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A $1,600 Boxster and two projects
I have bought a few 'cheap Porsches' before and know what to expect. When I saw this 2001 offered at $1,700, I had to check out.
-------- http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1563393826.jpg -------- Engine doesn't turn and cheap seat covers covering badly cracked leather, but Litronic lights and no serious body damage. I see plenty of opportunity to get my money back out of it, but I also see a great opportunity to build a 986 for the Grassroots Motorsports $2,000 Challenge. I offered $1,600 and the seller agreed. We did a simple trailer to trailer transfer and I parked it for a few days while I figured out what to do next. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1563394040.jpg http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1563394238.jpg The $2,000 Challenge is a competition with a three events: autocross, concours, and drag race. The total budget for buying and building the car is $2,000, but there are ways to manipulate the budget with trades, exceptions, and up to $1,000 'recoup' from selling parts. Parts that come off the car for recoup don't actually have to be sold. You can 'sell them to yourself' if you document the fair market value price. Starting at $1,600 I can get $1,000 recoup from Litronics, storage shelf, and headlight washers (I have cracked, yellowed junk lights I can replace them with at nominal value. That put my starting budget at $600 spent with $1,400 to build with. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1563394516.jpg http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1563394527.jpg Originally my thought was to verify the engine was not economically repairable, then either fix it, or swap in an Audi V8 ABZ engine ($600 complete with ECU) that's been sitting in my garage. As I did a more detailed Post Purchase Inspection, I realized that it was a nicer car than the 1999 that my daughter drives. I checked with the organizer of the Challenge and got approval to trade the chassis of the 1999 for the 2001 as long as it is clearly documented on my 'build book' budget. The concept is simple, but I'll have to be careful about the details, part-for-part, to keep it clean. The plan emerged:
I have no illusion that I will actually be competitive at the Challenge, but I will compete. This is about having fun and making a decent car for my daughter and a toy for me from the pile of stuff I have accumulated in the driveway. As I write this, the 2001 is outside in the parking lot. I drove it to work today with a 2.5L 1997 engine in it. More on that with my next update. ----------------- (Here's the build thread on another forum if you want to jump ahead: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/challenge-boxster/154304/page1/ ) |
where`s the Popcorn...awesome :cheers:
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doood.......
this will be AWESOME FUN!!! |
Nice! I'm going to be following this!
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I started work on the 2001. When I first looked at it, I still hoped that the engine would be repairable – maybe a bad AOS. The initial inspection of the oil filter showed plenty of metal and hopes of an easy fix died. A deeper look showed a valve and most of at least one piston sitting in the sump. At that point, to me, the engine is trash other than some salvageable parts. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1563405241.jpg I decided to try out a 2.5L 1997 engine that I have had sitting outside under a tarp for a couple years. Really not a wise choice, but there it was right next to the garage, waiting to be used or scrapped. It had been in a 2000 S before, where it never ran right and just dumped coolant and ran hot when I tried to kill it on the track at Hallett. I had offered to give it away, but the logistics never worked out. I wasn't even sure it would run anymore after sitting outside for so long. Knowing that it could be a waste of time, I went ahead and swapped it in. If it failed, I could use the engine from the '99 or just do the V8 swap in this car. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1563405604.jpg There are differences between the 1997 2.5L and the 2001 2.7L engines. There are enough similarities though that the swap can be worked out. I took all of the intake, fuel, wiring, and vacuum parts from the top of the 2.7 and put them on the 2.5. The 2.7 intake runners would not bolt to the 2.5 without 'adjusting' some of the mounting holes a few millimeters from their original location. The intake ports on the 2.5 engine are significantly smaller than the 2.7, but the seals still met the machined metal. