If you are buying/building a car to please your wife you should just put your stones in her purse and buy a minivan already.

Gearheads don't apply things like sense, logic, or age. If we did why the hell would we buy a 30 year old under powered, under appreciated sports car? Some of the greatest automotive icons started out as "hacks" learning as they went along. So in the spirit of such trailblazers hack away and do what you see fit to make your car yours.

Make it light or just put in a bigger motor!

 

The dump on Powerline just south of SW 10th has a platform scale. Throw them a few bones and they'll gladly weigh it for you

 

it could be demonstrated that it's not much cheaper to build an old beater 944 up for 100 k miles of daily driving than it is to build a Boxster Turbo from a solid, used platform... and for a few spare dollars more, a Cayman S Turbo.

 

Not that it has anything to do with this thread, but it could also be demonstrated that if you choose the right beater 944 to purchase, and then you do your own upkeep and repairs, you could purchase and daily drive a 944 for 100k miles for less than what 100k miles worth of tires would cost for a Boxster or Cayman.

It could also be demonstrated that if you compare a beater 944 to a beater Boxster (apples to apples, right?), it isn't even close. RMS anyone?

Not that it has anything to do with this thread.....

 

here's the general inspiration of my post.....






i need the space of a 968 because i do a lot of traveling between the changes of the seasons.... i was at a rest stop the other day.... saw a red boxster with a black hood and roof. couldn't help notice what a sharp looking P-car roadster it was..... and how cool it would be to have one of these cars (after adding turbos), and surely a project that more and more P-car owners might consider doing in the future.....


the Cayman and Boxster S are pretty good platforms that come pre-built with suspension/brake package/wheels/ modern interiors/gps/newer paint the way many of us like to build our cars without completely breaking the bank.... the cars come from the factory with little more to do than adding turbochargers.... (like the gentleman says -- just add power)....


when i was in south beach last winter someone commented to me that my car is pretty nice for an old Porsche.


doing a Cayman/Boxster S upgrade a viable option (in the upper eschelon of builds) that for some, could be more desireable than spending to have the 944/968 of your dreams....

 

Unfortunately, the Cayman seems to hold value better (and is more expensive) than the Boxster and it's really a much better looking car than the Boxster (IMHO). And it's an outstanding platform -- mid engine, low cG, Porsche dynamics. But they break too, and you can't access the engine very easily.

 

which was exactly where i was going next. a 944 Turbo Vs a Boxster S Turbo/Cayman Turbo, once a project would be completed and the costs involved in driving such a car a long way, from pure, value/performance/enjoyment perspective..



if it's just weight we're talking about here, well, fine, it's always going to feel better than driving a 928, or an old 930 or 964 on the road, but in terms of all the money we can put into our cars and really set them up, we're getting into some other issues..... just how far do you want to go ?? my car has these heavy wheels and brakes and it feels better than ever. i have been dreaming of running that battery and GT racing hood and fenders... and now another rennlister has sourced the battery for me. so there it is, marked down about 600 dollars from where it was as an option for the 997 Turbo/GT2/GT3 a few months back. frankly, it's tempting.....



as far as the resale value of the beautiful cars we're building, for me, i decided a while ago to get over it.

 

If that's what's important to you, then yeah, there's nothing wrong with a Boxster/Cayman. Diff'rent strokes, and all that....

I, for one, like the "oldness" of my car. In fact, I've gone to great lengths to make it "older", in terms of creature comforts. But that's just me. I'm probably the only person who actually prefers the look of the 924 over the 944. I also prefer the early interior over the late, so there's obviously something wrong with me.

 

i was cruising autotrader and saw an ad for a used oldsmobile with 50k miles on it. it can be shown that for next to nothing one can drive that car for 100k miles as well.

it can be shown that someone can go out and buy a new civic or corolla and drive it for 100k miles then sell it and the total cost of ownership will be less than the cost of driving an old 944 for 100k miles.

i bought a new saturn last year and iwll tell you in ten years how much or how little it cost to run. now if i pulled the onstar, eight airbags, spare tire, speakers, sanded the clear coat off, and tossed rear seat, carpet and sound insulation, how much faster will the 138hp motor be?

 

About as fast as a stripped out 944.

 

@ $100 per pound of weght savings, it would be a nice weight reduccion,

but how could you ever justify such an upgrade for a 12-15 thousand dollar car ?




/

 

is it worth trading the soul of a porsche for the reliability of an opel if they are both as fast? And, most important, will she who must be obeyed want to ride in it?

 

if a girl can hang with you after you've dished out that kind of coin for the battery, she's a keeper.

 

I'll take the soul of the Porsche every time, and with it I take the compromises (both real and perceived) in reliability, civility, comfort, whatever.

But, at the same time, I can certainly understand why some people would rather have an Opel, or a Boxster, or a 50k mile Oldsmobile. Whatever floats your boat.

And if you want to put a hood scoop and 36" rims with flashing red LED valve stem caps on your Olds, then knock yourself out..

Hack job is in the eye of the beholder.

 

Weight savings on an n/a is a lost at best. Due 2 the low power anyway. You would need 2 lose 200kg just 2 get near an s2 fully loaded. If you had a turbo S or anything pushing 250 plus then ur gain twice the power 4 the lose that you would over a n/a. Just cas it's got Porsche written on it don't mean it needs 2 be fast! Or driven fast. Lucky they look fast. Turbo can be turned in 2 a super car and an n/a will need a engine transplant.

Enjoy the car 4 what it is. A sports car not a super car.

Iv removed my spear, as iv got 18" with run flats. And have no intention on using 20 year old rubber. Iv got a can off tire wield. Just incase.