The Unloved 911

Alright, first post - first Porsche. I purchased my 1999 911 (996.1) back in December of 2021. I had sold my mk7.5 GTI a few months prior and was itching for something new. Originally I was looking at 944S and 951 but thought maybe 996 ownership wouldn't be too bad. After checking everywhere and having a deal fall through on another 996 out in Cali, I found a for sale ad for my car. It is an early build 996 (March 1998) and had the proper "fried egg" ambers, no glove box, no OBC, and no cup holders. Being as the car also had the LSD optioned I thought this would be perfect. I was searching for an early build 996 after learning about them on BaT comments and the threads here on Rennlist. Anyway when i first went to see the car it was a bit of a disaster. It sat really low on coilovers, the interior was filthy, the steering wheel was torn, and the rear wing bellows had holes in them. All in all, I should've just walked away from the car, but for some reason I had the feeling that "I can fix this" and bought this very Unloved 911. First time I saw the car it had GT3 comfort seats in it. Seller wanted too much (+$4k) so I bought it with the stock tombstones. The night I drove it home I was so happy but the buyer's remorse kicked in when I felt how horrible & tired the suspension and brakes were.

When I get home I immediately bought a new Renown 130R wheel, Black Forest Industries shift **** (had one on my GTI), new front brakes and full front control arm kit from FCP Euro. In the meantime I got an oil change at the shop who serviced the car for about 10 years under the 2nd or 3rd owner. Shop owner remembered the car well and told me it had blown a motor at some point and they swapped in a replacement. I couldn't get much more info than that cause it was so long ago. Did I mention buyer's remorse? Anyway my buddy who has a shop helped me swap the brakes and it felt good to wrench on my own P-car. I used to tinker with the GTI cause I had the time + I didn't really have the funds to pay a shop for everything. Now I have the funds but no time.. go figure.

It is definitely fun doing some of these projects on cars this age

Wow your connection with the 996 will solidify even further and you’ll be rewarded with driving nirvana

Very nice! Which steering wheel hub did you go for? Any future modifications planned?

Good to see someone is saving an unloved one. Congrats.

Welcome to 996 ownership. Lots of camaraderie here plus the usual amount of ego clashing etc. Overall a good bunch. Blown engines and/or engines replaced due to IMS/RMS issues were not at all uncommon even in the early cars. "Numbers matching" will probably induce laughter when these get to be 50 years old!

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I think I did the momo wheel hub but I don�t remember and can�t find my order at the moment. I did this mod in early 2022 so my memory is a little fuzzy. I will say whatever I did use probably isn�t the best option because the shop who installed it removed the clockspring and now I haven�t had a horn for two years which is a pain. Just another thing to add to the list�

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Thanks! Yeah I feel like if I didn�t buy this one it would�ve eventually lead to a parts car. It has good �bones�, it just needed a little love. I�ll be using this thread to track all the progress. I�ve done a lot so far, just trying to compile all the photos and write an update every day.

Glad to see more and more of these threads!

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From the looks of that steering wheel, I would have thought this was our Luis's car (You have to know him to understand)... or someone that loves TACO TUESDAY. Really surprising from a car with just 90K miles... someone must have had really dirty, acidic hands. But... looks like you fixed it up really nice! Congrats!

Yeah the wear on the steering wheel/interior in general was really rough, especially for a car with 90k miles.

So during my first oil change I had the mechanic set aside a sample so I can send the oil out for Blackstone Lab analysis. The results quelled my buyer's remorse and made me feel better knowing that the oil was relatively clean. All looks OK if you ask me I also went for my first proper wash at my buddy's shop. We cleaned up the *very* tired paint and noted a few areas of deficiency on the exterior. While we were washing the car we blew out the radiators and removed quite a bit of stray foliage. She was finally looking like a proper 911. I bought the car sitting on Turbo spec turbo twist wheels. The rear fitment was absolutely crazy, 11" rears on the narrow body just didn't sit right with me (or the car really). A lot of people like this look and told me not to change it, but I knew eventually I will have to get rid of these wheels. You'll also notice how slammed the front end was on the coilovers the previous owner installed. Another thorn in my side This was also the day I realized I will have to do a proper two stage detail and mini-paint restoration. The paint was so tired and dull even after a detailed wash + ceramic sealant. More to come on that...

It's real easy to pull the bumper and radiators to clean them properly. If that much came out already it will be worth it because there will be more. What are the offsets on those rear wheels? Are they 45?

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yeah I have since fully cleaned them out. This thread and daily updates are basically me looking back and recounting/documenting everything I�ve done so far. It�s been a perpetual project haha. I believe the stock twists were +45 in the rear. They fit the narrow body but just barely. No rubbing at all and the car is pretty low as you can see.

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Our cars really shine with a good polish. What Products are you using?

I am using Gyeon ceramic coating and it's working very well.

Early 2022 I mostly just drove the car. I chased my friend in his 997S and attended a few C&C @ Hayfields in CT. Did I mention the car has a CEL? Seller told me it was a bad evap sensor - I had the shop run the code while I did my oil change. The code was P0442 "tank vent system: minor leak" was the diagnosis I got. I've since had another shop (the one who then raised my coilovers) replace the Evap purge valve, and Evap purge hose. They then did a smoke test and cleared the code.... it came back of course. I've just been driving around with it, haven't had any issues and it doesn't affect drivability. Just pisses me off to see the light. I've been through a couple shops and didn't have much luck in the NYC/Long Island area. It felt like no one really gave a **** about the car and wouldn't give me straight answers. I'm also very particular about service. I'm more than willing to pay for good service, but hadn't had much luck at this point (mid 2022). I had some paintless dent removal work completed, I figured if the car at least looks good i'll be more motivated to get it running perfectly. All of this led up to getting a full paint correction and mini-restoration done at my friend's detail shop. Over 40 hours went into the paint correction with additional time focused on the interior. While we were doing the paint correction the old ****ty tint was removed and I had ceramic tint installed. I think I did 50% because I don't personally like when 911s have dark tint, but I do realize the need for heat/UV protection especially since my car sits outside in my driveway. Anyway, We finished the car off with a 5-year GYEON ceramic coating, which is incredibly hydrophobic and keeps the car looking cleaner for much longer. The depth has been returned to the paint and it glows in the sunlight now. Clean car drive better and you can't convince me otherwise.

