New coupe for Track and Canyons. Weigh in your opinions!

I'm still waiting for my plates to arrive so I can drive this new coupe more than a few times around my block (always to full temp). But I'm starting to put together a build list to convert this 99' Coupe to a recreational track car that can also canyon carve. I'm keeping my 99' Cabriolet now as my daily (not that I have a commute, but I can drive to friends, out to dinner etc). Specs: 1999 "Early Build" Coupe with LSD and two-way power sport seats. 77,000 miles. 250 miles driven in past two years. Decent service history: (oil changes frequently) Over 58k-66k miles: Water pump, Serp Belt, Brake Pads/Rotors, Spark Plugs, Fuel filter, Starter Assembly, Purge valve (?), Fuel cap, Evap Shut Off Valve 76k miles: Ignition switch/lock, Serp belt, Crankshaft position sensor It was noted on all service oil records that there is leaking from spark tubes and valve cover gasket -- I have since cleaned those areas fairly well and will monitor -- my current Cabriot, had similar leaks and it just took getting the engine to high rev push to clear it up. Only things I have done so far are: Replace trans oil with Delvac Rip out the useless Radar detector Pull off bumper and clean out debris in front and in between rads New battery Clean up excess oil over gasket and plug area Video Record all cold starts to check for smoke (he had one video with some small puff on start, right side exhaust, so being extra careful to monitor that -- zero signs of soot build up though). The last record, I saw a minuscule puff from the drive side, but almost unperceetable. Not going to worry about this, till I can actually fully drive it on the streets. Visually inspect under carriage, some rust on bolts, but nothing so far of major concern (exhaust bolts will be the death of me to remove). Things to do: A) Suspension is likely original, though it appears two of the bump stops may have been replaced at some point, the others are toast. There is some "whooshing" when going over speed bumps. Opinions on coil over vs just B6 sports? B) Will replace motor mounts, as exhaust tips are drooping. I was very happy with OEM when I did them on my Cab, is going harder material worth it? C) Shifter feels VERY sloppy, and some notchyness going in to 2nd gear. On my cabriot, it was loose as hell when I got it, but after I replaced with Porsche gear oil, it tightened up when cold, and shifts beautifully when warm. The Cabriot had weird 2nd gear too, but new fluid solved that for thousands of miles now. -- I expected the coupe with new fluid to be stiffer when cold, but it still feels like a sloppy loose mess. D) UAOS - I have one, with track drain, ready to go (bought for Cab, but then I ended up with Coupe) E) Fister exhaust - on list, need to check they are okay with some rust at the seams F) Wheels/Tires - I have five spoke Carrera 997 wheels mounted with the zero used Conti Extreme tires that came with the car. Currently it has my twists with PS4s just for testing. G) Brakes - I have Pagid RSL 29s for front and rear sitting and waiting. My cab needs new pads, so will take them from Coupe, which still has a lot of life on them. Open to any all all opinions on what else I can / should do. My biggest question is suspension. I've got the same metal to metal sound when going down hill over a bumpy road that my cabriot does, and pretty sure it's worn bushing in control arms. Need to identify that sound to be sure (I can't seem to shake it hard enough when on lift). I bought the car for cheap on a gamble and knocking wood it all holds up. The paint and body are in great condition, and there is a part of me that wants to preserve it and not make it a track car, but then I have to buy a THIRD one... and that's just not going to happen.....!

If you drive on track for more than a couple sessions you will want more camber. A lot more. Like 3.5 degrees in front and 3.0 in back. Keep that in mind when speccing new suspension parts. If you drive fast on track you'll want race seats, a harness bar, 6 point belts, and a hans. It is much easier to drive if you are not sliding all over. A reputable company is making aftermarket clones of the 996 GT3 elephant ear race buckets. You'll find that the car understeers no matter what. A stiffer rear sway bar will help limit that. Track brake pads are a must along with good brake fluid. The lug bolts are all that keeps the wheels on the car. Replacing them every few years is a good idea. I have no comment on the engine or gearbox; I have no experience with the Carerra powertrain. I think driving these cars on track is a fantastic experience. There are quite a few of us that do. I am sure you will get much great advice. I think you have my phone number from when you bought the wheels, if you want any advice send a text or give a call. I am super happy when guys run these cars on track.

