When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hi, I recently purchased a 90 C2 5 speed ROW and I would like to made some engine modifications. I have read numerous posts on Rennlist, however I am still confused on the direction to take. I am thinking an upgraded cam, pistons, cylinders, and engine management while retaining the as much of the original look of the engine. Below is a photo of a engine I saw at Luft this past April that looked nice. What advice can you all offer if I want to stay below 20K.
Other than re-plating a bit of hardware, and maybe the compressor is powder coated (?), I notice just a few things changed to this engine bay:
- Blower motor removed and a carbon fiber bypass installed
- Single pulley
- Air box removed and cone filter installed which then allowed
- A/C hoses re-routed.
I'll gladly help you make those changes for just $10,000 ! Seriously though, it difficult to know what if anything was done other that what is visible...And those are not that expensive.
For 20k you should be able to do a basic build assuming you need no major mechanical bits
open motor
3.8 pistons
refurb heads
cams
bearings and seals
assemble
exhaust
tune
it gets expensive with fancy induction, computers, heads, big bore builds, crank work, fancy cams, etc. easy to spend 60k
Being SoCal there are a lot of "best" (ie great shops)
A handful do great engine work.
TLG has been known to be good, I don't have direct experience, a friend had some issue
Down in San Diego Jae Lee at Mirage is a great engine builder and a hell of a good guy
BBI Autosport has an extensive in-house engine program and does 964/993 builds (I use BBI)
Sleepers has some great techs and does engine work
Tony Callas at Callas Rennsport
If you don't mind shipping motor, Rothsport builds insane air-cooled motors and many of the shops use the parts/kits he's developed (like intakes, etc)
There are a lot of shops that can do this job if you keep it to the basics.
Yes we are very fortunate here in SoCal to have a plethora of great shops to bring our cars for service and upgrades. It’s not necessarily more affordable but they know what they’re doing so you don’t end up paying additional labor/parts to chase down an issue.
Be careful if you want to stay "below 20k" and you aren't doing the bulk of the work yourself. It gets expensive very quickly.
One place you can save if you can swing it. Pull the motor yourself. Store your car, do your own clutch. And once the motor is out, examine things closely and refurb what you can on your own. You can save 10k in labor and parts just doing this. I'm going to guess that's not an option. But if it is...the more you can do prior to delivering the motor to the shop. The more you save.
It's like having a car painted...it's not the painting expertise that costs all the money. It's the prep. Windows out, disassembly, sanding, all the time consuming bits...the paint is the easy part...
When i did my motor...3k was engine out and engine in...lots of charges for things like fuel lines and bolt on stuff that could have been done had i had a garage at the time (i lived in a city)...
Anyway- when you start down the engine mod slope...20k tends to be more of a starting point, not a cap. So have a few convos w the builder prior and make a good plan. It'll help stay close to budget.
Anyway- when you start down the engine mod slope...20k tends to be more of a starting point, not a cap. So have a few convos w the builder prior and make a good plan. It'll help stay close to budget.
Good call. Suspension, tire and brakes are a way more cost effective performance upgrade.
+1.
A nice handling car, on fresh suspension pieces is worth more than expensive horsepower. Can take advantage of the platform much better. Do an exhaust bypass and drill your air box, your ears will tell your brain you have more power, even if you don’t.
Talos Takes Your 991 Porsche 911 GT3 to the Next Level for a Cool $1.13 Million
Slideshow: Talos Vehicles has transformed the Porsche 911 GT3 RS into a carbon-bodied, race-inspired machine that costs well over $1 million before the donor car is even included.
9 Vehicles Porsche Helped Engineer that Aren't Porsches
Slideshow: Long before engineering consulting became trendy, Porsche was quietly helping other automakers build everything from supercars to economy hatchbacks.
9 Features and Characteristics That Only Porsche People Understand
Slideshow: Some brands build cars. Porsche builds traditions, obsessions, and a few habits that stopped making sense decades ago but somehow became part of the charm.
This Builder Is Turning Heads With Its Slantnose 911 Creation
Slideshow: A small Polish tuner has reimagined the Porsche 911 Slantnose for the modern era, blending 1980s nostalgia with widebody tuning culture and serious performance upgrades.
Porsche 911 GT3 Artisan Edition Pays Homage to Japanese Culture
Slideshow: Porsche has created a Japan-only 911 GT3 Artisan Edition that blends track-ready hardware with design cues inspired by traditional Japanese craftsmanship.
HELP: 964 Engine Mods
