View Poll Results: Would you do this conversion?
Voters: 118. You may not vote on this poll
996 to 997 headlight conversion
#1
996 to 997 headlight conversion
We at Precision Porsche are always trying to do different things and offer the 996 porsche community new products like our custom 997 TA side skirts and the TA GT street rear, our turbo bumpers for the 996 nb to a full blown 997 GT street conversion
With that said, we are currently in the R&D phase of doing a simple 997 headlight conversion on the 996. I know that some of us prefer the classic porsche oval headlights but don't want to sell our 996's just to get that look so we are trying to see how feasible (price and quality) it is to do this conversion.
Our goal is simple... make it as easy as possible to the end user. The plan is that all you will need are the 997 headlights plus a set of our custom fenders (retain stock hood and bumper) and you're done (well, not really...read on )
Three obstacles exist... one is the angle/fitment of the headlights. We will be reusing the stock headlight plug so we want to make sure that the fitment of the headlights and the angle of the projector/headlight beam is good.
The second obstacle will be the front blinker as we all know that it is built into our 996 headlights. We are trying to find a simple way of fixing that issue. Right now as we see it, it may be a custom LED set up like I have on my porsche.
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...eds-996tt.html
The third obstacle is the oem front bumper and the little cut off it has for the bottom of the headlights. The bad news is that we are pretty sure the 997 headlights will not fit perfectly around that part of the bumper and if that's the case, the end user will need a new bumper. The good news is that if this is the case, we will be making a barage of different front bumpers for this conversion (997 gt2, 997 gt3, 997 TA, etc). Obviously, once we go this route, the price will no longer be kept at a minimum so we need to be ready for that.
Btw, we plan also having a option for wider front fenders for all those guys that track their porsches or want to fit wider wheels in the front.
This is still in the preliminary test phase. So... with all that said, would YOU do this conversion? Please vote
Edwin
With that said, we are currently in the R&D phase of doing a simple 997 headlight conversion on the 996. I know that some of us prefer the classic porsche oval headlights but don't want to sell our 996's just to get that look so we are trying to see how feasible (price and quality) it is to do this conversion.
Our goal is simple... make it as easy as possible to the end user. The plan is that all you will need are the 997 headlights plus a set of our custom fenders (retain stock hood and bumper) and you're done (well, not really...read on )
Three obstacles exist... one is the angle/fitment of the headlights. We will be reusing the stock headlight plug so we want to make sure that the fitment of the headlights and the angle of the projector/headlight beam is good.
The second obstacle will be the front blinker as we all know that it is built into our 996 headlights. We are trying to find a simple way of fixing that issue. Right now as we see it, it may be a custom LED set up like I have on my porsche.
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...eds-996tt.html
The third obstacle is the oem front bumper and the little cut off it has for the bottom of the headlights. The bad news is that we are pretty sure the 997 headlights will not fit perfectly around that part of the bumper and if that's the case, the end user will need a new bumper. The good news is that if this is the case, we will be making a barage of different front bumpers for this conversion (997 gt2, 997 gt3, 997 TA, etc). Obviously, once we go this route, the price will no longer be kept at a minimum so we need to be ready for that.
Btw, we plan also having a option for wider front fenders for all those guys that track their porsches or want to fit wider wheels in the front.
This is still in the preliminary test phase. So... with all that said, would YOU do this conversion? Please vote
Edwin
#2
Edwin,
Thank you for keep bring now products to the 996 world. There are things/parts that I like about the 997. IMO, the lights are like the soul of the 996; changing it will make my car becomes a poser. Again... just my opinion.
Eugene
Thank you for keep bring now products to the 996 world. There are things/parts that I like about the 997. IMO, the lights are like the soul of the 996; changing it will make my car becomes a poser. Again... just my opinion.
Eugene
#3
edwin
i know this is a bit off topic
but what I would like to see is more of an option on rear wings (add-ons)
i would love a gt3-rs or a gt-2 add on spoiler for the stock 996 bonnet...
however, i dont see how a fiberglass piece can cost so much money
i would rather spend $800 on a custom carbon fiber add on for the car, rather than spend it on a fiberglass piece
however, if there was a cheap alternative ($500 and under) i wouldnt mind picking up an additional set just for shows...
lets say we got 10 members willing to put deposits for 10 fiberglass spoilers, would it be something possible ???
i know this is a bit off topic
but what I would like to see is more of an option on rear wings (add-ons)
i would love a gt3-rs or a gt-2 add on spoiler for the stock 996 bonnet...
however, i dont see how a fiberglass piece can cost so much money
i would rather spend $800 on a custom carbon fiber add on for the car, rather than spend it on a fiberglass piece
however, if there was a cheap alternative ($500 and under) i wouldnt mind picking up an additional set just for shows...
lets say we got 10 members willing to put deposits for 10 fiberglass spoilers, would it be something possible ???
