I recently acquired my long time bucket list car a 2003 Porsche 996TT. I am familiar with this particular car since it was purchased in 2004 by a good friend of mine with only 3k miles on the odo.When my friend originally purchased the car back in 2004 he enlisted myself and another friend to install some mods on the car for him. Looking at options available back then we decided on a Proto Tune, K24/18GTurbos, Billet Diverter Valves, GreddyProfec B Boost Controller,5 Bar FPR,Fabspeed Exhaust and an Evoms Airbox. The car was lightly driven by my friend for all these years and performed well with no issues.Fast forward to 2016 the car now has only 29,000 miles and it’s my turn to take ownership.Since I can never leave anything the way it came, it looks like it’s time to make it my own! Remember, “Friends don’t let Friends Drive Stock” LOL.


The Goal is to build a fast, reliable, well sorted street car that I can drive to work a couple of days a week and play with on the weekends. Furthermore, I’m sure that the car may visit both the drag strip and the road course at least once.With a budget in mind, I plan on sourcing a lot of the “no wear” parts second hand from both 6speed and Rennlist.


As far as power goes, I would like to keep the Hp/Torque at a safe level for the stock rods since I do not plan on going into the motor.During this first round of mods I’m sure that I will have to limit the boost until phase 2 where I will replace the stock injectors, weld the coolant pipes and install some larger intake piping to the turbos. I do plan on staying with the MAF, so no fender well intakes for me. I am pretty meticulous about things so the car will be extensively leak tested and data logged for some remote tuning. Ultimately, I would like the car to be capableof a high 10 second ¼ pass on street tires and pump gas.Maybe, Maybe not….We’ll see……


The first round of mods has commenced and will entail the following:

Performance :
Install New Protomotive 5” Intercoolers (THANKS JEFF!!)
Replace stock F-Hose with an almost new Forged F-Hose(sourced on 6speed classifieds)
Replace the existing Fabspeed Exhaust with a GMG 3” catless system that I scored in the used parts section here on 6speed.
Replace the existing Evoms Airbox with a stock airbox and APE Carbon lid/snorkel which Iscored in the used parts section here on 6speed.
Install new K&N Air Filter (No, I have never had problems with oiled filters.JTo each his own)

Interior:
Install Blend Mount V1 Radar Mirror Bracket and Hardwire to fuse panel
Install “Pre-Owned” Tequipment Roll Bar with no crossbar which I sourced on Rennlist

Suspension:
Install new Bilstein PSS10 Coilovers
Have car aligned near GT2 Spec

Brakes:
Install New OE Replacement Zimmerman Rotors & Pagid Street Pads
Perform Fresh Brake Fluid Flush & Bleed - Motul RBF 600

Wheels:
New wheels & tires are ordered and will be ForgelineGA1R’s in Graphite Finish 18x9 18X11 with BGF Rival 245/40/18 & 315/30(Thanks STEVE!!)

Misc:
Install new Gt2 Fender Liner Brackets for additional reartire clearance - sourced from Suncoast
Perform boost leak test with Marksi’s test kit which Iscored in the 6speed classifieds
Replace Spark Plugs with Denso PK20PR-P8 Gapped at .025
Install Light Savers
Replace fuel filter (yes, I bought a new one ) J
Replace Cabin Filter
Replace Fuel Filler Cap & Tether
Change Oil


etc......

 

First Order is to get this thing up on stands and remove the wheels.

 

Next, time to remove the old suspension and install the new PSS10's. I did check the ride height settings on the PSS10's and they were adjusted within range of what Bilstein recommends so I left them as is for now.

 

Are you pulling the engine out?

 

Intercooler Time.... Boy these things are enormous!!!

 

While installing the intercoolers is a good time to install the new GT2 fender liner brackets for a little extra tire clearance. You can see the GT2 bracket is quite a bit shorter than the TT bracket. Notice also I installed brass barb's and zip tied the wastegate lines while I was in the area. I got the barb's at Lowe's of all places.

 

No, not yet. I'm going to do this as phase 2 early next year.

 

Roll Bar time......

 

While on the Interior I decided to install a Blendmount rear view mirror bracket for the V1 Radar. We also hardwired the radar to the fuse panel. No messy cords or suction cups.... Thanks to my buddy Martin for helping out with the roll bar an V1 setup.

 

Pulled the old Fabspeed Exhaust off and swapped the 02 sensors on to the new GMG 3" exhaust. Also changed the spark plugs and gapped to .025. Since I bought the exhaust used it did not come with the rear mounting brackets. I am waiting for the brackets to come in from GMG now.

 

Just flipped through your pics as I still have a couple things to do today....but at least I know what I'm reading tonight after I put the kids to sleep I love reading about projects like these.

BTW, any details on the Cobra in the background? I have a Factory Five that I built back in 2004.

 

Thanks for reading. I love reading stuff like this too and feel like I need to contribute when I can. These forums provide us car guys with infinite information as well as a place to buy and sell parts. ��


The Cobra is a 1980's Vintage Midstates Classic. The car was originally purchased and assembled by my father in law. I bought the car some 10+ years ago and redid a lot of things on the car that were not period correct. I installed an IRS instead of the solid axle it came with, fabricated and installed a period correct roll bar, pin drive wheels, period correct dash with smiths gauges etc... I also freshened up the 306 with AFR 185 heads, cam, intake... Its fun to tinker with.

 

the mounting brackets are just big t bolt clamps. like 3.5" or so. can get them at any auto parts store

 

Car is coming along great. The suspension + gt2 alignment ment will do wonders. I'm running similar setup but with h&r coil overs.

The Cobra looks amazing, really nicely done! Mine is still on solid axle with a carb'd 306 running a blow thru supercharger.

Good stuff... Looking forward to the finished product

 

Yes, thanks. It does in fact use T-Bolt clamps in conjunction with two half circle wedge shaped brackets that go between the muffler can and the rear support on the car. Unfortunately, this exhaust does not suck directly up to the rear support like most systems for these cars.