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IIRC, front springs are identical and the stiffer springs on the Cayman are because there is slightly more rear weight bias. Generally speaking, Porsche keeps the struts for Boxster S/Cayman S the same but specs different springs for different weight option packages. (PDK vs manual, etc.)
For benchracing reference, I gave my "SS" Boxster S a go at the DC pro earlier this year (my first pro) and was crushed in SS, would have been just out of the trophies in AS (1.4 seconds behind Daddio), and would have won BS by over a half second. Er, well, Lex K would have won BS in his 987.1S and I would have been 0.2 behind. That was a very abnormal course, though, what with the 1/8 mile dragstrip straight off the tree. Man, that was glorious to watch, though, especially SSR which is big in DC. Z06 does the 1/8 mile roughly 7.5 compared to my 8.5, so compensating for that, Lex and my times were really good. Even with SS pax, I ended up like 24th overall index.
It's really hard to compare ProSolo times, though, because the top drivers are all sandbagging. Brian Conners was on Rival (not Rival S), for instance. Also, the GT4 was on OEM MPSS because better wheels/tires were not yet available- I think they were on RE-71R at nats. I was most definitely not sandbagging, though, I was giving it my all.
As Stephen mentioned I am essentially set on campaigning a 987.1 Cayman S for BS this year. I bought the perfectly optioned autocross car in September of 2015 after Nationals where I just ran a C5Z in SSR. I prepped it and ran a couple of late season events. While I really like the car I concluded that is could not compete against in AS against my C5Z and bailed on it immediately.
Fast forward to last season and there's a real proposal to move these cars to BS up for comment. So I got a ride in a PDK Sport Chrono 987.2 Cayman (in SS) for the Packwood events. Before the event even finished I jumped to a conclusion and had again put a deposit on a perfectly optioned 987.1...then I crossed my finger the proposal went through.
I only plan to run a Tarett GT3 front bar/links and 285 square on XRR 8.5/10 wheels. I have the 285s mounted on 9s now (FS E92 M3 front) and my tire guy thinks he can shove them on the 8.5. I do think these cars can win in BS...maybe even more so at ProSolo. I have plans to attend three Cali events in April. If my opinion changes there I'll bail into something else after that.
Some other notes from driving the 987.2 at Packwood...
- PDK sucks for ProSolo...at least this gen
- PDK is a huge advantage on some courses. On top of the extra punch it can give low in the revs, the time it can make up while grabbing second in the middle of corners and slaloms (with your foot still to floor) as well as shifting to third on that odd fast section can be many tenths of second. Day two of the Packwood tour was a good example of both:
I learned pretty quickly in testing to not even try to use launch control for ProSolo, which wipes out one of the biggest advantages of PDK. Launch Control has perfectly great launches in theory, but the damned thing has a 1.5 mile thermal lockout on the clutch-slipping magic so subsequent launches don't modulate the clutch and just drop it hard and turn the tires to smoke while going nowhere. No indication to the driver whether it's in thermal lockout or not. You could potentially use launch control every 3rd run or so, but ProSolo is enough of a mindgame as it is, and tree timing is completely different launch control vs not. Not knowing exactly when the tree will drop makes it difficult, too, as it's too late to start revving when the 1st light comes on, but it will shut off within a few seconds if you don't launch.
Heat management is an issue with rear tires on these cars for ProSolo as well, and aggressive launches can easily add enough heat to RE-71R that they start to fall off on later runs. I ended up just launching from idle every run at the DC Pro and was pleasantly surprised that my 60' times were consistently within .1 of Lex and Rachel Baker (both 987.1S Cayman S). So, I wasn't giving up much to the manuals, though with PDK I should have been beating them to 60' by about 2 tenths. Timing-wise, launching from idle, I had to floor the gas just a tick after the 2nd light was coming on for a perfect 0.500, vs lifting the brake on the 3rd light while using LC.
We used PDK LC in the ASP cayman with decent success. You just need bigger tires The clutch dumps too hard on all the launches, even first ones, but you just ride the wheelspin out, or short shift to second. It was pretty consistent 1.8-2.0 60fts. I initiate LC when the shot clock counts to zero and I hear the 'beep'
^ Per the technic, LC is supposed to slip the clutch to ensure the tires are operating at the optimal slip-angle for high performance launches. I've not been able to tell the difference aside from how far/long the car crabs on launches- it's a lot worse when LC is in lock-up so I assume it's doing it's magic; I've not had adequate telemetry to really see. I've been disappointed every time I tried at the dragstrip which forces me to drive through that f'ing water box so I'm launching wet every single run.
I learned pretty quickly in testing to not even try to use launch control for ProSolo, which wipes out one of the biggest advantages of PDK. Launch Control has perfectly great launches in theory, but the damned thing has a 1.5 mile thermal lockout on the clutch-slipping magic so subsequent launches don't modulate the clutch and just drop it hard and turn the tires to smoke while going nowhere. No indication to the driver whether it's in thermal lockout or not.
That was my 987.2 PDK Cayman that Sprockett drove (and in his video). I'm not convinced the PDK was working properly in Packwood. Certainly, in the past I've done great LC starts without the wheelspin we saw there. I had the dealer investigate after I got back, but their diagnostics found nothing. I do know that Mike L was using LC (981 Boxster S) for all his ProSolo starts and possibly some of the starts for the Tour and had consistently good hard launches on every run (same last year) - much different than our experience. Getting the timing right to engage LC without it shutting down before the lights go green was really tricky and more trouble than it was worth for me.
We did not experience the thermal lockout described above, but did get fairly consistent (and excessive IMO - sometimes enough to trigger throttle back-out) wheelspin on all launches, hot or not. I think if it worked like it should it would be a small advantage (1/10 or so?) over a good clean non-LC start. I've been told that PDK sometimes needs a few launches to "learn" the grip available but that certainly didn't happen for us in Packwood.
Street
#20581 Classing of Porsche 2017 718
Per the SAC please add the following new listings to Appendix A:
SS
Porsche
718 Cayman S (2017)
718 Boxster S (2017)
AS
Porsche
718 Boxster (2017)
718 Cayman (2017)
Searching around today I found a 987.1S with Sport Chrono, PASM, and PCCBs. Happens to have the XRR wheels too. That's got to be pretty rare. Looks like some questionable vent and taillight paint, maybe non-standard exhaust, and an aftermarket stereo.
Yellow ain't my thing, so I'll let someone else have a go...
EDIT: Looks like cars.com links didn't work, try again...
Searching around today I found a 987.1S with Sport Chrono, PASM, and PCCBs. Happens to have the XRR wheels too. That's got to be pretty rare. Looks like some questionable vent and taillight paint, maybe non-standard exhaust, and an aftermarket stereo.
Yellow ain't my thing, so I'll let someone else have a go...
EDIT: Looks like cars.com links didn't work, try again...
Looks like this car was sold. Which of you bought it?
Rob - any CS updates? Anyone else taking the BS or CS plunge?
I'm taking a Porsche plunge, but not CS or BS. I won't have the car for a couple of weeks, but verbal deal is made. I won't say anything now so as not to jinx it. It's a direction apparently few (none?) have ever taken. (Of course, probably means I'm nuts.) Will post once I actually have it.
12-13-2016, 12:46 PM
The clutch dumps too hard on all the launches, even first ones, but you just ride the wheelspin out, or short shift to second. It was pretty consistent 1.8-2.0 60fts. I initiate LC when the shot clock counts to zero and I hear the 'beep'
