DETAILS ABOUT MY BOXSTER 986 PROJECT AND BUILD:

FRONT END:
1) Porsche 996 GT2 MK2 Xenon Headlights:
The headlight installation seemed as if it was going to be a nightmare, but it ended up being pretty simple. Meaning it was simple going from 986 Xenon headlights to 996 Xenon headlights. Both chassis already have the Xenon ballast; therefore, the only aspect of making the 996 headlights work is matching up the colored harness wire. They share the same colors, so... you don't have to guess which wire connects to which wire. The challenge with installing 996 Turbo or 996 GT2 headlights is the cost of parts. When there aren't many car enthusiasts trying to do the conversion, there are used parts available on the market that can be purchased for a reasonable price. The same goes for the fenders and headlight trays. Find a wrecked 996 and get the parts. When I first looked for the setup, there wasn't anything available for a reasonable price. However, after constantly looking for the parts, I ended up finding the fenders with the headlight trays already attached, so... all I had to do was slightly change the headlights and bolt on the OEM parts. Moreover, similar to our Boxsters, used parts are sometimes scarce, especially when it comes to 996 parts. When attempting to do this sort of upgrade, one has to continue to window shop until the parts become available. I was lucky when I got my parts because they are GT2 parts. You can tell by the headlights. GT2 headlights don't have "ribs," so to speak. A simple yet very clean design upgrade that Porsche made.

2) GT Street-R Front Bumper:
The most aggressive and cleanest GTS/GTR bumper you can install on either the early or late Boxsters/Caymans. It makes an early Boxster 986 look like a 2023/2024 car.
3) GT Street-R Carbon Fiber Vented Hood: Although the hood is vented, it is not functional in the sense that it helps cool the center radiator. However, it could be altered so that the air that the hood catches could be driven to the center radiator by some sort of air ram part. The center radiator is one of the best upgrades Boxster owners can make. It helps keep the car cooler during those hot days and nights. The center radiator came standard on automatic transmissions and the 996 GT3, and potentially on other 996 models. If your side vent fan ever fails, which mine did, the car will stay decently cool with the help of the third radiator. The hood has a water catcher tray attached to a water drainage hose that I installed in the center of the front trunk, where there is an OEM rubber plug.

4) European Air Horns:
The compressor sits near the battery, and the trumpet air horns themselves are mounted on a 1-inch square, hallow aluminum bar with the horns facing one way (horizontally). The air hoses I chose are automotive water-style hoses that keep their form and keep out condensation. I have the hoses tucked within the trunk walls. The bracket I made that attaches the aluminum bar to the car is attached to the front bumper reinforcement support bar shock absorbers. I measured the diameter of the shock absorbers and then searched the internet for a pair of post brackets that would work. As a result, the horns are positioned in a perfect location. The sound of the horns is easily heard. The horns themselves are also protected from weathering and any physical damage from things such as road debris. I feel my horn project came out well. The sound from the European air horn trumpet gives the Boxster a more European characteristic.

5) 4/0 Gauge Battery Cables:
I purchased canary yellow 4/0 gauge nickel-plated copper wire and soldered the end connectors instead of crimping them. The soldier filled the end caps, covered the ends with shrink wrap, and as a result, I made myself power cables that have a high level of conductivity. Also, by soldering the end caps and covering them with shrink wrap, it helps reduce, if not alleviate, condensation that could sneak inside the end caps, which in turn would ruin expensive power cables and create a headache if they erode. Most heavy-gauge wire cables are crimped, and the crimp is hidden by shrink wrap. I believe in taking the extra steps and doing things the right way. My cables came out very nice, and I can tell that they work extremely well. I will share pictures of them very soon.

FRONT END SUMMARY:
The small parts I made and/or installed on my Boxster weren't expensive. The challenging part of my projects was the R&D aspect and locating the parts I needed to make my vision and mission a reality. The key to not spending money out of our pockets for such upgrades is to sell the OEM parts we don't need or want and replace them with aftermarket parts we do want.


FRONT END CHALLENGES:The H&R sport springs and Bilstein sport struts make it sit too low for the 996 front end. I need coilovers with air cups. Full-air suspension isn't reliable, IMO. My wheels are 19x8.5" in the front and 19x10.5" in the rear. The wheels help with ride height with any Boxster front bumper, but they still sit too low for the 996 GT2 front end. The 996 is a shorter, taller, and wider car, while the Boxster is narrower and longer, which is why the rocker panels are not interchangeable. The interchangeable parts are from the door to the front bumper and the dash and interior components.