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1563405652.jpg Other differences were the coolant purge line on the 2.5 goes to the front of the engine under the AC compressor, where on all the later engines, it connects to the top of the oil cooler. The oil cooler has a different mounting base on the 1997 engine and will need an adapter to use a later unit. I had to swap a coolant temp sensor on the front of the engine to fit the harness. Otherwise, the wires, hoses, nuts and bolts all seem to have worked out. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1563405696.jpg I started to replace the oil cooler, but found that it wasn't going to work without an adapter plate and put the old cooler back on with new o-rings. I still want to replace it. Now I'm curious: will a Tiptronic transmission oil cooler fit? Looking at diagrams of the 'Nissens' brand at Rock Auto, it looks like a good fit. Why not just get a correct 1997 oil cooler? Why not get the adapter plate and use the “S” oil cooler I bought? Sometimes I just like to make things a little more difficult for myself. ...curiosity. Anyone have an extra adapter plate or Tiptronic cooler??? |
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Nothing wrong with it. No leaks. I just wanted the upgrade. It's yours... Gratis. Just pay shipping. PM me. :) |
If anyone wants, I can get into further detail about swapping the 2.5L in or replacing the engine in general, but there are plenty of posts here on the forum about installing an engine. A few notes: This engine already had a recent AOS and water pump replacement. I opted not to do the IMS/RMS. They looked good with no leaks and as a 1997 engine it has a dual row bearing. Given the history of this engine, I expect some other failure before the IMS goes. It had a failed water pump when I first got it and I flushed water through the cooling system after removing it from the 2000 S and before installing it in this car. I am still not sure that all the coolant passages are clear.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1563461012.jpg My wife recorded video of it's first drive with the replacement engine. It ran rough at idle when I first started it, but smoothed out above 2,000 rpm. I knew it could be minor and simple, or a sign of impending doom. For an engine that sat abandoned under a tarp in my driveway for two years, I call running at all a big win. Video: https://youtu.be/QkheUt0eRUs Using an Autel MD802 showed codes for a misfire on 2 and 5. Troubleshooting, I started by replacing the coil and plug in 5. That cleared it. With 2, I tried the coil first. -Still a misfire. I swapped in a plug and it cleared. All the plugs are old, and I'm not sure why those two were bad. I'm going to replace them all with new ones later. With the misfires cleared, it was smooth except for a quick surge at idle. That got better and went away as the ECU adapted to the 2.5L engine. https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/p...er_mmthumb.jpg Now that its a running, driving car, I can get a look at all the other problems. A quick list from my first drive included: The washer fluid tank leaks, Brake wear light is on, Airbag light is on because I disconnected the SRS while my grandson rides with me, Steering wheel is canted about 15 degrees when the car is straight (Alignment seems good, so I'm guessing the wheel was not set when it was aligned.), Typical old Boxster issue of windows not quite operating right when the doors close, Heat shield on the exhaust rattling, and more. Nothing serious, but lots of little things, common for a 18 year old car that has seen a lapse of care. https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/p...de_mmthumb.jpg I'm driving it daily to work this week. I'll probably fix some of the minor issues in the evenings. My only big concern right now is the issue the engine had before with cooling. I have smelled some coolant when I parked it, and the coolant level has changed as I have driven it. It may be fine, since I didn't really take the time to purge the air out of the system after refilling. I've been driving with the tank vent open to allow the air out of the system. I'll see how it progresses and flush/replace the coolant in about a week. Next, I want to start focusing on the actual Challenge car and V8 swap. The work on the '01 has been a good warm up and refresher. It will also be a back-up car for the Challenge if I run into problems or bust the budget with the other car. |
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A question was asked about how to get the engine out and how high the car has to be. I just use cheap Harbor Freight jacks and jackstands. I'd love a scissor lift or QuickJack.
