My '99 C2 Mod Thread

This is my new favorite car I've ever owned. Big statement after only a week for a guy that struggles to keep a car for more than a year but it was love at first drive. So I've got big plans for her but I'm going to progress along one step at a time and enjoy the process. I haven't worked on cars much and almost none in the last 20 years. But with all of the great resources and people in the 996 community, I plan to do as much as I can myself and learn as I go. The IMS, Clutch, RMS, thermostat and Coolant Reservoir were all done by the previous owner. So my first upgrade was an SSK. The Numeric was recommended to me on here and it is a piece of art. Before: After:

Took it for a spin. Huge improvement. The stock 996 shifter was really really bad. Not sure if it was age or bad design but I really disliked it. It's been a year since I've had the Porsche SSK and I'm not sure I can tell a huge difference between it and the Numeric. Maybe if I used them closer together I'd be able to discern between them better. But they are both excellent products IMO. Swapped out the console while I was at it. The old one had a broken door on it. Picked one up off of eBay for $150 then permanently locked the door to hopefully keep it from breaking again. It's a good thing because I broke a tab off the ebrake panel while removing it. Live and learn.

I've installed the 997 shifter but the numeric shifter looks like it might be in a class of its own. Is it an SSK like the 997 SSK or is it adjustable? What grease did you use on the cable ends?

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It has 3 positions of adjustment that are basically standard, short, and super short. I set it in the middle and it is very tight. I had an 997TT that I upgraded from the standard shifter to the Porsche SSK. It took a good shifter and made it feel great IMO. The numeric is definitely another step up from there but tough to say if it's a big enough step to justify the difference. The existing cable end still had plenty of grease in it so I didn't add any additional. It has some wear on it though so I will probably replace them at some point.

I did replace my cable ends whilst I was there, they weren't worn but I did it anyway and greased both with new lithium grease. Awesome shifter but I think I'm itching for an even shorter 997 SSK kit! Anyway, numeric looks great

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FYI, the medium setting on the numeric seems about the same as the 997SSK. I might have to try out the "short setting" when I replace the cable ends. It is supposed decrease throw by 40% as opposed to the 35% on the 997SSK.

First CEL today. Only a slight panic. But it just so happened that my Durametric arrived today! 6 actually but that's another story. Whipped out my Surface 2, plugged it in, and like magic I had access to the ECU. I was giddy. Error code P0112. Looked it up, changed air filter (was on list for this week anyways) and cleared the code. Hopefully it was that simple but we will see.

I'm glad the Durametric worked on your '99, it found a coil problem error on mine, but it will not find the airbag light error. This seems to be a problem with the '99s hopefully yours will work out for you.

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Good to know. I'll watch the release notes to see if they hopefully address the issue in an update. Started on the AOS replacement last night. The rear plenum kicked my *** following the pelican guide. Found good info on dropping the engine and loosening the manifold first here on Rennlist. Wish I'd researched it more beforehand. At least I now have hope of getting it back together.

Holy crud I think I did it! Here's what I've been working on this week: 1. Change out AOS 2. Change out Water pump 3. install Spin on Oil Adapter and magnetic drain plug 4. Change Spart Plugs 5. Upgrade Motor Mounts to Rennline adjustable All in all it took me about 40 hours and using a couple of lifelines to Ahsai when I was stuck (thanks bro!) That's probably about twice as what it should take but every little step seemed to present it's own challenge. The AOS sucked as bad as advertised. Getting the plenums off was almost my downfall. Luckily I read to drop the engine 3" and put the plenums on before tightening the manifold so putting them back on went a little better. I swear, for novice DIY, the AOS almost seemed like a right of passage, complete with mental and physical hazing. But when I started her back up just now, she was purring like a kitten, or more like a tiger with the new engine mounts. All in all it was an absolute blast and I learned a crazy amount. Fingers crossed that it runs as well when I get it back on the road. Next up: Changing the brake fluid to Motul 600 and trying out the EBC Red Stuff Brake pads. My DE is next Friday and I'm pretty fired up about it.

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How do you like them so far (and which polyurethane insert are you using)? I was looking at the Rennline Semi-solids or the RSS Tarmacs. Why did you choose the RL ones? Also, wow, that's a ton of work to do. I don't think I'm brave enough to DIY the AOS, holy crap. Congrats!

