Ok guys and girls, for a newbie, interested in a few mods, i need your honest raw feel (grin factor) evaluation of the usual mods. I'm not at all interested in numbers (horsepower, 0-60 sec), since I know my 993 is a 10 on the grin factor scale vs my 03 E46 M3 at 6 inspite of the latter's superior stats (hp, etc). So, on a scale of 1-10, 10 being heavenly orgasmic, how would you rate the following mods?

1. ECU re-map
2. LWF
3. LWF+regearing
4. 3.8 conversion
5. Fabspeed exhausts
6. Additional holes on the Motorsound box
7. Bilstein HD+ROW M030 springs
8. DE days (asssume a novice status)
9. Supercharge
10. Driving a 993 at dawn, early fall, engine screaming at 6500, windows down on a deserted country twisty...... (I say 10!)

 

DE days

 

For me personally it would have to be #10
Highway 7 North in the fall. Early morning. Forget the coffee... WOW!!!!

JoAnne

 

0. Driving a 993 at dawn, early fall, engine screaming at 6500, windows down on a deserted country twisty - no need to rate since not a mod, you should do this whenever you get the chance. BTW, only thing better than window open is driving with the top down!
1. Bilstein HD+ROW M030 springs
1.5. Additional holes on the Motorsound box - since easy
2. LWF
3. LWF+regearing
4. Fabspeed exhausts
5. DE days (asssume a novice status)
6. ECU re-map
7. Supercharge
8. 3.8 conversion

 

AOF:

One more opinion:

1) Father-of-3's "O". Thats how these cars are meant to be enjoyed.
2) Suspension upgrade (PSS-9's and RS adjustable swaybars)
3) Chip
4) LWF
5) Close-ratio gears
6) 3.8 upgrade (P/C's, cams and intake valves)


Joanne;

I just LOVE your avatar; my compliments to the Chef.

 

I must agree with Jauder. If you are a newbie to driiving these cars spending a year doing track days will teach you alot. Then you can begin the slippery slope slide with the rest of us :-)

Once you have done this you will find that suspension will be your number one mod to begin with. You will also want the LWF because it is much easier to heel/toe with, Remapping the ECU is probably not worth it if you are really going to put a 3.8 motor in, otherwise go ahead and remap accordingly. Everyone does exhaust modifications like different air filters, air box lids, and mufflers. Marginal HP increase if that but great on the ears.

Before you try all of this you really need to decide what you really want to do with the car. I talk with people all the time about their goals with the car and with their driving. You can save a lot of money thnking about this first, or you can simply enjoy yourself as you journey along regardless of the money!
!

 

I have done Rs clutch and flywheel, Bilsteins with Eibachs, short shifter, and GHL mufflers, and I think the car is 8, maybe 9x better than stock....

 

As far as "grin factor" mods, I too go with suspension. after the install of the ROW M030 kit. While I don't diminish the value of the "power mods" I think that to some extent, eventualy, your brain will recallibrate your experience of torgue and speed that is gained by the re-gearing, chipping and supercharging My brain never seems to get over the "on rails" feeling that I get from the suspension upgrade.

 

It's been said many times before, but I'll say it one more time: DE/track days is the most fun you can have with your clothes on. It is truly addicting and distills the pure essence of these cars, whether its bone-stock or a 1500lb, 600HP full on race monster, and places them in the environment they were meant to thrive in.

