Round 2: Alfa 4C --> 997.2 S - my build thread
 

Hi All--

Wanted to introduce myself. I'm rejoining the P-car club-- I had a 997.1 base C2 about 5 years ago, went to an e92 M3 (hated it), and then an Alfa Romeo 4C, in the course of 3 years I had a blast and built the car in a very unique way. Life and career circumstances pushed me to make a change and I found myself in a 997.2 white C2S. Really happy to be back, the 997.2 is everything I wanted, a GT car for daily driving and to see Clients + something that I can take to the track/mountains and enjoy as a sports car.

Installed as of 10/3/18:
- Bilstein PSS10 w/ PASM
- Updated Sport Steering wheel in Alcantara with proper paddle shifters

Enroute as of 10/3/18:
- Getty Ducktail Sport
- Titan 7 TS5 Wheels w/ Toyo R888R (same wheels as shown on my Alfa below)
- Tubi Style Exhaust
- Billy Boat X-pipe / center muffler delete

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.6sp...cc6c9de68.jpeg
My old Alfa before I sold it a few weeks ago
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.6sp...d1a55928f.jpeg
Alfa side shot
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.6sp...69e18e6153.png
Just brought her home!
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.6sp...7eb935457f.png
Interior shot
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.6sp...d63d1b92b1.png
Put on Bilstein PSS10
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.6sp...ecbd65fd7.jpeg
Car is LOW... needed to raise it a bit.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.6sp...fbfc6fa1c.jpeg
Alcantara wheel is a must!

Just got the Getty Ducktail Sport in! Getting prepped for paint!
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.6sp...edcbb4fc7.jpeg
Getty Ducktail Sport

Congrats. That was a beautiful example of the Alfa, but I'm sure you won't be looking back, especially with the upgrades you're doing on the 997.

WOW that Alfa looked good! Which is more fun to drive, all other metrics aside? I'm seriously considering one next year; other two candidates being a 997.2 C2S (surprise surprise) and a 4.7 V8 Vantage. I know which cars would be better to drive on the road, and which would be better on track. I feel that the 4C would consume the least amount of dollars on track and that is certainly appealing.

Hands down, the 4C is going to be the MUCH better car to drive. There's really nothing like it, except for an Elise or Exige (I had an Elise as well). Ingress/egress is 10x better than the Elise, and it's truly a delight on the track. However from a practicality perspective, it's really a 3rd car. I drove it maybe once every two weeks after a year of ownership-- which is why I switched to the 997-- which is a better all-rounder that I can daily if I want.

I had the Tubi exhaust on my 2009 C4S and unless something has changed you don't need the Billy Boat x-pipe center muffler delete. The full Tubi system for the .2 997's comes with its own x-pipes/center muffler delete. Beautiful car and great choice of exhaust btw. Love the Tubi on both the .1 and .2 997's.

Decided (bad idea) to try and install the Tubi this late afternoon after getting home from work. I "finished" in the sense that when I went to put on the tips, they were all misaligned. Will need to loosen everything tomorrow and figure it out...

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.6sp...e62ef749e.jpeg

Did you not get x-pipes with your Tubi to replace the center muffler? Not showing in the pictures and you said you bought Billy Boat x-pipes separately. That's why I'm asking. Hate to see you waste $600 or $700 or whatever the BB pipes cost is. The Tubi for 997.1's only had the side cans showing in your picture since there was no center muffler on the .1 cars but again, for the 997.2, Tubi included x-pipes along with the side cans. Are you sure you got the right system for your 997.2? This is what you should have, eliminating the need for the BB pipes:
http://www.championmotorsport.com/pr...i-997-2-ex.htm

I actually got the Tubi's second hand, and they did not come w/ the x-pipe as you mentioned. The seller had a set of Sharkwerks, but since I already had my Billy Boat x-pipes on order, I decided not to take his set. I appreciate the thought and looking out though!
Together, the setup sounds good. Very raspy, which I like, but it seems to have lost any "grunt" low sound. Either way, better than stock for sure!

Ok I get it now. Makes me wonder if the Tubi side cans are the same for .1 and .2 997's. Like I said, the .2 system comes with the x-pipes so why would the seller you bought from spend $1,000 on Sharkwerks bypass pipes? And I agree with you on the sound. The Tubi has a higher pitch, "euro" sound compared to the PSE/Sharkwerks combo I have now which has a deeper grunt. As I recall it from my -09 C4S with full Tubi, once you get above 4,000 rpm it screams pretty good though. No comparison to stock.

I definitely like them, but don't have another reference to tell me otherwise :)

Thinking about getting a tube exhaust here... a friend of mine sells it (with only 10,000 milles). Is $1,200 a good price?