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I have the correct 18" Turbo Twist of this period that have been professionally powder coated Anthracite Grey. I have the matching Porsche center caps. PM if interested.

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Gyeon is a solid option, used a SHOW kit on a customer�s car� your car looks fantastic.

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No thank you - I have since gotten rid of these wheels and put some Sport Classic II on.

I'm a little out of order here but just before I did the detail in mid/late 2022 I bought the full control arm kit from FCP Euro and swapped them out. Again it felt great to work on my 996 and I had never done a suspension job like this before. I basically just followed the installation video from FCP Euro and with the help of my buddy we got it done together. The control arms were *very* tired and all the bushings were shot. This made such a huge difference in how the front end felt after the job was done. At least the 996 was in good company. The red car is a Detomasso Guara owned by Phil Toledano (@misterenthusiast). If you don't know anything about this car don't feel bad. I had never heard of it either until I saw he purchased it. Then to see it at the shop was crazy... I had never seen anything like it and the proportions in person are nuts. The car was there for a color change to green since Phil famously hates red. He has a really unique car collection, if you have instagram he's def worth a follow. Capping off this update with a quick engine bay shot. We cleaned the engine bay and it was minty fresh for about 5 mins and I haven't cleaned it since. Whatever.

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Thanks! Hopefully it looks like your 996 one day. What a beauty!

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I appreciate the compliments. It seems like you�re on the same path that I took when picking up the car I 2020. Mine still has a long way to go.

Getting some love now. Hurry up and get us up to date

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Had the same exact problem and code. Replaced gas cap, rubber seals, checked for vacuum leaks, etc... it ended up being a bad charcoal canister. Must have had a slight leak.

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Thanks for sharing! It seems none of the shops that tried to fix it could figure it out. Looks like I�ll be buying a new charcoal canister today.

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Worth a try! Don't forget to clear the code with a scanner or you'll have to complete a drive cycle for it clear itself.

End of 2022 I didn't work on the car much, or drive it for that matter. Early 2023 I bought Rennline stainless steel brake lines, flushed the brake fluid and went with some Motul RBF 660 in hopes that the new lines/fluid would improve the feel of the new(ish) brakes. It is much better than before but Ive come to the conclusion 996 brakes just dont have great feel on initial bite. They stop like hell once you get into them and perform plenty well for the street. While the car was in the shop I had them do an oil change to Porsche Classic oil 5W50. I asked for them to save me an oil sample so that we could send to Blackstone, however they forgot so I missed out on some more data they also found the variocam sensor plate and timing chain tensioner bolt leaking, the chain was apparently replace and tightened down. I also have a wicked creaking noise that comes from the front suspension. The shop sprayed WD40 on it and sent me on my merry way... the noise came back after about 5 miles of driving. I have some sort of H&R coilovers on the car currently, they are toast and are on my short list of items to replace. During my nightly doom-scrolling of FB marketplace I found a lightly used set of OEM Sport Classic II wheels for very cheap locally. I picked them up that weekend and paired them with bridgestone potenza all season tires since I want to drive the car during the winter here in NY (when theres no salt on the roads of course). The difference between 11" rear tires and 10" rear tires was immediately noticeable. It felt like changing out of work boots and into a pair of running shoes. The car felt way more nimble and I think it looks a hell of a lot better than it used to. I could probably use some spacers front/rear. Any recommendations? The turbo twists were sold shortly after for a fair price. Good riddance...

Over the summer I attended a Hagerty event in Brooklyn for their short film "Racing with Giants" at skyline drive-in. Very cool event and was in good company. Note the PCA Plates - thats Vu Nguyen's boxster

After being mentally bullied by the internet I caved and bought an EPS IMS bearing, new rear main seal and OEM clutch/flywheel. The shop that installed it was absolutely ace and run by real enthusiasts. 996 is not their favorite (go figure) but they were super knowledgeable, did great work and I paid a fair price. They noted the IMS that was removed was still very much in tact but showed signs of wear. It was probably best to change it for peace of mind. They also did an oil change (and didnt save me a sample for Blackstone but whatever) and told me that my coilovers were blown out and absolute junk. To celebrate a successful IMS replacement I found some NOS RUF floor mats on eBay and overpaid for them. They look great though and help break up the sea of grey that is my interior. IMS that was removed two very smooth cars

Which IMS solution/upgrade did you get? The new wheels looks great!

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I went with the EPS brand IMS upgrade. It is said to be a one time fix and I haven�t heard any bad reviews on it.

Wheels look so much better! Glad you found me on IG also.. I think I have 10mm spacers on mine (previous owner installed) and it sits perfect

Last month I picked up a very used and very OEM GT3 bumper to repair/repaint and install on my car. Now to find a matching taco wing and I�ll be good to go! Apparently the bumper was sitting in the Deman Motorsports warehouse and a buddy of mine picked it up from them when they were having their big �moving sale� last year. Only problem is he bought this .1 GT3 bumper and owns a .2 carrera� whoops. The last photo also might be the most unflattering angle of the 996. Good lord it looks horrible from down low

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It�s better to be lucky than good!

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Let's hope the luck continues when I hit the body shop to repair and repaint this thing. I bet it'll cost an arm and a leg.

Placed an order for the H&R RSS Coilovers. Last set on tire rack at a price that is much cheaper than every other site. I don't really see any threads with others running them. Hopefully theyre not trash? For half the price of Ohlins R&T I guess ill roll the dice and update the you guys when theyre on the car.

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We�re a fickle group and if they were bad, there�d be alot of info about how bad they are.

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true! I�ll have to wait and see.

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I have them on my car. They are great. Highly recommended. You will need adjustable dog bones in the rear to properly adjust for camber. https://www.phenixengineering.com/pr...b4651f39&_ss=r https://www.phenixengineering.com/pr...b4651f39&_ss=r I wanted these from TheDeckMan, but he was out so I ordered a set from RSS 307 Rear Adjustable Upper Link Kit "Dog Bones" (996-997 all) - RSS / Road Sport Supply I also have these from RSS: 624 RSS Performance Engine Mounts - RSS / Road Sport Supply They make great parts. https://www.phenixengineering.com/pr...b4651f39&_ss=r I have all these parts. The car drives great. It’s very responsive.