That said,

1. DE days
2. Fabspeed exhausts-SUPERCUPS, please
3. Driving a 993 at dawn, early fall, engine screaming at 6500, windows down on a deserted country twisty......
4. Bilstein HD+ROW M030 springs
5. Supercharge
6. 3.8 conversion
7. LWF+regearing
8. LWF
9. ECU re-map
10. Additional holes on the Motorsound box

 

1. ECU re-map (Much Later)
2. LWF (Add clutch too)
3. LWF+regearing (Big Bucks but probably worth it)
4. 3.8 conversion (I am not sold on this as bang for your buck)
5. Fabspeed exhausts (get the Fabspeed Supercups from Kary at Group 9 Motorsports. You neighbors may not appreciate the sound, but they can always move if they don't like it. The mufflers cost about $899. I have had mine on for about 2 weeks. I am now really looking for any and all opportunities to drive the car: It now has more Snap, and on deceleration, it do Crackle and Pop. Oh, by the way, with the Fabspeed Supercups on, you can roll the windows up. The noise/song is incredible with the windows up. In addition with the Fabspeed Supercups, you reduce weight at the rear of the car and below the center of gravity, a good thing!

Note: I get no renumeration from Fabspeed of Group 9 sales for these plugs. I just really love my Fabspeed mufflers and airbox.

6. Additional holes on the Motorsound box...if you already have the motorsoundr box...you have the holes already. If you really want to let the air in, considder the Fabspeed air box. It has the complete air box cut away with just enough remaining to hold in the air filter the the debris hose from the clutch. It appears to be made of carbon fiber.
7. Bilstein HD+ROW M030 springs: Good option...get the HD with extra thread on the shock body so you can lower the car to your heart's content, or buy spring perches from Hergesheimer Motorsports in Lake Forest, CA I have the PSS9s, nine (9) way adjustable...I love them.
8. DE days (Great idea...learn to drive your car) Believe it or not, they are a heck of a lot of fun to drive with 0 mods...it just gets better as you modify the car.
9. Supercharge (I think the jury is still out on this approach) However if you do put a blower on the car, be prepared to do all the other mods that a 400HP car car should have such as improved brakes, suspension, additional oil cooling. Also it might be interesting to know what mods did Porsche do to the 993 Turbo motor compared to the NA motor. What about compression for a starter, oil squiters...I would do some serious research before I went down this road.
10. Driving a 993 at dawn, early fall, engine screaming at 6500, windows down on a deserted country twisty.
It is always fun to let the car run....gets some DEs under your belt in the event something comes up in this scenario, you have the condidence and skill for the appropriate manuvers. Example, they say in a spin, "both feet in: ...clutch pedal and brake.

And for me 6,500 is always fun, fun in each gear as I accelerate..faster ever faster until the thrill of speed overcomes my fear of death, serious injury or mutilation, a possible incredible traffic ticket, or possibly even jail.

Some mods you didn't list:
For a cheap handling fix...install the M030 RoW 22mm front sway bar and the 21mm turbo sway bar.

I also like the Guard Limited Slip....great mod for DE's. About $2,200 for the LSD and labor to install it. You will need stiffer bars with the LSD to overcome push..and as Kary mentioned, just practice, practice and ask around.

Good luck with the car.

 

How do you like this setup? I have eibachs in my car now with oem shocks. I need to change out the shocks and have been debating what to switch out when I do. PSS9, go porsche and do m030, or keep eibach and just replace shocks. I like the ride height currently, no complaints there.

 

Not having done most of these, this is how sense them to be for my tastes and desires:

The 'GINOMETER' numbers are as follows:

1. ECU re-map: This is probablly a 4.
2. LWF: 6
3. LWF+regearing: 8
4. 3.8 conversion: 8
5. Fabspeed exhausts: 7
6. Additional holes on the Motorsound box: 3
7. Bilstein HD+ROW M030 springs: 8
8. DE days (asssume a novice status): 8
9. Supercharge: 9
10. Driving a 993 at dawn, early fall, engine screaming at 6500, windows down on a deserted country twisty...... (I say 10!): With or w/o any mods.
Definately a 10!


__________________

 

Da' Steves' are always right!!!! & Double dito on the RJT993 avatar, very nice .

 

Thanks all for your comments. Paradisenb, I particularly liked your response. I suspect I'd drill a few more holes in the airbox and re-map as soon as the snow melts....maybe the Fabspeed if I can hear it first

 

Mark in Baltimore, I suppose you could do DEs naked but you might not have a lot of friends that way