Due to the fact that the 996 has a taller body design and causes the front end to be so low, I pray that going with a set of coilovers helps correct the raked look and at least raises the front by a half inch, if not about 3/4 inch, while keeping the suspension somewhat firm. The aircups on coilovers will be extremely helpful for driveways and speed bumps. Again, the 911-996 sits higher. Wheel options for the 996 are 19-inch and 20-inch.

I may try to go with 20-inch wheels and see if it helps. The challenge with going with 20-inch wheels is that there isn't much room under the wheel well, and the Boxster 986 would potentially drive like crap, especially due to the extra weight and the wheel diameter. The Boxster with 20-inch wheels would require a strong motor and transmission, so there would be more torque.



HARDTOP: Like I did with other project goals, I kept an eye out for a hardtop and found a used one that came from a black car, which saved me from having to paint it. I already knew that I wanted to go with the silver and black color scheme. A guy who was trying to sell his Boxster with a hardtop ended up having his car on the market for a while. I came up with a proposition that made sense to him. Sell me his hardtop and lower the price of his car so that I have more interest. He basically made a little from the top and was able to reduce the for-sale price. After selling a few of the OEM parts I replaced and didn't need, I was able to afford to buy my hardtop for a very good price!




SIDE SKIRT SUMMARY:
The side skirts come with Techart-style fender flares. They are made of fiberglass and are very light. The fender flares would look more OEM or high-end if they were molded on. Potentially, the issue with permanently molding the flares is that making the flares permanent will block access to the functional side air vents for future repair. Hence, the fender flares need to be removable. I plan on selling the Techart widebody fender flares and this rear bumper, which I really like. I also plan on removing the rear bumper aluminum bumper pad blocks.

REAR BUMPER SUMMARY:
This is one of the nicest rear bumpers available for our 986 Boxsters. Similar bumpers don't come vented like this one. They are typically surfaced and contoured, like the GT3-style rear bumpers out there. Having the rear bumper vented gives it a GTS/GTR look and feel. As you can see from my picture, it fits and follows the original body lines very well.

I have seen Spec Boxster racers modify a rear bumper cover so that their exhaust pipes protruded where the aluminum bumper pads typically do. They covered where the center exhaust came out with an aggressive diffuser for function and wind channeling. It looked really good. I was interested in buying a copy of that particular rear bumper cover diffuser, but the fabricator wanted around $1,200 to $1,500 just for the diffuser. What I liked about this particular diffuser was that the winglets were very distinctive and deep. Plus, it tucked about a 1-1/2-foot to 2-foot backyard. I believe the fabricator took an aggressive diffuser that was made for a 996 Turbo and modified it to fit the Boxster and GT3. I haven't seen myself as an aggressive diffuser ever since.

REAR TRUNK SUMMARY:
I plan on installing a carbon fiber trunk lid that covers the third brake light as well as the open area where the functional spoiler wing would rise through. In terms of rear spoiler wing, I have a Gembala GTR-style spoiler wing, but I might go with a 996 turbo-style wing instead.

TAIL LIGHT SUMMARY:
These particular smoked LED tail lights have been on the market for some time now. They are the cleanest-looking and cheapest available. I sold my original tail lights that were smoked out with film or translucent paint, which practically paid for my tail lights. The more advanced tail lights out there are the fiber optic-style tail lights, which are nice but too expensive at the moment.

REAR EXHAUST SUMMARY:
The rear exhaust has a very interesting story behind it. First off, my Boxster was bought used with very low miles on it. It was garaged for about three years. The previous owner added a number of modifications that I didn't need to do, including the exhaust. When my Boxster was on the lift, I looked at the brand and noticed that it was a brand that made Ferrari exhaust systems and randomly made an exhaust just for the Boxster 986. I forgot who the manufacturer is, but I will come back and add the brand in the near future. While my exhaust doesn't have the large, dual 4-inch tips some of the more aggressive exhaust systems do today, such as Fab Speed's exhaust system, it sounds good and is valved for my 2.7L motor.

