Mo speaks the truth.

Mo, I actually had a long talk with our friend at the dealer and he said he looked into a Cup car and found there is at least one place you can finance one through but you have to front 40% down.

Yes, buying a Cup car and campaigning it (which is the only way a Cup car makes sense) is crazy expensive. He was telling me his buddy that campaigns a POS 914 spends something like a grand a more per month when everything is said and done. Thats normal upkeep on a whats an extremely simple race car and all related fees... tires, brakes, fluids, fuel, entry fees, grarage rentals etc etc..... Not to mention the required trailer and tow vehicle if you dont already have one.

Its easy as a bystander to throw the "just buy a Cup car" but that shows very little understanding of the kinds of costs associated with Cup car ownership and dedicated racing. Like Mobonic said, just imagine what a tranny rebuild or a new engine would cost on a Cup car. I dont know the exact figures but I would guess Gomez and Mo would be shelling out 4 to 6 times the costs of their 997S parts. Again, going with a GT3, gutting that, and turning it into a dedicated track car is going to be more expensive than what Gomez is doing now but the costs of upkeep are also going to be much more. A GT3 engine swap is much more expensive than a 997S.

Now, if it were me, I would have bought a 20-25K 996 and gutted that. If we are talking about simply having a great track weapon, a gutted 996 or one built to 996 Spec class requirements, is just as good weapon as a 997 albiet, uglier. Used 996 engines are easy to come by and I have heard of engine swaps as cheap as 4K... the rest of the upkeep costs would be similar to a 997....

Jason

 

I wish I had the time and money to do what these two guys have done to their cars. I had no idea how much a Cup Car would cost to purchase, hence my questions. I was not implying he should have gone that route.

 

Not directed at you... Just an FYI for all. I honestly did not know how much Cup car ownership would cost either until I randomly ran into a buddy that works for a dealership and is deep into Porsche club racing. He had done some of his own research. The only way, he said, he personally could justify a Cup Car, would be sponsorship incase something broke.

If I personally were to get as deep into club racing, I would do it in a stripped 996 Aero.... I would still race my 997 but a 996 is a cheap car these days and mechanical parts for them are cheap and easy to find used....

Jason

 

you are almost correct, with several very significant differences - if you build car for fun - yes, 997 spec will do.
if you want to race it competitively and will compete with real cup cars in same class - then, well, no cigar.
plus, you do not count for the fact that cup car wil have different engine, sequential tranny and many many other small but different things. why essentially it does end up costing like a good used cessna.

 

it all depends what the goal is and against whom you going to race it - what class and what organization.
as of budget - well, who knows how much money some people have and how they spend them. 2009 cup car is a crazy fast thing, i saw a video of one lately on rennlist - it flies by stock gt3 cars on track like they don`t moving.

it is also a popular topic on rennlist to debate if it is cheaper or not to convert street car into cup or not and truth is still out there. i think common opinion is that if such converted car gets used as intense as cup car does - it does not really get cheaper at all, first syncros go - like 3 sets per season, street m97 engine is also no match for cup engine, so your maintenance costs will go up. so who knows. there is too much speculation about all this with too little facts.

 

Like you said, a lot of variables.

Keep in mind there are some crazy cars racing in the same class as Cup cars. For example, old 930's and 911 chasis's with 993 body kits and 996 GT3 engines. These have been some of the more successful cars in "club racing".

The M96 engine is extremely durable despite popular opinion and survives well in Boxter spec, Cayman spec, and 996 spec racing. As we all know, 997 spec racing does not exist but I am sure it will soon. At this point Koni class/challenge racing is really where its at for "stock" or "spec" 997's.

One thing for sure, racing a Cup car as an individual, without sponsorship, is extremely expensive. Far more expensive than racing a stripped out 997, 996, or some hybrid based on a 993. There are real numbers to prove this as there are plenty of people doing both and living in the same class. I personally have seen some crazy stuff on the track and its amazing what can be accomplished with simple off the shelf parts. I have no doubt that Gomez will do great things with his stripped 997S. Will it compete well with a Cup car, probably not, but I guess we will find out. Is it cheaper, a lot cheaper? yes... bottom line...

Jason

 

As someone with 10 years of DE, 3-4 years of club racing non-Cup cars, with friends who own Cup Cars for racing and/ DE, I can say that in my experience and opinion, you and Gomez are dead on. +1000 on all counts, re relative costs and opinion about folks who say that you should just buy a cup car. Also, to some extent, same for folks who say to start with a GT3 vs a C2S.

 

engine is not such big of a problem as syncros in gearbox. but, well, it is all relative.

non related - got my car back finally, it is AMAZING. see signature. 600/700 springs feel not very firm at all, frankly car goes on bad surface way better than on stock suspension and absorbs irregularities way better.

i am extremely happy but will need stop any modding for at least anyear now as i used up my whole this year and next year budget on this.

 

2010 cup car is about $5000 CAD an hour to run competitively. This is only for consumables. 20hr gearbox builds, 50hr engine builds, tires, suspension replacements/rebuilds.

Nevermind buying the car, trailer, crew... Fiorano explained it very simply. As you move from a C2S up to a GT3 and again up to a cup, repair and replacement costs go up exponentially. A rebuilt 3.8 X51 engine is $15k installed. A Gt3 is more like $25k. A cup $40+k. Transmissions: C2 $6k, gt3 $10k, cup $20k.

See where it's going?

 

UTKINPOL,

You are missing the point.

We are not saying that a 997S in any way will come close to or replace a cup car in class or performace.. and yes if you plant to race in ALMS, WC or Patron.. you will have to have a 997 GT3 cup car just to get in the game... BUT

for club racing.... the cost of BUYING, MAINTAINING, and RUNNING a cup car either for races or TT is not the same.

If any of you have raced in Porsche club events in the last few years.. ask yourself... why are all the guys that used to have and run 996/997 cup cars are selling them and getting into 996/997 spec or boxster spec???

I dont think its because they want a slower and heavier car... ita ll comes down to $$$$$$

I know of 5+ great racers in the so cal area that are not running cup cars anymore and are running 996 specs or BSR's

 

Enough of the debating. Back to some cool pics of the build.

Ahhhhhh so clean. Stay tuned .....I have something special for my next update/posting.

 

Thought I'd take some pics of the Cage since it's done. Only bummer was we could not get the carbon dash to work in time for Laguna so the stock dash went back in ...owell. Still love how it came out and my car dropped down to 2850 LBS! I think I may reach my 2700 lbs goal soon.

 

Wow I really am impressed, It weird I did not see a fire system in any of the final pics?
I guess that is not necessary for what you use the car for huh.

 

No you def need some sort of fire suppression. I have a fire extinguisher but the shop lost my mount. That is on order and getting installed back into the car.

 

Just came across this and wow. Any more updates?