Here's my answer to how I did it this time: To get the engine out, I just used jack stands on top of concrete blocks (laying on their side). The front wheels were on "Rhino ramps". For a jack, I use a "Pittsburgh Automotive 3 Ton Heavy Duty Ultra Low Profile Steel Floor Jack" from Harbor Freight for about $79. I lowered the engine and transmission together with the jack under transmission and an "ATV Lift" under the engine. Use a couple blocks of wood for padding or to fill space. After it's lowered on the jack, I get it off the jack onto a sheet of cardboard or plywood, then slide it out on the floor. I usually have to rotate the engine to get it past the suspension support. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1563553448.jpg I don't have an exact height. "As high as my jack can get it" is what I use. Higher is better. Always have another support in place to prevent the car from falling more than a couple inches. A good alternative method is to drop the rear suspension with the engine and transmission. I have done that too. Here's a post with pics of that being done on Tom Stone's car: Spec Boxster Build |
I'm still debating if I want to keep the 2.5L engine in the '01, or go ahead and swap the Audi engine into it rather than the '99. I've had two problems develop:
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02/pump1564543528.jpg This engine had a failure of the water pump that put debris from the composite impeller into the cooling system. It was like that when I bought it in a cheap Boxster S and I eventually removed the engine because of it. I was hoping that a thorough flush of the engine would clear it. My theory is that a piece of debris is either causing a hot-spot in the engine making steam or keeping an air pocket in the system, which expands. My next (last?) attempt to resolve the cooling will be to replace the oil cooler. Venturi tube removed from intake: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c55054a5_c.jpg At first, I thought that the 1128 and 1130 DTCs were from using the intake and DME for the 2.7L engine with a 2.5L engine – too much air for the 2.5. Some reading showed that there are a variety of causes and cures for those codes, so I checked a few things. Oil cap and crank case vacuum were good. Next I looked for intake leaks. I found that the brake booster venturi line was starting to separate from the intake just before the throttle body allowing unmetered air in. I'm planning to remove the intake tubing and fix it or replace it. For the moment, I have the venturi hose and hole in the intake 'patched' with Gorilla Tape. I'll see if the codes come back. It takes about 50 miles of driving to get the codes to trigger. I really want to get moving on the Audi swap. I don't need have the actual swap car ready to get started. For fitting the engine, I have a parts car already that I can use to develop the engine support with. For wiring, I have charts and pin-outs for most of it already worked out. This week I plan to pull the harness off of the ABZ (1998 32-valve Audi V8) and splice on harness connections from a 2001 car that I stripped. That should allow me to work on the harness in air conditioned comfort, then just plug it in when I install the engine in the car. |
Here's some of the damage to the 2.7L engine I removed:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...eb1c4db2_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...878fb46f_c.jpg It looks to me like the front left (Bank 2, cylinder 4) rod broke and destroyed the piston, valves, and cylinder, or a big "D chunk" took it out. The rest of the engine looks good other than damage from debris and wear on the chain guides. |
I thought that I had much of the wire harness work done already, but when I started looking at the details from my previous work using an '03 Audi V8 I realized that almost none of it matched the '98 harness. The 2003 uses Bosch Motronic ver. 7.1 and the 1998 uses ver. 5.4.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...deef73bc_c.jpg Here's a problem: The transmission control module connector wired into the ABZ engine harness is different than the Porsche 986 Tiptronic connector. It looks the same and plugs in, but the wiring is different. The ABZ (1998) ECU and TCM do not use CAN at all. I had expected some problems with software/firmware, but this could lead me straight to transmission Limp Mode or physical damage to the TCM or transmission. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1565068998.jpg My plan is to re-wire the TCM connector on the Audi harness to be as close to the one in a 1999 Boxster as I can make it. There are some specific connections on the 1999 Boxster diagram that aren't included in the 2001, so I'm guessing that the '99 CAN bus carries less of the load. If I was running with a manual transmission, there would still be some quirks from the missing signals from the automatic transmission unless I chipped the ECU. Pricey, but effective. At best, running with the Tiptronic transmission, there will be some problems. My goal is to get it mostly functional and driveable even if it means using a few work-arounds to keep it out of Limp Mode. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0f563030_c.jpg I have two fall-back plans to keep the Boxster for the Challenge if this swap turns into a complete mess. One is to stay with the 2.5L engine and work on making the car as light as possible. The car is running decent right now and could do the Challenge -not competitively, but still fun. The other is to pull my 2003 Audi 4.2L engine out of another project, fit it into the $2,000 budget, and hope the CAN signals from that will work with the Boxster TCM and transmission – the wiring looks the same. |
After some thought and discussion, I realized that if I try to get the Audi swap working correctly with the Tiptronic, I will probably not have the car ready for the $2,000 Challenge in October. Running the car through an autocross and drag race in 4th gear limp mode would not be fun. Someone on the GRM forum mentioned nitrous oxide on the 2.5L. The engine may not survive, but the drag race is after the autocross, so I'm going to give it a try.
Summary of the current plan: The 2001 car is going to the Challenge with the 2.5L engine and a nitrous kit for the drag race. If the engine survives, it just means that I didn't give it "all she's got". Many of the nice parts that I take off the 2001 will go onto the 1999 - head and tail lights, top, Porsche crest heated leather seats after I replace the lower leather, and whatever else looks worthy. The Challenge car will be stripped down for weight loss, cheap aero mods installed and tested, and increased front camber. Additionally, some parts will be removed and replaced with ugly scrappy parts to work the budget as needed -trading fair market value of the parts 'off' for the actual cost of parts 'on'. I installed the oil cooler from the '98 Boxster (Free with $10 shipping - Thanks Jim) and adapter plate ($169.75 with O-rings, tax, and shipping). The upgrade a lot of people do to a Base model Boxster is to add the S model oil cooler. It's larger and more effective (why didn't Porsche just make it standard?). The '98 oil cooler is smaller than the one from the '97, so it's probably a slight downgrade. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...dbe86978_c.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...66e6d799_c.jpg Since the '97 engine has an air purge hose coming from the front of the engine and the newer oil cooler has a purge hose on the top, I merged the two together with a brass T ($3.89) and connected it to the coolant tank. This car has some issues with the central locking system. The windows don't drop slightly when the doors are opened, sometimes the interior lights stay on after the doors are closed, and the key would not lock or unlock the doors.The Central Locking System Module under the driver's seat looks good and pristine. The driver's door latch mechanism was damaged/worn, so I rebuilt it. The lock mechanism in the door handle had two broken tabs that prevented it from unlocking the door. I fixed it all with parts from my stash, but the door repairs don't directly count on my budget. I will be trading the doors with stripped out doors from another car. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...37fed7b0_c.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ab3cb8ab_c.jpg I've been keeping receipts and looking at prices for eBay 'Solds' to track fair market value for trades and budget recoup. It's all scattered across 2 PCs, my phone, and an external drive. I need to consolidate it all and put it in a spreadsheet before it becomes any more of a mess. |
Here's a last look at the car while it's still looking pretty. Anything of value or significant weight that isn't needed to keep the car roadworthy or quick through an autocross course is being considered for removal.
Video: https://youtu.be/qe0kEi1lWYo |
The car looks great!
That V-8 swap would have been nice. ;) |
It's lovely!
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I started taking excess weight off the car. When I drove it this evening it felt a lot quicker and lighter, but it's probably my imagination. I weighed some stuff as I took it off:
Clamshell: 16 lbs Convertible top: 37 lbs Seats: 46 lbs each Misc interior (rear shelf, center console, misc plastics, rear carpets, stereo...): 37 lbs Doors: 75 lbs ea (added in Stripped out door with window 57 lbs) net loss: 18 lbs ea Spoiler mechanism: 7 lbs Convertible Top motor & transmissions: 10 lbs Rear Bumper: 12 lbs Bumperettes: 1 lb ea There's still plenty more to go. I had thought of cutting back the dashboard, but after pulling it out of my parts car it really didn't have much weight. The weight there comes from the HVAC system and bracing behind the dash. The bracing is good for safety and stiffening the chassis. The AC in this car is working great and still very useful, so for now, it's staying. For the Challenge, I may just put on an AC delete belt to bypass the compressor. For now, I have a hardtop on it to keep the weather out. I may build a hardtop shell for the Challenge. There's a lot of drag with the top completely removed. https://live.staticflickr.com/2085/3...aa020924_c.jpgPorsche boxster 986-topless - Turbulence Energy by GT Collection, on Flickr Swapping doors: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...bb6bc751_c.jpg My total cash found in the car was $9.30: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...24a1c18c_c.jpg |
I get having ac for a car you're driving a lot but I think for this car you should ditch it. At best it's only needed for 4 months of the year and most racing around here doesn't happen during summer. Sure ac is nice but I think the weight savings is worth the sacrifice.
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Woody is right about getting rid of the AC. I need to quit thinking of this car as having other purposes and just commit to making it into a car for the $2,000 Challenge and whatever else looks fun after that - I have plenty of cars to drive on the street with AC. |
Without the AC and condensers, I'm probably going to go with a single inboard radiator rather than the pair in front of the wheels. I have a Toyota radiator that fits the space well. For budget, the Toyota radiator was $40 at a junkyard with the fan and the Boxster radiator unit plus shroud is about $200 'fair market value' per side. That nets me $360 more to spend.