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Nice job with the car! I actually really enjoyed the look with the turbo twists more than the correct 408 wheels. Might be down to a nice stance and thicker spokes? The new wheels look great too. I have been chasing the dreaded P0442 for a while as well. It's been a PITA and would sometimes not trigger a CEL for a few hundred miles and other times come on after just a few. After replacing few commonly mentioned things, I had my shop smoke test the entire EVAP system and we found the culprit. Crack in the fuel tank sending unit flange. It's located right under the battery. I'll be replacing that soon and hope it solves the issue. Something worth checking, Those minor leak codes can be tricky to find. I also had the EPS bearing in my car previously and it worked very well. Came out in perfect shape so you should be good for many many miles.

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This post made me laugh more than it should. "Just ate 87 lbs of brisket tacos and had 7 IPAs, time to drive home at 100+mph"

@diddy2003 that looks great! Basically the look I am going for with the aerokit and stance. Few questions: - How is the ride quality on RSS? - Can I get away without the rear toe link kit? - if not, is there a kit that isn't 75% the price of the coilovers that would suffice? @plpete84 I like the twists, but you know when you see something for so long it just becomes normal after a while? Surely theres a word for it. Either way I like the motorsport-inspired two piece wheels. My next set of wheels will be something very silly and very japanese. I have to test out all of these possible evap culprits! Thanks for sharing your situation. I'll try a charcoal canister first and work my way from there. I had a shop smoke test it and replace a few items but the light persists.

Well, my exhaust is droopy. Must be the motor mounts�. I�ll be ordering the OEM clubsport mounts from FVD. I have some tolerance for increased NVH so I�m sure a semi-solid mount won�t bother me. Now I wonder how long shipping from Germany will be�. also I have a sweet United States Grand Prix license plate frame. It doesn�t match whatsoever, but it shall stay for now.

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Car looks great. Congrats. Consider a set of REIN mounts. May save you some money, noise and vibration.

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I got some Rennline Tunable semi solid, very happy with them. Any more exterior modifications in the works?

Great to see all the love you are giving your 996 these cars deserve it, I lived through the 1974-77 911s no one wanted look at values now, the 964 was considered totally ugly with impact bumpers look at values now, our fried egg cars are a great ride with AC that really works😀 and a nice tight vehicle. As an owner of 4 street 1999 996s, a 1999 996 race car, and a bit different 996 a 2000 Porsche SuperCup GT3 but it does have visual street 996 clues including fried egg headlights. Hang in there the more love you give the more love you get. Rich

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The issue with the lowered car is you can't correct camber with the rear upper control arms. Stock arms are fixed length. When the car is lowered, the stock length can't push the wheel out at the top to correct the camber. So, my stock arms limited me at -2.5 degrees rear camber. Sure, you could drive with the wheels like that, but it will burn up the inside tires pretty quickly. I just put on new 4s tires and I like going on road trips, so correcting camber was pretty important for me. From Phenix: When lowering your 996, it causes the toe and camber to change in the rear, resulting in reduction of contact patch of the tires as well as a drastic change to the thrust angle. This is unwanted and can result in the rear of the car always feeling like it is dancing around and might surprise the driver with snap over-steer at any moment. This makes for a tiresome drive as requiring the driver to continually correct the car to ensure it stays out of the bushes. RSS: The RSS Adjustable Rear Link Kit is the proper way to correct the rear suspension geometry of lowered 996 and 997 models when necessary. Greatly improves handling and feedback by removing rubber bushing deflection. Lowered vehicles with stock links may have additional negative camber in the rear which can prematurely wear out rear tires as the factory eccentric bolts do not offer enough adjustment to properly re-align the car to desired specifications. Vehicles that have not been lowered can also benefit from these components and experience better handling and control. RSS, Demonspeed, and Phenix all make nice dog bones, but none are cheap. They are all $650-$1000 bucks. You can see the dog bones up top. Toe links at the bottom in this picture. Toe links are different. Ideally, both are better. The stock cam design toe links suck. One of mine was actually frozen in place and had to be replaced anyway. They were designed to increase the range available over the stock cam style tie rods to aid in correcting the thrust angle on the rear of your lowered 996. Correcting the thrust angle aids in high speed stability, better tire wear and a much easier car to drive. RSS Ride quality is great. Way better than H&R sport springs/B6s. I liked that setup, but it was hard compared to RSS. Very compliant ride. I've been very happy with them. I considered Ohlins and PSS10, but my buddy has used RSS for a while and loves them. Regarding engine mounts, I have the RSS mounts. Very high build quality. Also, great people to deal with. Many people here use these mounts. 624 RSS Performance Engine Mounts - RSS / Road Sport Supply

@GC996 I already pulled the trigger on OEM clubsport mounts from FVD. Thank you for the recc though!

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Good luck with it. Can't go wrong with FVD Brombacher. enjoying your thread!

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Hopefully i can find a taco wing and skirts for the full aerokit look. Otherwise I need to refinish these wheels and calipers. I keep trying to find fresh "fried egg" lights with amber reflectors but theyre incredibly hard to find. Mine have melted the inside lens and look cloudy/ruined.

@uscarrera Thank you for the kind words Rich, awesome cars you have there! This year was a big one for the 996 and it has risen in popularity. I think as it ages further and cars get even more disconnected they will continue to gain favorability from buyers who want a great sports car. @diddy2003 Thanks for this write up! im going to have to go down the suspension rabbit hole. This is super helpful and a good starting point, especially sharing your own review of the H&R RSS coils. If im not lowering too much (1" max) then maybe I could get away without upgrading everything at once.

