Tom W

I've been out of town. My very biased $0.02 worth...

Don't kid yourself about not caring about class (or don't try to delude yourself). This is the most important decision of all because it directly afffects cost. Doing something now only to have to re-do it later because of class rules gets really expensive.

If you really want a more modern tub, get your 964 strip it back to nothing and build it from their. I'd suggest a GTL target as it's the class that best fits the tub you want to start with. A 996 will never work for GTL and you would be stuck in GT2 and the much greater costs to be competative. I'm working hard to remove weight and re-doing stuff because I disobeyed rule #1 above. Yes, I had good reasons and I knew I was doing it at the time, but I was not commited and there was no other GTL car at the time to find out what was required. You also don't have to go all out for GTL to start. If you do the weight reduction and cage to begin, you could add the body work, better suspension and wheels as you progress (but I'd still recommend doing it all at once). You'll save big bucks if you and your brother do it. I don't have the time, so I pay the nice folk at Jerry Woods to do it.

So, buy a roller. Strip it and rebuild it to GTL and come have fun with us next year. After 1 or 2 ARC weekends, you'll be ready for PRC. John's right too - what's wrong with the current car? GTL does not prohibit C4 platforms...

With enough encouragement even John/mooty will dump that cheese colored car and get a GTL car and come race (GTL cars are faster than that thing anyway).

kgorman

Tom, good advice. This is echo'ing many responses I am getting in person and on PM's.

I believe the C4 is just too nice to hack up.

I started talking to the guys about spec boxster w/ POC. Looks very very fun. Other than that, perhaps PRC Toyo Cup. Still doing research, but focusing on class now more per advice from about everyone in the world! Thanks everyone.

mooty

as usual, tom continues his attempt to get me in trouble

Tom W

John, John, John ... You KNOW you want to race. Mia is older now and your wife is a physician. She can put you back together if you break yourself. What more could you want or need? Give in to the voice. Can you hear it? "John, it's time to race..."



I'm just here to help my friends.

kgorman

+1 John. Let's get out there and do some racin'

mooty

you come race ARC first. i am there.

garrett376

Hey Kenny - sounds like a fun project. Just a thought: in case you do your own work, which it sounds like you would... I just redid my 964 engine for less than $2000 (new rod and main bearings, ARP bolts, gaskets, rings, valve job/grind, guide replacement on exhaust side, valve spring replacement). It's amazing how much you'll save if you can do things yourself. I don't think you'll find anyone to replace a 996 engine for less than $2000.

garrett376

Spec Boxster class with the POC is a great class - those are some speedy cars and more and more competitors are showing up. I am faster than some of those cars with my 964, and some of the more courageous drivers are faster than I am. But... it's a Boxster! I prefer to race the type of car I love, versus race for a particular class - I am still one of those people that has the car first for the type of car it is, then races it (like you didn't know that already - afterall, who races C4's anyways?!).

mooty

you work the on the motor as in DIY? man, if i know which end of the hammer to use to pound nails....

race911

Some of us like knowing how every itty bitty part went together. (Though this seems to have not applied to my last two purchases.)

kgorman

I'll be at the next one in the C4

kgorman

This is a good point. I mean, I would much rather have a spec 964 class (because I love the cars, and I know a little something about them), but at the same time, a miata or 944 or e30 does not excite me at all. I will be buying something (since I want the C4 to stay 'nice'), so the question is a compromise between an exciting class and cool cars (or at least a car that I can live with).

The boxster is somewhere in there for sure. The older PRC Toyo Spec cars are really cool too. Both those classes seem awesome. In terms of PRC, I am not sure I want to spend as much time/effort/$$ to build a GTL car. The boxster I can setup in my garage, I can do it no problem.

In terms of speed, it's all relative, as long as I have someone to play with and get better and better, and are interested in the car itself, then I am having fun. And thats what counts to me.

Thanks for the input everyone. RL rocks.

chancecasey

RE cost of PRC - you don't have to spend a lot to be competitive. Look at Tyson with his never-been-opened 3.2 with probably 10 or 15K into it total (no fancy suspension or anything). Took a 2nd in his first weekend and 1st in his second weekend in GTS. Of course he can drive EXTREMELY well. Sure, there are a couple of guys who have 75-125K into GTS cars, and who are also extremely fast, but they don't always win.

With a lot of elbow grease, I will be into my C2 GTL car for about $15K net. $5K donor, $5K in sold stock parts, $15K in a very budget-minded build, but I figure until I can run laps consistently within 1/2 a second or less of each other, I'm wasting my time with fancy equipment. I got a steal on my donor so maybe add $5K or so for a more realistic budget. Or just plow yours into a wall and buy it from your insurance company

And though there will always be someone in some class (all 911s of course) you will be racing closely with, the GTL class should be up to at least 5 cars in 08.

race911

From the daily AM scan for what's out there:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/car/482399680.html

And note it's got a 290hp engine!

Cory M

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?t=377957

not mine