thoughts on this bodykit
#16
Just out of curiousity what is your opinion on putting a gt3 aero kit on a standard C2/C4.......do you view this as being fake?
I would not consider that fake because it could have been ordered from the factory that way. Many cars have that kit (OEM or aftermarket) and it looks natural on the car. No one questions it and in my opinion that's the way to go on a pre facelift 996.
With this kit you will constantly have to deal with:
Question: Wow, is that a 997 GT3 RS?
Answer: Well no, actually it's a 996 with a body kit
I would not consider that fake because it could have been ordered from the factory that way. Many cars have that kit (OEM or aftermarket) and it looks natural on the car. No one questions it and in my opinion that's the way to go on a pre facelift 996.
With this kit you will constantly have to deal with:
Question: Wow, is that a 997 GT3 RS?
Answer: Well no, actually it's a 996 with a body kit
#17
like I said I'm not doing this to impress anyone.....I'm going to do it because I think it looks great........hence I don't care if people ask questions......it is what it is.....and if people judge me on this.....then shame on you ;-)
Perhaps we need to define fake in this context?.........I'm guessing from what you have said: any thing that was not orinially intended by Porsche.......thus making anyone with a body kit driving a fake car?
the car in the link i included.....do you not think this car looks natural and great?
Hey I just think it looks good and that is why I'm going to do it........nothing more and nothing less.
ps - not having a dig at your car or implying its fake......it looks sick!
Perhaps we need to define fake in this context?.........I'm guessing from what you have said: any thing that was not orinially intended by Porsche.......thus making anyone with a body kit driving a fake car?
the car in the link i included.....do you not think this car looks natural and great?
Hey I just think it looks good and that is why I'm going to do it........nothing more and nothing less.
ps - not having a dig at your car or implying its fake......it looks sick!
#18
I agree with those that stated that the price will be much higher than you expected on this mod. I would be prepared to drop some serious coin at the body shop! Fitting a fiberglass bumper is one thing, but fenders (wings as you call them in the UK) will be a whole different matter. On previous Porsches that I’ve owned I’ve installed good quality fiberglass fenders and always ended up later spending the money to go to the steel wide body versions. The reason is simple, fiberglass is thicker than steel and inner panels are bonded to the undersides for mounting, which makes them even thicker at the key mounting points such as around the doors and hood. Also, other inner panels have to be bonded in for lights etc, and each bonding point is an opportunity for the part to warp and twist causing more fitting problems.
I was just speaking with a friend from Canada the other day who purchased some fiberglass doors for his Porsche race car, which are constructed the same as fenders, he said the body shop had to cut them in quarters and re-glass them back together to get them to fit on the car. The end result was that the fiberglass doors ended up weighing more than the gutted factory doors did.
I have nothing against fiberglass bumpers, spoilers, etc, and have had great success with them, but I would stay away from the headaches you will encounter with fenders. On a race car maybe, but not on your "pride and joy" street car. Plus, aren’t the 997 lights that you will need crazy expensive and what about wiring?
Just my 2 cents worth…
I was just speaking with a friend from Canada the other day who purchased some fiberglass doors for his Porsche race car, which are constructed the same as fenders, he said the body shop had to cut them in quarters and re-glass them back together to get them to fit on the car. The end result was that the fiberglass doors ended up weighing more than the gutted factory doors did.
I have nothing against fiberglass bumpers, spoilers, etc, and have had great success with them, but I would stay away from the headaches you will encounter with fenders. On a race car maybe, but not on your "pride and joy" street car. Plus, aren’t the 997 lights that you will need crazy expensive and what about wiring?
Just my 2 cents worth…
#19
Anyway, it's YOUR car and YOU are the only one that matters. Besides, the only people that are going to ask you if it's a real GT3 are other Porsche people - non-Porsche people wouldn't know or care about the difference.
If that's what you want, go for it. I like pretty much everything about the kit except the wing... I know that's the iconic symbol of a GT3, but I've never warmed up to it.
