Why the old shape MisterCorn?

Martin, Question for you. Given the amount of trouble you are going to and the amount of money you are spending and customisation of the donor vehicle C4 to C2 interior engine, suspension, brakes, essentially remanufacturing most of the car etc.etc. Why not do something like this. I have seen this thing in the flesh. it is truly stunning externally, yours will be better internally no doubt at all. There is also a Lava Orange one knocking about Sheffield that is also stunning in the flesh. I prefer the Gray one personally. You are clearly a multi-talented guy with amazing patience, engineering and electronics skills and an attention to detail that is awe inspiring. The Franken 996 you are building will be sensational there is no doubt. But, why the old shape when this is so fully customised. Why not go the whole hog and transform it into what is probably the most stunning incarnation of the 911 I have ever seen. A frankenGT3RS! Just intrigued. Cheers Spart

I really like the clean lines of the 996. If you compare the 996 to pretty much any other Porsche you will find the design is simpler and cleaner. No fussy little details anywhere or extra holes. It is the only 911 with a fully integrated light cluster at the front, so no requirement for extra light modules in the front bumper. I don't want to make the car look like it is trying to be something it isn't. So I don't like the idea of putting a 997 front end on a 996. If I wanted it to look like a 997 then I would have started with a 997. I don't like the interior on the 997, too much silver for my liking, I prefer the simplicity of the 996. The 996 C2 is a light car, lighter than the equivalent 993 or 997. For me, the 996 is a great combination of simplicity and electronics, the right amount of electronics to make it work effectively, but without any extra electronic nanny elements or complications beyond what is required. So I see my car as a celebration of the 996, with the known weak points of the design sorted out one way or another, and ending up with what will hopefully be a lightweight, clean design with good power and performance. I appreciate that many many people won't agree with the above, and will think I'm mad, I don't care really. I'm not interested in trying to convince anybody that I am 'right', it is just my opinion and I very happy for others to build or buy what they like, I'm just building this for me, for fun. MC

...the more I look at my 996 & let's face it given I can't drive it during this amazing spell of lovely weather which is very frustrating (but necessary)...the more I appreciate the simple, clean lines plus the interior design is a huge step forward from the 993 but without the Ford Mondeo fussiness of the 997... However, the exterior looks and feels cheap...the 964/993 were beautifully put together and this can be seen and felt...the 996 needed to be built to a cost and you can see and feel it ....and this lack of quality would be the single reason I would/will make the move to one of the above when their values dip which they surely will ; they are unsustainably over valued currently...I want to 'feel the hand made quality '... ...frankly however these are all first world problems and when I am sat in my large and beautiful garden looking over the moor I appreciate more than ever how lucky I am and when I read this forum especially in current times realise how lucky we are to own 911s...even cheap ones like mine !

I totally get it Martin and agree with what you've said. What I don't get is why people aren't using their 996 (or whatever 911 variant) for driving duties at the moment. Went out last night for a takeaway GF treat, roof down, quiet roads, etc. Did the food shop Wednesday night and had a great blast there and back down the A59 virtually seeing only a hanful of vehicles where it'd normally be a 3 figure number. Back to work next week and will happily be doing the commute rejoicing my love for the 996 :drive:

I've only left the house twice in the last three weeks and both times came home with an XF boot full of groceries (half for us, half for fully isolated neighbours). Half of our foodbill was paid for by the £47.50 I saved by SORNing the 911.

If that's your logic you'd never tax the 911 as every month you'd be penny pinching about how much food could buy instead of driving your car. Surely, in this time of need for the country to generate tax, you should do the right thing and SORN the lower tax cars and only keep the highest taxed car on the road :wink: ........and petrol is that cheap at the moment, you need to offset that into your lifestyle/funds algorithm. :thumb:

Morning. What a project!!! I'd love to have a tiny bit of your enthusiasm and commitment. Sadly I don't. That'll be some machine when its done. This is where I get stuck. For me its all about how beautiful my 911 is to me... Unfortunately I'm not to keen on the 996 look from the outside, i love the inside! If I'm honest I only really drive a 996 because I cant afford a 991. That's why I drive a car very similar to the pic in this thread. It's not because i want people too think its GT3RS as most non Porsche driving people just see a Porsche. They all look the same right? 🤣 i just love getting up and looking at it. It is beautiful! I know this idea of modifying a 911 seems to really offend the purists but that's cool, they can keep there cars stock. I'm out in it at every opportunity with the deserted M4 from Wales to bristol being my run. Not there are to many opportunities but anything that needs collecting ill do. As long as its small😂 I'm loving the roads like this and i think it'll be a long time before we are back what we all called the norm.... Ive also found a real love of the life I've taken for grated for so long... we are all very lucky indeed. Thank him upstairs for the NHS and all the other people out there doing jobs that terrify me.

By that logic I would be driving the Range Rover and SORN the 996. MC

I thought you were?

996 C2 and RR are both taxed and will remain so. MC

That's even better logic

I'm doing my bit as the road tax on the XF is the same as the 911 and the japper is sitting on the drive taxed but not being used. On empty roads the XF also does less mpg than the 911 so no change to my calcs is required. :grin:

I know which I'd be driving in your position.

:chin: 3 fun drives to the shops instead of one. Why didn't I think of that. :duh:

Martin, Many thanks for the honest insight into the 'why' of it and your motivations. I certainly get the 'fix the things that are deficient' with the 996. This was the time of austerity for Porsche after all. They are almost all visually hidden. I applaud your sentiments for the project. BTW does it have a name yet? I do love the simplicity of the 996 and the fact that even a hobbyist mechanic can still do a lot of work on it before they might need outside help. But I don't really the get the aesthetic. I guess historically I was spoiled by the wide arch Turbo, even that was a marmite car to some people with its styling. Iconic to this day though and still rightup there as one of the best driving machines ever built. This is the oldest car I have ever owned, I exclude my collection of old Landies as they are a breed of their own. I am still not sure why I bought it when I was trying to buy a 991 C2S Cab at the time from PortiaCraft! It kind of spoke to me, weird I know. It has rekindled my love of fixing things though so there's that..... This C2 shape does seem too slim for your cars capabilities and the 320HP Plus. I like others can't wait to see it finished and through it's shakedowns. Hats off to you sir! orsche: :bow: