sharkster

So on Friday, I went out with the new set up for the first time to Thunderhill (a very fast track indeed) and she scared the pants off me alright. In the right hands (aka not mine), she is a fricking grippy fast SOB. My instructor that day was a fellow-brit with a lightly modded 996 TT. He used to be a rally driver back in the day so he knows how to drift...












The good:
Turbos/Headers
The power and how it comes on. There's a lot of power with Kevin's turbos but I can't imagine what it'd be like with some lag. It's hard enough to drive a technical course like that without being inhibited by lag. The power which is lovely (way too much for me to be frank) comes on nice an early with minimal lag so the car never got bent out of shape around a turn etc...

Suspension
The suspension was fricking awesome (cheers for the recommendation Bob) as was the alignment (thanks to Brian @ Akkurat). The car was set up with 2.1 -ive camber in the front and 2.5 in the rear and slammed to high hell. My instructor had PSS9s in his car and going back and forth he said that there was just no comparison between the two coil overs. I also had the GT3 sways set to second stiffest in the rear and in the middle up front.

The grip of a stock turbo is downright insane to begin with. Going from 225s up front to 265s and then 315s in the rear from 295s only helped that. It's amazing to see it pushed closer (75%) to the limits like that.

The Pilot Sport Cups
Drove to the track on them. Drove on the track on them. Drove home on them. They still have plenty of tread. They are virtually silent on the track lol, unlike street tires that screech like crazy. But seriously once heated up, they are the bomb.

The brakes
Brembo was aware of my braking issues/woes at the shoot out and Jamie from Race Technologies stepped in. The new pads and were bedded in (cheers Brian, I took a shoulder bruise with me to the track lol) correctly and I only had a smidgen of ABS one time throughout the day. James and I individually took apart the rotors (screw by screw) and mounted the new rotors to the hats and back on they went.

The brakes got a good work out indeed and proved to be way better than the PCCB's on the instructor’s car. At the first braking point, my friend and the instructor both turned to me before the turn in and said "F##king hell, these brakes are insane!".

The sound
With the HKS BOV and the Cone Filter and a bunch of other crap removed, the sound of the car under WOT was intoxicating. I actually used Ruiner's exhaust (thanks buddy), the light weight B&B/Sportec or whatever it is and the sound was tight.

The instructor(s)
I lucked out and had two brilliant instructors with a lot of Porsche-only experience. Being a passenger during the time that they were showing me what the car could do, I really learned a lot. I'm a panzie.

The Bad
The PSM. I spoke to a few turbo owners/instructors that leave it "on". Once when I was driving and a second time when my friend, who grew up with his dad who for a living tested and raced Porsche race cars the PMS (as he called it) royally effed things up for us. In fact, it was downright dangerous. The car's handling characteristics were set up way way neutral and far from being understeer like in stock form. We powered down a straight, broke hard and went into the final two sharp bends on to the final straight with such grip and force but halfway through the PSM decided to kick in and take way our throttle, brakes etc.. and transfer that weight away from where we needed it most. It made the car understeer like mad and we went off a little into the run off area. I know there's been a lot of discussion about the "amazing" PSM saving people's lives but on the track and for the way my car is set up it seemed to be a bit of a nightmare. Both drivers, who are beyond an instructor level and familiar with Porsches had some nervy issues and did not like the change in handling characteristics that occurred at critical times. Perhaps the PSM, which is designed to work with the factory set up, suspension, tires etc... works a treat but with a modded car like mine I just didn't like it.

Brake Fluid light
Damn brake fluid light kept coming on. I used Motul which has a higher boiling temp so perhaps that was why the light went off like that. The sensor may be set for the stock fluid (ATE Gold I think?), which has a lower boiling point.

Me
I just plain suck. I might be able to deal with the 1/4mile but I'm no schumi, I'll tell you that. The car scares me on a track and it's going to take forever to get bored or anywhere close to the limits. At one point I saw a GT3 ahead of me and my tentative nature got shoved in the back seat. I caught up with it and at the final turn before the straight when this hot dog though he'd pass it, I effed up my turn in and came out slow, wide and squirly. I settled back down humbled. In general I just putted around like a chicken and should be ashamed of myself:P

Thanks for listening folks and remember, anyone that says a 996TT is too heavy/piggy and no good on the track is just wrong. I urge you guys to take the car out in whatever form (stock, modded etc..) and have a semi-pro/instructor driver show you the ropes and you'll be shocked. Out on the track and when in the right hands, there's very little that can touch it. Even cars that get tailored in. You can drive to the track, drive on it and go home all on one set of tires in the 996TT.


Hope you guys like da' pix:

sharkster

AndyW

Awesome pictures.... awesome write-up!! Thanks for taking the time to write up your experience. So, out of curiosity.. how many track events have you gone to ? Have you ever run your car in stock form ? Did you reach the limits of your car before you started modding ? Which organization set up the track event that you went to ? Feedback on that organization ? Did you start doing the performance upgrades because you felt that you were reaching the limits of the car at the track ?

Thanks,

Andy

sharkster

Hey there Andy, thanks for the kind words. It's my pleasure and if I sound excited it's only because I was/am

That was my first "official" track event. I've been to a coupleof mini sessions at Buttonwillow when the car was stock but they don't really count I guess... First time out with instructors. I could never reach the limits of the car in stock form either.. I'm sure of that. I only modded it because I'm just a tweaker at heart. No matter what it is, I'll play/tweak it.

