The ultimate GT3 post....

Like most of us, we'd love to own a GT3 but don't have the funds right now to own one. I've started to convert my 1999 996 over to "look" like one. Aside from the most obvious,(a different motor and trans)I want to see what else is different as far as interior and exterior is concerned. I just put the "GT3" badges on my car and painted the lower aero wing lip black this past weekend and 20 people flagged me down to talk about the car, it was unbelieveable how much MORE attention I got.... So here's the list I put together using over 100 search topics from this site. I'm REALLY interested in interior pictures, so if you have them, PLEASE post them. Here is what I have for differences between a normal Aero equiped 996 and a GT3: 1) Lower ride height, different adjustible suspension. 2) Adjustable sway bar. 3) Center air dam cut out and center mounted radiator. 4) Red painted calipers and larger rotors. 5) Front black spoiler. 6) Rear tab on aero wing painted black. 7) No black bumpers (For u.s) What are they in the U.S. then? 8) Sport design rims, 18" 9) Seats with harness holes. 10) No rear seats (what does this look like?) 11) "GT3" script on the handbrake. 12) Various "blanks" where climate control and the radio used to go. What, if anything am I missing? If you have any pictures, let see them, THANKS!

Please take the GT3 script off the back of your car, you do not own a GT3, and your replica does not even come close.......this is just as bad as the base model Acura Integra owners putting the Type-R badges on their cars. Until you have all the parts equipped on your car (including the motor and trans), take the badge off. regards, amir

Post this question on Chris's funcarsonline.com 996 discussion page as well. There are several guys that have put in GT3 seats and others that have removed the rear seats. Go there and look thru archives on the topic. Brent

Amir, you MUST have nothing else better to do with your time........

I see no problem putting badges on them because it's your car and you decide for yourself what you like to do with them- it's a personal preference. I think most if not all would want to have a GT3 in their garages but since they are illegal in the U.S. we have to settle with whatever we can do to simulate it. Life is too short and if it makes you happy to make it look like a GT3 it's ok for me. You may want to check out The Racer's group which last time I saw they were selling the GT3 engine but without the tranny. I imagine if you can spend the time researching and the dollars that you can find all the necessary parts i.e. motor/tranny etc but you have to decide if that's reachable. Good luck in your mods-they are fun!!! Regards. Mike

Mike, I agree 100%. Life IS too short, live it like your doctor gave you 6 months to live. If you really think about it, Porsche owners will look at it and laugh (knowing it ISN"T a GT3), others will look at it and wonder what it is. My best renters LIVE for this type of attention. They are the one's inquiring about making it look like a GT3. I have a Viper that we made to look like a "Hennessey" Viper with one of their Daytona wings. Our renters actually payed for most of the wing! (Talk about a great job...) We put "Venon 650R" stickers on our Viper ALL OF THE TIME. It can turn 11.9's all day long, but it really isn't a Hennessey..... it's all about doing things that make you happy........live your life..... Brent, GREAT pics of the GT3 on the other site, THANKS!

[quote]Originally posted by Porscherenter: <strong>Amir, you MUST have nothing else better to do with your time........</strong><hr></blockquote> Not really, I just find it funny that you're so proud you attracted attention to your car by claiming it's something that it's not. Your 911 is nice regardless of the badge, I just find it humorous and a little demeaning that you feel putting the badge on there automatically raises the car to GT3 status. Same with your Hennessey badges. In addition, you make the 911 GT3 unintentionally look bad because if someone lines up with one of your "renters" (which I'm sure aren't much more than rich yuppies that want the status the Porsche or Viper gives them.....and I doubt they know how to drive the car to its fullest potential) and they get their *** handed to them, then the turbocharged Civic that smoked him is going to be raving about how he beat a GT3. It's your car and you can do whatever you want. regards, amir <img src="graemlins/bigok.gif" border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" />

I have seen worked civics that will destroy just about any car from traffic light to traffic light including GT-3s and Ferraris alike. It is just personal taste what some people like on their car. If he wanted to paint a huge ***** on his hood, what do you care? It really irks me when people worry about other peoples possesions instead of their own. And I guess rich yuppies shouldn't have the priveledge of owning Porsches either. Who made you GOD to decide how people can decorate their OWN cars and WHO is allowed to own certain cars. <img src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" border="0" alt="[bigbye]" /> Just my 2 cents!!!

"If he wanted to paint a huge ***** on his hood, what do you care?" That's a good one. I laughed right out loud.

I have read many post about the GT3 emblems. With the risk of being flamed, who cares? I have owned several Porsches, one of which was a 98 993 Cab with a turbo wing. Did people stop me and ask if it was a turbo...? yes. I put the twin turbo wing on it because I liked the look. I recently bought a 996 from Champion Porsche. It was used with a couple of thousand miles. The car has the aero kit and several upgrades, i.e. red calipers, etc. The previous owner had a GT3 emblem on the rear. I was asked before I bought the car, did I want it removed? I told them no. I thought it looked different and I liked that. I don't think I have GT3. I didn't think my cab was a twin turbo. I think the 996s need a little personalization. I'm just a Porsche enthusiast and I like drive and racing Porsches. By the way, I just sold my # 72 Champion GT2 car. It was a Porsche factory race car that had been updated to the Evo look and specs. It wasn't a twin turbo but had the look and the racing history of the GT2 Evo. What's the difference between that car and someone putting the GT3 emblem on the back of their 996? Just my two cents.

