Brewer944

Good question, thanks. I will need to more narrowly define what level I would get involved at - right now I just know I need to get something on the track - public roads are just not the place to go fast, so there are limits to where you can push a car legally and safely, if you see what I mean. I will look into that and see what exists in my area. I do know that I do not want to be a traffic cone with a sore wrist, so the car has to have some capabilities over and above the NA I currently daily drive.

Van

Defining "fun" can be almost as hard as "finding yourself"... I'm sure the acceleration of a 450 HP 944 would put a grin on your face that would be hard to wipe off. However, I've had a tremendous amount of fun in my 160 HP 944 in very competitive races where we all have the same cars... not something you're likely to find if you go the LS 944 route.

I haven't really had the opportunity to drive a Cayman at speed on the track... But I have spent some seat time in both an Elise and Exige - and was grinning for days because of the road feel and nimbleness. It was just better than any 944 I'd ever driven.

If you're looking to further your driving skills, becoming proficient in the Cayman might be more rewarding than leaning on the crutch of HP the 944 will have. If you want to someday get into racing, the organization you run with will play a factor - PCA will not allow a non-porsche engine in a vehicle.

So, maybe getting an spec 944 and a Boxster for the street is a better solution!

Van

Ahh, I see your problem - you don't drive "flat out".

Brewer944

Yes, I am worried about hitting some fab skill/resource wall and ending up over budget. I think smog is not too big of a deal here, (British Columbia, Canada) but I will confirm.

it's currently looking like the Cayman, guys. It can be the nice "gateway drug" into racing, just as an NA was my gateway drug into Porsche. I can track it gently and go from there.

I recently saw a non-S for sale locally for 23,900 Canadian. It had had one bodywork repair to three panels, so it was competitively priced. The S models go from around $35k.

Brewer944

Not on public roads. Not anymore, anyways. I have some stories.

Brewer944

I haven't been to the track yet, also, so it's perhaps more of my inferiority complex about the big boys' Porsches rather than a lack of fun opportunities for competitive racing. I feel like I need to bring the proper equipment, you know.

Brewer944

That's what I am worried about! I don't want to miss out on any feel and nimbleness!

Van

If you're a track novice, then I definitely recommend the Cayman.

Brewer944

Yes, I may be reaching a bit with the LS. I do love my 944 though, and I would just as soon be able to track her hard without worrying about all the repairs. I want to spend time on the track, not in the garage. She is 26 years old now! Reliability can be had for $$, just not sure where to put them. Ideal would be to have Henk's budget and drop in a Micheal Mount 400hp NA engine But we all know that ain't gonna happen.

Van

Don't we all wish for that!

I'm a big fan of buying a spec 944 that someone's already converted and sorted. You can have a lot of fun cheaply that way! For example take this charge from the back at the Watkins Glen PCA race:

Brewer944

Van, I love you! This is why I posted my query here - new insights I may not even have considered. Awesome vid, looks like a ton of fun. Will have to watch the rest later today. I just read the spec-944 guidelines. The only catch is that I don't believe a similar class exists locally. I will have to see what Washington state has to offer and what are the cross border issues for bringing cars over to race weekends. But you are right, I should also look into the options for spec racing. I have about two years to wait before family and work : personal time balance shifts favourably to allow full participation, but as I said, I am making plans early.

I guess if I have to, I could look into what other manufacturers' spec racing series exist locally. There are more ways to get to the track than a higher end Porsche.

Techno Duck

I wanted to add that unless you are someone who in general likes to tinker, or is mechanically inclined, i would just go with a Cayman. I dont want anyone to think i was ragging on the Cayman, i had the opportunity to do a few auto-x runs with a Cayman (Non S) and its amazing the difference a 30 year newer design does in the feeling of a car...totally different feel (inspires alot of confidence).

Personally i think from a reliability standpoint the Cayman is still ahead of a LS equipped 944. The way i see it is one was mass produced in a factory and engineered / design to work together.. while the other is a mix match of parts, many of which are custom made.

In regard to maintenance on the Cayman though, the idea of rebuilding the Cayman engine scares me.. while rebuilding the LSx requires more beer than brain cells. I feel like if i bought the Cayman it would be at a indy Porsche shop for anything other than the basics while i have no fear at diving into any repairs (hopefully none) the LSx will need.

I often wonder if i should have just gone with a Cayman, or a S2000 or E36 or....etc, but i really have an attachment to my 951 so i decided to infuse it with more money and a big push rod V8. And Van has a good point about PCA club racing if this is where you eventually want to go. For me, i knew this car would simply be a weekend cruiser and DE car..so i am not too worried about it fitting into a class.

Do the Cayman's have the same IMS issues of the 996's?

Brewer944

Is DE a daily event? Like a track day at the nurburgring? There is a lot to be said for just driving to the track in a daily driver and then driving home again, as long as the reliability is there.

Enjoying the discussion and it is helping to crystallize dreams and goals. Family is nice but it can be very boring without aspirations for moments of minor personal racing glory.

Heading out to the lake now to enjoy the heat. Till later!

MarkM

If you haven't been on the track yet, then this conversation is moot.

You already have proper equipment, regardless of the age of the car. Make sure is is street safe and try out your local track.

Go learn how to drive then decide what to do.

A DE will cost you way less than a set of tires you would put on the LS conversion, so go do it. Nothing worse than spending a ton of money on a car then realizing you don't like the track experience

GTgears

A quick peek in the classifieds will help answer that question. Body Motion is selling a just finished fresh and ready to go win ITC races Cayman S for $100k. Used Naplteton Interseries cars that sold for $125k new 1 year ago are selling for $95k with a season of racing on them. That's the top of the market.

For cars that are a mix of DIY installation of parts and things that one generally must pay someone else labor to do (like a cage) I think your $40-45k amount "invested" is pretty in line with what it takes to build a Cayman into an actual racecar.

For me the answer to the bigger question partly hinges on the question of whether the OP is a want it now or want it later kind of guy.

For me personally, I like a rolling project more than a static one. I've got a 914 that has been parked for 2 years and is making slow progress towards a bigger goal. But there are days I walk out into my garage and really just wish I could have an afternoon on the backcountry roads in my little teener.

My 3.2l Carrera affords me that. I do some sway bar bushing here. I replace the torsion bars there. But the car is always available for me to drive except for the weekend I am actually tackling a project. There are days that I consider just selling the Carrera so that I am in a position to ship off my 914 and pay someone over the next 4-6 months to finish it for me so that I can have it back. Tom Petty said it well, and for me the waiting in the hardest part...