I have a damaged front bumper and frunk lid I can alter as needed for air flow and keep the good ones from the car for future use (and more net budget value in trade). https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c30c7997_c.jpg I just picked up a used racing seat from a circle track car. $60 and weighs about 17 lbs with the cover. I just washed about 5 lbs of circle track off of it: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4a02f2d8_c.jpg How should I mount that thing?? Bolt it to Boxster seat rails? Use the mount from my Sparco seat? Is there a fabrication DIY somewhere? I never looked into it before, what do people do? |
Here's how the seat went in...
I was hoping someone would post some simple instructions I could follow, but you gave me Nothing. I did a quick internet search and looked thru my junk pile. Here's what I came up with: Stripped a seat base from storage down to the rails and bolted on some cut pieces of slotted angle iron (1-1/2 x48" ) cut to 5" lengths. I would have preferred U-channel, or box, but this was the best choice for local availability and budget. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...10e75b3b_c.jpg Bolt right seatbelt through angle iron. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...3367ff4d_c.jpg Bolt a flat plate to the slotted angle iron. This piece came from a scrapped flat panel TV mount. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4295b8ab_c.jpg Drill holes in seat and mount to flat plate. I bolted through the seat and plate to the rails. The other holes were in the seat from the previous owner's install. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ab00c60b_c.jpg Covered with the harness installed. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b1d74cc0_c.jpg ***Note: This car is being built for an event with a $2,000 budget limit and for my own entertainment. Do not try this on your own car without first consulting a competent mechanic and some YouTube videos. |
Hm, i don't like this seat "brackets". You need something much more sturdy. This is safety relevant. In case of an accident your seat will fly with you through the front window. I know it's a budget build, but don't do safety relevant things like seat brackets on a no budget attempt.
Regards, Markus |
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http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1567776522.jpg The thickness and strength of the steel angle iron is comparable to the original seat frame and I have it doubled together in the vertical axis. The shoulder harness straps are secured to the roll bar. The lap belt is secured the same as the stock seat belt - left side bolted to the frame, below and aft of the door and only the right side bolted to the seat rail. I considered moving the right side belt mount to the frame, but decided that it would be best to stay with the original mounting as designed by Porsche (using a bolt and spacer from an Audi seat belt). If the seat and I fly through the front window, we will take the roll bar, door frame, and seat rail with us. |
Those brackets won't win a beauty contest, but I think they'll hold. If anything I would add another bolt or two to each vertical part. I also think you need to add another fan to the radiator. I'm running into cooling issues with my radiator set up. Your radiator is larger than the one I have but our fans look to be the same size. My car overheats if you try racing in over 90 degree day's. I just switched to an electric water pump but I'm not sure it helped.
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Plans have changed a lot since I started this thread. This was going to be about restoring the black 2001 car and making the silver '99 into a car for the $2000 Challenge. Now, I've ripped apart the 2001 car and barely done anything the the '99. I'll probably post a couple updates as I finish running the car in the $2,000 Challenge, then start a new build thread for it.
