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I bought a tracked prepped 987.1 S two years ago. My son and I do about 6-8 track weekends a year. Salvage title but with rebuilt engine, new tranny and lots of racing bits. Bought for $9K and put $5K into a new clutch, upgraded power steering and coolant lines and additional suspension bracing. It's a blast, great platform to build skills.
I bought a tracked prepped 987.1 S two years ago. My son and I do about 6-8 track weekends a year. Salvage title but with rebuilt engine, new tranny and lots of racing bits. Bought for $9K and put $5K into a new clutch, upgraded power steering and coolant lines and additional suspension bracing. It's a blast, great platform to build skills.
As others have stated Xcross and the track are different. I've driven an 09 Base Boxster PDK with Sport/Sport+ for three years in DEs. Added adjustable LCAs to get more camber to help save the outside edge of the left front. Makes you worry about the inside of the tires on the trips to and from the track. As others I've developed the need for speed and just purchased a 2013 BS PDK. Will swap the LCAs from the 09 and get dedicated 18s for the track. If I did this all over I'd probably get a Miata for the track. Cheaper, easier to maintain and a great learning vehicle. My son just did his first track day at Laguna Seca with his 09 BS PDK. They had rain for most of the day but he and several others boiled their brake fluid on the next to last run. It has dedicated track rotors and Hawk 60s. He has a heat gun and got rotor temps in the high 400s. He is going to added titanium shims as a start and look for cooling ducts that fit a 987. Moving from Motul to Castrol SRF is another option but pricey for marginally better high temps. He already has the GT3 deflector. He rode with a guy in a track prepped Miata that only used his brakes in two parts of the track. Lack of HP was evident in many locations, but just as fast if not fast in the twistys for much less money. My son drove a race prepped Neon for years because it was all he could afford. Other than front wheel drive similar to the Miata, super handling but low HP.. IMO the Miata would also be easier to sell with less loss if you stopped or wanted to move up to something with more HP. The more you DIY the more car you can buy. Porsche PDKs are another whole thread issue.
Cayman is the better platform, but the S54 is by far the better engine (assuming 987.1)
This. S54 is a more exciting engine than anything short of a 3.8 x51 and even then it's close but everything else is better on the 987 except maybe the diff. E46 needs front strut reinforcement, rear subframe reinforcement, adjustable suspension, brakes (calipers, rotors, and cooling), and while the engine is wonderful, gotta check bearings and vanos hub to make sure it stays in one piece.
I think OP found a car and not my M3 (that was subject of question in this thread). If anyone is interested in a nice track car, PM.
Highlights (all done approximately 1 year, <3000 miles ago by well-known e46 M3 wrench, Kaiv): SMG to 6MT conversion AKG SS and DTM selector rod Alcantara shift boot Full VANOS rebuild using Besian parts Valve adjustment WPC treated rod bearings Rear subframe reinforcement (zero cracks before work done) with AKG plates Coil packs All fluids changed Suspension bushings and motor mounts replaced with OEM. Trans and Diff mounts replaced with poly. New steering coupler Brembo GT BBK 4-pot all around (Brembo pads + Pagid RS29 with one day on them available) JRZ DA remote reservoir dampers, 900#f/1000#f springs Turner adjustable toe links Adjustable camber plates (Ground Control Race) Mild track alignment/corner balance -I have stock ZCP suspension boxes Replaced sagging B-pillar trim Replaced headlight covers ECS hub-centric wheel spacers all around Hankook Ventus v12 Evo tires with very few miles on them
And lots of little things done that Kevin advised while he was "in there".
I have a 2nd set of wheels/tires that were used for track that could be negociated separately - Enkei NT03+ with MP Sport Cup 2s with 7 heat cycles.
I also just picked up a SuperSpring Sport exhaust that I have not installed.
This car has had all the big ticket items taken care of in the past year. I have done 3 track days and it performed flawlessly . Perfect dual purpose car or, if you prefer something more street oriented, a lot of $$$ could be recovered selling off some parts and going back to stock.
12-05-2019, 11:19 PM
