John McM

Thanks Walter, but I already have a pickle fork and pitman tool. Now going to break out the propane torch and judicious use of a hammer. I really do not want to have to take out the whole control arm etc.

gt38088

another very good stage on Targa SS33 Queestown to Glenorchy

996tnz

Nice going Graeme. Will watch the whole stage tonight but from my quick peek I particularly liked your run through those twisties from 4:10. I found it increasingly hard to watch though because I used to live in Queenstown and am pretty sure most of that stage was a metal (gravel) road then. With increasing tourism to Glenorchy, its days were always numbered but I still wish they'd put a heritage order on some of the best metal roads before it's too late - Coroglen-Kopu, 309 and Te Hapua included please. At least Tarmac is passable in almost all weather though and you showed it can still deliver some fun. Here's why they sealed the Crown Range:

gt38088

A couple of cars off on the return stage forcing the stage to be abandoned but much more carnage if roads were still that bad - haha

gt38088

Kim driving this stage - I drove return but had to stop for the accident - 2 cars down a bank in the same place so second one hit the first car. Went to the comms and medical point mid stage to get them to stop the stage. In hindsight no one hurt beyond bruising but seemed quite bad at the time

Maxem

Some light reading for your long sun lounger session tomorrow Macca.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/features...ar-of-the-year

Luke944

3 months into 993 ownership- it’s measuring up beyond expectations!

Every time I get into it feels special. I love the analogue feel of the car- the noise when it fires up, shifting slowly waiting for it warm up and having to work a bit harder in the twisty stuff. It’s nice how old school it feels yet the 993 shape means a lot of my friends haven’t realised it’s nearly 20 years old.

Mechanically I’ve been pleasantly surprised. She didn’t skip a beat on the road trip to Auckland and was pretty comfortable given the amount of driving over 2 days. It’s fired up no issues each time, the air con works albeit with a slight whistle from the fan and it doesn’t drip as much oil as I was expecting.

Cosmetically it’s still in good condition. Bit of fade in the dash, gravel rash on the haunches and a few cracked plastic trims I’ll replace. The novelty of cleaning it is still very much there- especially often being a black car. I’m enjoying the Larry Kosilla YouTube vids on Drive Clean to keep it looking good. It’s taken me a bit to get used to the chestnut interior but it is growing on me. I’ve decided it’s of the era, in or out of fashion now, but a bit different.

All that said I can certainly see the slippery slope into modifying the car…. I’ve got a wish list growing by the day! Especially getting inspiration from seeing some of the cars on the 993 threads. I can see why suspension is top of the list- it’s a bit soft and moves around a bit more than anticipated. Look’s wise the ride height really does need to be a bit lower with some 18’s- I’m obsessed with the RS Speedlines but wouldn’t mind some BBS’s (the reality is I’ll probably just do some Turbo Twists). And I’ll need to get an exhaust too. Soon!

She’ll be a keeper.

kiwi 911

Great report Luke - glad you are enjoying the car.

floatingkiwi

Not sure if this link has been posted before, rundown on 996 to 997.2 GT3RS models. Very nice video.

Macca

Thanks Dave. It's getting a bit warmer here now (29-30). I'll un foil the hammock this arvo and read that review...

Macca

Great. Even more reading! Looks like I'll need to make a day of it!!

Macca

Great write up Luke!
I think you got a good one. The interior exterior colouring may be a bit challenging and its highish mileage but it's a manual c2 and the price was right. Can't see you ever loosing a dollar on that. If it were the UK according to an online blog I read yesterday it would be a 40k gbp car!

Which is all a great excuse for some mods!!! You'll find my 993 mod thread out there it's 2 years and many projects out of date now but has over 70000 hits. Paul and I can help direct you in regards to any stuff you choose to do on the car. Key recommendations would be coilovers, bushes, bearings cvs etc essentially suspension. After that you have drivetrain and lastly brakes ( not much needed here). Cosmetics are wheels, brake ducts, exhaust tips typically. The interior can benefit remarkably from work but gets incredibly expensive. There's more money in doing the interior than any other part of my car. Feel free to PM us or post questions as you are working through options. We can definitely save you money and headache!

mjg

Cheers for that, good watch.

Luke944

Thanks for the offer Macca. I'll definitely take you up on that.
The higher mileage means I don't feel guilty driving it all the time. I figure the plan will be to get the know the car a bit better for the next 6 months- some longer drives, get a few more track days under my belt and replenish the car budget again. Then I can then map out a direction for the ideal spec of the car.

Macca

Luke. They are built to take the miles and the point is to enjoy them so your plan is sound. They dont much like sitting around. You don't need to go crazy to improve them. Probably a dozen simple upgrades carefully chosen that will enhance their performance on track and road and make them easier to live with. It doesn't need to break the budget either. Drop us an email when you have some seat time under your belt, a bit of a budget in mind and well help you decide where the best return for your dollar lies dependant on what you wish to achieve....enjoy!