Here's an update: Seat. The seat isn't really a big concern. I have lots of them. The reason for the aluminum race seat is so that I can properly mount a 5 or 6 point harness. Boxster seats and the Sparco seat I have don't have the hole for the mid-strap. I don't need the race harness, but want to have it available. At the moment there's a partially burned Savannah Beige seat in there - easy to work around. 2.5L Engine. The engine runs great, but still whenever I run it hard - sustained over 4k rpm, the coolant tank over-pressurizes and vents coolant. This engine needs to be put out of my misery. I plan to kill it in the drag race after I get a base run for points. I have installed a nitrous oxide system in the car that will give it up to a 150 wet shot. I expect I'll need some kitty litter. Hopefully I don't need to use the fire extinguisher, but I'll be wearing Nomex coveralls, an SFI jacket, and have the extinguisher within reach. Cooling. The radiator units in a 986 weigh about 18 lbs each. They are out. I put a Toyota Corolla unit in the frunk that weighs about 12 lbs. Hoses thru the side-wall. Original fan harness tapped with a manual switch off the high speed fan relay. Cut bumper cover, holes drilled in the frunk and louvers in the hood. It's kind of ugly, but it doesn't need the fan at idle and cools well when driving. I'm going to have a bottle to catch the venting coolant rather than draining it by the right rear wheel. https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/p...ke_mmthumb.jpg Body. I started making a custom front bumper for it using trashed bumpers and construction foam. It wasn't going well, so I just went back to the original bumper cover and cut a big hole for airflow. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b11d6136_c.jpg https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/p...ut_mmthumb.jpg There's a partial hard top that I made from an aluminum Audi A8 hood and a convertible frame. Keeps the sun and rain off and should make better aero than topless. It can easily be removed. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1570747755.jpg The rear bumper is cut out at the bumperettes and the spoiler cap is riveted to a curved plastic 'fixed spoiler' cut from a scrap Jetta bumper. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02/rear1570748019.jpg Interior. Most of the carpet is stripped out. HVAC stuff is all gone. I kept most of the wiring intact and bundled the ends. Half the dash from my burned parts car to hold the instruments and add a little 'comfort'. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02/dash1570748468.jpg There's still a lot of work to do and two weeks left until the competition. Hopefully it all holds together through the first drag run. V8 swap is planned for a winter project. |
I somehow missed this thread! I have some real concerns about the way you mounted the seat, 78F350. The brackets you are using may feel fine, but if you hit something laterally, they fold over and the seat will end up moving a lot, possibly enough that the belts wouldn't do a good job of restraining you in the seat.
Will the only event you'll be doing is the drag strip and autocross? If so, your brackets may adequate, but if you are going to do any other kind of competition, I'd make something a lot safer. You also need to make a brace that attaches on the seat back and goes to the chassis of the car so the seat won't bend as easily. In a real wreck the seat WILL bend. In any kind of real competition, that brace is a required item. And one other thing - that seat is going to break your ribs at the very least if you hit something, because there is nothing to hold your shoulders in place. Everything above your ribcage will keep moving when the car stops suddenly; the seat hold your lower body in place, but everything above that keeps moving and your ribs break, and you could even have internal injuries. I'm telling you this because I had a similar aluminum seat in my Spec Miata, and when I hit a wall laterally, my ribs broke, and my insides felt like I had been run over by a semi-truck. The seat was actually bent towards the center of the car about three inches. My seat was bolted right to the floor with a large sandwich plate the kept the bottom of the seat from going anywhere. I'm guessing your brackets would easily fold completely over or even tear, and that might allow the seat to move an unacceptable amount. It's really cool that you are tackling this, but I really would like you to re-consider how you've got the seat mounted. I learned a very painful lesson, and just wanted to pass the wisdom I gained on to you! |
That's great info. Thanks for posting. After reading it, I looked up some details at the manufacturer's page. At this point I plan to use a standard seat and seatbelt for the autocross portion and the initial drag race run. If the nitrous oxide drag runs look like they'll run in the mid 13s or lower, I may use the race seat bolted directly to the floor and rollbar. I expect that before this engine runs the car into low 13s it will make smoke and a rattling noise, then grind to a stop.
:cheers: |
The 2019 $2000 Challenge is complete. I placed 18th out of 57 cars that made it through scoring. I had a great time and learned a lot. With the V8 installed next year I think this car can truly be competitive.
I didn't push the 2.5L engine to the breaking point, but I could tell it was weakening. After every run, it needed to cool down for 20-30 minutes to de-pressurize and refill the coolant tank. On my first drag run with the car floored the whole way, running to a 7k redline, it only got a 16.1 1/4 mile. With a 50 shot of nitrous it did 14.6 with the Tiptronic shifting at 8k rpm. The 150 shot would have been glorious, but I was worn out from a long day. My wife convinced me to let the engine live and we called it a night. Later this week I'll detail the modifications to the car, to wrap this up as a 'build thread'. I'll post the build for next year under a new title. Here's a few pics from the Challenge. Prep in the paddock: http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1572280116.jpg Topping coolant. Extra plastic tank (Audi) catches the drainage. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1572280168.jpg Tight corner in the autocross. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02/on31572280362.jpg Danny Shields completing a run in my car. Great to get feedback from a pro driver. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1572280481.jpg |
A few mod details.