Good job Slakker, have fun at your DE next week!

The Rennline were a good price and well reviewed. I think it was KCAttorney that recommended changing the mounts when I first got on the forum and what a huge difference it would make. But since my goal is a trackable daily driver, I didn't know how aggressive of a mount to get. So the adjustability of the Rennline seemed a perfect choice. Thanks Trims!

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For the effort of replacing AOS, I would've suggested the motorsport AOS which is more beefy. I hope you don't end up blowing your stock AOS prematurely tracking your car. Also, hope you don't develop leaks soon from the spark plug tubes. Not sure if the tubes and o-rings are original but usually these along with coil packs are replaced together as it's not that much more labor. Either way, sounds like you are getting closer to being track ready. Good Luck.

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Ok. Good info. Learning as I go. AOS should be easier second time through. Jake recommended replacing it every 3 years but if I end up getting in more DE than Autocross days I will upgrade it to the Motorsport version When you say tubes and orings, are you talking about the tubes connected to the coils and the orings on the spark plug? Thx!

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The 996.1 mk1('99-'01) cars have Sparkplug tubes that is wrapped around the spark plugs and provides the spark plug walls. The coil tubes then slide into this to meet up with the spark plug tip. I'm sure there's a more effective way to explain it but bottom line is that the plastic can get brittle from all the heat cycles and can break along with the O-rings that surround this which can deteriorate as well over time. Generally these can last 70-100k miles before replacement.

Fascinating. I had no idea. I'll look at swapping them next time I change the plugs (10k from now). Sounds like a bit of a bear to do though.

Honestly, I would wait until it starts leaking. As you said, it can be a bear and not something you want to do unless you have to. This isn't one of those things that's gonna blow up your motor so you can afford to hold off until the next time you're doing something down there. Not sure what plugs you used but 10k change intervals seems a bit premature to me.

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There is a repair kit for the door. It's an easy install and much more robust than the original hinge. http://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Inf...52-960-01-M100

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Ok. Sounds good. I read in the 101 projects book every 10k miles and thought that seemed a little short. Lol, that probably would have save me a few dollars. Good to know for next time.

Finished Phase 1 of Maintenance/Mods and surprisingly it all went back together. As a newbie DIY mechanic I was pretty nervous I had messed something up without catching it but it seems to be running really well (knock on wood). Here's a running total of work so far including costs: Durametric Pro (group buy) - $560 Replaced Center Console (Ebay) - $150 Installed Numeric SSK - $600 Installed Spin on Oil Filter Adapter, Mag Plug, Case of DT40 - $333 Replaced Water Pump - $375 Installed Rennline Adjustable Engine Mounts - $370 Replaced AOS - $250 Replaced Spark Plugs (bought at dealer, ouch) - $130 Powder Coat Wheels - $300 Mount and Balance Pilot Super Sports (an extra set that came with car) - $40 Upgraded to EBC Red Stuff Brake Pads - $320 Changed Brake Fluid to Motul 500 - $50 Replaced Windshield - $380 Sub total: $3,858 Car: $14,500 Total to Date: $18,358 Throw in another $1700 for tools and a helmet and I'm at about $20k. The sad thing is I could easily spend another 45k on my wish list (Raby motor upgrade, suspension, wheels/tires, seats/bar) but no need to get carried away yet. I'm still on the fence on whether to stick to the Numeric shifter or downgrade to a Porsche SSK. I like the Porsche SSK feel a little better for daily driving but I think the numeric will feel better on track days. I went with EBC Red Stuff hoping to find a pad that will work well for both DD and DE. The price and low dust were added benefits and I can always buy a set of Pagid Yellow on down the road for track days. The Rennline engine mounts currently have the racing inserts and they are pretty aggressive. The sound of the engine is more pronounced which I love, improved handling, but there is a significant vibration/hum at 4k RPMs. I'll wait a week to see if I adjust then bump down to the sport inserts if it becomes annoying. First DE is this Friday at Hallet Raceway then AutoX with the PCA club the next weekend. I can't wait to see how she does.

You broke the first rule of modding, never keep tabs or records on it.

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Lol. Should be OK as long as my wife doesn't look on here.