Hunpin of www.unlimitedlaps.com (hopefully I don't get a slapped wrist for posting a URL) set up the event and he's a really nice guy and I'm sure can answer any questions. The organization was great. Lot's of instructors, lot's of track time oh.. and food too. I liked the layout. Talk, learn, drive and then debrief.

gaxor

Hi Sharkey

Just to say, that seeing your car here some time ago was the inspiration for my modifications.

So far I have preplaced the exhaust with a Milltek made to order unit, and had the engine modded with an MTM re-chip. This gives me just light of 500BHP and 700nM of torque (The torque is the awesome feature).

Finished job off with some Evox 3pc lightweight split rims. Running on std Pirelli's on std rim offsets. Have been considering the Michelins myself, but heard they were twitchy in the wet! (I am based in Surrey UK)

Last month I took the car to Spa Francochamps in Belgium for a full day. I could out accelerate practically everything, including GT3's and Ferrari Challenge 360's. However like you I bottled out on cornering.

Local OPC have re-aligned wheels to more of a road/race setting, which feels better - need to book a trackday to test fully though

Thanks for your updates, always good to read, but seems to result in me having another spending spree

Cheers

viperbob

Great write up Alex. Sorry I was not there to help you out. I am signing up for a Golden Gate Lotus Club event on July 20th at Thunderhill if you are up to it. My car is running GREAT. Did a little more work to the engine and suspension. We'll see how it does this weekend at the GGR Time Trials at Buttonwillow...


You are WAY too inside here BTW. You are going to have a tough time doing 100 MPH through turn 2 with that line..

AndyW

Ummm... what's a 'mini session' ? Is that an unofficial, escorted, no-helmets, parade around the track ? :-)

btw... isn't Unlimitedlaps, the same ones doing the one that Fred is organizing for Aug 9th ?

How hot did it get when you were up there ? No overheating ? (neither you, nor the car ? :-))

AndyW

Sharky,

Any more pictures ? I need a 'fix' of track fever! :-)

Rats, I wish I had time to hit a track event between now and Aug 9th. Everyone should sign up for the Aug 9th event !!!!!!!

puhleeeeeeeeeease!!! :-)

Andy

viperbob

Andy,

There is a large indoor area at Thunderhill that is air conditioned. Also, some of us have a/c'd trailers so if it does get too hot in the pits, you can always stop in.....

Yes, Unlimited Laps is the organizer for Fred's event...

You are going to have a great time. Do not over analyze. Just go, and listen to the instructor.. You will have a great time taking your car out on the track....

AndyW

Thanks for the info. Indoor A/C ? Hmmmm... I think I'll know where I'll be hiding when I'm not driving. Hope it has a good view of the track :-) Look forward to stopping in and visiting/meeting you. I think I might have seen you. Fred had organized a Porsche meet over at Carlsen... (at the time, I hadn't bought a P-car. .my friend bought a '97 993TT and had corrupted me into looking into buying a P-car. ;-)). I'm so glad he did!

I'm sure I'll have a great time. Very much looking forward to it. I tend to analyze like crazy... it's the engineer in me. Like the scorpion said to the frog ... "I can't help it, it's in my nature" ;-)

Andy

viperbob

Yes Andy, I was at Carlsen. I have a black 993TT with a couple of simple modifications. Glad you joined the Porsche crowd. Just relax, and breath slowly... Countdown is just 5 weeks away. Too bad you can not get out before then. There are LOTS of good events for first timers between now and then.

AndyW

yeah... I wish I had the time. With inlaws visiting for two weeks of every month from June through August inclusive... and a couple of little rug rats, and travelling on business... I count myself fortunate that I can squeeze in the Aug 9th event. But, I figured it was very tough to pass up. That being said, I'm already eyeing what I can sign-up for in September! :-)

Looking forward to meeting you out on Aug 9th (if not earlier).

sharkster

Heya Andy,

You'll be fine- just go at your own pace. Space yourself out and go after some of the first cars and if people are on you let them pass on the straights. It's not a race I'll garantuee you I'll be going slow again in mine. It's still scary....

The AC indoor rooms are great as was the food lol:P I'm only going for the food...

sharkster

Hey Gary,

Thanks for the really kind words but I'm only sorry that this goofball over here (even if I'm a Brit too) has served to be somewhat of a motivator for mods If you have a better half, tell them I'm really sorry! Kirby's wife won't let him hang around with me anymore.... You'll have to make some videos of that new exhaust as your car already seems like it's way out there:P The PSC's are twitchy in the wet... but another thing you might consider in terms of tackling the understeer is widening your fronts and rears. I use 265/35s and 315-30s.

It's amazing what these cars can do in a straight line and I totally know where you are coming from in terms of bottling on the turns. It's amazing just how much grip our cars have and how fast you can take them but I'm just a wuss

sharkster

Heya Bob, glad you liked it. Too bad you weren't out there, there was GT3 Cup car, which you could have locked your sights on hehe! The 20th? I'll try to get up for that then!

Good call on that turn. I'm not sure what I was doing when it was taken. I know it was early in the day. There's another photo where I'm taking a better line on that... I realized that it's a much much faster track than Buttonwillow and it'll take some time for me to learn and relax but that's good. It just means I'll have to go to these events more and more and more. What a shame