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Welcome to my 2011 Carrera GTS build thread. I'm a long time Porschephile and have had the good fortune of owning some amazing 911s (and one Boxster GTS). My purchase and ownership history of late is a little wonky but suffice say it has been an awesome journey with some incredible experiences. Like Goldilocks, it took some experimentation and circumstance to find the right 911 for me and that's the GTS. It is the right blend of performance, luxury, and comfort for me, although the GT3 will forever remain the best and most special 911 I've owned and the Boxster the best best handling. Here's the parade of past cars...
Here's the current ride with some interesting features: manual, 5-lug wheels, heated/ventilated seats, and LSD. I picked it up in San Jose CA with 63K miles and drove it back to Bend OR. Upon arriving home, the water pump failed and promptly got replaced. The clutch will need replacing in about 5K miles or so. I have other plans for it and will be documenting them here.
Recently, I installed the Top Gear center muffler bypass. You can read about it and user-experience in this thread (https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...r-997-2-a.html). Overall, it is a quality piece of kit and provides a deeper growl but it is not obnoxious and there is no drone. Total cost was about $630 including shipping. I had access to a lift which made the install really easy and did not remove the rear bumper. YMMV. It took about an hour to complete. Here is a pic of it installed and audio clip of the exhaust. Note: I have unplugged the solenoid cable in the engine bay for the PSE so that the valves are always open. I think it sounds better.
Next, I replaced the engine mounts. I don't have a before and after shot of the exhaust tips but they did rise by about half an inch after install of the new mounts. I went with Wevo mounts (~$400) and have been a long-time customer of theirs from my aircooled days. Quality product and service. They used to offer three different durometers for the pillows (at least I got them for my 997.1 Carrera S) but now you can only get them with one option (yellow). So far the only difference is slight increase in NVH (some engine hum) at low speeds. If you are sensitive to any cabin noise, do not get semi solid mounts. For me, this is a sports car and I'm good with it. Install is straightforward:
Loosen the top bolts first and then loosely thread them back in by a couple threads.
Then jack the car up to get to the torx nuts (T55?) underneath.
Support the engine. I placed a support on the rearward edge of the oil pan.
Do one mount at a time. Torque the lower nuts to 63 lb-ft and then tighten the top bolts (17 or 18 lb-ft for M8, 23 lb-ft for M10) to spec.
I didn't like the feel of the stock shifter so I decided to make some changes. I bought the ShiftRight kit from Function First (http://www.function-first.com/produc...right-solution) for about $305. It replaces all the plastic bushings and pivot connections with quality metal parts.
I also bought a cheap short shifter on eBay for about $50. It is basically a replica of the B&M shifter.
There are numerous YouTube videos on how to remove your center console so I won't get into here. Once you get access to the shifter, remove the entire chassis and go to town replacing all the parts. It is best to have a workbench and vice to make things easier. I used this video as a guide on how to replace everything. Function First also has a PDF doc on their site with detailed instructions for install and how to remove your center console.
Some things to keep in mind if you do this install:
For removing and re-installing the center console and associated parts, take care to remember where all the parts and screws go and the order to reinstall when you put everything back into place. I ended up with one extra screw and for the life of me could not remember where it goes.
Use a Sharpie or permanent marker to mark where your shift cables are inserted into the shift cable connectors on the shifter carriage. This will make it easier to reinsert into the connectors when you reinstall the shifter carriage.
The ball joint on the short shifter that inserts into the Function First pivot point is large and tolerance is very tight. Insert the ball joint into the pivot point before installing in the shifter carriage and move it around numerous times to remove some of the anodized surface and minimize the friction. I also added some grease to help make things move smoother.
The metal bushings that come with the Function First kit are designed to have a tight tolerance and will fit very tightly into the shifter carriage holes. Use some sand paper to sand some material away on the carriage holes to facilitate easier install. Also use some of the provided grease to help.
The clips provided by Function First are a PITA to install. I used the C clips provided with the aftermarket shifter instead. Much easier to install.
The aftermarket short shifter tilts the shift **** towards the driver. I think it is a nice touch but some may not like it.
Overall, shifts are more precise, engagement more positive, and the throws are shorter but not obnoxiously so. Much better than stock. My only complaint is that there is about 1/8" of play when the shifter is in neutral. I think it has to do with the way the short shifter posts fit into the metal bushings. I plan on going back in to figure this out and see how I can dial out the remaining play. It is not material to shifting but just more annoying to me or could be if you are OCD (aren't all Porsche owners? ).
For me, I spent a total of about $360 for this upgrade. The value prop is there compared to getting a Numeric shifter, at least for me. That said, if you can pick up a Numeric used for $500, I recommend going that path. There is NO comparison between this solution and the Numeric shifter, which is the best shifter out there IMO. I had a Numeric installed on my GT3 and it was incredible. Granted, it would not be an apples to apples comparison with a Carrera S or GTS, because the transmissions are different. But in general, all things being equal, Numeric wins hands down. It is high quality and provides a super precise shift every time with no slop.
I pulled the trigger and got a set of folding buckets from Carnewal. Total cost was a little over $10,400 after Euro conversion, including shipping. These are full leather ROW 991 versions with heat. The difference between these and 997 folding buckets is the seat cushion has 3 sections instead of two. Plus they are heated, which you can't get in the 997 version. Because these are ROW, there is no sensor mat in the passenger seat so you will have to delete the resultant error code(s).
Gert is easy and great to work with and provides excellent customer service is. It takes about 5-7 business days to arrive from Europe. FedEx will require that you fill out a tax ID form for customs, which will hold up the process a couple days.