Aside from all of the personal preferences....... Back to the MAIN reason for this post, am I missing any big noticeable items to make it look like a GT3?

Just out of curiosity does the GT3 uses mufflers or straight pipes and headers/cats any different?I imagine you got the look but if you make the sound similar that be good as well. Only thing though is you may lose power with straight pipes and it maybe a bit loud but it'll definitely sound like a racecar. Regards. mike

Why even bother putting the GT3 badge on then? You might as well try to find a GT1 badge and put that on. After all, that will give your renters more exclusivity since GT1s are much more rare than GT3s. SICAONE, nobody made me God, you must have missed the last line of my post: "It's your car and you can do whatever you want." Alright, here's what the GT3s back-seat area looks like with no backseat: Cool color, notice that unlike the aerokit on the 996 the GT3 doesn't have the little winglets behind the rear wheel: later, amir

I second that thought! Cosmetically you can turn any 996 coupe (2wd or 4wd) into a body double for a GT3, however, it would also be nice to replicate the sound. I have already investigated this issue and the 996 bolt pattern for the headers is different from the GT3. I also believe that the GT3 uses the 100 cell cats. I think that I have come close to replicating the sound, however, it is not the same! When I was in London last year I had the pleasure of driving a friend's GT3, it actually sounds more refined than my current car. The closest you could come to replicating the GT3 sound and power would require the installation of aftermarket headers, cats, exhaust, intake and engine tuning. The Carrera Power Kit will definetly add more excitement. Your goal would be to surprise the guy in the Z06 by pulling away from him, not the opposite. We are Porsche owners be proud of the car that you own! Drive Safe. -Mike

BTW I was agreeing with Mike not ZAMIRZ! ALthough he did have some nice pics of a GT3. These forums were designed to help other porschefiles in their quest for excellence, these forms were not deigned for ridicule or unnecessary sarcasm! -Mike <img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" />

MMTech- how did you like the Powerkit and is it a noticeable improvement over the stock 3.4 and since it's now a 3.6 how would it compare to the '02 model? Where did you purchase item and how much and what's the cost of installation if you don't mind me asking? Sounds like you got a pretty fully modded 996- wish I could do the same(wife in the mix of decision making). Slowly but surely as they say : ). Regards. Mike

The power kit is currently being installed at Power Tech in NJ. I bought the kit from Joe Fab for around $7,500 plus shipping and customs duties. The installation cost is somewhere around $5,250. After the UNICHIP is retuned the car should be putting out at least 300 RWHP (currently at 268). Porsche claims an additional 20hp/20ftlb , we all know that Porsche is extremely conservative and this is also based on a stock 996. A 996 with headers, cats, exhaust, etc. will be breathe much better and should yeild more pereformance. I won't know until I get it over to the same dyno where the unichip was originally tuned. With all the money that I have invested into this car I might have been able to smuggle a GT3 into the US! BTW... I have a similiar situation with my wife, however, she's used to these car upgrade situations. By next week I should have some performance details, that will be posted ASAP! -Mike <img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" />

[quote]Originally posted by Porscherenter: <strong>Back to the MAIN reason for this post, am I missing any big noticeable items to make it look like a GT3?</strong><hr></blockquote> If you're just interested in looking like a GT3 to all but the knowledgeable viewer, I think you have identified most of the items. The only things I would note are: 1) GT3 door sills 2) GT3 logo'ed rear shelf (per the picture above) 3) clear front side markers 4) rear bumper w/o black bumperettes around license plate 5) stereo and AC were available, so you don't need to blank these out This assumes that no one looks in the engine compartment, under the trunk lid, or under the car. To do a mechanical convesion sans engine and tranny, you would also need: 1) GT3 front hubs and uprights 2) GT3 front and rear control arms 3) GT3 brake master cylinder and ABS controller Of course the big difference is in the 360 HP GT1 derived engine w/ full dry sump oiling which anyone knowledgeable would see right away if they pop the hood or drive the car. Hope this helps.

GT3 console delete kit.

Porscherenter, Good on ya! I, like you, always make changes to my cars so that they look different - call me sissy, attention seeker or even BIG GIRL etc etc etc. My 2.5ltr 986 looked different with all changes made. My current C2 Cab has GT3 front bumper & lowering springs. Looks GREATTTTTTTTT and drives just as it looks great! My next 'project' is to move on to an '02 C2 Cab and transform it into a 996 GT2 looker without the rear spoiler. Can't wait to see the effects - again objectors can call me sissy, attention seeker or even BIG GIRL etc etc etc. You Only Live Once - so make the most of it. Incidentally, I have just heard on the radio of the death of one of the singers from the US female group TLC. She died in a car crash - may God bless her soul, amen.