FINAL WORDS:
As I previously mentioned, the key to not spending money out of our pockets for such upgrades is to sell the OEM parts we don't need or want and replace them with aftermarket parts we do want. Depending on the actual part, this could take a while to accomplish. For example, there are a bunch of used rear deck lids (trunk lids) available today. So, trying to purchase a carbon fiber deck lid with the money made from selling our original trunk lid could take time. The one benefit locals have when buying our parts is that they reduce the cost of shipping heavy parts such as front and rear trunk lids. Also, well-maintained parts will sell faster than a beat-up hood from the junkyard or a car that was in an accident with scratches all over it. Most people looking for similar-colored parts don't have to repaint the entire part.

The exterior aspect of my Boxster project is nearly complete. Dialing in the appropriate suspension is next on my list. Then it's the interior, the sound system, which I have had for a very long time, and then a paint job. From that point on, I'll think about potential, future performance, and power train upgrades. It would be awesome to obtain help for my building through sponsorships.

In closing, I would like to respectfully mention that I have read many forum chats here and on other forums like 986forum.com. Rennlist forum, Boxa.net, Planet-9.com, and PelicanParts Forum, to name a few, and noticed fellow Porsche owners like or dislike similar projects to mine. At the end of the day, it's not about what others like or don't like about custom builds like mine; it's about my happiness and excitement. I know that my Boxster 986 isn't a $250K exotic car, but it is mine, and I love it for what it is. My 2.7L Boxster drives like a champ, especially due to the weight reduction. Just having the motor well tuned with weight reduction allows my Boxster to float as if I'm driving on air. Those who have reduced weight on their cars know exactly the experience I am speaking of. What I love most about my Boxster today is that, with the few modifications I have made in terms of performance and aesthetics, it looks like a 2023/2024 car, it's exciting to drive in regards to the handling experience, and it brings me joy every time I drive it, especially when I get to put my top down and cruise on a beautiful day.

About ten years ago, a Porsche service rep told me that I should just sell my car and buy the car I want with the mods I like. I responded to him and said that first of all, Porsche didn't make a Boxster with the exterior look I liked, and that I would definitely be open to purchasing a newer Porsche if he paid for it (lol). I also asked him which model Porsche he drove, specifically to work, and his response was that he didn't drive a car; he drove about 5 to 10 miles to and from work on a bike. At this point in time, and based on my confidence as a person, I stayed quiet and let the guy do all the talking. Instead of putting the guy down or arguing with him, I simply responded and said that his story was "interesting" and left it at that. But I couldn't help but think to myself and say, Wow, this guy is sort of putting down my 986 Boxster just because the catalytic coverters were making noise (a warranty claim), worked for Porsche for about 20 years, rides a bike to and from work, and thinks low of my car. I stayed cordial, kept my composure, giggled, and told the gentleman to have a great day. That happened in early 2000. Fast forward to today, 2023. My Boxster has paid off, looks aggressively modern, and drives just as well as the day I found it. The moral of my story is that the only person who needs to be happy with the ownership of my car is me. Hence, sarcasm and/or hating, as I have seen others do to other Boxster owners in other posts, won't bother me because I'm happy with my car. My car is an expression of who I am and showcases my visions and desires. My Boxster is also a hobby car.

If the Boxster 986 was such a lame car, then why did motorsports coach builders like RUF, Techart, Gemballa, or fabricators like Miles Automotive, Anibal Automotive, Pandem, Liberty Walk, and others produce $10,000, $20,000, and $30,000 transformational facelift body kits for the Boxster and Cayman? In fact, RUF's $250,000 CTR3 was originally based on the MK1 Cayman. Miles Works Automotive, out in the UK, makes a GT1 transformational widebody kit for the 986 Boxster. He could have chosen any other chassis, but Miles and many others chose our $5,000 or $10,000 986 chassis Boxster to express themselves. These coach builders and fabricators share the desires and visions of people like me. They all inspire and motivate me and show me that the impossible can be achieved, as long as we are willing to put in the work and follow through. Have you ever heard the story about Christian von Koenigsegg? If not, I highly recommend everyone watch "Apex: The Story of the Hypercar (2016)." It is one of the most exciting and inspiring documentaries I have ever watched as a car enthusiast.

With that said, I wish you all a great life and a fabulous day! Cheers, Zavieh 🥂🏎️

P.S. I plan on establishing social media channels for project updates and product reviews.

 

That's a great build...thanks for sharing the details here with us! If there are any good updates, I'd love to see them.

 

Post more updates. Nice project