From this: To this: I know powder coated wheels is a small change but it's probably my favorite so far.

Looks great!

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I know exactly how you feel. I have a list of things I want to add to my car, and while none of them are super exorbitant (wheels and suspension are the only big ticket items), the small stuff adds up quick. Few hundred bucks here (semi-solid mounts), few hundred bucks there (new shift **** and console), and all of a sudden we're talking real money. The current object of my desire is an exterior colour matching center console, which I didn't even consider before but now that I've seen it, is something I don't think I can live without.

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sounds like you'll be bored pretty soon - can you fly up to seattle and remove my center console for me and paint it silver

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Dark wheels look nice but you're going to have to work on keeping those tires cleaned and shined now!

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Lol. I get it. Sure! Lol, yes, yes I am.

some interior choices.

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That looks awesome! Very nice. Which seats and pedals are those? Also, have your Girodisks been worth it?

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Seats are leather gt3

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There we go! Looking sharp!

You have great taste! Guess I need to lose the pumpkins... And I'm still on the fence about getting some tint.

Love it! I was fine with silver and meh about the turbo twists when I got it. I thought the black powder coat might help but wasn't sure. Then I saw a picture of Jscaramella's and I was like "That is it!" https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...completed.html

Mine are just plasti-dipped! Needs to be redone now though as it's getting a bit ragged. However I've got a set of 18" Carerra 5-spoke wheels that will go on once I wear out the current rubber. Still trying to decide if I will leave them silver or not...

Here's mine.

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Coming into the Porsche world from the outside, the turbo twists are bizarre. Once you've been around though, they are classic, quintessential 996.

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Damn that looks good! Is the aero kit factory or add on? Silver 996s with black wheels is the only way to roll.

2003 C2 Seal Gray 6spd 72k mi, currently replacing a few minor interior parts, upgrading the shifter to a 997 for a more solid shift, looking to try the fabspeed cf dual cone intake to free up some sound and power. Have changed the oil, no metal or sign of trouble in the oil pan. Going to get the RMS / IMSb inspected shortly to see if there are any obvious warning signs. New michelin ps pair coming in tomorrow for the fronts. this look has me powerless

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Saweet! You will enjoy the shifter upgrade. The 996 shifter is really really bad, IMO. I do like the cold air intakes but that and exhaust are way down on my list right now. Still focused on suspension, braking and maybe a racing seat...

997 shifter is a must! Installed one recently, quite straight forward. Couldn't be happier with it!

GT2 Brake ducts. Because you can never be too cool! (And because I seemed to have developed a slight bargain shoppers addiction to the Rennlist Classifieds.)

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This is a slippery slope! I'm totally watching what you with your car, so that it can be the guinea pig instead of my own.

And the rears are going to work amazing! (At keeping the wheels cool until I upgrade to a BBK.)

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Slippery may be an understatement! Lol. The closer I get to being "done" the more I think of that needs to be done! Surely I won't use the $150 used ducts as an excuse to upgrade the brakes. Surely!?!?!

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It's as good as done already. Haha.

Hawk DTC-70 pads installed and bedded for car control clinic tomorrow and AutoX on Sun. Removed brake dampeners and zip tied back wear sensors while I was at it. Did 7 - 75-35mph braking runs bed them then parked it in the garage to cool overnight. The Hawks are a significant improvement from OEM and Red Stuff pads. I now know what they mean by the term "initial bite." These sucker can stop. But if they decide to squeal at a stop sign, it is insanely loud. I'll definitely be switching back the EBC for the daily commute.

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It's pretty sad when our cars come with good Brembo brakes and cross drilled rotors, yet that's not even good enough for us. Lol. While other peeps with "normal" cars can only dream of having Brembo brakes on their rides. I'm just as guilty though. First world problems...

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You said it ... after a few years of "improving" various things and a fair amount of preventative maintenance, I'm still finding absolutely unnecessary stuff to replace. Pretty soon it'll be time to start re-replacing stuff. Oh well, at least I actually drive the car every once in a while.

Lol! First world problems indeed!

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My wife's CTS Coupe has big honking Brembo's on 19" rims - way bigger than my 996 but the 996 can out brake the Caddie all day long. Weight is the final frontier no matter the brakes! My 99 is sitting at 2980lbs (had it weighed at the track) and the CTS is 4000lbs or around that. Mind you the CTS IS a better ride for cross country travel.

