Just a quick update on our 997 GT3 exhaust development.

It has been several months of testing and prototyping to come up with a system that delivers real performance gains.

We thoroughly tested muffler delete sections (both primary and secondary muffler deletes and one at a time), balance pipes, header configurations, and tubing diameters.

Porsche *really* did their homework with the OEM system, and none of the straight forward high flow muffler and merge header solutions produced any meaningful gains, and in some cases created serious power losses.

We're happy to report that we have a final configuration for our system that has produced impressive power gains as tested on multiple cars as well as huge weight savings. This configuration uses catalytic converters and effective mufflers to ensure no issues with street use.

However, knowing how track intensive this market is, we have also made the system modular to allow delete pipes to be installed for both cats and mufflers for maximum weight loss, as well as the ability to install tailpipe turn-downs to meet track noise regulations.

We are in the midst of final jigging, and have a some track time slated for final durability testing, and we will then release pictures and specifications. Rest assured, this is the most highly developed exhaust system for GT3 that we have seen to date. We are looking forward to finally sharing it with the eager public.

Here is a picture of one of our engineers solving the bend radii on our header design so that we can do the primaries in one piece of tubing on our mandrel bender. He is using our Microscribe digitizer and Soldworks CAD software.



Feel free to ask questions and I will do my best to answer without giving away too many secrets!

 

waiting patiently for some real results, finally...good luck with it

 

That does not look like a GT3 header. What is it for?

 

Ah ha! Yes, indeed this header is for the GT3. Yes, indeed it looks completely different from the OEM part.

Our exhaust solution is a complete system: headers, cats, mufflers, tips. It cannot be purchased ala carte and mixed and matched with the OEM components. During our thorough testing we were unable to produce any meaningful power results retaining the stock components.

Will this make the entry price to our system more expensive than the individual component replacement systems? Yes. But this was the *only* way we found to make power, and we will stand 100% behind our assertion that meaningful power is not able to be made by replacing components piecemeal on this car. We know because we tested those type of designs.

The OEM system relies heavily on resonance tuning, and changing individual components without a resulting change to the balance of this system results in power losses. The resonance tuning is disrupted to the point where even *straight pipes* made less power than the OEM muffler system.

We took heavy design cues from the RSR/Daytona Spec Cup Car design as a redesign starting point after conventional header and muffler configurations fell short in power testing, hence the long and large header primaries.

Several of our clients own either RSRs or Cup Cars with the 24 hr Rolex Daytona spec system allowing us to spend some up close and personal time with the unique Porsche Motorsport systems.

 

Todd, I know you have a business to run and you're doing your best to make improvements. I am also not trying to insult you or question your motives or your work ethic and passion for our hobby/sport, but I've got to be honest. Do you really believe that you can build a better mousetrap? Given the millions and millions of dollars spent by Porsche on R&D on just about every component engineered on the new 997; how can you compete with that?

You have engineers at Porsche with PhD’s working on perfection or as close as they can get. They have taken many months, if not years, with an endless supply of funding with every known piece of equipment to get it just right, and in two (2) to four (4) months your shop is going to make improvements? Really bro, some of us here have more money than brains and we'll spend it for an additional five (5) hp, but I find it very hard to believe it would be a good idea to scrap the stock exhaust for anything.

Once I again, I make these observations without any implication regarding your veracity, just my personal opinion. I do have two (2) final questions. Where did the gentlemen in the photo get his engineering degree? How long has he been engineering exhaust systems for Porsche? When I go to the Doctor, I always make an inquiry regarding his education, it doesn't indicate his level of competency, but it does make me feel a little better when I discover that he went to Georgetown or G.W. Good luck.

 

No offense taken.

We have nothing to hide, and our results will stand on their own. We know more than any market, the GT3 market is the one where BS does not fly. Lap times will be recorded, and no matter what a dyno says, that is what owners will respond to. And it is also why we are spending so much time on developing this system.

Bear in mind that we have two things working for us:

First, we are not bound to meeting certain federal noise regulations like the OEM, nor are we bound to certain cold running emissions standards, or further, certain mass produced manufacturing concessions. Granted, on most every other Porsche, there is quite of bit of meat left on the table in these areas, while such is not the case on this car.

