Bryce86

Hypothetical scenario... A GT3 that will see more track miles than road miles. In fact the only road miles being to ED's (German petrol station) for fuel and Adenau (a nearby town) for lunch. A dedicated Ringtool if you like, yes, it'll live in Germany next to the Nurburgring.

I'm thinking:

Full Clubsport cage with harnesses
CAE shifter
Cup wheel
Aggro geometry
Sticky tyres - Trofeo R?
Uprated pads
Race brake fluid

What would you do?


A bit of background;

Last year I bought a 2008 M3. I set about putting choice mods on the car for becoming a dedicated track car. Didnt get much use out of it last year but this it has spent the summer at the Nurburgring. My GT3 has spent the summer in my garage, thus the above.

mm450exc

Full cage only if you want to drive with a helmet at all times.

Here is what I've done:

1. 5 lug conversion. OZ Ultraleggera HLT. Apex Bullet Nose race studs.
2. Alcon discs with PFC08 pads (perfection!)
3. ATEC brake lines
4. 2kg knockback springs
5. Endless RF650 brake fluid
6. 4.0 clutch and pressure plate
7. LSD rebuild with cup plates
8. Geo - 3 front and 2.5 rear camber
9. MPSC2

997rs4.0

Great plan,

So much fun to have a toy dedicated for track days.

I would go with the upgrades that you already mentioned. Have the CAE shifter and cup wheel in my 996gt3. That shifter is sweet.

Full cage is nice and I will do it. Especially as you only drive the car to track days. The added risk when driving to the track is made up by the extra strength and safety during fast driving at the ring IMO.

bmwtye

Pin or welded coolant lines as well

Spyerx

The good news is these cars are well known and the quirks are well understood. I bought my GT3RS at the bottom of the market over 3 years ago with the intent to drive the hell out of it. And that I've done, it's been my track car (and canyon driver) since I've gotten it. Since taking ownership I addressed the things that make these cars reliable, and predictable on track. The car has yet to not finish a track day (and I do a lot of them).

Key items:
--monoball everything for consistency
--address the 'average' dampers on the .1 cars
--address the diff
--safety equipment
--brakes
--fix coolant pipe issue

Here's the list:
BRAKES
--Brembo Type 5 slotted 2 piece floating HD rotors front
--Brembo Type3 slotted 2 piece floating rear rotors
--Porsche Motorsport GT3 Cup caliper studs, nuts front/rear
--Porsche Motorsport GT3 Cup caliper puck springs 997.352.086.91
--Porsche Motorsport GT3 Cup GrandAm front lower control arm brake cooling ducts 997.341.484.93 & 997.341.483.93
--Custom front radiator inner fender air duct screens
--GT3RS 997.2 rear brake cooling ducts 997.575.53.290 & 997.575.53.190
--trimmed rear inner brake dust shields for better cooling from ducts
—FVD stainless brake lines
—Demonspeed Motorsports front caliper pad bolts
--Brake wear sensors cut & spliced, heat shrinked
--Brembo Race Technologies RE10 pads front/rear
--Endless RF650 brake fluid

SUSPENSION
--GT2 rear sway bar
--PASM disable for aftermarket shocks (Module unplugged)
--Ohlins Road & Track DFV Kit single adjustable, 600/800
--ERP RSR adjustable radius arm bushings on all 4 lower control arms
--Front Cup wide cup LCA inner links with solid mono ***** (widen track 20mm)
--ERP front tension/compression link RSR style
--Rotate OEM front upper camber plates & studs to optimize camber
--Tarett front sway bar drop links
--Rear inner Cup links LCA with solid mono *****
--ERP Rear upper control arms (dog bones)
--ERP rear bump toe links
--ERP rear tension/compression link RSR style
--Tarett rear sway bar drop links
--WEVO 997 SS Engine Mounts
--Cantrell 60a durometer solid transmission mount

ALIGNMENT SPECS
"agressive"

PERFORMANCE
—BBS E88 18x9, 18x12 mesh wheels
--Nitto NT01 Tires 245/40-18, 305/35-18
—MSI wheel studs, MSI yellow nuts
--BBI Side Pipe Muffler Delete (Have OEM side mufflers)
—Removed vacuum tubing for valves, plugged solenoid
--GT3 Cup headers with 100 cell high flow cats, modified to accept both O2 sensors 997.113.021.95 & 997.113.022.95
--BBI lightweight titanium exhaust tips
--GT3 Cup lip without ducts
--TPMS disable (unplug module, code out module + console)
--Motul trans fluid 75-140
--Redline water wetter with distilled water
--Motorsport Cup carbon rear wing gurney
--Motorsport Cup Front carbon front inner fender flick
--GR2RS Side sills
--BBI underdrive pulley & belt
--GT3RS 4.0 clutch, flywheel, pressure plate, bearing, bolts
--996 cup shifter box & 996 cup shift cables
--Guard club-sport diff, 60/40 LSD with 88lb break away
--California Motorsport CMS CMS.GT3.BSP Billet diff assembly cover

