Brett

Hey everyone I just bought an 87 951 today that is totally stock. It has 45K on the clock and in perfect condition

I was wondering what you guys recomend for upgrades I have about 5K to spend on it right now. I was hoping for more but I had to pay a premium price 18K

If anyone could let me know which mods to do first that would be great. I want to go top notch and get the best stuff. Interested in making all the hp I can get.

Thanks for the help.

951carter

Sounds like a great car and a rare find.

You can certainly turn it into a nasty beast with $5k!

For the listers to be able to get you on the right track to the proper setup though you should tell them what you goals are and what you plan to use the car for; autocross, track only, track/street, street, etc.

I am sure you are going to get alot of different opinions from this question, but there are alot of guys on this forum that really know ALOT about these cars, there are also alot of tuners dedicated to these cars lurking around here.

In my opinion I would attack the suspension first. You could EASILY drop your whole wad there, add a set of chips and further the performance mods down the road.

I have been reading here lately that you can get close to 300RWHP with just a MAP kit for @ $1k. That would give you lotsa power and enough $ left over to trick out the suspension.

You should also fill the list in on what factory options and upgrades you are working with, like LSD, M030 suspension, etc.

Best of luck and enjoy the ride!!

Brett

Ok I am going to use my car for mostly street with a very little track in the future.

Also I'm not sure what factory options I have, the dealer just got the car today and has not recieved the documentation, just know that the 40K service has been done

I cant go look at it now either, I pick it up Monday, however I drove it today and it hauls ***! Lots better than my 89 N/A

Rich Sandor

I can't speak from personal experience, but from reading everyone elses posts, and from what I gather from reading Danno's posts, I AM going to be buying upgrades from GuruRacing only.

In fact, I'm going to wait till I can get the 364 package from Guru, and that'll be all she wrote. I'm not interested in buying stuff from anyone else, until they can show the kind of maturity, and customer service that Danno has showed us.

Of course, I've yet to actaully BUY anything from him, but I'm already convinced from other people's stories, that it'll go well when I do.

Also, Partsheaven and PelicanParts are good places to buy parts.

rcldesign

Here is how to upgrade a 951, for street use without blowing a wad of cash (best bang for the buck, as it were)...

Step (1): Get a MAF kit (I wouldn't go with a MAP kit for pure street use), some chips, and a boost controller... you will now have about 270 - 280 HP at the rear wheels (I am living proof of this... HR MAF stage III, and I was pushing 280 at the wheels). You might also want to pick up a test pipe and a wastegate at this point. Cost: around $1900 - $2400

Step (2): Big turbo. Drop around $2K on a big turbo... at this point you're going to suffer from some additional turbo lag, but you'll pick up 30 - 50 rwhp depending on which turbo you get... also, you should get a 360 degree bearing turbo unless you have oodles of money... they can be rebuilt if they take a dump, ball bearing turbos can't... and the spool time isn't really that much different.

Step (3): Your choice: suspension or EFI. Suspension is going to make a BIG difference in the way the car handles... and I mean a BIG difference... I got full coil over suspension last week, and my car is a whole new car now. Since its a street car, all the suspension is really going to do is let you take those freeway onramps quite a bit faster, but (depending on what spring rates you get), your ride isn't going to be as smooth as it used to be. With an EFI system, you're going to pick up some more HP... with your big turbo and MAF kit, you *should* be able to get 350 - 375 rwhp with the right turbo. If you go with the EFI at the same time you get the MAF, you won't need chips, and you might not need a boost controller.

After those upgrades, its all engine work from there on out... 2.8L, 3.1L, better crank, pistons, rods, head work, etc...

Good luck... and be sure to get the

MAF FIRST!! <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Rich Sandor

rcldesign: Have you run a MAP before? Judging from all the HR equipment you're running, it seems like Derrick has convinced you that a MAP setup is not street friendly. (note: I'm not stirring the pot, just curious...)

Any second opinions on this?

Brian McCoy

I'm not so sure that going for traditional HP gains is the way to go with a pure/mostly street car (which is why I haven't altered from stock yet). For me, a fun car on the street needs to be quick (torque/low end), not fast (HP)... there just aren't ANY times or places where I'm going to do +90mph... (ok, ok.. I did push the car to 145 indicated once.. ) I think 90 is about the highest indication I see on a fairly regular basis.... so, if outright speed isn't it, than make changes elsewhere.

