FVD 3.8L Conversion Into Member's 986 Boxster!
#93
Jay,
I'll give you a call.
Bavaria,
Yes you can keep your old engine if you want. I sold mine to someone looking to upgrade their Boxster 2.7, I believe.
Josh,
Glad to hear you still have her. By the time Spring comes around to Seattle in July, maybe you'll get to drive her again! Shoot me a pm to let me know how the SC is going. I've got the itch........and it isn't the crabs!
Dave
I'll give you a call.
Bavaria,
Yes you can keep your old engine if you want. I sold mine to someone looking to upgrade their Boxster 2.7, I believe.
Josh,
Glad to hear you still have her. By the time Spring comes around to Seattle in July, maybe you'll get to drive her again! Shoot me a pm to let me know how the SC is going. I've got the itch........and it isn't the crabs!
Dave
#94
Originally Posted by Dave
Josh,
Glad to hear you still have her. By the time Spring comes around to Seattle in July, maybe you'll get to drive her again! Shoot me a pm to let me know how the SC is going. I've got the itch........and it isn't the crabs!
Dave
I will eventually do the stage 2 that IA is working on with an I/C so we can run more boost.
#95
Appologies for any newb questions. I am currently in the market for my first Porsche, and was looking at the 986 Boxster with the intent of having it converted to a 3.4L or 3.6L engine within the first year or two of ownership(I would love to go 3.8L X51!)
The goal is to build a fun track car for weekend lapping and occasional jaunts around the city. Ideally a high mileage 2002/2003 is what i'm looking for (my priority is to spend more on supsension, engine, exhaust, etc...)
What model year (MY) Boxster should I be looking at to maximize both price and power.
Would the 3.6L/3.8L conversion be possible in a '98 Boxster or 2000 model? (Recently looked at auction prices for pre-eGas cars, and e-gas, as well as VarioCam, etc...)
Any tips would be much appreciated!
Cheers,
Mike
The goal is to build a fun track car for weekend lapping and occasional jaunts around the city. Ideally a high mileage 2002/2003 is what i'm looking for (my priority is to spend more on supsension, engine, exhaust, etc...)
What model year (MY) Boxster should I be looking at to maximize both price and power.
Would the 3.6L/3.8L conversion be possible in a '98 Boxster or 2000 model? (Recently looked at auction prices for pre-eGas cars, and e-gas, as well as VarioCam, etc...)
Any tips would be much appreciated!
Cheers,
Mike
#97
Mike,
I wrote you a long, long response...only to have it erased because 6speed logged me out before I could send.....AAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!
Bottom line: If you have the means and are going to keep the car forever, do a swap and suspension on an S model. Brakes, 6 speed are already there.
If you are a young guy: marriage, kids, mortgage on the way, then take a look at doing something different like a SC or something 'cause you are probably not going to keep the car forever.....can you say "Minivan"?
I'll be happy to give you some more insight as time goes on. Just ask specific questions. You may want to ask Josh at JP-St.Louis as well about the SC.
Dave
I wrote you a long, long response...only to have it erased because 6speed logged me out before I could send.....AAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!
Bottom line: If you have the means and are going to keep the car forever, do a swap and suspension on an S model. Brakes, 6 speed are already there.
If you are a young guy: marriage, kids, mortgage on the way, then take a look at doing something different like a SC or something 'cause you are probably not going to keep the car forever.....can you say "Minivan"?
I'll be happy to give you some more insight as time goes on. Just ask specific questions. You may want to ask Josh at JP-St.Louis as well about the SC.
Dave
#98
I think you could pick up an early S model for about $22- $25k. To do a swap to a variocam plus would require an electronics swap as well, ie. ECU and interface to the existing CANBUS system in an earlier car.
The cleanest would be an early S swap to a 996 3.6L engine with the same electronics on both.
Dave
The cleanest would be an early S swap to a 996 3.6L engine with the same electronics on both.
Dave
#99
Originally Posted by Dave
Mike,
Bottom line: If you have the means and are going to keep the car forever, do a swap and suspension on an S model. Brakes, 6 speed are already there.
If you are a young guy: marriage, kids, mortgage on the way, then take a look at doing something different like a SC or something 'cause you are probably not going to keep the car forever.....can you say "Minivan"?
Bottom line: If you have the means and are going to keep the car forever, do a swap and suspension on an S model. Brakes, 6 speed are already there.
If you are a young guy: marriage, kids, mortgage on the way, then take a look at doing something different like a SC or something 'cause you are probably not going to keep the car forever.....can you say "Minivan"?
Thanks for the quick responses! I am married, no kids, and have a small mortgage. I currently own a 6 cylinder Passat Wagon for any future "family" needs, and have a highly tuned 6 cylinder Golf Turbo. I am looking to offload the "Boy Racer" image and get into something much more refined (I get a lot of off-handed jokes from my in-laws on the Turbo!)
As Porsche's are timeless, I would likely be keeping this car until I can no longer use a clutch (suprisingly my wife's grandmother still drives a standard at 83 years young!)
I'm set on a Boxster, but want to have options in a year or two for a killer engine conversion. Nothing like having objectives in life to make one work harder
Cheers,
Mike
#101
Jay,
I'll give you a holler. PM me your cell number.