SAFETY
--Recaro Pole Position Seats, Recaro sliders, RSS aluminum risers, RSS seat base adapter
--BBI Streetcup rear roll bar bolted to rear shocks, front seat belt mounting points
--Coolant pipes welded, with BBI billet pipe inserts, Sharkwerks aluminum oil cooler pipes
--Spabelt harnesses, 3" passenger, 2" driver HANS
—Inner belt mounts bolted to tunnel with backing plate
--Brey-Krause Fire Extinguisher Mount & Quick Release
--H3R Halotron 2.5lb Black Fire Extinguisher

mm450exc

Thinking about it.... Just get a 991 Cup.

https://racecarsdirect.com/

Spyerx

running costs on a cup are substantially more than a street car.
If you have the bankroll for that... GO FOR IT!!!

tcsracing1

Sell the M3.
Buy a GT4 Clubsport. (or GT4 street car with clubsport cage)
Keep the GT3 as a street car.

If you must track the GT3 you will want the following:

Wheel Studs
calliper studs
Good discs, pads and SRF brake fluid
Guard LSD
cup car shifter cables
Side muffler delete
Remove all the rubber in the suspension and add monoballs
clubsport cage, full or half.
Bucket seats
Pin/weld all the coolant pipes

DK7

Why you would prefer a stock GT4 with cage vs a stock 997 gt3?
Is it more suitable for track?

tcsracing1

The GT4 is a very capable and fun car for track.
Given the price point of the GT4 street car it is great value compared to a 997GT3 as a track toy.

At some tracks the GT4 and 997GT3 can go smack for smack.

I would also like to point out that it feels easier to drive a GT4 at 10/10ths compared to the 997GT3 which is great for confidence and learning.

Spyerx

997 GT3 vs gt4 price point about same. One has warranty. The other has stood the test of time with great reliability once a few issues addressed. Gt4... well... busted front shock tower frames, 3rd gears, coolant drain plugs.... teething issues.

On tracks around here they are absolutely equal matches. Longer straight tracks I give GT3 the edge.

Bryce86

GT4 (road) are 100,000GBP
Clubsport with sequential 150,000GBP
M3 20,000

So that's 80k that I'd need to spend on top and my GT3 would still be gathering dust. Additionally, the Cayman with a big wing doesn't do anything for me. No doubt a good steer but I doubt better, just different, to the GT3.

I've looked at the Cup cars. They make sense in terms of what I'm after in that no compromise track car, but I'm also very wary of the running costs. Maybe you lads already know but if you don't, they can be very expensive. For example, I met a man earlier this year with a 997.1 Cup and in his two years of ownership he's rebuilt the engine and the gearbox. The engine cost £20k (albeit in was bored out etc) And the gearbox cost £17k. It also needs to be road legal for TF at Ring. I doubt it'll see any UK days.

Also, I have a GT3 in my garage. I'm not prepared to sell it. To buy a Cup car I'll need to spend £60k+. I'll still have a GT3 gathering dust.

Does the suspension - springs and dampeners - need changed. As essential as the M3 needed Clubsport suspension?

Fantastic and some very tasty mods and feedback by the way. Thank you so far.

tcsracing1

I used to track my GT3RS, but i now im protective over it given how special it is and how values have sky rocketed. Love the car. It is a great toy for the street.

If you do not mind putting it on track and risk walking away from it then dust it off and put it on the track and have some fun with with.

Running a GT3 street on the track can run up costs such as clutch, LSD, geabox wear and engine wear. Engine and Gearbox are not cheap to rebuild wheras a Cayman powertrain can be totally replaced for less FWIW.

If you have a 997.1 GT3, you might want to replace the shocks. Especially for the ring'. Id look to EXE-TC shocks or basic upgrade to B16 if you wanna keep PASM.
Ohlins are pimp. KW are fine too. Some folks like JRZ.
GT2 rear sway bar has been known to cut down on "push" which makes for a nice upgrade while you are under the car.

ngng

this is what i did on my car which sees 95% track time

- pinned coolant lines
- centerlock to 5 lug conversion, 18" wheels with nt01
- ceramic to stoptech trophy 380F/355R, lines, brake fluid, caliper studs
- 4.0 clutch and pressure plate
- guard lsd
- mcs adjustable shocks, 700#F/900#R, alignment
- wheel studs
- roll bar
- replaced gt2 seats with sparcos and harnesses
- replaced uprights and kunckles
- numeric shifter + cables
- replaced all soft parts with RSS hard parts
- SRP pedal replacement
- AIM dash and camera
- headers

Bigfra

Op, is the lad with the cup car Gordon by any chance ? Stays in Law near Carluke??