Weight does matter! Did Autocross and Car control this weekend with a new set of Hawk DTC-70 pads and they felt amazing! I still haven't adjusted to how quickly they stop now. The two times at AutoX that I nailed my braking spot into a hairpin I nearly wet myself it was so late. Lol. Brakes are back down on the list for awhile. Suspension is top priority at the moment.

Swapped the wheels and brake pads back out last night. Took 28 minutes without trying to hurry or anything. Having the dampeners removed and the sensors tied back was a major time saver. Was amazed by how big of a difference it was going from the DTC-70 pads back to the EBC Red Stuff. I felt like something was wrong at first but just had to get used to pushing the pedal a lot harder to stop half as fast. The DTC-70 on stock rotors will provide all the stopping power I need for awhile.

OK, here's the list for the next round of upgrades. It's based on what I've been able to learn on Rennlist and advice from my local pcar race mechanic who will be doing the alignment for me. - KW V3 Coilovers (used) - Tarett Rear Toe Links - Tarett GT Series Front and Rear Sway bars (was going to go H&R but they are only 2-hole adjustment on the C2) - Tarett F/R Drop Links - Oil pan and baffle upgrade - Driven XP9 - Reinstall Rennline Engine Mounts with Race Inserts (NVH subsided some as the Sport Inserts broke-in) Augmented with: - 245/40/18 in the front on 8.5x18 et 53 - 315/30/18 in the rear on 12x18 et 68

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Sounds like a very fun setup. I'm sure it will be a monster out on the track.

F/R Sway bars, F/R drop links, and rear toe links from Tarret. Doesn't look like $1500 in parts but damn their made well. And Tarret was awesome to deal with. Especially after a misfire and canceled order with Torque Solutions(toe links) off of eBay.

Got the coilovers, sway bars, drop links and rear toe links installed. Still need to adjust out the height but things are starting to look a lot better under here.

So much shiny! You are a bad influence. Did you try going back to the stiffer motor mount inserts yet? I'm running the reds and have zero issues with them.

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I haven't. I was a little worried about the effect of the vibration on the motor. At 4K RPM do you have a distinct escalation in nvh that you know is 4K without looking?

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The only time I can feel anything resonating in the cabin is around 3200-3500 when just cruising, but it doesn't feel like nearly enough vibration to be a concern. I was expecting quite a lot more NVH over what I've experienced thus far. I'll probably add the transmission mount inserts in the near future as well. Love the feel of a tight drivetrain.

Cool. I don't miss them daily driving but I will probably put them back in for the track.

In other news, I put my deposit in for upgrading to a Flat6 3.8. I compared what I will have in my car when done with engine and all of my mods (50-55K) versus what else I could buy in that price range and there was nothing else I wanted. There is just something special about this one and I love how much feel for the car that you have when driving it. I thought about going the "roller" route like Pete but I already have so much work into this one that I've grown very attached. Some of the things that influenced my decision: - JR says the '99 is the best and I value his opinion - I prefer the feel of NA over Turbo engines. The smooth power curves feel incredible to me. Snowboarding on deep fresh powder is the only thing I can compare it to. - I went with the 3.8 over the 4.0 because it has wider power band which I think I will enjoy - It will be nice not having to worry about the inherent deficiencies of my engine. - GT3's don't have back seats - it will be fun having people underestimate my car at DE and AutoX events. Especially if I can get my piloting skills up to match it. It's scheduled to go under the knife in January of '17 and I'll have it back mid may. But in the meantime, I'll have a lot of fun enjoying it just as it is.

WOW! Good for you! FSI and Jake are the best hands down. You will enjoy the experience...I hate the word journey.

Thanks! I enjoyed reading the thread on your car and it definitely played a part in my decision. I'm really looking forward to the whole process.

Damn, that's some major love and dedication right there. I can't think of the last time someone here electively decided to upgrade their good running motor to a FSI stroker motor.

I'd be curious to know what the difference in cost is if you drive it in vs. having to haul it in.