Mike,
If you are trying to lose the boy-racer image, then the P-car is definitely a step in the right direction. Don't slam it on the ground, however. Engine swap in a couple of years might be just the thing for a HP hungry Boxsta
Dave
I'll give you a holler. PM me your cell number.
Mike,
If you are trying to lose the boy-racer image, then the P-car is definitely a step in the right direction. Don't slam it on the ground, however. Engine swap in a couple of years might be just the thing for a HP hungry Boxsta
Dave
#102
Hi Dave,
I have read through the thread but may have missed the definitive road test part. Are you happy with the car, have you tracked it yet? Great idea.
I know what you mean about the racing cluth/lwflywheel combo. I have a 3.4 conversion car(which is for sale--
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ad.php?t=87217 --with full set up similar to yours and done on a low miles 97 chasis which is a couple a hundred pounds lighter. Awesome performance. I still, after 3 years am amazed at the cornering capability of the car.
Enjoy your ride and let me know about your driving experience if you have time. John
I have read through the thread but may have missed the definitive road test part. Are you happy with the car, have you tracked it yet? Great idea.
I know what you mean about the racing cluth/lwflywheel combo. I have a 3.4 conversion car(which is for sale--
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ad.php?t=87217 --with full set up similar to yours and done on a low miles 97 chasis which is a couple a hundred pounds lighter. Awesome performance. I still, after 3 years am amazed at the cornering capability of the car.
Enjoy your ride and let me know about your driving experience if you have time. John
#103
John,
Nice stable. I guess I've PM'd a few folks about the car, but never really gave a long diatribe about the ups and downs of the conversion. To put it in a nutshell, the car is simply amazing. The sound, the pull, the exhiliration is simply awesome. This is truly the car that I wish Porsche would have built. Jayster and FVD did a great job of integrating all of the stuff into a reliable, fun package. I'm very happy I did it and have no regrets at all. I would do it again in a hearbeat. This car is a far-cry from the CGT (so please no hate mail please from CGT guys), but I think I know how those guys feel when they put their foot into it and hear the roar of the motor spooling up real fast and the car pulling like an f-ing monster.
The downs....you've really got to decide if "investing" $30k into a $30k-ish car is your speed. For me, it was. I wouldn't have spent that kind of money in my 996TT (again, no hate mail, please.) The time to do the conversion is also a downer. My car was the mule. Waiting sucked, but I've forgotten already. I'm sure whoever does this next will need only wait a few weeks(?)
The car came with the M030 suspension from the factory. As you probably already know, it is an inch or so lower and feels like it is on rails. Great balance, confident driver (much more so than my 996TT was). I do wish it was another inch lower. Not slammed or anything, but just a tad more agressive looking. At the end of the day, I chose to keep it as is for now. The quality of the drive is much more important than looks... for now.
Haven't tracked the car yet, but played at 150 - 160mph a few times on the PA turnpike and the GSP. (No one on the road, of course. )
Looking to do something in August or Sept at one of the area tracks. Travel during the week this year keeps me grounded... on the weekends with travel baseball and all else on the social calendar...its hard to plan track days.
Dave
Nice stable. I guess I've PM'd a few folks about the car, but never really gave a long diatribe about the ups and downs of the conversion. To put it in a nutshell, the car is simply amazing. The sound, the pull, the exhiliration is simply awesome. This is truly the car that I wish Porsche would have built. Jayster and FVD did a great job of integrating all of the stuff into a reliable, fun package. I'm very happy I did it and have no regrets at all. I would do it again in a hearbeat. This car is a far-cry from the CGT (so please no hate mail please from CGT guys), but I think I know how those guys feel when they put their foot into it and hear the roar of the motor spooling up real fast and the car pulling like an f-ing monster.
The downs....you've really got to decide if "investing" $30k into a $30k-ish car is your speed. For me, it was. I wouldn't have spent that kind of money in my 996TT (again, no hate mail, please.) The time to do the conversion is also a downer. My car was the mule. Waiting sucked, but I've forgotten already. I'm sure whoever does this next will need only wait a few weeks(?)
The car came with the M030 suspension from the factory. As you probably already know, it is an inch or so lower and feels like it is on rails. Great balance, confident driver (much more so than my 996TT was). I do wish it was another inch lower. Not slammed or anything, but just a tad more agressive looking. At the end of the day, I chose to keep it as is for now. The quality of the drive is much more important than looks... for now.
Haven't tracked the car yet, but played at 150 - 160mph a few times on the PA turnpike and the GSP. (No one on the road, of course. )
Looking to do something in August or Sept at one of the area tracks. Travel during the week this year keeps me grounded... on the weekends with travel baseball and all else on the social calendar...its hard to plan track days.
Dave
#104
Originally Posted by Dave
Jay,
Don't slam it on the ground, however. Dave
Don't slam it on the ground, however. Dave
It is worth the change in the stance of the car, though. And it corners with little to no body roll. Zoom zoom.
And yes, it is my daily driver.
#105
Adrift,
To each his own speed (Pun intended.) I think that I saw your pics awhile back when you got your car back and I didn't think it was "slammed". It was tastefully lower and more aggressive the way you'd expect a Ruf car to be, but when I say slammed, I mean down to the ground.
Dave
To each his own speed (Pun intended.) I think that I saw your pics awhile back when you got your car back and I didn't think it was "slammed". It was tastefully lower and more aggressive the way you'd expect a Ruf car to be, but when I say slammed, I mean down to the ground.
Dave