Porsche-O-Phile

By necessity (due to some jackass in an SUV that backed into my 951 and dented up the header panel), I'm looking to upgrade to a vented/slotted/more-intercooler-friendly header panel. Three possible ways to go:

1. Lindsey Racing Stage V header panel (with the big "slot" for the intercooler)

2. GT Racing header panel (similar to the Lindsey one, but the slot seems a little less obtrusive)

3. Custom (get a 951 header, cut the holes for 931-type vents like NZ951 did), prime and paint it and install.

My thoughts/criticisms are as follows, but I'm hoping that anyone that has used any of these products or options (or perhaps knows of different ones) will pipe up and share:

1. I kinda' hate the look of it. It makes the nose of the 951 look ridiculous with a "sandwich" of various slits and slots and crap - kind of like how the "family truckster" in "Vacation" looked silly because of the extra sets of headlights. It just looks kind of silly. Not to mention the "slot" is obnoxiously large and "chunky" looking (although it's functional and affords good cooling air to the intercooler I suppose). It doesn't line up with the slots on the factory nose below it - it's considerably shorter side-to-side and looks too. . . well. . . "chunky". I suppose adding a little mesh inside the entrance of the "slot" might help the visual appearance a bit. . .

2. The pictures in the catalog aren't very good (as usual). I can't find a picture of one on a car too see how it would line up with the stock slots/shape of the nose (if anyone has a pic, please post it). Also, having dealt with GT Racing's stuff in the past, it's a B*TCH to get it to install. If it's going to be a major pain and I'm going to have to do a ton of cutting, drilling, sanding, etc. maybe I'm best off doing a custom installation in the first place (option #3). . .

3. I utterly hate doing body work and the idea of doing custom fabrication on a 951 header isn't terribly appealing (although I'll swallow my distaste for it and do it if it appears like the right way to go). As such, I'm much more inclined to simply buy an off-the-shelf, bolt-on part that only needs to be taken in someplace for painting. If none of the options are "bolt on", I guess I'll start looking for an un-crumpled factory header to modify.

Thanks in advance - comments, pictures, etc. welcome.

Burma Shave

1.Looks are a matter of taste on this one (not mine).
2.Tried one of these spent about 3 hours on basic fitment but it was bowed upward under the vent. Probably 20 hours or so to make it "right".
3.My choice, although I didn't go with 924 style vents. I cut the standard two slots but wider than most to match the bumper openings. To do this means a little more creativity in fabbing the duct to match as the ic is much narrower than the bumper openings. I used polished & anodized alum.

Porsche-O-Phile

Thanks - I sort of figured it'd be the easist way to go overall, much as I hate doing all that cutting and what-not. No way around it I guess. I'll probably go that route and start looking for an unmolested 951 header off a parts car or something.

jmporsche944

The GT racing panel came on my car. I do like the look of it though, but I have no idea how hard it was to get it to fit correctly.

RolexNJ

My two cents. I don't have the patience to fab something, but I know a lot of people on here do. As far as which one to go with? That is a matter of taste, so that is totally up to you. At one time, I had the LR Stage 5 panel, but didn't like the looks of it so off it came. I looked at the A.I.R one, and that is the panel I like. Anyway, maybe these photos will help you. One is the LR Stage 5 on my old car, while the other car has an the A.I.R. on it. I have a brand new A.I.R. that will be going on my new car.

Hope this helps, at least with a visual side by side comparison.

Burma Shave

fwiw, another GT panel may fit better than the one I had. In addition, the one I had may have been acceptable to others. F.G. by its very nature yields inconsistant results as far as quality. It will never match the appearance/consistancy of a metal panel on a long term basis.

reno808

Well TIM @ SFR takes yours and cuts out the hole for you.. for like 100 bucks

jmporsche944

I really like the AIR one that Rob posted.. looks very clean. I would rather have that one then the stock panel with the holes cut in it.

If you look at my signature, and look at the inside of the hole, you see that the panel extends inwards into the car... where as if you were to just cut holes in it, it would look wierd unless you put some kinds of mesh over it, IMO

FSAEracer03

1. ugly... but it's functionality is sexy in it's own right.
2. gorgeous... but chances are it will take a lot of work to get it to fit correctly (I too have had many bad experiences with GT racing pieces).
3. cost effective... if you have the hand to fabricate pieces, do it. If not, don't. I'm yanking my project car's header panel this week and starting to work on a custom piece myself. Remember though, that without proper ducting design, you will actually hurt your IC's airflow!

clouddomino

I just swapped the Stage V Lindsey one onto my 951. Looks, I guess, are a matter of opinion. But as far as functionality goes to have the upgraded intercooler the Stage V panel is nessecary. However this also works in reverse. Without the larger intercooler there is a gap between the top of the stock intercooler and top of the intake hole...

Porsche-O-Phile

Love that AIR piece. . . Might go with that one. Was the install straightforward or did you have to do a lot of fabbing?

RolexNJ

The car with the A.I.R isn't mine, so I don't know the installtion went. You may want to do a search and see what people have to say? I do love the looks of it myself, and will put it on my car. But, to each his own.

Techno Duck

Dont have much to add..but the car with the AIR nose panel is Perry951's. May want to ask him.

RolexNJ

Keithr726

I like the GTracing one better. The lindsey one just looks a little weird in my opinion. I prefer performance product's version.