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May not be a difference since they use so little of the original engine but this way you are guaranteed not to screw up any of the parts they do use. The rebuild is going to cost somewhere in the neighborhood of high 20's but less than 30 by the time it is done including return shipping and add-ons. I was already mentally budgeting for a rebuild simply because I didn't want to let a blown engine ruin my day. This car really wants to have about another 50-70rwhp to take it to the next level but there is no way I could justify that much just for the horsepower alone. But then I started looking at all of the other benefits: smoother running engine, better power band, if the engine blows before Jan. I am already on the schedule, and knowing that I have a solid built engine with no major design flaws. But the part that pushed it over the edge was being able to own a piece of engineering art from a master craftsman. It's tough to gauge what it will do to the resale value of the car. To those that know the 996 and FSI, it may be worth full price to have one without having to wait a year. To the general public it won't add much value. But I bought this car to keep and to drive. So hopefully I won't have to cross that road anytime soon.

Your build is going to be phenomenal as it comes together. FSI rebuild sounds awesome. In a dream life...

Another RL Classifieds impulse buy. No more excuses not to learn heel/toe.

Dude, save some parts for the rest of us!!

You bailed on the Rennline motor mounts? (I saw them listed in the parts FS forum...) Just too much additional NVH? I was thinking about getting a set and running the softest inserts.

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I had an issue with them and when I took them out for awhile, I didn't miss them. I don't know if my stock mounts are in really good shape or what. I put the Rennline back in yesterday, test drove them, pulled them back out and sold them. I could live with the 4k RPM vibration (Blue inserts) if I felt like it was really shaving time at the track. Plus, I am SOOO far over budget on my build and the list is getting longer not shorter. Net net, I basically swapped the engine mounts for camber plates today. It was a good day.

Ah yeah, I almost definitely need new engine mounts, which is why going semi-solid is on my list of things to consider. I might also do one of the transmission mount inserts at the same time. Too many parts to mess with!

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I like the transmission inserts as well. Much cleaner than a full swapout in the mk1's.

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these look good - i might have to splurge

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The throttle has the adjustable extension plate (optional) that brings it almost level with the brake. The brake and clutch pedals are a little larger also. I wasn't sure about the feel at first but it's turned out to be a really nice setup.

Well, just confirmed that my oil pan has the tinsiest tiniest leak after installing the deep sump X51 baffle upgrade. :grrr: Oh well, chalk it up as another learning experience. Getting lots of opportunities to improve through repetition while working on this car. Lol. Edit: Definitely went quicker the second time. Found where the loctite 5900 bead was a little to far to the inside on a straightaway and created a small gap. Should be good this time.

Leave the oil leak alone and tell everyone it's an aircooled car

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Ha, they say the '99 is the closest water cooled there is. It would have gotten me 1 step closer. Wish I'd thought of that.

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I was actually surprised that the original baffle was as beefy as it was.

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It is beefy and since it's submerged in oil, it has a very low chance of the plastic getting brittle since it doesn't have to face high heat situations. The biggest deficit though is the lack of two critically important baffling points to contain the oil. If they would've added just those two baffles you see on the right hand side, it could've made all the difference.

Ahhh, that makes sense.

