Separating the axle shaft was singularly the most difficult part of the process. Because I'm a barbarian, I cleaned out all the grease around the bearings and then I took a chisel to the bearing races. Several healthy blows later, the ball bearings are on the floor and the axle comes apart. You're committed at this point. Go to rear of car. Support transmission with jack, then remove the rear bracket from the body where the drive shaft meets the transmission. (Nuts are 15mm) Remove 3 bolts attaching drive shaft to transmission. (Bolts are 15mm.) Remove plastic bracket supporting coolant lines. Remove 10mm bolt, then gently wiggle plastic bracket to unclip it. Remove bolt that holds transfer case to body mount. (15 mm, I think.) Remove 4 bolts/nuts at the T-case body mount (15mm). Work the drive shaft loose and set it aside. Remove 2 nuts on the front transfer case mount. (15mm) Cut the plastic splash guard under the gas tank. (You won't be able to drop the transfer case otherwise.) Super easy with a hack saw. Wiggle transfer case down and off the mounting studs. Be careful to not damage the aluminum coolant lines. This was pretty tricky, as the rubber mount bushings need to flex a lot to get the transfer case off the studs. Put all the brackets and braces back in place. It seems to me that while you want to get the axle nuts nice and tight, fully torquing them to spec isn't necessary (and may not be possible). It seems like the only purpose of the axle stub is to maintain ABS functionality, since the front axle doesn't "drive" anymore. I haven't reassembled things yet (working on suspension still) but I plan to just use blue Loctite and get the axle nuts as snug as possible. You now have a rear wheel drive widebody N/A 996! Red arrows note various bolts described above. This is from the front of the vehicle looking toward the engine. The horizontal brace has a 10mm bolt that holds a plastic bracket in place to support the coolant lines. The rest of the bolts are either 15mm or 16mm. The red arrows show the bolts for the "V-brace" under the transfer case. The green arrows show the nuts that hold the transfer case on the mounting studs. The orange lines show where I cut the gas tank splash guard with a hacksaw. The blue arrows show the bolts that hold the drive shaft guibo to the transmission. (Top one is hidden by drive shaft.)

You want to properly torque the front stub axles as they hold the front wheel bearings together. The protector for the gas tank comes out very easily if you remove the two straps. The gas tank won't fall out as it's secured with other connections. Do it as empty as you can just in case. You will have a tough time getting the front underbody panel back on as it clips to that protective cover. No need to support the transmission when you remove the W shaped sheet metal piece. The front trans mount stays in place. I reinstalled the support that holds the back of the front diff, I used to to support my transmission cooler lines. I weighed the parts that I removed and they were lighter than I expected. I recall the total weight was around 100 lbs.

Good point, @theprf To that end, I'm not inclined to order new axle nuts unless I can find them locally. I'll likely just apply Loctite and torque them down. A bit more progress today. Rear coilovers installed & brake lines replaced with Rennline SS lines. The 20-year old rubber lines were very hard, so it's probably a good thing to have done. Replaced gauge faces with tartan to match the seats. (Thanks www.GaugeFaces.com ) Installed spoiler control switch in the remaining blank in the horseshoe. Unfortunately, the instructions aren't entirely clear on how to wire it, so that's a bit more homework to do. When I put the gauge cluster back in, I plan to put a thin layer of felt under the cluster to avoid squeaks. Pulled the front bumper skin to get a paint quote this coming week. I'll also have the DNS ducktail tea tray painted as well. Waiting for FCP to deliver my LCAs so I can start putting the front suspension back together. Also, I have t ship the calipers off to PMB for restoration. Loose wires run from spoiler switch in horseshoe. Instructions seem a little unclear. I {THINK} it's referring to the gray Molex plug. New Rennline brake lines and Feal 441 installed. (Rear.) Front brake line. Waiting on new LCAs before installing front struts. Original faces Tartan to match the seats. The horseshoe is full. The spoiler button doesn't look exactly the same as the others, but it's probably good enough.

You�ve been busy!! I�m VERY curious about the switch to RWD. All those details are coming together nicely!

imhighlander said: " Installed spoiler control switch in the remaining blank in the horseshoe. Unfortunately, the instructions aren't entirely clear on how to wire it, so that's a bit more homework to do. When I put the gauge cluster back in, I plan to put a thin layer of felt under the cluster to avoid squeaks. +++++++++++++++++++++++ Great job on all of your tasks and improvements! Where are what part number-$-etc for the control switch thing for rear spoiler Up/Down to put in the horseshoe? What is the problem with wiring? Does the footwell switch still work or is it Footwell or Horseshoe, not both? Very interested. How thick was felt and was it on all of the horseshoe or just sides or top or something? Curious. Where did you get rear red-band part that says PORSCHE across the back? Cost and source? cheers, YMMV sb14

Thanks for the encouraging word. I paid $40 for the switch. I bought it off eBay from a seller called "porsche_gadgets." This is the one I bought. I don't think there's a problem with the wiring; the instructions are just unclear. I need to do a little homework to better understand how to connect the wires behind the dashboard. Yes, the footwell switch does still work; that will be unaffected by wiring in the switch in the horseshoe. The felt I'm referring to will go on the plastic underneath the instrument binnacle when I put it back in. (Which will be after I figure out the spoiler switch wiring.) I've had a slight squeak near the instrument cluster, especially in cold weather. I suspect it's just a little plastic-on-plastic or plastic-on-leather squeak. Gluing a wee bit of thin felt underneath should sort it. The "PORSCHE" lettering on the heckblende came from a dude in Scandinavia somewhere. I came across his profile "Don Maso" on Instagram, and I reached out. He sold it to me and said it was his last one, but I think someone could do well recreating these. It's just commercial grade red reflective decal material with the right font set. I get compliments on that all the time because it's a nice nod to the old school.

Torque the front axle nuts to 340 ft lbs. The nuts are one-time use so it is best to replace them. 200 lbs on the end of a 18” breaker bar should get t\you to the proper torque. Mark

Hi cool build thread. Sent you a pm

A few more updated photos from the latest few projects. Wiring up auxiliary fogs. "Baja Designs" fogs in the center. (Yes, I let my wife drive my car. Sometimes.) I never get tired of this angle. Yes, my tags are expired. Ducktail installed. Fresh from new bumper paint. Snow shoes on. I hate the way this drives with snow tires. Those are now off with proper summer rubber! I'll be selling these wheels, I think. Thanks to PMB Performance for amazing rebuild on the calipers!