Been almost a month since i've updated here. Haven't been driving since I needed the motor mounts. Finally got everything installed and WOW the car feels brand new. Total night/day difference on the ride quality and overall confidence in the car. -H&R RSS coilovers installed with new OEM strut mounts - FVD Clubsport motor mounts - Poly bushing transmission mount The new clubsport motor mounts are actually very calm. If you told me they were OEM i'd believe you. No noticeable increase in NVH but the car feels much "tighter". Some quick photos from a random NYC parking garage. The car is at the highest setting recommended by H&R in the rear, but the front may need to be raised a little. It looks slammed but rides incredibly well and doesn't rub at all. My wheel fitment is really weak but Im digging this look for now: I put about 100 miles on the car since picking it up and I have fallen in love with the car all over again. Things are finally starting to take shape. Next I need to get this GT3 bumper installed, some nice sportback seats (or maybe recaro?) and get an exhaust since it's incredibly quiet.

Car looks fantastic! Look at Fister D for the exhaust, it won�t attract too much attention under 4K rpm.

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looks great, watch out for the NYC potholes 😀 Rich

Hey silver996 as a fellow NYC member I’m in Staten Island I use my 99 as much as possible you’ll have be careful with any front lip you use I’ve already smashed a few lips and had to have my bumper redone damn streets suck ***** I have the Ohlins and actually have raised it from the gt3 to the standard x71 ride height

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I just have such a hard time justifying $900 for something that looks/acts like my stock exhaust with a gundo. They are super high quality, idk maybe I will.

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Nice! I'm right in Queens off the belt pkwy. Pot holes have been kind to me this week but I do agree. Might need to raise the front a little bit, especially when I put the GT3 bumper on this winter (hopefully)

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Local muffler shop charged me ~$150 to do it.

This is a fantastic thread! Loving the progress!

Quick update for the new year: Not much going on with the car at the moment. Its winter in NYC and the driving isn't great, theres no real meets except for the occasional cars and coffee event. I have bought and installed the new Rennline Carbon Intake and raised the front end of the car 0.5" so it doesnt scrape on the odd driveway. The Rennline intake is an interesting piece. It looks incredible and fits just like OEM. When you think of a carbon fiber intake and see the associated price tag that comes with it you expect a noticeable change in sound/tone. To me, it hasn't really met the expectation that I had in my head. The intake noise isnt changed much, maybe its louder lower in the rev range but not by much. I dont really notice any change in sound at WOT. It sounds like a Dyson vaccum at idle and you can hear it sucking in air like crazy (which is cool). Maybe I am still in my VW tuner mindset, but when I put the APR carbon fiber intake on y GTI it made crazy noises and was completely different from stock. Yes the GTI was turbo and the 996 is NA so maybe its not an apples:apples comparison but so be it. I guess the Porsche crowd is more mature and less boy-racer so a more modest intake is more appealing. I don't love it for the price but I'm happy i bought it, especially since it may encourage Rennline to develop more 996 parts for us. As with all things Rennline, the product is of the highest quality. Another thing I am curious about is how it doesnt suck up water. Its essentially a giant tube that faces towards the sky and leads right down to the filter. The car hasnt hyrdolocked yet so im sure its totally fine but i dont remember seeing any real drainage within the intake itself. Rennline 996 Carbon Fiber Intake Verdict Pros: - High Quality - Looks great - Fits perfect - Easy to install Cons: - Only a slight change in sound - Price $$$

Small update: Nothing really to report here. Just been driving the car more and enjoying it before the warm season here in NYC. Planning on some spring maintenance - namely an oil change, maybe a coolant flush and hoping to get my CEL sorted (P0442). Looking forward to getting another blackstone analysis done since my first sample was over 2 years ago (had a few oil changes since but the shops forgot to save me an oil sample). Something small did pop up though: After a long drive of about two hours the car was nice and warm. I was sitting at a redlight in traffic and stalled.. I couldn't restart the car for about 2 minutes, it just wouldnt turn over. Other than a small anxiety attack, is there anything to worry about a no-start while warm? The car eventually started and was fine for the rest of my drive but it really did suck to have a dead car for a few mins in NYC traffic as everyone beeped, screamed and shouted as they drove by lol.

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Interested in hearing what others have to say about this since I'm having the same issue. I think it might have something to do with the starter but haven't looked into to it further.

Did the starter solenoid click? I suspect not and I would first look into its power supply. It could be that an electrical connection is bad at operating temps.

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I couldn't really hear it in the midst of all the beeping and panic that the car was actually dead. I think the electrical connection going sour at operating temps is kind of common though right? I have a buddy with a 997.1S who will leave the car on while getting gas because it may not turn back on once its at temp.

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That sounds like a different problem. And he probably can get it fixed. Should in fact because gas station fires/explosions are a hassle.

So I just won an eBay auction for this carbon fiber GT3 dash visor - will this even fit? Is there any difference between 996.1 vs 996.2 and carrera vs GT3 dash?

Should fit. Don't know of any difference.

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Y cable going bad or loose ground is a distinct possibility. It won�t get better by itself - be proactive and figure it out sooner rather than later.

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NICE! Unfortunately it will only fit silver 996s in Sweden... I'll send you my adress

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If it doesn't fit - I know where ill send it haha

Alright so quick update and looking for some help here... I bought 40th Jahre seats from another Rennlist user. They did not come with seat brackets. I have a few questions: - How do I remove my stock seat brackets to reinstall on the new seats? - Will the old 996.1 seat brackets work on the 996.2 seats? - My stock seats had memory function (that large black module that seems to be loose under my seat). Can I remove this entirely? - The old stock "tombstone" seats have many wires being plugged into this module but the new seats only have one plug? - The new seats are fully electric, can I buy OEM manual back/forth seat sliders and install them on the new seats? - This would make it so I can slide back/forth and then still use the power recline to adjust - New seats also didnt come with seatbelt buckles so Ill need to reuse these from the stock seats. Thats fine right? Most important question; Did i just spend $3k on seats I can't use? lol. What am I missing?! Beautiful, painted sport back seats Rats nest under my stock "tombstone" seats Memory seat module I dont think I need anymore. + one of the connectors was already disconnected when I pulled the seat seat belt plug? Brackets to be removed but cant figure out how Bottom of new sport seats which need brackets to install back into car

Very nice seats. Those are also heated. You'll need to buy some manual slider brackets. Look for used 986/996 slider/brackets on ebay, dismantler, etc. Maybe even complete seats (manual) with poor upholstery that you can remove sliders/brackets from. Nut on the font, torx screws in the back (threaded plate will fall out of bracket). Slider/Brackets come off.

