38D

I was saying a couple of years before people figure out that the Boxster is just like the Cayman. I agree these cars will start to do very well in all the classes, if not dominate the classes. But it will take a couple of year before more people build them out. The suspension is vastly superior to the semi trailing arm cars.


Suspension (shocks, springs, sways, monballs): $10,000
Seats: $2,000 (you could just install one race seat)
Custom Cage: $2,000
Race Headers: $3,000 (I would get custom ones)
Race Exhaust: $2,000 (ask ernie how important this is...)
Light Wheels (2 sets minimum): $7,000 (3 sets is better)

I think really good headers & exhaust are a must on the car in order to have the same power as the other cars in the class.

Add in all the other small things like a window net, harnesses, kill switch, lap timer, steering wheel, and transponder and you are talking about dumping at least $30k into the car. Then there are all the nice to haves like a fire system, light battery, brake cooling ducts/scoops, etc. Could you do it for less? Of course. But if you want to build a winner, it is going to take some decent $s.

JimB

Jim,
I think it's safe to assume that the Cayman S and the 3.4 996 will be in the same class in 2008. Whether it's D or called something else. There was a thread awhile ago where Colin laid out what I would guess will be close to the future stucture for the upper classes. Either that or they'll put Ernie in B with me. We could have some fun.

As for a $30k Boxster, Colin is right. You'll never get there. If that's the number you want to aim for I would be looking for a good F car like you mentioned before.
Jim

Larry Herman

So what are we doing Jim? Everyone going to GT3 Cup Cars? Maybe I should make the move too. Nothing like having 25 cars in your class.

DJF1

Like Colin said you will need a lot of $$$ to develop a winning car. However if you want to just enter racing and get experience on the cheap, you can do it and upgrade later or sell it and buy something better.
Here is what I did when I first entered:
Used RSR shocks/springs from fleebay : $1500.
Used TRG monoballs, adjustable sways from fleebay: $600
Sparco racing seat -Evo2 from fleebay: $600
Roll bar from Glenn: $285
Pagid race pads and rebuilt stock calipers: about $700
alignement, corner balance, suspension etc : $1500
Fire extinguisher and mount, battery shut off cable and mechanism, window net: $500
One set of 17" Michelin Pilot sport cups: about $1000
Porsche motorsports LSD: about $2000 with installation
I kept from my other 993 the stock 17 rims with the S02 street tires to use for driving to the track and for any rain sessions.

So I spent about 10G's including labor to set up the car and do my first race. I was 4 seconds off per lap on a 2.9 miles track from the winning D class 964 Euro RS on Hoosiers, I guess 2 seconds off due to my driving would be what the car setup this way could do ultimately, but I had a ton of fun, I learned a bunch and I was happy that I realized a childhood dream.

M758

If you goal is just to race hard and close, but spend as little as you can and don't need to be going 150 mph down a straight there is the 944 spec class. For the price of top notch suspension on F boxster you can get a complete finished ready race 944.

BTW... the spec boxster class is seeing complete shop build cars coming in at 25k or so including donor cars. Of course they are using the older 2.5L cars. donor are about 15k and prep is about 10 10k. Speeds for these cars are just between a 944 sped and and F (or maybe really close to F)

JimB

I'm not completely sure. My car is a great base for racing in a lot of different spots. I can pull the X51 and race in C. I'll have a much broader torque band and I think I'll do OK.

Or, I can build the car for NASA GTS4 and maybe do a couple PCA prepared stock B races. I do sort of like the idea of adding big brakes and harrassing Charlie and Colin in their new toys.

Or, I can add the easy stuff and run for fun in B while waiting to see what they do with the classes for 2008. I've been given some assurances that they're going to work on the D, C, B issues. If they put the 3.4L 996 with the Caymans I might convert my car back to a 99 and go race with Ernie. I have all the parts.

Or, I can sell the car and buy a 996 cup. I guess having a lot of options is a good thing?

Any advice?
Jim

Larry Herman

FIIK I'd love to have a cup car, and I'd take a good early one, but I really don't want to sell this car. I am just getting used to it, and all of the adjustments that I can make to it and it really is great. I can't afford both so unless someone throws money at me, I guess that I'll be back in C this year.

jaholmes

I do remember that discussion. I am hoping that they will address the 993's in D class. I wonder if they would be more competitive in E Class, or is their gearing that out of wack. I was going to propose a rule change to allow them to have the ROW Gearing so they could stay in D. I wonder if that would help or even pass.

jaholmes

These numbers do add up quickly. There may need to be an engine budget of $7k in there as well.

You are right about the modern suspension, that is what I am after, along with ABS.

So is the Boxster 987 and the Cayman platform kissing-cousins. Are the parts that interchangable. Can you add the Boxster 986 and 996 in as well.

38D

I would run the car as is. You can already beat all the guys in B anyway. If you wanted to tinker, I'd do a cup wing + big brakes + ecu w/race gas. Those are probably the best bang for th buck mods.

I too hope they will adjust D/C/B in 2008.

JimB

I'm not sure I can beat the B guys today. I can usually out qualify them but my weak brakes and bad gearing make it harder to out race them. Actually I frequently out qualify 964 cup cars too but it's only a matter of time in races until their light weight and sticky tires get the best of me. Or, maybe it's their driving talent. Either way the result is the same.

Assuming I race in B I'll do software because it's easy and a LWFW because I still have one from my DE days. I already have a limited slip. I raced my car as a 2004 because that was the one year you could get a X51 and limited slip. Nobody makes a R&P for the 996 so that's not a temptation. So it's pretty much down to finding a used wing and some really really big brakes at a very good price.

The other big finding in my research is that the MKIIs are actually running 120 lbs under the factory spec weight of 3040. Apparently it was an error when they were classed several years ago. Nobody cared because they only race each other. With that weight added, we'd be pretty close in hp/wt. It won't get fixed this year but maybe it will for 2008.
Jim

Chulo

Larry - what does your RSA weigh, ready to race, without ballast?

Larry Herman

Ready to race without ballast? Probably around 2650 lbs on 1/8 tank of fuel. I have to run at 2760, but with the rule changes that include the driver I can probably take another 75 lbs out of the car.

Chulo

My bad - I meant little gas, fluids etc... You got the idea.

Larry Herman

Yep, with no lead ballast, ready to race with 1/8 tank, about 2650.