Good luck!
Rudy
#24
thanks for the comments guys.
especially the comments from porscheholic.....I will not go for fibre glass fenders/wings on the back of this advice.....I will have to look into getting oem 997 fenders and then figuring out someway to make them fit.
the complete 997 light kit including all wiring 975 euros when purchased with the full kit from this company who also break porsches.....not a bad price me thinks!
I too don't like the big gt3 rear wing......however i do quite like the misha gt2 rear wing......I will see how the kit looks with my gt3 aero rear spoiler i currently have on the car......if it looks pants i will change it for the misha gt2 wing.
Now to find out if the 997 fenders/wings fit the 996......or if they can be easily manipulated to encourage them to fit as snug as a bug in a rug.....don't want no bodge job on a porsche!
especially the comments from porscheholic.....I will not go for fibre glass fenders/wings on the back of this advice.....I will have to look into getting oem 997 fenders and then figuring out someway to make them fit.
the complete 997 light kit including all wiring 975 euros when purchased with the full kit from this company who also break porsches.....not a bad price me thinks!
I too don't like the big gt3 rear wing......however i do quite like the misha gt2 rear wing......I will see how the kit looks with my gt3 aero rear spoiler i currently have on the car......if it looks pants i will change it for the misha gt2 wing.
Now to find out if the 997 fenders/wings fit the 996......or if they can be easily manipulated to encourage them to fit as snug as a bug in a rug.....don't want no bodge job on a porsche!
#25
hmmm....I just spoke to the company and enquired about the fibre glass fenders.......they said they fit straight on.....no bonding required.......they invited me up to see the orange car that was converted in the picture. They said they will do the kit for me but it is that easy to do it should be no problem getting any normal body shop to do this.
they said you can not fit the oem fenders as the 997 is a lot wider car than the 996.
Just waiting on a definate price and then I'm going for it!
I must admit I would prefer metal fenders and not fibre glass......but seems like this is not an option unless someone out there has any other ideas.
plus my TVR Tuscan is all fibre glass and I have no problems with that....quality of the body is fine.
will keep everyone posted and put up some pics when it is being done!
they said you can not fit the oem fenders as the 997 is a lot wider car than the 996.
Just waiting on a definate price and then I'm going for it!
I must admit I would prefer metal fenders and not fibre glass......but seems like this is not an option unless someone out there has any other ideas.
plus my TVR Tuscan is all fibre glass and I have no problems with that....quality of the body is fine.
will keep everyone posted and put up some pics when it is being done!
#27
I am more curious to know about the quality of material when you get it. I want to do the same conversion.
FYI, check this out too: http://www.jacquemond.com/indexuk.htm
Incidentially, when I asked about quality, here's the reply I got back.
"Thank you for your mail.
Our fenders are made of very high quality fiberglass FRP.
Not the low quality fiber that you usually meet in the USA, but real high one.
Please have allok at the website on the " Quality of our parts " webpage.
Feel free to email us for any question.
Best regardS.
Olivier Jacquemond
Jacquemond.com
- Signature of Excellence -"
And, the price is just under $5000 with all the lights.
FYI, check this out too: http://www.jacquemond.com/indexuk.htm
Incidentially, when I asked about quality, here's the reply I got back.
"Thank you for your mail.
Our fenders are made of very high quality fiberglass FRP.
Not the low quality fiber that you usually meet in the USA, but real high one.
Please have allok at the website on the " Quality of our parts " webpage.
Feel free to email us for any question.
Best regardS.
Olivier Jacquemond
Jacquemond.com
- Signature of Excellence -"
And, the price is just under $5000 with all the lights.
I prefer the look of both the Absolute kit and the Total 997 LTD Edition from these folks, if I was going to do it and they include the wider rear fenders
#30
I'd love to hear about your experience with the 09 Carrera S if you choose to go for it. I've heard amazing things about it. Good luck with whatever you choose and keep us tuned in. Regards.
Last edited by my996; 06-11-2009 at 11:55 AM.