The seats arrived packaged well overall, but one of the rails was poking out the side of the box. Not sure how it affected seat rail alignment but installation was a PITA on the passenger seat. I used this DIY thread for guidance on the install (https://rennlist.com/forums/997-gt2-...moval-diy.html).
I have additional comments/tips if you plan on doing this install:
You need to pull the black tab to release the yellow connector for the seat all the way out in order to release the connector. It extends over an inch away from the connector and is a slide release. The final few 1/8ths of an inch locks the connector into place. This proved to be a PITA releasing the yellow connector from my stock passenger seat due to some interference. It required me to push the connector sideways significantly in order for it to release. Difficult to do when the seat is still in the car and tilted up. The seats that came with my car from the factory are ventilated/heated and perhaps that played a factor. YMMV.
There are two connectors that come out of the floor for the driver and passenger seat. Both seats have the same yellow connector and the other is rectangular and black for the driver side and square and grey for the passenger side. According to Gert at Carnewal, you only need to connect the yellow connectors on both seats and the second connectors are un-used and only for power seats. Just zip tie the other connector out of the way.
Alignment of the seat rails and holes was off by 1/2-1" on both seats. The passenger seat was the worst and required a lot of manipulation to align the holes. I'm wondering if one of them got bent in transit. Tighten the rear bolts first, slide the seats back, and then tighten the front bolts (at least for me). For factory seats, I expected them to drop right in and be aligned from the start.
LWBs are a tight fit in the cabin, especially the passenger side. They will slide forward/back just fine, but the interior side of the bolster rubs against the center console. If you have a painted console, that may be an issue.
I'm hoping the wrinkles in the leather on the headrests will relax and smooth out over time. The pics were taken right after I removed them from the box.
The original ventilated/heated seats weigh about 60lbs/ea. The buckets weigh about 37 lbs/ea. I used my bathroom scale so take it for what it's worth.
Remember to vacuum your carpet and back area while the seats are out. Good opportunity to clean. Plus I found 35 cents!
I had LWBs in the GT3 and they are amazing and feel perfect for canyon carving. The only downside is ingress/egress. I navigate this by rotating my legs out first and then standing to get in/out. It helps minimize wear and tear on the bolsters. I also considered installing Recaro CS seats instead. They are over half the price of LWBs and look/feel almost as good. I think they are the best aftermarket seats available. But they are not factory seats and I was concerned about safety in case of a crash. Plus the brackets, sliders, and adjustment ***** require some fiddling to install and I didn't want to deal with the hassle.
If/when I sell my car, I will likely remove the bucket seats and sell them separately. Given current market conditions, they should hold their value long-term.
Excellent! Love it. I wager it was far easier to de-wing a GT3 than to 'GT3' a Carrera, lol. Just noticed the extra little wing on the Carrera decklid. What brand is that?
Yes, easier to convert a GT3 for sure. The lip spoiler is a GT3 Tek spoiler that was modified. I'm not sure they make them any more but you can occasionally find one on eBay. That is where I bought mine.
Originally Posted by Petza914
Awesome. Not sure how you parted with some of those, especially that black air cooled one.
I regret selling every Porsche I've owned. They are all special in their own way. The black car was a 1980 SC that came with metal turbo flares but was otherwise stock. I modified it a lot by adding the front valance, duck tail, bigger torsion and sway bars, seats, etc. It was pretty badass.
Originally Posted by 997ajk
Great job! Do like the look alot. Is that an OEM RS bumper ? How did you route the exhaust ?
Not sure which car you are referring to but the grey car is a 2011 GT3. I just removed the rear wing and added the Carrera decklid. The bumpers are OEM.
Originally Posted by Hootsama
^^^ What he said. Thanks for sharing. Beautiful cars along your journey!
Thanks! I've been fortunate to have some amazing 911s. They were all fun to own and build.
Mr Rib, thanks for this very informative post. I have been looking at precisely the same modifications to my 6-speed GTS, and you have given me some great insights into the process and pro/con aspects. Amazing historical lineup of P cars too, and that '80 is also my favorite. And man, it looked like the PO really scraped your rear end on some driveway looking at the exhaust tips and sump!
Glad I can help! PM me if you run into any issues. I will be installing lowering springs soon. It's going to be a bear but worth it. Stock ride height is no bueno. Please post a pic of your GTS. Yes, the SC was a fave of mine as well as others. The 3.0 engine is incredible and IMO one of the best aircooled engines out there. Very peppy and responsive and so much fun to drive and wring out. It is a perfect example of having the most fun driving a slow car fast.
Originally Posted by 997.2GTS
Mr Rib, thanks for this very informative post. I have been looking at precisely the same modifications to my 6-speed GTS, and you have given me some great insights into the process and pro/con aspects. Amazing historical lineup of P cars too, and that '80 is also my favorite. And man, it looked like the PO really scraped your rear end on some driveway looking at the exhaust tips and sump!
Most shots I have are too 'arty to see the entire car but here are two bad cellphone pics. The cabrio is the compromise with my wife and 2.5yo. Few options aside from PCM/Bose/color belts/heated seats. Zero accidents, paint has never been polished. I bought it in December with 1,800 (yep - 1,800) miles for a song, it fell through a crack at a mega used dealer, and I was online in the right place at the right time. Two PPIs and it's perfect, 'brand new' as the mechanics told me - bought a new Porsche for close to half the price. I just had a complete service with all fluids, belts, plugs done. The weakest part is the shifter, and that is what got me intrigued with your detailed post. I am tempted to go the FF route for elegance and simplicity. Red is the bomb, wow. Ignore the garage, we just relocated back to Cali and this car just happened at the same time once I got back, looks like a small explosion of cardboard went off...
08-04-2021, 01:08 PM
Busta's 2011 Carrera GTS Build Thread
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