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Amazing! Thank you! So I just need it like the last photo you have since my Sport seats already have that hydraulic piston in the middle? Can you swing the part number off the rails?

Quick update: got the seats in an all bolted up! Had to use manual boxster sliders I found on eBay. I can�t figure out the plugs though, the heated sport seats plug doesn�t match up to my stock electric seat plug (?). I also can�t figure out where the seatbelt receiver plugs into, nor why the drivers seats doesn�t go back very far. I am sitting about 2� too close to the steering wheel. The passenger seat goes back further than the driver so I�m sure I did something wrong when installing the new seat brackets/sliders. �For every solution there are unintended consequences� I will likely just have my shop fix the seats while it�s in for annual service. Getting oil change, new water pump, thermostat, and RSS rear adjustable arms installed. the seats look amazing though and hold me much better than my stock seats did. I also did a rear seat delete which was a no brainer since no one ever sits back there. I will miss the rear shelf with the seats down but I�ll survive.

OP - Did you check if the two sliders on driver side are parallel? One side may be too far aft, causing an early stop. Those seats should go back farther than a 996 chair with Extend-a-Seat does.

Great thread. Fun to see you put your spin on the car. I had a 996 Aerokit car several years back.... beautiful.

Another awesome post..........Kudos!! I have owned various Porsche models in which lacquer finishes fade, bitumen undercoating that impounded moisture, horse hair matting that no longer supports upholstery, and carpet that was nailed through the metal surfaces that nourished the tin worms; we are so fortunate to have a vehicle that uses modern coatings and construction that can survive abuse or neglect. In fact, when I was old enough to acquire my driver's license, I once turned down ownership of a red speedster with electrical issues and worn tires for a mere five hundred dollars... one of my deepest regrets. Look, despite all the glitter, F' it and have fun..

Very nice upgrade and update! Good work bro!

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This is likely the problem, i'll have to tear into it this weekend when I have time. Thanks!

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Been meaning to update here, but I got the RSS rear adjustable links installed. After about 100 miles and two weeks of the car sitting they�re clunking like absolute crazy. Since it removed the rubber bushings I�m going to assume this is �normal�? Did I just make a huge mistake? It sounds like the rear end of the car is about to fall off and is not very confidence inspiring. It drove amazing and felt really sharp before the clunking started. Is there anything that can be done to reduce the noise? Any user feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Been a while since i've shown this thread some love. Just been sorting little issues out and driving the sh*t out of the car. I had a bring "spring maintenance" this past May which consisted of: - Oil change (and Blackstone analysis, will share results) - Coolant flush - New Tstat and Water Pump (both OEM) - RSS adjustable rear arms - New parking brake handle (my old one was disgusting and just an eye sore, see first photo in thread) - Swap back to four-spoke 993 steering wheel since it felt dumb to drive around NYC with no airbag - Swap original gauge cluster and dash topper with a black leather/carbon fiber one from a GT3 - CEL is sorted and has not come back. EVAP issue was solved by repairing minor cracks in my fuel filler and carbon canister (?) - I finally have cold AC The adjustable rear arms took some additional adjustments after installation. A shop I trusted did the install and alignment and all felt great for about 100 miles and then the rear end started clunking and rattling like crazy over the smallest road imperfections. They were not available to see the car again until almost July, so I went elsewhere to a non-euro specific shop in NYC who also does great work. They inspected and found the installation of the arms was just.. wrong. They readjusted, threaded the arms to allow for equal distance on both sides, then tightened everything under load and aligned it. The car has been SOLID ever since. The new suspension adjustments take a little getting used to. Being as the RSS arms dont have rubber bushings you feel a lot more as you go down the road and the rear end is tame, but very talkative. I just completed a 9-hour round trip to Watkins Glen and the expansion joints on the route we took started to rattle my brain a bit. Speaking of the trip to Watkins Glen, we bombed up there from NYC on the hottest day of the year and the car performed beautifully. The temp gauge stayed at the zero in the 180* mark in major NYC traffic and would go down to the 8 as more air was flowing under/over the car. This is all with the AC cranked to its lowest setting. I couldn't be happier and looking forward to an enjoyable summer of driving. Now some pics:

Looks good bro.

Yey! updates Did you manage to source som side skirts yet?

Quotes source post: 19520093

Sorry I missed your previous post regarding the arms. I'm not on here as much as I used to be. Glad you had them sorted. I actually just rebuilt mine. I had to get new heim joints for my adjustable toe links. So my friend re-built all my adjustable arms, including a few new heim joints, re greased, and added new rubber boots. Because of that, I had the car re aligned to GT3 spec last week. 30178 Dust Boot for Rod End Bearings - RSS / Road Sport Supply Weird the first shop butchered the job so badly initially. It's one of the more basic jobs there is. Strange. The car definitely feels more responsive with the arms. Probably because they are solid, as you mentioned. But I also did solid LCA bushings at the same time, new trans bushing, and other things I'm probably forgetting, so my entire car feels very dialed in compared to before. My tires are also lasting far better than they used to, due to being able to correct for rear camber. I'm happy it worked out. I will also probably be going to the Glen soon for the Ferrari Challenge races.

Quotes source post: 19521223

Haha not yet! I need some aero... at speeds over 90mph the car seems to get blown around a bit. It gets light/floaty feeling and a large gust can me the car feel less "planted". On track of course.... Or maybe its my alignment? Or just in my head? I love fixing issues that don't really exist.

Quotes source post: 19521738

This looks incredible... If there was ever a photo to look at to draw inspiration! Thanks for sharing the technical details in this thread, has been super helpful.

Quotes source post: 19525164

Well an aerokit is named a aerokit for a reason. So it should help with aero - placebo science at its finest

Alright boys - quick update: I pieced together the GT3 bumper and a replica Taco Wing. The car is going off for paint next week and I couldn't be more excited. For the past few months I hemmed and hawed over selling the car and moving to an aircooled 911. I got more involved in my local PCA and fell in love with the G-body cars. Everytime i thought about selling the car I thought about all the work done to it, and how amazing it is to drive. Then i'd go for a drive and totally rethink my plans to sell. As nice as an air cooled car would be, im keeping the ol' Unloved911 and going to repaint the full front end, and rear wing/rear bumper. I feel like the 996 has really come into its own and decided that mine isnt going anywhere!

