901aero

Hope I'm not out of line here as a new user -- but what about the SoK kit? I got their info and was very impressed. Of course it's a lot more than the TPC kit but it sure seems to be top notch. Something like 460 HP and 445 ft lbs torque.

Scott 1996 993c2

Haven't seen this one -- where can I find their info?

Scott

StatmanDesigns

SoK stands for Superchargers of Knoxville. I cannot find their web address, but their kit is definitely not a bolt on. It requires a complete engine rebuild to lower the compression ratio. The TPC unit uses much lower boost and therefore no need for the lower compression ratio.

I cannot find a website for Superchargers of Knoxville.

adsc4s

The SOK supercharger will run you in the neighborhood of $20K. At that point, I'd send my car to RUF for their engine upgrade, or buy a turbo.

chris walrod

I feel the real concern with SCing our rather high compression (11.3:1) 993's is two things, in general. One being oil temperature (cyl head temp) control and two, detonation control. Without a good handle on those two dynamics, engine damage will occur.

I have related experience with artificial aspiration while owning (and tweaking) a GMC Syclone years ago. This turbocharged car (truck, really) did have high(er) compression as this was a GM cost saving expedition for this 'parts bin special' of a car. Standard issue Corvette pistons were used in this 4.3L V-6 yielding almost a 10:1 CR, which, in my opinion, is a lot of static cylinder pressure. These engines grenaded VERY often, even without mods and a pretty efficient, factory installed water to air intercooler system. Short story long, detonation control was paramount for these engines to live.

SCing a 993 without intercooling and driving the pee-pee out of it with California gas on a hot day at WSIR would worry me sick. Then again, I am paranoid

901aero

The SoK kit does require an engine disassembly to do the headwork (lower compression) and the addition of a new heavy duty clutch assembly to handle the new power. They even include a software system to custom tune your set up for different driving applications (stoplight to stoplight, open road, etc.) When I recently priced it the total job including clutch package was about $18K. But here's how I look at it. If I were to sell my 95 I could reasonably expect to get maybe $30 to 34K. Add the cost of the Sok kit at 18K and I still would have to kick in at least another 10K to get a decent TT. Although I've never driven a SC'ed car I sure like the numbers- at least 50HP more than a 98 Turbo "S" (last I looked they were past the 100K price.) and the idea of instant power. I should add that my car only has 44K miles on it so it's got a lot of life yet and should handle it. Also I only drive my car as a weekend or pleasure cruiser despite the assurances from SoK that it is a very easy set up to live with on a daily basis. Bruce Anderson had only good things to say about the SoK kit and I think he's pretty much on top of the 911 mods game.

901aero

Forgot to add the SoK kit also comes with an intercooler and does not affect the A/C or Cruise as far as I know.

Father of 3

Not to throw fuel on the fire here but another rationale (to help you rationalize this to yourself or to others) is if you do a swap you will have to pay an additional $3k - $5k or so in sales tax, plus you will have a higher basis for registration etc. Also, any mods you have on your car to get it to that "just right" state you will only get cents on the dollar for. I think if you "do it righ" ie RUF, Protomotive upgrade etc. it is not as expensive as you might think, especially if you do the math vs. a trade up to a turbo.

StatmanDesigns

Since you guys seem to be taking an economic approach to this, you MUST consider the following fact: A super charged 993 has horrendous resale value. You have eliminated 99% of potential buyers, and the remaining 1% will not pay you anything more than the stock price for your 993.

Even if a 993tt cost you more initially, it has a relatively flat depreciaition curve at this point, and will always be worth a very high percentage of its purchase price, assuming you didn't over pay initially.

If, OTOH, you are going to be buried in this car, then do what you want, as resale economics will never come into play. But, in general, people that tell me they do not car about resale value, tend to be lying to themselves.

adsc4s

Agreed. Plus, a SC 993 will not pass emmissions in California. The funny thing about power is that it is addicting. If you SC your 993, what's next? With the 993TT, there is a ways to go on the power scale!

akolodesh

Dan,
Your point about resale value is a valid one. The problem is that many people (me included) spend a lot of money to get the car to a certain level (shocks, springs, swaybars, chips, interior/exterior packages, brake upgrades, tranny, flywheel, etc...). These are also upgrades that, while not harming resale value, don't end up adding much to it.
The TT option is one that does certainly help with resale value. It does not address the desire to upgrade those other components outside of engine power. If I got a relatively stock low-mile tt today for $70k, I would need to dump another $15k into it to get it up to the modified condition of my car.
In addition to the amount spent, there are other important factors to evaluate such as: RWD vs. AWD and added weight (personally, I would like to have a majority of the benefits of a GT2 without the price associated with it ).
The more I think about it, the more I feel the way to go to increase power is to bite the bullet and get a quality engine rebuild with the toys added to it from a well-known source such as RUF. This way the resale of the car doesn't get eaten up as most people are comfortable with some of the more recognized tuner names.

Father of 3

Agreed. No matter how well done the car, your potential pool of purchasers will be narrower. If done with care ala RUF or Protomotive with internals changed to make motor more robust and more well matched to a turbo, I think the hit will be minimized. Plus if you have any question of a need for a top-end rebuild and are considering a power upgrade, decision becomes much easier.

adsc4s

No comparison between RUF and Protomotive.

901aero

I have to say that a lot of guys I know - even outside of the Porscheworld - seem to worry a lot about keeping their cars nice and original for the next owner. Too afraid to modify anything in the event that someday, although most can't say when, it comes time to sell their car they won't get what they were hoping for. I say life's too short. I don't want to devote the whole of my ownership to keeping it nice for the next guy. I've owned my '95 993 for almost five years now. I bought it when the 993s were probably at their top $. The longer I keep it, no matter how nice I keep it, the less it will be worth. I say why worry about it.

HK G36C

901: Everything I have done to my car was for me and only for me. I really don't care whether my cars sell better or not. This car was meant to be driven hard and not kept as a garage queen or babied. I drove my M3 hard I mean very hard until she was killed by my son at 245k miles. We did not spend the money to hand over a virgin to the next person. I don't mean we need to trash the car, but drive her hard, maintain her well and she will last. Oh, you probably will have hard the stupid carbon buildup, either. my three and half cents.