I got rid of the heavy stock muffler and welded some pieces cut from a scrapped exhaust onto the 'C' pipes. I would have deleted the cats too, but considering the value vs the time available, I left them. It sounds great at high revs, but not too loud at idle. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1572449863.jpg For the single radiator, I cut the fork out of the long tubes and used hose to join the elbow on. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1572449973.jpg I had a problem with the Toyota radiator. The engine I have over-pressurizes the cooling system and the radiator cap was a weak point that leaked. I went to a single stock radiator. The way I have the radiator positioned it has good, direct airflow without bends and restrictions. The temp stayed on the '8' in 180, but I still lost coolant from the pressure relief valve in the tank. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1572450298.jpg I installed a lawnmower battery in the stock position with 3/8 rod to tie it down. It worked great, was light weight, and cost about $25. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1572450514.jpg The nitrous oxide system from Nitrous Express, was easy to install and worked great. Nitrous tank in the trunk and fuel from the fitting on the fuel rail. I had ordered a system with a mechanical wide-open-throttle switch, but they sent one that works 'fly-by-wire' with the throttle position sensor. The 'shark fin' fit perfectly where I removed the brake booster venturi from the intake tube. I may take the car to the drag strip in Tulsa and do some progressively stronger runs to finish off the engine. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1572450931.jpg |
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Dimple those circular holes in the front of the trunk under the bumper cover. That'll add some rigidity by adding more planes. Buddy of mine showed me that.
I'm in the same boat as you. I just got a $1500 boxster. But I'm no racer I just like a good sorted car. |
I ran this car in "HooptieX Oklahoma" last year. Had a great time.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...dab25d46_b.jpg Ripped off the rear bumper somewhere in a spin and seized the engine after about four runs. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4dab4d0c_b.jpg Now a year later, I'm putting a 2.7L back in it. I hope to have it done in time for a Rallycross race on Sunday. I always forget something when I drop an engine. This time it was the connector for the engine compartment fan and the MAF sensor connector. That's why I always lower is a couple inches at a time and keep checking for anything not right. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02/drop1660949066.jpg |
I always forget something too. For me it's usually the ground cable. Let us know how the race goes
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The good news is that now I can finish putting it all together at a relaxed pace and run it for a while on the road before I race it. The next Rallycross in the area is Aug 28th with the SCCA. I'm scheduled for work, but think I might be feeling sick that day.... |
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There was a lot more work to do after installing the engine. I shouldn't have been surprised.
One of the CV boots had a crack - not all the way through. I thought it would be good for a couple months, but cracked the rest of the way and slung grease on the wheel. I replaced both axles after that and will re-boot the old ones later. The single radiator that I had installed was barely adequate, so I put a larger custom radiator in. while I was checking it out the frunk latch broke - both normal and emergency release. After about an hour, I managed to poke a screwdriver in just the right spot to get it open. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...528cfdcb_b.jpg The stock exhaust is too heavy and I didn't have time to order anything special. I cut the secondary cats off and tacked some scrap together to make a not quite straight pipe exhaust. Good enough for RallyX runs, but too loud for a long drive on the street. The lower edge of the bumper was unsupported and it departed the car on my second run. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1663002717.jpg At this venue in a farm field, the fast cars were running on snow tires or rally tires imported from Europe. I was running on big 18" wheels with street tires. I may explore getting 15" wheels and tires to fit. I know I can do the rear, but the front will need smaller calipers. http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1663003057.jpg I have a lot to learn about driving and racing. This car still performs better than my ability to drive it. Next year I plan to have Woody's old car prepared and ready to actually compete. |
The next big thing for this car is the 'Gambler 500 Mexico' Rally. Not a race, more of an off-road tour in the Big Bend Region of Texas and Mexico.
Planning on 30" tires, 1" to 2" lift at the struts, armored undercarriage, recovery winch, No AC :eek:, light bar on the roof, and maybe a trailer. Just getting started... https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ea98b0bf_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...703c4512_b.jpg Currently sorting through a pile of struts and springs to see what works best. |
You're getting into Mad Max territory.
I'm digging it! :cheers: |
Must be a lot of fun to drive. I wonder how the big wheels alter the handling. Not that it matters, just curious :)
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