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New Owner: 97 993 Zenith Blue C2 Coupe, Part 1: Road to ownership
All,
Want to thank you who helped me the past couple of months to help me choose a 993 "driver" with good bones to update the car how I want it to be. This is my first p-car and this community you have built has been an invaluable to help me learn about these great cars.
Here is my journey to get to ownership… more to come as I will start a separate thread on my restoration projects and upgrades.
Today passed the final gate to take ownership of the car as I got the OBDII readiness monitors cleared. (I posted what I did to get the readiness checks clear on the pinned OBDII test drive thread). Car initially passed the smog tests with flying colors over a month ago, however failed as the readiness monitors were not clear. I have been stuck in limbo this past month because in CA the seller is responsible to get the car ready for smog certification, and as a buyer you can’t register the car without a smog certification. Smog re-certification and DMV registration appointments booked and now on the home stretch!
Details of the car:
The car is a solid bone stock 1997 driver with 109K miles, detailed maintenance history going back to 1999, and no accidents. PPI found some paint work on the passenger side via a paint meter, but could not find any structural damage and/or body repairs. Carfax showed no accident reports either so whatever it was minor. I will never know the story of the repaint as the PO who owned the car for the past 18 years passed. The widow said the car was the pride and joy of her late husband and was happy I would take it over and care for it. The PO was a doctor who bought the car in 1999 for $65K from a local Porsche dealership as a lease return with 35K miles and drove it as a DD. He maintained it meticulously as I have a binder of old work orders over the years from the local Indy shops that worked on the car. Notable repairs outside of regular major/minor maintenance:
88K Top-end job- to clean SAI passages, valve job, new valve guides, new rings, cylinder honing, chain box reseal, new head temp sensor
88K New clutch
100K New brakes
102K New immobilizer unit
106K New tires, new CV boots, new wheel bearings
106K New CCU
108K New rotors and distributor caps, new belt sensor
109K New electrical- new alternator, new battery, new wiring harness for windows
PPI was done by RMG in Sunnyvale. Highly regarded air cooled experts. Compression came back strong with 215/220 across the cylinders like a new engine. SAI passages still clean, transmission oil clean and oil filter clean with no metal debris. They did an excellent job interrogating the car. Found a few issues that ultimately helped get to a fair final sales price.
Major issues:
1. Lower control arm bushings were cracked that need replacement. Luckily Elephant Racing is local to me and Chuck, owner of Elephant, hooked me up with some sport bushings and a bump steer tie rod set, as I am planning on dropping the car between ROW/RS height with a PSS10 suspension upgrade.
2. Various cosmetic issues all replaced on expense by the PO: replaced the sunroof wind deflector, replaced the spoiler wind deflector/skirt that diverts air into the engine, and replaced the rear center lens as patina was showing
3. Minor seeping from base of two cylinders. The mechanic and I have been monitoring the seep locations the past month and it appears there is no leak and may have stopped altogether as I started driving the car regularly this past month. Prior to me purchasing the car, the car was not driven and put in storage for the past five years so RMG and mechanic thinks it may have been due to inactivity. Whatever the reason, at least for now the seep has stabilized and is not a leak.
Minor issues:
1. Interior vinyl is in good shape with no cracks, but has some minor sun discoloring that can be easily corrected by a vinyl expert. I am lucky as I have a local leather and vinyl restoration guy who does amazing work.
2. Steering wheel and drivers seat had significant wear (as expected since it was a DD since 1999) that needs the leather replaced. Luckily, I already sourced a nice black stock steering wheel and a pair of mint old school 964 soft back sport seats. Just installed the seats and steering wheel with new black Lloyds mats to finally change the monochromatic “business grey” interior I am all too familiar with my frequent business travel to Frankfurt on Lufthansa, to a more updated interior of grey with black accents.
Planned projects:
I plan to restore and update the car trying to balance period correctness with modern touches as my intent is to have an updated driver that I can drive the heck out of.
First project... refresh the front suspension (maybe the back if I need it), 18s, and PSS10 suspension kit!
Pictures:
I look forward to all of your wisdom as I am sure many of you went through what I am about to start next...
~ The Eagle ~
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'96 Polar Silver/Black C4S, manual, litronics, LED's in the positioning lights, alu/leather shifter & handbrake,
silver face gauges with alu rings, hardback sport seats, leather interior, motor sound airbox, stainless door sills,
valve caps Porsche crested brushed alloy, front protection bar, with split rear grill and layered with Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax
__________________
'92 Carrera 2 (Sold)
'89 Carrera 3.2 (Sold)
Congrats, car looks super clean!!! Drive it and enjoy....maybe put the PSS10s on the top of the list , you'll love the transformation of the ride and look of the car.
08-31-2017, 05:11 AM
New Owner: 97 993 Zenith Blue C2 Coupe, Part 1: Road to ownership
(I posted what I did to get the readiness checks clear on the pinned OBDII test drive thread). Car initially passed the smog tests with flying colors over a month ago, however failed as the readiness monitors were not clear. I have been stuck in limbo this past month because in CA the seller is responsible to get the car ready for smog certification, and as a buyer you can’t register the car without a smog certification. Smog re-certification and DMV registration appointments booked and now on the home stretch!