So I finally got the car back on the track for my second DE day ever. I�ve been exploring the limits of cars since I could drive but now I�m finally doing it in the proper setting. Both times were at Hallet but the first was CCW and this time was CW direction. So I had to learn the line each time from instructors and the weather was pretty similar. According to race optimal, the CW direction should have been about .5 second slower using a miata as a reference car. Here�s the comparison. Day 1 � CCW � Able to hit 1:40s and 1:41s consistently without traffic Wheels/Tires � Turbo Twists w/ Pilot Super sports 225/40/18F 265/35/18R � 38psi f/r Pads � EBC Red Stuff Suspension � Stock Alignment - Unknown Day 2 � CW � Consistently running 1:35s and 1:36s Wheels/Tires � CCW C10 w/NT01 245/40/18F and 315/30/18R � 34psi f/r Pads � Hawk DTC70 Suspension � KW V3 Coilovers Bump/Compression 6/6F 3/6R, Tarret GT3 Sway bars and Drop Links (3F/3R) Alignment � Toe � 0F/.25R, Camber - -1.8F/-2.5R The car felt amazing. The car was much more responsive, it handled predictably with no float, and the braking was consistent and never faded. There was still some understeer that needs to be dialed out but it was only noticeable when I got on the throttle too early (a tendency of mine) mid corner and was trying to fight to hold my line exiting the corner. Here is a video using Harry�s Lap Timer on my Iphone with a Bluetooth ODB II connection. Hallet Motor Speedway - Clockwise - YouTube And here is an updated build cost. Posting this may seem weird to some but to me it�s just more data. I really wish more people would track and post theirs as I find it fascinating. 3/15/2016 99 911 C2 Coupe w/79k miles $14,500 3/25/2016 Extra Center Console (used) $150 3/28/2016 Durametric $560 3/28/2016 Oil Change Kit and Adapter $333 3/28/2016 Numeric Shifter (blem) $600 3/28/2016 Water pump $373 3/29/2016 AOS $250 4/11/2016 Powder coat wheels $360 4/11/2016 Brakes - Pads and Fluid $375 4/11/2016 Spark Plugs $130 4/11/2016 Windshield $380 4/13/2016 Coilovers (used) $2,100 4/17/2016 17" Track tires and Wheels (used) $400 4/17/2016 DTC-70 Pads $440 4/17/2016 Motul600 Brake fluid $60 4/19/2016 FVD Oil Sump and Baffle $565 4/19/2016 XP9 Oil and Filter $191 5/4/2016 NT01 Tires $940 4/26/2016 Tarret GT3 Sway Bars, Drop Links, Rear Toe Link $1,500 5/4/2016 CCW 18x9 and 18x12 Wheels GT3 Offset (used) $1,200 4/26/2016 Rennline Pedals (used) $150 4/26/2016 Recaro SPD Seat (used) $420 5/12/2016 Seat Brackets $120 5/13/2016 Alignment $250 5/15/2016 Dual Sky Pro GPS , GO Point ODB II and Mount for Harry's $290 Total: $26,637

Our purchase price and 'all-in' costs are just about identical! You really need a Fister exhaust! This was my second DE a couple weeks ago. I need your GPS/OBD combo, as mine doesn't have a fast enough refresh rate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kIFp1PMU9g

Slakker- Nice! Glad to see everything come together. Now the trick is to stop modding so you can learn to drive with a consistent platform. Try to get at least 6 days under your belt without changing the car. I have to say, I don't see how that aftermarket baffle would work better than the OEM. Someone help me out here. The whole issue is under sustained lateral loads, the oil pushes to the side of the pan and stays their (left turn, all the oil moves to the right of the pan). The OEM has taller walls that curve around. In my mind, the aftermarket pan would allow more oil to spill around the side of the baffle since it doesn't curve around like OEM.

Good advice. I needed to hear that. I know the old timers told me to keep it stock with street tires but I just didn't like the way it handled. Both my M3 and 997tt(in sport mode) felt much better. Now it feels like I hoped it would. One question, should I install the GT3 lower control arms to fix the caster and get the front camber to -3.5 or just rock what I got for now?

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Well it looked like it drives ok. I guess I'd only be in a hurry to buy control arms if your tire wear is terrible (front outside tire edge). Just from a cost perspective.

They are sitting on the shelf along with mono ball LCA's for the rear and a set of RSS dogbones. Another classifieds deal, go figure. But the car feels great so I'll probably just wait until winter to install them.

This is not what I intended to do when I got home at 10pm tonight. But I've had a decat xpipe for awhile and when going through the spare parts that came with the new '99 C2, I found a Fabspeed CAI upgrade, BMC filter, and a Mille Miglia exhaust. The CAI and BMC didn't seem to add anymore power than powder coating the wheels but it makes a cool little sound at WOT. So now to see what the whole setup does for it....

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Test pipe makes a VERY tangible difference. From mid range all the way up.

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Did you make a new post on this? I must've missed it but I guess my guess was right when I suspected you would be getting another 996.

You were right. Ha! I've made a few random posts about it but will start a new thread for it as well. I do think it's cool that if I ever sell, I'll have a good place for a potential buyer to see the full history of it with me, good and bad.

The new exhaust setup feels great. The car definitely feels like it can breathe better. For a random muffler that came as a spare part, the Mille Maglia mated with the Fabspeed cat bypass xpipe sounds really good. Deep base at low rpm, tame for normal driving, exotic at WOT. And they shaved 18lbs off of the stock mufflers.

