Yep, the next upgrade I have planned is installing the Porsche ROW M030 suspension, which should lower it by 20 mm in the front and 10 mm in the rear. I'll get the cabriolet version, which according the Gert Carnewal is made for the heavier cabs and Targas. I'll be carefully reading the write-ups on this site for installing springs and shocks (I've only found a detailed write-up for the springs, but not the shocks). I think I'll replace the front and rear shock mount tops at the same, as I figure the rubber in them is 15 years old. Any recommendations for replacing other parts at the same time?

I have gone back and forth on whether the ROW M030 this will lower it enough to reduce body roll and increase stability during hard cornering. My concern with going lower, say 30 mm with the Koni Sport dampers and springs, is that the car would drag going over tall speed bumps, steep driveways, and transitions from pavement to dirt parking lots. A local mechanic was recommending the Konis, saying that the Bilstein PSS10s would make the suspension way too stiff. The PSS10 cost a lot more to buy ($2.1K) and install ($1.6K) than I want to spend right now.
Joel Reiser, the PCA's expert on 996s, strongly recommends against lowering more than the M030 package for cars driven on normal roads, but recommends more drop for the track.

Regarding wheel spacers, I don't see how adding 5 mm per side will do anything measurable. Assuming 1 meter from the centerline of the car to the hubs, adding 5 mm is just 0.5%. How much wheel spacing did you add, can you tell a difference, and is the tire wear OK?

 

I agree with this as well. However as another poster noted, it would look better with a gloss wrap vinyl instead. Good job.

 

If you're replacing springs, shocks and top hats; personally I'd go to a full coilover. It will replace all of those things with components designed to work together. Don't get caught up in PSS10/ROW, there are a lot of other good options out there for the 996 with a lower price-point.

All of my 996's have been on coilovers: '99 c2 - Ksport / '00 c2 - PSS10 / '01 turbo PSS10. The PSS10 with rubber top hats rode close to stock comfort levels (I didn't realize the car had coilovers until I got under it one day). I never had scraping issues, the only noticeable difference was on severe angle changes (requiring very low speed), the cars would often lift a wheel off the ground.



Tire wear was more in-line with ride height. The lower the car goes, the more camber is added in the rear. Lowering the car doesn't seem to have a major effect on tire wear, but going very low with the car puts a lot of stress on the inner edge of the rear tires. Front's seem the same as stock.
Here are widebody wheels on a c2, stock ride height. Notice how the outer edge of the tire is straight and sticks out of the wheel well.



Here is the same wheels/car, very low. So the outer edge of the tire tucks into the fender. You can see the outer edge of the tire goes out at an angle.





lowered with 15mm front spacers:


very low without spacers:



5mm won't be a big difference; I usually run 15mm to bring the face of the wheel more flush with the body. On the front turn in grip is more noticeable. I'm sure the rear has the same effect, but I always ran turbo wheels (11" and pushed to the edges of the car), so there was more going on besides just having the wheels further out, but the cars felt like they had rear traction for days.


turbo wheels on C2:


turbo wheels + 15mm spacer:

 

Too stiff is a matter of preference and where one drives, of course. But the PSS10s will definitely make it stiffer than the standard stock suspension. Given that this is a concern, I would think the PSS10s are probably not for you. On the other hand, you want less roll in a car with less roll than most things on the road, so I assume you intend to use it on track. If the ROW030 isn't enough, maybe add adjustable anti-roll bars and keep them on the softest setting on the road?

 

Yes, there's surely a reason why Porsche puts wings on GT3s and not ducktails. I was wondering if the ducktail might at least be comparable in downforce to the original 996 Turbo wing (which brings rear lift to zero). In that case the front end might feel light at speed, though perhaps only above 90 ...

 

Do you have a "side shot" of your car with the duck tail on it? Car looks good by the way.

 

Here's a side shot.

 

I like it, thanks!

 

Here are two shots at night with the lights on. The iPhone 6S photos don't look quite the same as it does in person.

The top of my license plate is moved out half an inch so because it has a hinge on it to expose a receiver for my Willwood bike rack (see http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/9...che-996-a.html). This blocks some of the light.

 

not fond of those aftermarket LEDs (fan of stock forgive me )but the ducktail looks good, I believe it looks even better in person

 

Great looking mod. I've thought over and over and over and over....about putting one on my C4S.
And, I've still not decided one way or the other. But IMO, the ducktail is perhaps the best looking wing available (I'd have a 991 with one, if I could justify one along with the 996 and the Rover and the Lincoln and...)

 

Go Bears!
Glad you didn't buy a red car!

 

No problem. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Your 996 looks nice. How much did you lower it?

 

I installed the M030 package, which has shorter springs, way stiffer shocks (dampers), and thicker anti-sway bars. I ordered this from Carnewal. This dropped it down about 15 mm in the rear and 10 mm in the front. The ride was way too harsh on large bumps on the freeway, so I switched the shocks to Koni FSD (for Frequency-Selective Damping), also from Carnewal. I had to really compress the springiness in the rear dampers to get them to fit, so the car actually rose up slightly after installation. I am super happy with these shocks. As hoped for from the FSD design, the roll when cornering is gone, but sharp bumps are greatly filtered out.

 

I've always liked the Porsche five-spoke wheels, and they're way easier to wash than the stock wheels on my 996. A few years ago I bought a used set and installed them. After a while, a coating started peeling off, brake dust was permanently bonded to some corners, and there were pits in various places. I sanded two rear wheels down and repainted them, but couldn't get the original glossy look.


An original front five-spoke wheel. Note the black gunk in the corners that I couldn't wash out.


I took the wheels to Wheel Repair Performance in San Jose. They repaint wheels for two local Porsche dealers. I had them sandblast off the old paint, fill the pits on the visible side, and powder paint them for 200 $/wheel. I also had them add the Ceramic Pro coating. This is supposed to be harder than the painted clear coat, and, importantly, not allow brake dust to stick very well. Time will tell how well this works.
As you can see in the photo below, the color match to the stock wheel center cap was perfect.


A freshly painted front wheel.