996 GT3 to 997 GT3RS Conversion
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Thanks Vince, wish I hadn't missed the ice cream drive run. Looked like a good time.
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Well every panel on the car needed to be replaced, including lights, bumpers, brackets etc, except for the drivers door and the roof, and I love the look of the 997 GT3 RS. Also, and I am sure M Chap may agree with me, but when you repair cars day and day out back original condition after a while you get the urge to take a project with a little more creativity, fabrication, and originality. If I were to make it a 996 cup car or gt3rs, it would have been just repairing the car and change two bumpers. No custom work, that is a repair that most professional bodyshops should be able to do. 90% of collision repair facilities wouldn't even want to mess around with a conversion like this, but to my shop it is inspiring repair that can make any other collision repair seem like a piece of cake.
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No, sorry I sold the wheels to BruceM for his 996 RSR conversion. There are a couple of pics of Vince's red 993tt and Bruce's white 996, which we did both this summer, here in a local ice cream drive run. https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...t-22nd-36.html
Last edited by Joeacc; Aug 28, 2008 at 10:24 AM.
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Well every panel on the car needed to be replaced, including lights, bumpers, brackets etc, except for the drivers door and the roof, and I love the look of the 997 GT3 RS. Also, and I am sure M Chap may agree with me, but when you repair cars day and day out back original condition after a while you get the urge to take a project with a little more creativity, fabrication, and originality. If I were to make it a 996 cup car or gt3rs, it would have been just repairing the car and change two bumpers. No custom work, that is a repair that most professional bodyshops should be able to do. 90% of collision repair facilities wouldn't even want to mess around with a conversion like this, but to my shop it is inspiring repair that can make any other collision repair seem like a piece of cake.
I'm sure Joeacc can concur that he has a vast majority of standard repairs in his shop...then there are the few custom jobs he has (restorations, custom fabrications, etc..) which are great projects in between the stadard customer pay and insurance jobs.
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No, sorry I sold the wheels to BruceM for his 996 RSR conversion. There are a couple of pics of Vince's red 993tt and Bruce's white 996, which we did both this summer, here in a local ice cream drive run. https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...t-22nd-36.html
Examples of Joe's recent works
RSR conversion
RUF Conversion
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j/k
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I recently picked up a wrecked 996 GT3 in hopes to convert it to a 997 GT3RS. The car was wrecked on a track, hitting a couple of walls and another car. The car mostly received sheetmetal damage all around, but almost no suspension damage.
The front end was hit pretty bad, but were able to save it with only replacing a hood latch. We seperated all of the welds on the rails, removed them in their factory locations, straightened them, and then reinstalled everything. Once the structure of the tub was removed it was a lot of hammering and dollying to straighten the tub.
I am using Misha's conversion fenders and MA Shaw's replica GT3RS engine lid and wing. All of the other parts are factory 997 GT3RS parts. Quarters, bumpers, lights, mirrors, door handles, rockers, back glass, etc.
I know most of you are saying why not just buy the 997 RS to begin with but it was about an extra 150k, and I own a bodyshop, so this is just another example of our work when it is done. But yes it is a lot of work and head scratching figuring some of the 996 to 997 complete conversion out.
The front end was hit pretty bad, but were able to save it with only replacing a hood latch. We seperated all of the welds on the rails, removed them in their factory locations, straightened them, and then reinstalled everything. Once the structure of the tub was removed it was a lot of hammering and dollying to straighten the tub.
I am using Misha's conversion fenders and MA Shaw's replica GT3RS engine lid and wing. All of the other parts are factory 997 GT3RS parts. Quarters, bumpers, lights, mirrors, door handles, rockers, back glass, etc.
I know most of you are saying why not just buy the 997 RS to begin with but it was about an extra 150k, and I own a bodyshop, so this is just another example of our work when it is done. But yes it is a lot of work and head scratching figuring some of the 996 to 997 complete conversion out.
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Well every panel on the car needed to be replaced, including lights, bumpers, brackets etc, except for the drivers door and the roof, and I love the look of the 997 GT3 RS. Also, and I am sure M Chap may agree with me, but when you repair cars day and day out back original condition after a while you get the urge to take a project with a little more creativity, fabrication, and originality. If I were to make it a 996 cup car or gt3rs, it would have been just repairing the car and change two bumpers. No custom work, that is a repair that most professional bodyshops should be able to do. 90% of collision repair facilities wouldn't even want to mess around with a conversion like this, but to my shop it is inspiring repair that can make any other collision repair seem like a piece of cake.
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Wow! That' some incredible work! That RSR conversion needs wheels bad and would be SICK SICK SICK if that red stripe was a Martini stripe!!! 
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The front bumper, fenders, and hood were all carbon fiber parts from MA Shaw. The rear bumper, engine lid, spoiler, rear flares, and side skirts were all Porsche Motorsports. It took quite a bit of time to get the whole front end to fit properly, but you have to expect that when using race car parts on a street/show car.