Another 2001 C4 project car!

Well, I've been lurking around here for a while but thought it's about time I put a few pics up and what the plans are! The story begins in May 2018 - a friend sends me this pic saying he has finally bought one! A clean 80k mile C4 tip for 15k I'll give some more details of the story later but my plans for the car are to make it into something fun to drive and track but at the same time still able to do a Euro road trip in. I would love a GT3 but can't afford that so I'm going to build something that does the job for me on a budget. Current wish list (some of which have been started/completed) Chassis Suspension upgrades Coilovers, top mounts ARB's Brake upgrades EPAS power steering pump conversion (more on the reasons later) Wheels and tyres Body Front splitter/spoiler of some sort Ducktail type spoiler of some type Recaro CS front seats Stereo upgrade Engine/drivetrain 2wd conversion Manual gearbox conversion Engine conversion to something other than an M96! (Current possibilities - Audi V8, LSv8, 991 3.8 engine) Before anyone starts telling me not to bother with conversions, sell it and buy a turbo/Gt3 etc etc etc...... I own a garage specialising in VW Audi (and a fair bit of Porsche) and have carried out numerous other engine conversions etc so none of that side of it phases me in the least and hours spent don't figure in it being a budget build! Wish me luck!

You know it makes sense. It pays to be careful on projects to avoid mission creep though. MC

Ha, I think you posted that before I finished editing...... Project has crept a long way already!

So shortly after being sent the first picture (About 3 weeks) I got another one. I won't repeat the words that went with it! I happened to say that if the insurance were going to write it off, see how much he could keep it for. To cut a long story short, he ended up happy with the insurance giving him 17k and saying he could buy the car back for 4.5k..... so I became the owner of a 4.5k smashed up 911

Some fun stuff there, I'd love to read about swapping in a later engine more than a v8 personally. MC

I spent the next few moths gathering parts to repair the car. Had a bit of luck and found a Litronic headlight listed as a booster headlamp on eBay so picked it up for £300! Other than that, got a bonnet and wing for £300, managed to save the bumper, bought a few more brackets and bit from Porsche and set about straightening it all back out. There was no chassis or suspension damage, even the front bumper bar was Ok - the collision had involved my friend driving into the back of a mondeo, the Porsche managed to go straight underneath so the damage was pretty minor really. Once all stripped back it was just a case of pulling the upper wing mount and front of the bonnet area out.

Have spent a while mulling engines over. Pretty much ruled out the LS v8 - it's a bit too agricultural for my liking. I want an engine that's fun on track and that means it needs to rev well. I think the LS would just be a bit of an on off switch sledge hammer. The Audi V8 would have to be from the RS4 as I'm looking for at least 400hp to make all the swap hassle worthwhile. Having spent a while eyeing up every RS4 I've had in the workshop I think that size and fitment would be an issue with one of them. My preferred choice is a 991 Gts engine - a factory 430bhp would be excellent. Main problems with these are the cost and finding a manual gearbox. I looks like all Dfi motors run a different bell housing to the earlier engines so I need a 997.2 gearbox ideally. I'm hoping I will get a bit of money back for my M96 and gearbox but I would still be a long way short of the 15k that most engine I have seen are! Hopefully something will turn up eventually!

I recognsie the name fron VW's I think. What about a VRT or 24vT if you want a challenge. Someone has done it in the US I think. Not sure which gearbox you would use.

I have recognised a few names around here from my Corrado forum days. Got a couple of reasons for not going down that route 1. I want to keep it N/A for track fun - every track car that I've used or been involved with that has a turbo always has some heat management issues so I'd rather not go down that route 2. I still have my Corrado project - it's been converted to R32, 7 speed DSG gearbox, 4wd and a stupidly large turbo. Still a work in progress but hopefully running early next year...... who says you can have too many project :bye:

So this was the car at the end of 2018, back in 1 piece, painted and with a fresh MOT. Drove it like this for the whole of 2019 whilst I finished some other projects.

Fast forward to this year and during some eBay browsing came across a set of bilstein coilovers. Only 2 problems, firstly they were missing the top plates, secondly they were for a C2! Second problem was fine by me as I had always intended to convert to 2wd. So, after a bit of Porsche parts catalogue browsing and some more eBay searches I picked up some booster front hubs and front anti roll bar. I bought some adjustable top mounts, some universal top spring plates and some nylon bat to torn up a top spring cap. Also bought some rod ends and turn buckles to make up some adjustable arb links.

Ah yes, Corrado forum. Sounds like it's going to be interesting, I'd stick with a 6cyl and if possible a newer engine. I know it's boring but they just work. Corrado sounds interesting as well, I do miss my VRT for giggles but not for looking after.

Yeah, like I said, a 991.1 GtS ngine is my real target but preferably with a 997 6 speed manual box. An extra 100hp over my 3.6 would make the swap worthwhile, pribably be more powerful and reliable than an M96 could ever dream of being! Having sorted the suspemsion and now with the car 2wd it was time to sort some wheels. I'm still kicking myself for not buying some 18" Cayman GT4 wheels that were on eBay a year or so ago - maybe one day another set will come up but until then I've found a set of these that I really like. 1552 Tarmacs in 8.5 and 9.5 widths. Ideally would have liked a slightly wider rear but they never made anything better in 5x130 Actually grown to quite like the fatter side wall look the rear have and I'm tempted to go slightly wider on the fronts to match.

Quick Pic from an early morning run up the coast road - can't wait to get a manual gearbox but it was fun all the same!

Turbo engine option Jezzag60 did you look at the option of using a 996 turbo engine instead (without the turbo's) which would be easier to get hold of and cheaper ?, making it more into a GT3. cheers Jer