Hey guys,
new to the forum,
but you guys seem to have it going on!


Since I am still under 10 posts, may as well start a thread instead of just saying "yeah" on another thread.

Car: 97 Boxster, black.
Eibach coilovers, supersprint cat-back, 3.4 from 2000 996.
(chip upgrde in addition to 996 motronic flash)
newer black sets, sparco wheel, black floormats
5% tint + 30% whole windshield.
Moda wheels painted black, 18" (8"&9")

Things on the short list:
Bad balljoint = GT3 control arms....
replacing rubber bushings with monoballs and whatnots...


Pics:
(clickable thumbnails)



















I am really looking for opinions and advice from you sages!
I am a VW kid for 15 years, and I ended up with my first Porsche..

Thanks!
-Brad

 

Welcome and you are on the right track. Did you put the 3.4 in it or buy it that way. did you get the 996 ECU and harness out of a donor car. Was it an grenaded engine that precipitated the 3.4? Just curious not that it matters. I know it's a totally different car with an extra 100 HP. I went the upgrade route. I had a 97 several years ago and it was noticeably lighter than my 2001 S. I would love to have the engine I have now in that car.

 

Bought the car with the 3.4, coilovers and black seats...
I am bound from disclosing the actual price, but if you said I bought it at $15k, you would be really close.
I looked at it as $5k for the car, $10k for the engine, and a free install!
(engine went in with 19k miles on it, so very new)
But, the car did have some issues, most of which I have fixed:
New AC compressor, rebuilt / remanufactured the lock cylinder, it broke and came apart, and I bought a take off door handle, and re-pinned it to match my key, Top plastic has a crack...

And yes, the old one grenaded,
and my friend bought the car with a blown engine,
and the intention of installing the 996 powerplant.

Unsure of the engine wiring harness, as I was not the one who did the swap.
I know the ECU was sent to Deutschland, and flashed with the 996 motronic program, and then a chip upgrade to that.

One of the things that has been holding me back is the intake and exhaust.
Both are original to the 2.5 Box... Big restriction!

I recently replaced the headers with some SS hi-flow units,
and am completely floored by the torque increase. (and glorious sound!)
If I get a proportional increase on my Fabspeed copy intake,
I will be in heaven!
(But, I have been running with a 3.4, breathing through 2.5 pipes.)

Thanks!
-Brad

 

buy a new steering wheel.
The rest of it is great!

 

This is pretty cool that your running a 3.4 in a 97 box. If I were you I would keep a look out for used hard tops I have been seeing them float around more and more and will definetly look good on yours. I see you also like to live on the edge with no airbag in the steering wheel ? Sketchy man becareful and welcome to 6S !

 

Thanks, guys!

The steering wheel did come with the car,
and I have plans to replace it (the suede is no longer with us)
but realistically, an airbag does not make me feel much safer.
Y'know what does make me feel safer, though:
-Race buckets, low end
-5 point harnesses, Schroth
-Custom harness bar (roll bar is too high to meet with Schroth's requirements, given my 5'9" frame)

Coming soon:
I need a coolant reservoir first! (weeping: it, not me)
(and immediately after that, I need one inner CV boot, and a ball joint, which will be resolved with a control arm upgrade, but I digress..)

Thanks for the positive comments!
-Brad

 

Very cool that you have the 3.4L... I'm sure there is a lot you can do to start tweaking and unleashing the rest that's corked up.

 

Well enough, indeed....
The cool thing, is in stock trim, in a 2000 Carrera, this engine gave 300 hp.
(And, it is just within the last year or so, that a Boxster S got over 300)
The intake is the last thing that should be less than Carrera-spec,
so once I redo everything from the filter to the intakes,
Ill be a good bit over 300.
(300hp + headers + catback + upgrade chip = easy 340, as the 3.4 chip alone gives 25 according to most manufacturers)

Also, you can rightfully use the numbers for the RUF 3400S,
as it was the same thing, without as many mods as I have now,
and had a top sped of 171 with a 5 speed box...

All of this should equate to lots of fun at my first DE,
Roebling Road in November. (www.darksidede.com)
I have done quite a few autocrosses in my various VWs,
but never had more than 140hp under my foot...
This will be more than double that,
with the addition of a Porsche mid-engined chassis....
I feel lucky to drive her!

"I am as happy as a little schoolgirl"
-Dieter, from Sprockets

-Brad

 

And not one comment on the license plate?
Most either love it or hate it.
-Brad

 

gee I missed the plate but I do love it. If you get a chance when you are done with all the mods give us a dyno readout on hp.
thanks
Harry

 

Hahaha.....
You said "when I get done with Mods"
But then I will be dead,
and unable to dyno it.

You should see what I did to my poor 1985 Jetta TurboDiesel.
(see my garage)

Realistically,
There is not as much to do to a Porsche.
Future plans are to free up the intake and exhaust as much as possible
(first I need to find out what kind of manifold and throttle body I even have!)
And then will likely experiment with water/meth injection.
I was really impresses with the results on a Corrado G60 Turbo I built a few years ago..
After a full half hour of flogging the car in the Florida heat,
the intake manifold was cool, like a can of Coke right out of the fridge....
that's nice stuff!


Thanks!
-Brad