996 Cabrio Gets an Interesting Vortec 6000 Swap
Many of us frown upon the idea of a GM V8-swapped Porsche 911. But even the most hardcore purist can't help but to take a look!
GM Small Block
The introduction of GM's LS V8 engine with the C5 Corvette back in 1997 birthed an entire series of reliable small-block motors, many of which were built for truck applications rather than sports cars. One such reliable V8 power plant was the LQ4, marketed as the Vortec 6000 by the manufacturer. Over the years, the reliability and affordability of these engines have made them a go-to for swaps.
Photos: Cars and Bids
Controversial Swap
We come across a number of these engine swaps on a daily basis. But every time a Porsche is the recipient of a General Motors V8 replacement motor, it becomes the cause of controversy. And as much as we like to see these modern classics remain as close to original as possible, sometimes, swapping in a non-native mill simply becomes a matter of practicality.
>>Join the conversation about this Vortec 6000 996 Cabrio right here in the 6SpeedOnline Forum!
Practical Choice
And that's certainly the case with this particular 996 Porsche that was recently auctioned on Cars and Bids. The 911 is equipped with the aforementioned Vortec 6000 6.0-liter V8, capable of 300 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque out of the factory. This engine has also been built up with a number of performance goodies to help add power. But most importantly for the owner, in terms of cost, the LQ4 swap was a significantly more justifiable choice in comparison to other Porsche engines.
>>Join the conversation about this Vortec 6000 996 Cabrio right here in the 6SpeedOnline Forum!
Go-Fast Goodies
The V8 in question sports 5.3-liter cylinder heads, Summit Stage 2 camshaft, Melling high-volume oil pump, LS3-style throttle body, Melling high-volume oil pump, LS6 fuel injectors, and much more. The Porsche has also been treated to a front-end conversion from the 996.2 Porsche 911.
>>Join the conversation about this Vortec 6000 996 Cabrio right here in the 6SpeedOnline Forum!
Reliable and Cheap
The seller wrote about the engine choice in the listing. “The standard M96 is plagued with a lot of issues from the factory. They are expensive to buy even used. They also don’t make much power even modded. A Turbo engine or a GT3 engine would be way more expensive than swapping in an LS. Also, this cammed 6.0-liter makes more power and torque than a stock 996 Turbo. Just made more sense all the way around,” he remarks.
>>Join the conversation about this Vortec 6000 996 Cabrio right here in the 6SpeedOnline Forum!
V8-Powered 911
A V8-swapped 911 certainly loses some of its character. But from a performance perspective, more power never hurts! The car was listed with 144,097 miles on the odometer, with reportedly around 10,000 miles since the swap. The auction expired with the highest bid at $25,000 miles, and the reserve was not met.
>>Join the conversation about this Vortec 6000 996 Cabrio right here in the 6SpeedOnline Forum!