Looking forward to see it converted to aerokit-spec! And I'm glad you're keeping it, I have the same thoughts but I can't let mine go.

It's going to look fantastic! I was unsure about the aerokit - but now I love it more and more.

Quotes source post: 19691823

looks so good!

I dropped the car off today for much needed paint respray and repair/installation of my front bumper and rear taco wing. Also hit 99,600 on the way to the body shop so it felt like �the stars aligned� today. pics for those who haven�t seen what I�m working with and piecing together. The front bumper is OEM and came from Deman Motorsports moving sale. Got the bumper for super cheap with the intent to repair it and get it back in service. The rear wing I found on eBay and got shipped from Latvia (idk where Latvia is admittedly). Still need some skirts. QUESTION: I don�t have a third brake light/hinges/wiring/fan for the taco wing. Does that stuff carry over from the stock deck lid or do I need to purchase them as well? If so does anyone know the part #s?

No 3rd brake light. The fan and hinges r the same and the harness is pretty easy to alter. I bought a trunk lid harness from dc auto and cut it up. Getty Design also sells a harness or u can spend way too much and get a gt3 harness.

Quotes source post: 19701252

so I don�t need a new third brake light? What is the harness for? Stupid questions for sure but at this point I don�t even know what I don�t know lol.

Your 3rd break light is not on the deck lid its on the panel under the window, at least on a factory set up. The harness controls the fan and engine light. The issue is there r random.grounds that travel through the harness and u will get a spoiler error on the dash if its not turned off with a durametric or piwis.

Alright so the wing I bought has an integrated brake light. Now I�m even more confused than ever because the OEM taco wing is adjustable and uses the existing third brake light on the panel under the rear glass. I think this is also the wiring harness I need? for any internet archeologists who come across this thread in 10 years when 996s are astronomical in value and is looking to convert a C2 to an aero car� just don�t do it, or good luck finding OEM stuff lol. lets see what the body shop says, surely they have more sense than me. I�m too deep to stop now lol.

Quotes source post: 19702631

I can confirm from personal experience that IS the correct harness for the wing in your pic. You can also save a few bucks over the Pelican price. You don't list your location but if you're in the west, try here: https://www.gaudinporscheparts.com/o...et-99661207004 If you're in the East, try here: https://www.delawareporscheparts.com...et-99661207004

Quotes source post: 19702692

amazing thank you! I ordered the one from Delaware Porsche.

MaShaw may have it for $130. There web site is funky and this may ne an old page? http://mashaw.biz/GT3CupDecklid.asp U might have a Design911 wing? https://www.design911shop.com/p/bi-plane-rear-spoiler-type-gt-porsche-996-carrera/?currency=USD&country=US&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsc24BhDPARIsAFXqAB3A laHaVq8X-nGPs253OWZEsdHzYnAh_2IjS0ZkyG34-pinBrbIojgaAm2ZEALw_wcB

Quotes source post: 19702928

The struts that carry the wing don't look like the boomerang shape so typical of the taco wing, in my view. I believe the black wing silver99six showed is a version of taco wing specifically for the 996 Cabrio. It seems the wing sits lower than the coupe version, thereby blocking the 3rd brakelight below the rear screen and necessitating a 3rd brakelight in the wing itself. The wing needs to sit lower on a cabrio otherwise the clam shell can't open fully to store the soft top. Don't remember if porsche ever offered this as tequipment or wether it was a clever offering by an aftermarket supplier. Going by this page of the Tequipment catalogue, it's aftermarket.

Yea but i dont think the cab trunk lid fits on the coupe? I cant remember?

Quotes source post: 19703526

just read this and had a mini heart attack thinking maybe it won�t fit. Especially because I see your other posts/threads and you�re very knowledgeable. Went back to check my original conversation with the seller and found this so I think we�re in the clear (?): either way I need to check with the body shop when they�re open on Monday.

Yup and if it does fit maybe it was origionally off a cab so thats why the wing may be a lower and the third break light is in the wing. That harness u bought may not have the prevision for the 3rd break light as the gt3 never had it. Im sure we can figure it out if u need it.

After a year of driving around on the H&R RSS coilovers, i think im going to move onto a different set. The RSS coilovers are great, but theyre a bit too stiff for me driving around NYC roads and since theres no damper adjustments, im pretty much stuck with them as they are now. When the road is smooth, they are SO dialed in. The car honestly has a perfect height and reacts very well to steering inputs. Now for the big question, do I REALLY need to spend $3k+ for Ohlins R&T or KW V3? Or am I missing an inbetween coilover option that is like $2-3k? For anyone reading.... just do your research and spend the money up front the first time. This entire car has been an exercise in learning what i really want from a car vs. what i think i want from a car. Originally i wanted a raw driving experience (hence the RSS coils, Renown racing steering wheel, etc.) but thats just not how im using the car. Id be better suited with a more GT experience and trade off some of the rawness with compliance. Also i found side skirts on ebay for relatively cheap so im ordering them to the body shop and throwing them on along with the bumper/wing.

Yeah that wing is the Tequipment Carrera AeroKit style that was a Genuine Porsche Designed Tequipement item that fits Cabs and Coupes.. I don't know if they were ever installed as Factory Option or all were Dealer Installed, they are very rare....and expensive at ~ $7K ... I have a 1999 Cab with that kit full monty with wing, bumper, side skirts, and even the rear spats but the hood sticker is long gone and the front bumper is MkII GT3 style so for sure is an aftermarket copy...

Quotes source post: 19706403

maybe I�m missing something but the wing I have is a weird taco wing replica/reproduction. It doesn�t look like the techquipment wing. It does however seem to use the third brake light from that cabriolet techquipment aero wing and I still need to source one lol.