#4
Given the cost of doing this, the massaging to get the aftermarket fenders to fit and look right (and possibly doing the nose as well), the required paint work, etc, I'd just sell the car and buy a 997. I'm yet to see an aftermarket fender or nose that fit even remotely close to how the factory pieces did w/o a lot of extra work. And the overall quality is typically significantly less as well. I can't image it's going to help resale value either. But I agree, I never did care for the 996 headlights compared to the 993 or 997.
So no, unless I was rebuilding a wreck, I wouldn't consider doing this.
So no, unless I was rebuilding a wreck, I wouldn't consider doing this.
#5
edwin
i know this is a bit off topic
but what I would like to see is more of an option on rear wings (add-ons)
i would love a gt3-rs or a gt-2 add on spoiler for the stock 996 bonnet...
however, i dont see how a fiberglass piece can cost so much money
i would rather spend $800 on a custom carbon fiber add on for the car, rather than spend it on a fiberglass piece
however, if there was a cheap alternative ($500 and under) i wouldnt mind picking up an additional set just for shows...
lets say we got 10 members willing to put deposits for 10 fiberglass spoilers, would it be something possible ???
i know this is a bit off topic
but what I would like to see is more of an option on rear wings (add-ons)
i would love a gt3-rs or a gt-2 add on spoiler for the stock 996 bonnet...
however, i dont see how a fiberglass piece can cost so much money
i would rather spend $800 on a custom carbon fiber add on for the car, rather than spend it on a fiberglass piece
however, if there was a cheap alternative ($500 and under) i wouldnt mind picking up an additional set just for shows...
lets say we got 10 members willing to put deposits for 10 fiberglass spoilers, would it be something possible ???
If so, I have thought about it before. The problem is not that it can't be done, the problem is that we don't have a wing blade to work off of. We cannot (and do not want to ) invest the time to make something from scratch so I have considered a few options. The BEST option would be to get something similar to the Werks wing for the 997 turbo and make that work. The problem is that the wing is $2k used. Another cost factor is the additional "metal" pieces. I'm sure we wouldn't want a full FG wing but rather have metal plates on the end of the wing. This will keep adding to the cost and honestly and realistically,a sub-$500 price point is not really doable. UNLESS...this gets manufactured out of china and we commit to buying 1000 peices (which we don't have the capital for).
Sorry for the long response... I've thought about it before but right now, the numbers don't add up.
Given the cost of doing this, the massaging to get the aftermarket fenders to fit and look right (and possibly doing the nose as well), the required paint work, etc, I'd just sell the car and buy a 997. I'm yet to see an aftermarket fender or nose that fit even remotely close to how the factory pieces did w/o a lot of extra work. And the overall quality is typically significantly less as well. I can't image it's going to help resale value either. But I agree, I never did care for the 996 headlights compared to the 993 or 997.
So no, unless I was rebuilding a wreck, I wouldn't consider doing this.
So no, unless I was rebuilding a wreck, I wouldn't consider doing this.
Edwin
#7
E
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#10
I appreciate the project work although me personally, I think it would be too much work not to mention require a bit more body work than I'd like to do on a car...changing the bumpers is one thing...but strangely enough, needing to change out OEM fenders to aftermarket to be able to run 997 headlights seems a bit much imo. Just my opinion.
#12
Cost of both fender replace, possibly front bumper, and all other work....I would think prohibative.
Got-a be a (better) way to just deal with the existing lamp assembly......disable/omit turn & fog (and the area they occupy).....oval remaining.
Got-a be a (better) way to just deal with the existing lamp assembly......disable/omit turn & fog (and the area they occupy).....oval remaining.
#15
They don't bother me that much.....but also I come from 993s and we now also have a 997.2 and personally I think that look compliments the 911 body very well.
The Turbo lights were a design feat....incorporating headlamps, turn & fog in one assembly.....thereby allowing otherwise very clean unabstucted front lines.....ref. how much initial push-back the 997TT wart-fogs got.
The 996TT lights were, of course, only the 'soul' of 911/996 from 2002 to 2004.....a fairly short blip in Porsche years......yes, the TT used them longer.