Jim H.

What do you guys think...

(in the setting of a GT3 due in august).

I currently have a pristine 89' 944 Turbo (S) with essentially a full Cup treatment (coilover conversion, high spring rates, fabcar arms, larger rollbars, catless 3" exhaust, chipped engine, roll bar, and 5pt with recaros). The car is capable of running with the E stock guys and even with me driving it, it is only 1-2 seconds off their qualifying times at putnam park (on toyo's). Very well set up and fast car and I enjoy driving it hard. I'm wondering the following...

1. How much faster (if at all) is a stock GT3 going to be around tracks like putnam park (1:21s) and Mid-Ohio (1:45s).

2. For you guys with multiple porsches in the stable, do you find you eventually end up selling some of them due to low usage rates?

3. My 951 dynos with 280ish rwhp and 320ish rwtq. I say "ish" because the real numbers were 285/340 but I've since decreased the boost a little. How do you think the GT3 will feel compared to this with it's less torque but more horsepower?

4. In the end, the ultimate question is whether to sell the 951 to finance GT3 seats, rollbar, camcorder, wheels, etc or keep it for it's own virtues.

Thanks for your opinion in advance.

Jim

Sloth

Well...

stock for stock, the GT3 is running in B stock in PCA club racing compared to the 951 S running in E stock. PCA breaks up their classes by power to weight ratios. When viewed like that, I do not think you would be giving anything up at the track by moving to a GT3. Both cars are very capable at the track, especialy the 951 with the correct mods. My choice... keep the 951 for track duty and use the GT3 on the street. Should the 951 get bent at the track it would cause a whole lot less heartache than the GT3 getting bent.

My current track machine...


Not to say the GT3 has not had its time on the track...

macfly

If you can keep it until you've had the chance to comapre them both to each other at a track day. It would be a shame to let it go, and then find it suited you better for track days. When you spend a lot of time getting things just right for you they become more special than the sum of their parts, and it may take you some time to feel that attached to the GT3, no matter how good it might be out of the box.

Since I haven't driven your car I have no idea how different you'll feel the Gt3 is, but what I can promise you is that it is wonderful in it's own way. All the instructors at the PDE say the GT3 is their favorite 911 because it's just so controlable, predictable and fun at the track.

Bill - Chicago

Jim -

In my 993 RS my best lap at mid-ohio was a 1:39 and at putman a 1:16 something. This car was setup for PCA club racing, so full cage, JRZ suspension, stiffer springs, and hoosier tires. I am hoping the GT3 out of the box will just as fast. With similar suspension upgrade it should faster.

Bill.

Bob Rouleau

As a data point, my GT3 with R compound tires and a track alignment is faster than 951 Rothman Turbo Cup race cars also driven by instructors at our DEs.

Jim H.

wow I hate having to leave this forum for more than a few hours! Thanks for all the replies. I'm leaning towards Macs suggestion of just keeping the 951 until later. Only problem is that It will also have to sit for the year while I'm in Korea and it is more subject to "stasis" than the new GT3 will be.

Bill - I think I saw you at the last Mid-Ohio Drivers Ed. Nice cars those 993 RS's. Very fast and great to watch from the stands. I too hope the GT3 will be that fast! We'll see.

Sloth - your 951 rocks! (is it a 951?) Either way it looks wicked. Is it faster than your GT3? [edit - disregard looked at your signature...So...how much faster is the 951?]

Bob - How do the Rothmans Turbo cups compare to E stock cars? A little faster? Guess I could look it up on the PCA sights... Glad to hear your GT3 is faster out of the box. Cool because the 951 is no slouch.

MetalSolid

Buy a used GT3 now and avoid the double depreciation of a new car sitting in a garage for a year.

Jim H.

Metal - thought about it long and hard but with a long range outlook on the purchase, I would rather break it in myself and know the cars history from day one. I always said I wanted to buy a future classic and hold on to it until I'm old and gray. Already got the gray part and old isn't far behind.

Besides, used GT3s with my must have White on Black are not exactly plentiful, nor much cheaper than buying new...Do you know of one?

Jim

Sloth

Yes it is (was) a 951. Its is a race built 2.6L turbo (destroked 968 3L) that has at least as much power as the GT3, a couple hundred pounds less to move around, full cage, fire system, fuel cell, wide sticky tires, and track setup/tuned coilover suspension. As much as I enjoyed the GT3 on the track, I had just as much fun in the 951... if not more b/c I do not worry about having to drive the 951 home.

Jim H.

Getting off topic but I'm a 951 fanatic too...

Sloth I pm'd you but got most of the info from your post. Might have to "just do it" to the 951 like I did with the GT3. Man this forum can be deadly to one's bank account!

Curious as to the best way to end up with a car like your 951. Probably should sell the 89' and pick up a tired 87-88 and start there. Probably be even easier to further mod a caged and gutted car. In looking at your car, I'm guessing starting out with an 89 would have been a waste? Would you agree?

Jim

Bob Rouleau

Jim H - I can't say how they Rotjhman's Turbo Cup differs from E class. When you said yours was set up to Cup specs I assumed it meant the the RTC car. The Rothman's cars are factory built race cars for a one marque race series which took place in a lot of different countries. Fast cars that a collector items today.

Elsewhere on this Forum, Larry Herman recounts how he was blown away buy a GT3 while driving his son's 951. It's in the Spike TV thread

Best,

Sloth

hey Jim, check you PM for details...

MetalSolid

I guess there aren't that many for sale. I did a quick search:

Black GT3
Silver GT3
Speed Yellow GT3

Jim H.

Metal,

Thanks for the searching. I saw two of those cars for sale previously. Not much "drove it off the lot" depreciation and for me I really wanted a white on black car.

I hope for everybody's sake, the GT3 becomes a much more sought after and therefore less depreciated car. I think there's a chance that may happen. The car still has to be the best Porsche bang for the buck going, used or new. At least I hope I still believe that when I pick mine up.

Jim

Bill - Chicago

Jim H - I was not at the mid-ohio club race/de this year, but I have been there the last 3 prior. Good luck on the new car. I should have mine next week.