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The journey to my ideal 993...

Gubsta

Well-known member
Joined
14 Nov 2012
Messages
91
So inspired by a few recent 993 project threads I thought I would share my own. It will be good to record the journey and also if I ever come to sell the car, it will act as some comfort to the purchaser of what I hope will be a 'no corners cut' transformation.

My inspiration for the car include the 'Head of Bugatti Lightweight' and the 'Project Nasty 964' video...




I want simple, lightweight, noisy and something that you need to be fully alert to drive.

I bought the car in 2012 for an incredible price by today's standards. Now if I'd had my crystal ball out I should have left it totally standard and just sold it two years later but I had a plan!

The car was bought with 154k on the clock, a full clear history and had recent evidence of having both screens out, a full brake rebuild with new pads and discs and door straps and engine mounts done...

This is what the car looked like when I got it:

15761695509_3e70b32218_z.jpg


The car was cheap because it needed a new clutch, so I took the opportunity to fit a LWF and the RS clutch - carried out at RPM Technik.

I stripped the interior (including getting rid of the dreaded glue) - never ever again and got to this state:

14090278196_0f64a60670_z.jpg


I sold the old blue interior to a Porsche parts exporter (off to Japan apparently) which easily funded the dash recovering and the new lower dash parts.

Some Sparco seats later (sounds easy but it was hours or bracket fabrication and head scratching!!) and it was time to turn to the suspension. Some PSS10s/rennline top mounts ordered and once the front suspension was fitted it was absolutely clear I had bitten off way more than my axle stand equipped garage could chew! I had to angle grind off one of the heads of the upright bolts they were so seized! I was also fed up of spending hours getting nowhere and a new job was keeping me in the office and out of the garage...

So back to RPM Technik to finish off, the car has been there a week and they have already given me an eye watering list of extra stuff that needs replacing. I also gave them a box of bits to finish the suspension rebuild...

Here she is off to to the pros...

15760257678_2b62f38f60_z.jpg


When back she should be complete with RS front uprights, evo tie rods, all new rennline/tarett control arms, powder coated / zinc plated anti-roll bars etc. Fully polybushed and set up to RS geometry. They are also fitting a rather nice Rothsport billet short shift and goldenrod...

Once back it will be time to turn attention to the bodywork... and then I would really like to get myself back on the road and at some shows and meets next year. Longer term plans include roll cage, harnesses, sunroof removal and getting out on track.

I hope to post more pictures as the work is carried out and expect the updates could come for several years!!
 
Great philosophy, looking forward to the next instalment. :thumb:
 
Metamat - great car and more inspirational reading!

I think we may have bumped into each other at Donnington in July on a bookatrack day? I had a hired Caterham and came over and had a chat with you in the car park... small world!!
 
Gubsta said:
Metamat - great car and more inspirational reading!

I think we may have bumped into each other at Donnington in July on a bookatrack day? I had a hired Caterham and came over and had a chat with you in the car park... small world!!

Hey Gubsta, glad we have already met. I remember the day - really hot, fabulous track day. I'm going back to Donnington on the 28th of December - won't be quite the same!

Let me know when the 993 is ready and where you are going to run it,

m.
 
Thank god its not bog standard with 17 inch cups 2! Thumbs up from me! :thumb:
 
Metamat said:
BTW - what are the wheels you are running?

They are Team Dynamic Pro Race wheels.

I was initially after some OZ Alleggeritas. These seem to be the lightest wheels you can get by quite some margin without shelling out £3.5k for either BBS LMs or Volk TE37s.

These are a bit heavier than the OZs but by all reports they are pretty strong, come in exact factory offsets and I do like the look...
 
very nice

What's the complete list of weight savings steps that you've have gone through :?:
 
911UK said:
What's the complete list of weight savings steps that you've have gone through :?:

I wouldn't say that the list is extensive, but I have done the obvious stuff. As the car is up and running the idea will be to systematically review components and systems, decide how necessary or otherwise they are and try and simplify and remove things where possible.

So weight savings currently are:

  • cat replacement pipes
    removed engine pad
    removed rear window wiper
    completely stripped out interior, carpet, plus any sound deadening
    foam sandwich panel door cards
    removed centre console - switches moved to dash
    lower dash delete
    airbag removal
    momo dished wheel
    sparco fixed back evo 2 seats
    removed boot carpet
    stereo/speakers removed
    sunroof/rear window wiring removed and stripped back in the loom (will do a full lightweight loom once the car is complete).
    removal of 2 dead tracker systems and batteries!
    fibreglass one piece rear lid

I didn't weigh stuff as it was coming out but there was an unbelievable amount of weight in the interior trim and seats (especially as the interior was soaking wet from a sunroof drain being clogged) A simple investigation of a wet carpet is what kicked this whole thing off... It feels noticeably lighter on it's feet than a standard car.

Future weight savings will be sunroof, heater bypass pipe and maybe a carbon bonnet (although more interested in weight off the back).

Then I'll add it all back in with a cage...!!
 
Looks good.

When I fitted the adjustable control arms (Rennline) on mine I had 'rubber boots' fitted to reduce the amount of crud directly hitting the bearings. I forgot to buy them when I ordered the arms from the US but Chris Franklin had them in stock when we did the instal.
 
So I did warn that this would be the slowest project build in history.

Car has been sat on its new suspension for a while and my bank balance has been recovering from the impact. I was initially concerned that the car was too stiff, but after a couple of hundred miles it (or me) has bedded in nicely... and I just can't believe how good it is to drive.

A few other odd jobs completed - the H&P alarm fobs had seen better days and I wanted something with more functionality, so I installed a more modern alarm with mobile phone alerts etc. Was actually very satisfying wiring it all in properly - although it did take me some time to get my head round the Porsche wiring diagrams.

Painful work in progress...

19231900672_06f145b58e_z.jpg


The car is driving very nicely though now - and it still nicely controlled for b-roads etc. Short vid...



So now she's running so nicely the next port of call is a bodyshop. I'm waiting for a new rear wing from Germany and then hopefully the car will look as good as it goes...
 

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