The (996) Wheels are in Motion - Page 2 - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Perfectlap · 01-10-2007, 06:41 AM

add skirting and the car will look lower. Just enough to give it a better appearance.
Lowering is such a big expense and such a gamble.. not a mod to go cheap on. Seems crazy to spend more on labor than the actual parts.
I'd save up for the full coil over Bilstein PSS9 set up if you are going to fork over $600 for an install. The ride height possibilities are limitless.

01-10-2007, 12:15 PM

Limitless? Or adjustable within a certain degree, lol. Im still thinking of the ROW M30 suspension, but if I had the cash, Id get the PSS9s.

Perfectlap · 01-10-2007, 01:20 PM

well I meant ride height and rebound combinations being limitless...
But I hear ya its an expensive mod indeed, but there's no getting around that $600 install fee unless you are handy and have a friend to kill 6 hours with.

I driven all manner of lowered cars and I'd say most were enjoyable for the first hour and a half. And these were all manner of VERY PRICEY set ups. I also spent very big sums experimenting with custom shock mounts and spring rates.
Lowering a car is a performance mod and should not be done just for looks.
With your average set up the car will take a substantial beating over its lifetime
due to less travel. Things come loose, rattle etc.

01-10-2007, 02:14 PM

Ya, I hear ya. I just love when I see an old oldsmobile slammed driving down the road. Cause every time it hits a bump I see the the thing bounce like crazy, lol. So don't skimp on the shocks.

Perfectlap · 01-10-2007, 02:42 PM

^ I'm wondering if that fender gap between the tire is due to the weight of the front bumper and headlights not being on the car. Is the car sitting on anything? Those two parts parts aren't that heavy but...
p.s.
did they put the cover back on your cabin filter? Those body shops are toxic..

01-10-2007, 02:47 PM

You know Jeph, I should have mentioned this earlier but I wouldn't have put an emblem on the hood. I would have gone GT3 RSR style and put a Porsche sticker over the silver base coat and have them clear over it. That would be awesome. And easier to wax, and more aerodynamic.

Jeph · 01-10-2007, 04:15 PM

Another trip to the shop today. Wow, we are getting close.

Boxter · 01-10-2007, 04:28 PM

looking very nice...cannot wait to see the end goal...looks like it won't be long now.

Jeph · 01-10-2007, 04:41 PM

Yep, it's a bit late to do the GT3 emblem, but that is/was an interesting idea.

The gap in the wheel well is exaggerated because there aren't any fender liners in yet. In addition to that, my wheels have a layer of light colored dust. That black color goes a long way.

One of the reasons I choose this particular bumper was because it looks good without skirting. Any other bumper would have required me to get skirts -and that's something I just don't want for this car. I'm very particular about my car's lines. And although the skirting for Boxsters is pretty smooth, it's just not what I want/like.

NickCats · 01-11-2007, 06:04 AM

I can't believe the radiators are that big behind the front bumper !

Amazing. Thanks for the pics. Should look great when it is done !

Look forward to the finished product...

Nick

Perfectlap · 01-12-2007, 07:36 AM

cool, what are they doing with that 308 in the back?

How much lower than stock does the front bumper sit? Seems to me
you might have to add the skirting, it may look too top heavy when viewed
from the side. Like a whole fish that was eaten down to the scales!

Jeph · 01-12-2007, 11:33 AM

PerfectLap, I don't remember seeing any damage on that 308, so I'm not sure what they're doing to it. Maybe just some kind of restoration project.

Go check out some pix of an '02-'04 Carrera. Those don't need skirts with their stock bumper. That's why I choose the stock Carrera bumper. It doesn't look-top heavy. The height, or ground clearance, is pretty much the same. (What's cool under this new bumper is the liners below the car now have these scoop-like ducts that guide the air flow to cool the front brakes!)

Now then, I'm off to go pick up my car RIGHT NOW!

98Boxster98 · 01-12-2007, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeph

Now then, I'm off to go pick up my car RIGHT NOW!

Alright, just in time for the rain and ice this weekend. Be careful!. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Y2BOX · 01-12-2007, 01:06 PM

We are waiting...very high expectations...... :dance:

Perfectlap · 01-12-2007, 01:10 PM

uuuuh the critical hour. This is where allot people fall asleep at the wheel: when picking up the car at the auto. Looks like Jeph has spent allot of time eyeballing the car but most see all the changes and say WOW I LOVE IT!! and then they get home and see the overspray, paint running, dust under the clear coat and missing parts! I've had to take cars back to body shop several times because it didn't pass muster.
anyhooo...the car looks great already Jeph. As for the skirting I think the 996 911 rear bumper sits lower than the Boxsters which is higher off the ground than most people realize. If the front bumper is now sitting lower than stock it creates kind of a weird side view. give it some time drive it around, play with the photoshop and think about it. Skirting makes every car look lower.

both on stock suspensions
no Skirting (looks jacked up?)

Skirting (notice how it looks lower?)

Boxter · 01-12-2007, 05:07 PM

Alright, where are the updated pics?

djomlas · 01-12-2007, 06:06 PM

with the skirts only middle of the car looks low, not front and back, so no skirts would be just fine IMO

Jeph · 01-12-2007, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djomlas

with the skirts only middle of the car looks low, not front and back, so no skirts would be just fine IMO

Agreed. To me, what makes a lowered car look good is not how close to the ground it appears. It's how proportionate the gap in the wheel well looks. Plus, a lowered car has the illusion of being wider as well.

On to the car...
First off, I am very frustrated with the weather. My drive home from the shop was nerve-racking. Second, I can't take any good pictures of the car because it's in the confines of the garage -where it looks like it may stay for the next couple of days. I could show you a frontal picture, but I might as well be showing you a Carrera, 'cuz there's no major difference. Lastly, I don't like pictures of my car without the hardtop -like a bald man without his toupee. At any rate, I'll show you a teaser for now. (More will come later on a separate post)

So how does it look? Epic! I'm extremely excited about it. There are a couple of minor issues to adjust next week but over all, I am thrilled. This shop does a great job.

jpog · 01-12-2007, 07:02 PM

I've been following this silently, and I must say I am very impressed with the conversion. From the teaser, the car looks GREAT! Good job, and I hope you get some well-deserved sunny days soon.

JPOG

Adam · 01-12-2007, 07:36 PM

We (Mid America) used to have a 97 with the same conversion but with a turbo front bumper with a 3.4L in the back and obviously some other mods . It was sold a few mo back...