dfasadler

A question many people including myself prefer the look of the wider bodied 997. S4 .1 But prefer the sole joy of rear wheel drive. Has anybody converted an S4 to an S2 and is it even workable?

linderpat

It would be far more efficient and economical to simply have the body work done and make it a wide body (flaring out the rear quarters by swapping in rear quarters from a donor). Any competent shop could do this, and you won't be screwing around with the drive line architecture. Start with a s2 car.

HiAperture

Also the 997 GTS is exactly that, a wide body with rear wheel drive (and no rear reflector strip like the 4, which is another plus in my opinion).

Wayne Smith

This was discussed a few years back. Some said you can simply remove the front axles.

There is a rumor that on 997.2s you can lift the handbrake one click and the computer will shut off the front drive. I don't know if anyone verified this.

ocgarza

I thought I remember reading this is possible but the "brake" light indicator on the dash will illuminate and it will throw codes after a while. Maybe someone can verify.

bmwfan328

997.1 or 997.2? there is a conversion kit for the .1, link posted below
997.1 2WD Conversion Kit

dfasadler

bmwfan328 Thanks for that link that's Epic.! Have you or anyone else, done this conversion.
And is there any complications associated with converting a 997 S4 gen1 into a sole RWD ?

bmwfan328

member Halo777 has just had this conversion done, he may be able to provide some insight

toptier

I did this on my .1 last year when I saw that one of my CV boots up front was leaking. I haven't had any issues after removing all the front wheel drive components, and I've done plenty of track days and autocross events since.

bmwfan328

did you use the conversion kit, or just remove the associated axles, diff, and driveshaft that turn the front wheels?

Rapter

I recall reading in the owner's manual that you cannot turn off the front wheel drive (there is no mention of the 1-click on the handbrake).

Also the owner's manual warns of using a 2-wheel drive dyno for emissions or performance testing and to use only a 4wd dyno.

shyamvenky

I recall someone removed the FWD parts on a 996 on this forum.. I'm guessing it might be possible on the 997 also

bmwfan328

loungin

Petza914

So many reasons:

1. The front end steering feel of a RWD only 997.1 is unmatched by any other car, especially with some suspension mods like coilovers and monoball top mounts The steering feel on an AWD car is more muted with much less feedback, even if it's driving with Rear Wheel Bias most of the time - this is why all the Porsche GT cars GT3, GT3 RS, GT2 are RWD only.
2. An AWD Porsche has a greater tendency toward understeer as well.
3. Removing the AWD system makes the car lighter, and thus faster.
4. It's much cheaper to buy a 997.1 Widebody and do this conversion than to buy a 997.2 GTS.
5. It's also completely reversible to go back to stock AWD, whereas doing body mods will make the car less valuable to the purist at resale time.

If anything ever happens to my RUF C2S, I'll be shopping for a 997.1 Turbo, modding the intercoolers, turbos, suspension, and doing this RWD conversion to create essentially a GT2 for $50,00-$70,000 less.