That’s a nice “project” car! Suspension and engine durability are key. My 2 cents for Season One: A. Track=coils and stiffer rear sway (at least), adjustable drops and GT front coffins to start. Understeer and front end float are the enemy. $3,500-5,000 (DIY) B. OEM motor mounts are fine and limit possible trouble with knock sensors. Transmission mount inserts work. $100 C. Old shifter stalk and grip are rubbery. Get metal. For now, adjust the cables. I love my 997 SSK, but if you want this to be more track rat and aren’t overly concerned with NVH, go all-in with Numeric. $400-800 F. 997 5 spokes are heavy. 996 5 spoke, OZ are lighter in 18x8” and 10”. Apex for GT3 size $1,200-2,600 G. Stock brakes are pretty dang good for stopping, but not great for shedding heat. Slotted discs. 997 turbo rear and 6GT3 front ducts. Put in a switch to man control the high a/c fan. Mod the front wheel liner for air flow. I use titanium pad shims full time. $200-800 Other. Get Coopduc’s oil temp sensor display mod. New injectors. Think about Brandon’s or Skip’s sumps. Track oil and brake fluid. I use CGLock belt buckles with my sport seats and they’re decent. FSI underdrive pulley. Pedal plate for rev matching. $400-4,000

Very nice! Congrats!! @hatchetf15 got a link to that Coopduc oil temp mod?

Quotes source post: 19793351

https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...opduc+oil+temp

Quotes source post: 19793351

I got one I'm not using if you want it... just need to wait until march.

Quotes source posts: 19792228, 19792228, 19792662, 19792662, 19792662, 19792662

Does that mean I need a coil over setup? Or can that still be achieved with standard replacement parts/Bilsteins? Yes, have Pagid RSL29s ready to go. Looks like I'm going to need to invest a bit of time tracking down the right combination of parts... They are " 997 Carrera Classic Wheels" - I had read elsewhere they were decent because lighter. I need to find a site with weights. The car came with Gemballa Le Mans wheels, which are 9" and 11" widths, so could run even wider tires - holding on to them but need to try and find more info on them - like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/203924625095 - if they are not going to be helpful will sell them. Eventually when rotors need replacing. Am getting gt3 front ducts Yes to adding manual switch, also am looking at third rad mod.

Carrera II - 8x18 20.5 (9.3 kg) 10x18 22.6 (10.3 kg) Carrera III - 8x18 22.0 (10 kg) 10x18 24.6 (11.2 kg) The Carrera II is one of the best all-around wheels ever made for a Porsche.

You can get Tarett camber plates and get an additional 1.5* of static camber, then adjust using the slots in the shock towers. If you want more you need GT3 two-piece lower control arms. Lowering the car will give you a little bit more as well. I have a set of OEM US sport springs and sway bars available if you want to stay stock-ish.

Congratulations, nice find

Quotes source post: 19794955

Here you go: https://www.944racing.de/wheelweights.php

Congrats Ben on the new 996. As you know, the 996 can be a very durable car on the track and street with just a couple of parts and procedures. My suggestions are no different than what I have done to my car over the years. Below are 7 items to consider if you are serious about tracking your car. Good news is you already have an LSD. However, it will eventually need a rebuild. 1 - Check the condition of your engine. Test your oil and drop the sump to see what's in it. Even though it's a 99, scope your bores as a just in case. Perform a blow-by test as well as check your cam deviations to see what you have and identify what 5 chain procedures you need to perform. 2 - Bullet proof the engine which is the most important thing you can do and its easy to do. Run the best oil, get a new water pump, UAOS Track, 2qt Deep sump or UIDS. Your call on the IMSB (i would do it regardless if you have a 99 especially if you are going to track the car), but along with it comes the RMS, Clutch and flywheel and the need for potential replacements. I'll let the 5 chain guys discuss what you may want to do since I am a 3 chain guy. While you are in there you might as well replace your engine mounts and trans mount with OEM. Don't go stiffer or you will need to deal with knock. You don't need them. New oem mounts will help to tighten up the shifting as well. Make sure your cooling system is working properly and determine what parts need to be replaced. Sure, you can add a 3rd radiator for more cooling at this time or hold off to see temp ranges. Consider replacing your oil cooler as well with another oem or upgrading to the 997 3.8 oil cooler which is 20% larger but fits. For sure, get @Coopduc oil temp gauge to monitor oil temps. Go over your power steering components. These things spring leaks as 20+ year old cars. PiTA. Might as well replace now. Lastly, make sure you have fresh spark plugs, ignition coils, fuel injectors, MAF, air filter and oxy sensors. All play a part in making sure your engine is running at peak performance. 3. Suspension - good set of one way adjustable coilovers (PSS10s, Ohlins, MCS), tarret camber plates, tarret GT adjustable drop links and sway bars all of which will allow you to get to GT3 specs on OEM arms, forks, etc. It has worked well for me over the past 20 years on the track and street without any headaches. But if your rubber bushings are shot on your suspension components, you can refresh all components or just some of the components to either oem stuff or more adjustable stuff. My best advice is don't go overkill early in the suspension phase, keep it simple with the items listed above until you learn how to drive, balance the car and carry speed. Which will take years. Everybody is slow as he'll when they start. 4. Brakes - upgrade your pads (R29) and rotors (slotted) for more heat dissipation and grip, and upgrade your brake fluid so it can handle the heat. If you have a couple of extra bucks, upgrade to the Girodisc brake sytem for the 996. Add GT3 brake ducts as well. 5. Wheels/Tires - run 996 oem wheels and the proper tire sizes with the best rubber you can find. Plenty of time after you learn how to drive to mess around with different wheel sizes and brands. 6. Safety Equipment - bucket seats, half cage, 6 pt harness. 7. Exhaust - consider upgrading to aftermarket 200 cell cats and mufflers for weight savings, sound and performance boost. There will be a time that you are on the track when you cannot hear your exhaust and instead hear everybody else. You need to hear it so you know where you are in the rev range. When you are driving at speed, you don't have the luxury of watching the tach. Sound and feel is everything on the track. Hope it helps.