Quick update on this guy. It's hard to believe I've posted almost nothing on it since I got the track car. I initially took everything back to stock except the decat x-pipe and Mille Mulfflers. Now I'm looking to turn it into the minimalist track monster. Well, except for the Raby 3.8L Track Package being installed of course. It currently has $200 beat to crap coilovers, a front Gt3 sway off a boxster, race pads and Motul 600. I'm going to try and pull some weight off, get a rear sway bar, throw on some slicks and see what it can do. Should get it back from GA towards the end of next month.

I don't even know which of yours cars you're talking about anymore...

What cross pipe?

Fabspeed

So, I'd like to know how you've gotten two engines built by FSI in the last three months, and all the while Jake is saying he's got a 1 year backlog... Different backlog? Maybe that's on repairs? That RND engine in the "blue monster" looks nice!

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The 3.4L Stocker is one he tries to keep in stock. The 3.8L Track Package I signed a contract and made the down payment on 5/3/16 after my 2nd track day in this car. It's due for completion 5/15/17.

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Too bad you already sold those KW V3's and Tarett bars, eh? How much weight can be removed while still keeping the car fairly civilized for street use? I've pulled out the rear seats, but that's not much of a change. Are you going to add a roll bar and race seats + harness? I imagine switching the front seats to GT3-style seats would drop quite a few lbs. Every time I think about taking mine back on track, I start thinking about safety gear and get derailed... clearly I need to follow your lead and get a dedicated track car!

Rear seats, swap out front seats, and going to try the 3.5lbs battery but carry a jump starter with me. Also deleting the AC compressor. Should add up to around 100+ lbs. The V3 are definitely one of the best combo shocks for sure. I'll be interested in the performance of the JIC's. I have a harness bar, roll bar section of cage, and full cage. Trying decide which of the first two to install.

Yep, completely different departments here for the "Stocker" engines, Performance Reconstructions, repairs and preventative work. This means 4 timelines, too.

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I'm looking forward to you taking delivery of your rebuilt engine. Our packages should be pretty similair. If you would mind, post some videos on YouTube, there isnt too much material on there that encompasses a Jake Raby build.

I prefer it that way... Too damn many copycats trying to figure out what we do.

Gladly. But it will be of the roar of the engine as I fly around the track.

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rightfully so

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Ah.... kinda what I figured. Makes total sense from an efficiency stand point - I expect nothing less from FSI 👍😊

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Ah.... kinda what I figured. Makes total sense from an efficiency stand point - I expect nothing less from FSI 👍😊

Hell Ya! https://www.facebook.com/fixabrokensix/videos/1711877768840011/

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Based on those straps, it looks like they are running it in reverse!

We strap both ends of the car, no matter what. If not with each gear change the vehicle is upset on the rollers. Plus, its just not safe to only strap from behind.

It's almost ready!!!!! Facebook Post

photo395.jpg #becauseracecar

So I’ve been thinking, why can’t my silver car be as fast around the track as my track car. Granted, the track was only 2520lbs dry, but it also had 40 less HP. So if I could get this one with 3.8L within a few 100lbs of it, wouldn’t that cancel out? From there, I just need a badass suspension, LSD and aero. In that order. I think everything else was optional or safety related. And since I’m not racing this one, I can save 100lbs on the cage alone. Well now that I’ve sold my enclosed trailer, track car, jeep, Cherokee and M3 I took on trade, I’ve got some breathing room and can have some fun. The BMW had most of the entire rear interior removed when I got it, but all of the front half still in place. Despite being a little louder it was still really comfortable to drive. So first up, was removing the rear interior. Seats, carpet, seat belts, trim and loose sound deadening equates to 86 lbs according to the trusty intercom scales. That’s a good start. 3.5lbs battery and swapping both sport seats for a single race seat gets me another 120lbs. That means I’m already near 2720lbs!!!! God I love the ‘99s.

Looks like a much better solution than selling it!

Heck ya!!!! Unexpected benefit of removing rear interior, you can really here the engine. The 3.8 with catless x-pipe and Mille mufflers sounds absolutely amazing! Also grabbed a numeric shifter. It totally changes the driving experience.