I dropped in the Iceshark lighting kit and euro driving/fog lights so I can see. I'm refinishing the interior to bring it up to quality with the exterior (something a 45k car shouldn't need!), I'll likely upgrade the suspension to provide a better ride (street oriented). If you have to jump on the power bandwagon - do the research and find out how to speed up the tubro (lessen lag - certainly NOT with a larger turbo), and bump the low end HP and TQ numbers. By bringing those up, you're almost certainly going to raise the total HP - though likely to a lesser degree than some of these other guys (not to worry, your planning and thought into the low-end numbers will put you infront on any sort of street race until well into the triple digits....)

Maybe cosmetics are important to you aswell.. in which case a good set of LIGHT wheels and tires should take $2k or a little more.

or you could take that $5k and turn the N/A into an AutoX beast and enjoy the rarity of a low mile, non-modified Turbo.. heh

rcldesign

I haven't run a MAP personally in my car, but I have been around during the MAP R&D phases... at low pressure levels, the MAP sensor is not very accurate or stable and can cause your ignition system to behave oddly due to incorrect MAP measurements... this doesn't happen all the time, or too frequently for that matter; but it does happen every once in a long while. In all honesty, you don't gain much from a MAP vs. a MAF hp or torque wise... both systems are very low restriction. I chose the MAF because its the tried-and-true technology that doesn't hiccup. Sure, it costs a little more than a MAP system, but it will always work. (BTW, Derrek sells MAP systems too)

Brett

Thanks guys for the info.
However I think I will wait to but anything untill I hear from rage and danno.

adrial

45k mile 951?
Garage queen the 951 and make the n/a a lightweight autox beast!

Steve Lavigne

[quote]Originally posted by adrial:
<strong>45k mile 951?
Garage queen the 951 and make the n/a a lightweight autox beast! </strong><hr></blockquote>

I'm with Adrial.

Or, just think what you could do to the car if you bought a pretty nice $10,000 951 with a modification/maintenance budget of $13,000!

Brett

the truth of the matter is I would like to keep the N/A but I can't now with the 951, unless

I get a job at walmart from 6 to midnight hahaha.
And i feel bad about stripping the 44 down to nothing

It is in really nice shape. I have been looking in the paper for 6 months and havent seen a 951 for sale in the colorado area so when this one came up i jumped on it.

guardsred951S

My impression is that the MAP system is the more of the latest and greatest way to go, but is still relatively young and untested by the average 951 driver. The MAF, on the other hand, has been around for a long time and is therefore more tested. I think the MAP technology will surpass MAF technology pretty soon, which is why so many guys are turfing their MAF kits and opting for MAP conversions.

Like allot of people, I anxiously wait for the Guru 364, which sets the stage for all HP upgrades because it comes with everything you need to put nearly 400 HP and MORE torque to pavement without the need for a dyno and some real genious brains to tune the car. A little tech support from Guru and you'll have a daily driver that will make anything the competition can throw at you look foolish - on the track or at the drag strip. Mind you, on the track, you'd want to look into suspension and brake upgrades before serious competition.

If you do your upgrades in steps, you'll spend less at one time but cost yourself money in the long run. But then again, it's sometimes better to do it in steps so you don't bite off more than you can chew.

<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Brett

does anyone know when the 364 kit will be out??? That looks very attractive. I think im leaning towards the MAP kit.

Ski

One big thing that the GURU MAP kit has is the temperature probe. As far as MAFs go, the only one that has a temp probe is Lindsey. That is why everyone else, with the exception of APE run a type of fuel controller.

Travis has had the MAP kit on his car and his was the first. Very streetable with the only issues being some off idle stumble but that has been taken care of.

As far as the chips go GURU has them all beat, those are the ones I'm running right now and I have a set of Factory Turbo Cup Car chips in the garage - the GURUs are better,,just my .02

But to offer something for your $5k, suspension(www.paragon-products.com)- a car that handles better will out perform one that has more power but doesn't handle as well all day long. Then turbo and chips or 364-400 kit from GURU. I don't think it will be released until they have a couple of kits on some cars and feedback. Save all of your things you take off the car if you ever want to put it back original. Good luck and what was the color combo on that garage queen?