Quotes source post: 19706407

Make some more side view pictures of that wing....I can't really tell the profile/silhouette.... the Carrers AeroKit wing looks very different from different angles...lol I keep looking at the one I have on the 99 Cab trying to decide if I would like it on my Coupe...lol

According to PET narrow body Cabs and Coupes use the same deck lid ,................ the C4S and C4S Cabs use a different one with the C4S Cab costing a whopping $11K !!! Also the quarter panels are different between Coupes, Cabs, and Targas...

Quotes source post: 19702692

According to this pic/angle That Tequipment Aero Wing looks damn good on a Coupe !!! Also that is the exact color of Sally.....Polar Silver...So I now KNOW what it would look like from that angle.... Thanks SoCal !!!

Quotes source post: 19706339

https://www.ebay.com/itm/35580745696...mis&media=COPY these ones?

Quotes source post: 19706639

that�s the seller I got my wing from lol. I actually found OEM .1 skirts used for $850. still no idea what I�m doing with the brake light in my wing + looking for options for grille/mesh for the front bumper. Fun stuff!

^^^Dont do the grill mesh� just clean your rads/condensers annually�

I agree. The grille becomes an impediment to air flow, leading to overheating events. I�d liken it to breathing through a paper towel.

well the car is finally back from the body shop and I can�t believe how incredible it looks. I loved the car before but now I�m obsessed. This is how it should�ve always looked in my opinion. The swoopy body lines go as well with the muscular front bumper and the �twisted metal� side skirts. For those of you in this thread with a keen eye from before� I did not get a proper aerokit GT3 Taco style rear wing. I didn�t realize it was so different when I bought it off eBay. It�s like a 3:4 scale taco wing, somewhere in between the real Taco and the Cabrio aero spoiler. I�m calling it the taquito. It�s very unique, I�ve never seen another one like it and still think it compliments the styling very well so I�m happy. this did leave a gaping hole where my third brake light was (since now it�s incorporated in the rear wing) so I�m looking at the third brake light delete cover ( 996 504 981 01 G2X). I also had the calipers painted speed yellow and the bumperettes color matched to arctic silver for a cleaner rear end. So nice to see the vision come together. Feels like I got a brand new car. Now time for some PPF.

more photos of the rear wing, bumperettes and the SY calipers.

Taquito!

Quotes source post: 19751008

It appears to be a very nicely done, scaled down C4S aero spoiler. Quite unique.

Quotes source post: 19706403

bingo, you were right! It�s the aero wing for the cabriolet.

Finally! Looks super good

Looks good! Time to update the title of the thread!

Quotes source post: 19759083

haha true. The car has received a lot of love in my three years of ownership. Still not done

Quotes source post: 19760466

She'll never be "done"... always something else to do!

You’re right. Suspension started clunking…. Put the car up on the lift and my strut mounts are blown out (OEM) but I replaced them a year ago when I installed the H&R coilovers. now I need strut mounts and maybe new coilovers since I foolishly went for a set of stiff/low coils and drive on NYC streets lol. Thinking BC Racing or Ceika. Need something with adjustable dampening and two collar adjustments to adjust preload. Current coils only have one collar adjustment (top only).

Strut mounts toast after one year? What kind?

Quotes source post: 19771767

That's unfortunate that they're bad after so little use. What noises are you hearing that leads you to top mounts being the culprit? I'm on (what are most likely) original top mounts at 43,000 miles and thinking it's time to replace mine after strong low speed creaking noises while turning + over speed bumps.

My front strut mounts are toast after a year. I had the car up on a lift and can see the rubber bushings torn and there’s play in both mounts. I guess the lowered coilovers and bumpy NYC roads accelerated wear. I don’t know what to do, I could warranty them with FCP but it’s not worth it if I have to do this every year.

Alright time to update - Haven't done a blessed thing with the car since installing the aerokit and realizing my front strut mounts were TOAST! Car mostly sat for the horrible Northeast winter we had this year and I finally blew off the cob webs and took the car out to the odd cars & coffee here in NYC. Spring maintenance is coming once I take my pounding from the IRS. Changes being made: - Swapping out the H&R RSS coilovers for Feal 441+ with long stroke option and Swift Springs - Fister exhaust (much needed) - Continental radio - Maybe new 997 shift console (?) - Rear Brakes, pads and rotors Wish me luck!

Dig the Mk1 style. It grows on you.

Watch out for the spring potholes worn shocks would make hitting one of them more than a bit scary 😀 car looks great welcome to the warmer weather👍 Rich

Might pop by the CnC at Phil�s Euro this weekend 🫡

I did the 997 shifter and its a little bit better and shorter throw then the 996 for sure, I needed it in a pinch when I lost reverse and the car was stuck at my mom's house so I changed it in her driveway. If I was home I think I would have bought all the metal bits you can change in the 996 shifter for a cheaper and nicer feel. Don't remember which parts were the best anymore, this was a few years ago maybe there is nicer stuff these days.

My recommendation is to go with the Numeric shifter! Billet base no plastic super nice to shift

Very nice build! Glad to see this as an inspiration to my silver .1!

Hey all - new update for 2025. I dont even remember everything that i've done at this point so this thread helps keep me in check. We changed the oil, rear brakes (pads/rotors/fluid/hardware), steering clockspring and installed Tarett front camber plates with new OEM bushings to replace my OEM front strut mounts (only lasted a year). The OEM mounts and bushings were torn and rattled/clunked constantly. Small changes, always improving the car. Worst cropped photos ever but here we go -

Following the camber plate install I needed an alignment BADLY. Took it to the shop and took some cool photos + look at my alignment specs. The car turns in so aggressively now and drives like a dream, everything is so responsive and feels "dialed in" more than it ever has. It is honestly pretty perfect as it sits right now. The front camber looks silly, but it has a sort of Cup Car vibe now if you ask me. The photo below of the car shows the stance pretty well - the shadow cast on the front wheel highlights the camber. After a 50mi rip back to NYC from Westchester I came home and realized oil pressure was below 1Bar at idle. I posted to my instagram (@unloved911) and received 10000 replies with half saying its normal and their car does the same, and half saying its indicative of oil sender/oil pump issues.

That alignment looks fun as hell.

Car has come a long way in a short time! Looks fantastic.