I agree with GC996 and want to add on to point 2. if you�re going use a larger oil cooler, you should definitely install the 3rd/center radiator at the same time.

I would avoid fancy suspension upgrades until you're more comfortable balancing the car at the limit (read: zero-counter drift). GT3 coffin arms - yes; camber plates - maybe (only if the GT3 arms don't give you -3.5 camber in front); toe adjustment stuff - only if you can't get the toe in spec after setting the camber. Brakes only need to be pads and fluid for now. If you crack a stock rotor, blanks would be the best bet but for some reason I can't find any even on RockAuto... that's weird. Girodisc is always a solid bet and I can sell you my barely-used ones as I will be going back to stock next year. If you're going to commit to this being your track car, I would buy an off-the-shelf half cage for now (rollover protection) but stick with stock seat belts whether you're running stock seats or buckets. Most track orgs allow this for newbies, and as you get faster you'll realize whether you need the 5/6pt harness or not. Don't overcommit up front to building a "track car", that's the easiest way to fall out of love with the hobby. It's more satisfying when you methodically identify what you need, WHY you need it, and let the car grow with your skills.

Quotes source post: 19797401

^^^This. As an example, think of it as 4 stages of the 996. 1. Street Car - car is completely original and you decide to participate in a couple of DE events to see if you like it. 2. Street Car Plus - couple of upgrades such as coilovers, brake pads, tires after you been out on the track a few more times and want better handling and braking. 3. Dual Purpose Street/Track Car - now you are getting more serious so you enhance your handling by adding a set of sway bars and drop links, as well as find a bigger brake kit, add an LSD if you dont have one, upgrade your exhaust system, and add safety equipment such as buckets, half cage, 6 pt harness, etc. All of these upgrades are reversible back to stock. 4. Dedicated Track car - more adjustable suspension pieces, lots of aero, full cage, remove lots of stuff to lighten the car, plus lots of other fun stuff. At this point, the car isn't really a streetable option. This list assumes you have already bullet proofed the engine with all of the appropriate part upgrades and service items. For sure, the list is just an example and it can vary for everyone. But it's an evolution. The more you track the car and the more serious you are about progressing thru the ranks, the faster you will move thru the list. I stopped at #3 with my 996 because I wanted to still enjoy it around town. Many have gone all the way to #4. Comes down to what you want.

Quotes source post: 19795791

That's super helpful. Looks like the Carrera wheels are pretty lightweight.

Thanks all, the posts are so helpful. Yes, I'm going out of the gates and building a track car from get go. Will do it in stages as driving need dictates. Not in any rush either, plenty of low pressure track days available to get sorted.

Congrats on the new 996... Hows the hot idle oil pressure on the new car...? Does it do the same as your cab when pushing thru corners on ACH...? imho, my first mod to a track/ACH 996 would be a logging system to track oil pressure instability in the corners. And then get oil pressure correct,,, before modding the car too pull more G's in the corners.... jmo

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STILL waiting on. my tags to come (there was a hiccup at the company who's handling), but hopefully here this week and will go test this exact thing (as hot as i can get it with temps now in 60s).

Quotes source post: 19799374

A logging system is not only great for mechanical health but in my opinion is the absolute best way to quantitatively assess driver and car changes - try a different line, brake a little earlier, a little later, change your pads, change suspension settings etc... not only you do you have the difference in feel, but you can translate how that feel impacted actual performance. Also, if you have a coach drive your car, you get their data for benchmark purposes, you see exactly what they do vs. you.

Quotes source post: 19800594

100%! Getting a solid baseline to drive towards is like a cheat code for saving time and consumables on track.