Greg Lab

I have this perfect 993 C4S with 30K miles on it, and I just drive it on nice days on the street. But I am getting the itch to track again. I used to track a 930 in DE's, and that led to full on open wheel SCCA racing for 5 years. I was looking at various Porsche track and race cars yesterday, but that gets complicated fast (trailer, spares...). What are your thoughts on tracking a perfectly cherry Porsche? Sure would be fun, but then again, those rock chips are a bitch

race911

You've got enough experience to know a couple of things: 1. rock chips aren't that big of a deal, either on the getting or preventing side, and 2. you're going to be over a 993 in stock form after about your third lap.

Tough call on the cars that are being held hostage to low miles, and I'll bet that if you want to get back in you'll be doing it "properly" at some level. Hint: Miatas, while you seemingly have to hang your head in shame around the paddock, are at least as challenging to drive as any 911.

dave morris

Agree with Ken. Get a Miata. Cost practically nothing and GREAT cars to drive.

Martin S.

Ultimately there are Street cars and Race Cars. Street cars on the track are fun, but their short comings become readily apparent, and soon, almost in the blink of an eye, you'll be on the mod band wagon and kit the slippery slope. Eventually, after a series of mods, your street/track car will be very uncomfortable on the street. It will do better on the track as you grow into your mods, but it will never be as effective as a dedicated track car.

If you want to track a car, and be competitive, get a race car.

944 Spec
Spec Miata
Boxster Spec
996 Spec
Cayman Spec

Spec is good because it puts a cap on spending, and the driver wins the race, not the car, in general.

Leave that Carrera 4S unmolested, you'll be glad you did....IMHO of course

Signed

A guy with a street/track hybrid that is a bitch to drive on the street...it does have air conditioning though.

race911

Ultimate cost may or may not be a factor to Greg. While we always love to spend other people's money, maybe a full-tilt Grand Am effort is merely petty cash. (I know, not likely, but go with the premise.) I didn't bring the Miata up for the cheap factor, more that even on the entry level you can have a rewarding, challenging experience.

And there are plenty of ways to go dual purpose with a Porsche. Just have to put your head in check about what the realistic result is. If I had to cash everything out and just keep one, I could be satisfied with the RSA in stock club racer form. Maybe give up a couple second a lap, but if life dictated a $30K car for everything I could survive.

Martin S.

Ken writes, "And there are plenty of ways to go dual purpose with a Porsche."

That is true indeed....but if you are intending to go wheel to wheel racing, the dual purpose cars don't do so well. Read the PCA racing GCRs and see what Stock class is allowed. A PCA "Stock" racer, if developed to the max, would not make a decent street ride, IMHO.

I have a street/track car developed for Porsche Owners Club racing. It is a KI (Improved) car. There is no way I can make weight, the car is too damn heavy unless I go on a drastic weigh reduction diet and...
Remove the sunroof,
Take out the heater blower in the engine compartment
Go to cat bypass pipes and muffs that don't blow more than 100 dB
Lightweight 993 RS glass

Air conditioning...must leave in the car for Improved.

Basically I can't get the weight out of the car and in my race class (R6) I compete against 84 - 89 Carrera cars that have be developed to Prepared, as well as 78- to 83 SC cars that have been developed further to V Class, one notch up from Prepared. V class cars can run the monster wings, etc. They have a significant power to weight ratio advantage.

Basically, at 3,300 Lbs race weight with driver (255) and 1/2 a tank of gas, and 239 HP to the rear wheels, the car is not competitive, it's about 2 to 3 seconds a lap off the pace. If I could get down to a not so fat body weight of 180 Lbs, the car at 3225, is still too heavy. The minimum weight at the scales after a race is about 3,079. I just can't get there...I have replace the stock interior with a 993RS carpet set, 993RS door panels, Heigo cage, no more radio speakers....

I have qualified at Willow Springs at a 1:34.6, needed a 1:31 for the pole.

Bottom line, I am not willing to strip the car anymore...I'll just live with my slightly heavy race weight, drive my *** off and hope the leaders break...it could happen And if it doesn't, I am still having the time of my life.

race911

Without totally derailing this thread (Greg made no, as in zero, mention of undertaking wheel-to-wheel racing), I'll make a couple of points:

1. POC is weird. Always has been. First exposure to them was helping a friend in '83. PCA came in with a clean sheet for club racing in '92, POC went wheel-to-wheel a year (?) later still clinging onto the time trial rules base.

2. I still hold at least the Thunderhill stock class club race lap record with RSA #1. (A lot of it has to do with the fact that no one here races stock/prepared class since there was a five year gap of even holding PCA club races. PRC took over, it's a much better experience, and no one has looked back.) My car was tires, brake pads/fluids, springs, shocks, and stabilizer bars from factory as-delivered stock.

I looked up my Willow Springs times circa 2000 with the '92 C4 on Hoosiers that also just had different pads/springs/shocks/bars (the ones that ended up on the RSA racer, in fact). Best time trial lap was a Zone 8 event in conjunction with a club race @ 1:33.8. I'm sure I'm still listed in the POC stats somewhere. That was a ~3400 lb. w/ driver car. I remember a guy named Don Dicker with a near new almost totally stock C2S on Hoosiers that was a couple of seconds faster, flirting with 1:30 flat.

Greg Lab

Thank you all for bringing me to my senses... There are race cars and street cars. One thing I remember with my Formula Mazda ( which I raced wheel to wheel for 5 years), when you ran off track, it was like a dirt bike, no big deal. If I were to step off the track with my 993 I would die! Also Ken makes a good point, I would probably be bored with the 993 on lap three. I guess I really should look at getting another FM, and uncorking it for the track days. Not really that interested in racing SCCA anymore. Keep the 993 nice and pristine. Thanks guys!

Greg Lab

Two old friends... Wish I still had them, that would solve my delima!

http://forums.rennlist.com/upload/fo...r_scan0007.jpg

NC TRACKRAT

Good advice given and Greg, you've made it clear that you're not interested in getting back into racing, just want to get back on track. My solution was the MINI Cooper S. After many years of the high hp stuff, I elected to just dial it back and have fun. The MCS is an excellent vehicle to do just that. With the right tires, you can drive it to and from the track, run in the rain and the dry, trick it out to your heart's content and still have a mess of fun. Parts are cheap and plentiful, maintence costs are low and, when not at the track, it's a very versatile daily driver.

cgfen

Do it if you just want to DE.
Don't if you want to do W-2-W

We have ways of protecting the paint.................
AKA Diaper mobile

Craig

Speedyellow993

Just pick up a higher milage 993 and then flog it hard! $24000 should get you a good one. It would be a shame to track a 30k car right into a tire wall..

RDS928S

I track my mint 993 cab all the time @MMC. The track is perfect & glass smooth.
Never any damage at the track-just stone chips from thr 180 mile round trip drive there.
Get a clear bra & r- compounds. Then you will be all set.

Rich