Looking great boss. How hard was the clock spring?

Looks awesome as usual!

Quotes source posts: 20063471, 20063646

it�s a riot! Car drives noticeably different. Feels alive. thank you! Uhhh it actually broke during installation so another one is on order. Let�s try this again lol.

Quotes source post: 19950013

also I did not change suspension from H&R RSS to Feal 441+ instead I spent the money on the new camber plates and a proper alignment and it solved 85% of what I wanted to achieve. Car rides much better now. It�s still stiff and low with minimal adjustments to be made on that front, but I can live with it. On smooth this car is glued to the pavement. also didn�t spend any money on the exhaust or shifter. Just a couple �nice to haves� instead of crucial items. I did buy the Conti radio but it hasn�t been installed yet.

Been a while since I've posted something here... Quick updates - Last year before winter I posted the car for sale @ $35k and got bombarded with insults and sarcastic messages about what a PoS the car is and how it's not worth it. So I pulled it off the market and decided to keep it. In it's final service of 2025 the car received - New chain guides and tensioners - Bore Scope - Rebuilt Variocam - Oil change and probably some other things i'm forgetting now. I need to update my service history spreadsheet. The bores were clean and the chain guide pads were totally chewed up so i'm happy I replaced those. To celebrate the start of spring in the North East I dropped the car back off at the detailer to remove 6 months of dirt/grime and NYC crap. I think it came out looking as perfect as can be.

^^^What made you decide to change the wear pads? Did you have plastic bits in the oil filter, poor cam deviation readings,...?

Quotes source post: 20543299

Developed a strange noise one day (Cold start rattle), so I brought it in for diagnosis. The cam deviation was off which was a telltale sign. I have photos of the worn pads I will upload to this thread, along with some bore scope images. The pads were COOKED.

So a bit of a major update to this thread... In late 2025 I did a big service at South Shore Performance to the tune of about $7k and consisted of the following: - Spark Plugs/Tubes - oil change to Motul 5w/40 with magnetic drain plug - reseal my oil pan/sump - Left side cam solenoid replaced (leaking) - Cam chain rails replaced - Bore scope (came back clean thankfully) The labor was quite extensive to replace the cam chain rails, pads, and whatnot + reassembly. The reason i brought the car in was a massive rattle/slap noise when i turned the car on. Thought that the motor was toast and had all the worst scenarios playing out in my head. Towed the car into the shop and had them diagnose. The car runs beautifully now and i've been trying to use it as much as I can (hence the next update)

This year (2026) I havent been driving much becasue the damn H&R RSS coilovers + the Tarett camber plates were just too much to handle in NYC. The car was so perfectly dialed in for smooth roads that I would drive up in Westchester and CT but the transit to the smooth roads + using the car around NYC was miserable. It looked awesome at a lower ride height and the front camber made the steering response sharp as hell, but i would scrape my bumper on pretty much everything. I thought about selling the car again for about $35k and decided not to. Everytime i entertained new offers for the car i was conflicted with finding a replacement. There was nothing even remotely close to the feel/enjoyment of my 996 for less than $60-70k. So i decided to keep the car and fix the things i hated, which basically summed up to these three categories: - Suspension feel - Shifter feel - Usability I solved these issues by doing the following: - Feal 441+ (swift spring upgrade 5k/10k spring rate) coilovers with GT Comfort dampers - Numeric Shifter (no cables) - Apple carplay unit, rewired my seats so that they actually recline, removed the center console so my knee doesnt bang into it The Feal 441+ coilovers are incredible. If you want to lower your car and not ruin the ride then this is what you want. They're perfect and what i would call a "GT3 touring" style suspension. Theyre firm and lower than stock but have incredible rebound and dampening. It smooths out all but the worst NYC roads at low speed and then it handles high speed road imperfections perfectly. It has truly transformed the car's ride and allows me to drive the car with more confidence in more situations than my previous setup. The numeric shifter is great, super stiff, super notchy, and very short. Its a worlds difference from the blown out stock shifter and makes interacting with the gear lever more enjoyable. The only thing i will mention which i dont think ive ever seen mentioned about the numeric shifter; it changes the angle of the gear lever. Now the gear lever in the neutral position is slightly crooked and leaning towards me. The carplay unit was a huge upgrade. I never really listened to the radio in my car and always had my phone propped up on a rennline phone mount for GPS. You all know how awesome carplay is so ill save my words. The GT3 center console delete was bought for about $150 on ebay but is missing the plastic trim piece, i dont know where to find that so if you do, let me know. Still low but not as extreme as before Much less camber but way more usability Carplay unit is CP-71WAK

Does anyone have recommendations for lumbar support pillows to accompany the OEM sport seats? also looking for the small plastic piece normally included in the center console delete. Is there a part number for this?

I would think you can have some small lumbar pillows made at reasonable cost. Or better yet do new inserts in your sport seats and have a lumbar insert done in that same material 😄

Hows stereo working so far? Any issues with wireless carplay? Does it work 100% of the time or sometimes it does not connect?

Happy to see some updates Car looks great buddy!

Quotes source post: 20671772

it�s awesome. Wireless CarPlay is a total game changer. There�s a tiny delay I noticed only when using Apple Music through the unit. If you hit next song, the song will change before the visual changes, but honestly who cares. Best $200 I ever spent.

Quotes source post: 20670760

You should hit up cmodd in Jersey to see if he might be able to make you something. He did a lot of our friends' cars and is really affordable for the quality of the work.

Quotes source post: 20672063

That's awesome! I got Teyes on my Subaru and it works great has a really nice screen, but 1 out of 10 times carplay is not connecting, that really pisses me off lol I'll try to buy one you have probably. Its everywhere out of stock, but I'll try to find one. I might then modify the bottom portion of the dash as I currently have cubby and disk holder, hopefully there are options there that would have two cubbies instead or some other great idea. I don't want to delete it all together.

Cool looking car and I enjoyed reading through this entire thread as it is a great way of documenting all the work that has been done along with lots of great photos. I also have a silver 996 C2 with the same wheels, might have to start my own thread as I only recently purchased and there are many small items that need to be addressed, and some that already have been.