Second, I did state above that we took design cues from the Motorsport parts. If Porsche had indeed wrung ever last hp from their street exhaust design, why is it not being run in any variation on their race vehicles?

Like I said, we have nothing to hide here and we know that this is the market where there is no place to hide. Our business reputation of 16 years has been built on independent results, and if it were all about just selling parts regardless of results, we could have already released this system in a much simpler configuration.

 

Im sure Mr.L will enjoy his exhaust...you guys do some pretty amazing stuff!

 

I totally agree with this statement. I previously owned a '05 Gt3. When I looked into making modifications, the crew at TPC Racing convinced me that the car was literally perfect and that modifications would not be worth the money based on the gain and/or would change the cars delicate balanced engineering. They were so passionate about this that they convinced me that if I really wanted more horsepower, I should buy a Gt2; So I did.

They gained my respect because instead of selling me modifications that would not make any difference (except in my wallet) they put aside any monetary gain for the truth. For the record, TPC Racing won their class at 2006 24 hours at Daytona. The gentleman that strongly suggested that I leave the Gt3 alone was Mike Levitas, the 24 hour champion. He was very passionate about the Gt3. I'll never forget when he told me, "You have a car here that out of the box you can take around a track and run lap after lap after lap and it just will not break." I believe him.

 

^^^he was just talking about power right? Cause the suspension, though amazing, doesnt seem nearly as able (though damn near) as a set of biadj race shocks...but I guess your car is primarily for the street?

 

I would agree that the discussion was mostly about power, but then again, I really believe that very few of us mere mortal amateurs can push these cars to the level where a suspension modification would make a big difference.

There is a video out of a Gt3rs against a full blown cup car going around a track. I believe the cup car beat it by a mere 5 seconds. So modifiy it to death, the most improvement you will achieve around that track is 5 seconds and that's if you change it to cup car specifications. It also depends on your driving skill, otherwise the improvement for the money is negligible. Great driving will beat just about any modication.

 

Ya, that was Tiff Needel in Fifth Gear. I guess the difference comes when the value of a second changes for the individual need. In even a clubrace, 2 seconds btw equal cars is night and day...but thenagain, its cool to hear how setup the GT3 comes...

 

I don't think that Porsche pulled out all the stops on the GT3/RS performance-wise. The engine tuning always has to account for variations in fuel grade. A given mod is to tune the timing curves for 93 and above octane. A second would be the exhaust - it is as Todd mentioned the best that they could do with regards to EU noise regulations. Lastly, how can Porsche shod their top car with 31+ lb rear wheels? With regard to Porsche engineers - they are not at all infallible. Continued leaking RMS's (including the new 997GT3/RS) and catastrophic floating cylinder liners on the Boxster/996 do not leave me very impressed. Remember, the best and brightest in the engineering pools have all gone into management/consulting for the past 20+ years, not automotive design work.

 

Todd, when will your exhaust system for the 996 GT3 be ready?

 

9Eleven-
I will give you another reason Porsche did not make the perfect exhaust. On my 04 GT3 I had a manthey 410 kit which as Todd's is a complete system. It is 10000 euros for the complete system and includes remaps in the ECU. Porsche has to cover all worst case situation. Manthey or Todd Does not. I looked very closey at the GT3 header just as example, it was not even close in quality compared to the manthey stainless system. The welds were not as nice- it was not exactly equal length. I would assume Porsche did this to keep costs in line with their targets. The manthey header was a piece of art by comparison, and was easy to see every piece of pipe was equal length and welded perfectly and the insides were smoothed out. Probably labor intensive and something Porsche cant afford to do. Having inspected both systems its easy for me as an engineer to see where Todd will be able to find 20~30HP on the New GT3- Its gonna cost you but it can be done. Porsche obviously did some more engineering on this exhaust to get some of the 35 HP in the new motor and Todd job was abit harder as he noted.

 

I didn't catch the video were the cup car beat the RS by 5 seconds, but 5 seconds would be anything but mere. On a typical 2 mile circuit, the ALMS GT2 Class Porsche's will run about 5 seconds faster than a stock GT3 cup car. These two cars are $200,000 apart in base cost. Most race teams will spend tens of thousands of dollars to gain even a quarter of a second.