Bumper opinions

[RedTele58]

They both look like a catfish swimming along the bottom of a pond looking for garbage.

No. Please, just no.

Find a 996.1 front cover or a 986.1 aerokit bumper cover.

But no - both of those are hugely out of proportion for a 986.

[Johnny 5]

Originally Posted by RedTele58

They both look like a catfish swimming along the bottom of a pond looking for garbage.

No. Please, just no.

Find a 996.1 front cover or a 986.1 aerokit bumper cover.

But no - both of those are hugely out of proportion for a 986.

What he said that would be my choice!

[azlvr]

Thank you for the opinions they are interesting and surprising.

I'm a big fan of keeping my 01S as OEM as possible but I've become bored of the mid 90's designed front bumper. I wanted to bring it more into the current world. Both bumpers are copies of a very high end German manufacturer called Techart their poly bumpers are 5K+ and are updates of current OEM bumpers of the day. All the OEM 986/996 bumpers suggested all have the same problem that look like they were designed in the 90's and are similar to original and boring. I'm looking for something that looks more updated like JBAUER and TTGATOR have done but don't like the quality of those but design is good. I recently purchased Aero II rockers, new steering wheel and am waiting on Fabspeed Maxflo exhaust right now so my stock 01S will no longer be stock.

After spending 25+ years in So.Cal. this look is very normal and stock would not even get a look.

[JBauer]

Originally Posted by azlvr

Thank you for the opinions they are interesting and surprising.

I'm a big fan of keeping my 01S as OEM as possible but I've become bored of the mid 90's designed front bumper. I wanted to bring it more into the current world. Both bumpers are copies of a very high end German manufacturer called Techart their poly bumpers are 5K+ and are updates of current OEM bumpers of the day. All the OEM 986/996 bumpers suggested all have the same problem that look like they were designed in the 90's and are similar to original and boring. I'm looking for something that looks more updated like JBAUER and TTGATOR have done but don't like the quality of those but design is good. I recently purchased Aero II rockers, new steering wheel and am waiting on Fabspeed Maxflo exhaust right now so my stock 01S will no longer be stock.

After spending 25+ years in So.Cal. this look is very normal and stock would not even get a look.

Why would you question the quality if you've not had one? They're quality is fine.

[azlvr]

Originally Posted by JBauer

Why would you question the quality if you've not had one? They're quality is fine.

Watched Gator's video.

[JBauer]

Originally Posted by azlvr

Watched Gator's video.

I have, he got a bad one, they sent him a new one, it fit fine. It's a $600 bumper. Mine fits fine.

[MrBen]

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Those manta ray examples look hideous to me. Wrong bumper for this car. People go to California because they think the weather is always nice. If you want to get into car design Detroit is where it’s at

[RedTele58]

azlvr - if you're wanting to go with the front end that you want, this is the way to do it. I've said here several times before, and a year or so ago I nominated it to the Pelican best build contest - this is the best looking build on the 986 board and it has the exact front cover that you're looking at.

I'm not saying the bumper cover looks bad - it's a very good look - it just has to be in proportion to the rest of the car. JBauer has put countless hours into his car since he first posted about it 4-5 years ago. And he's also posted numerous trial/error pictures of things that he tried that just didn't have the right look. The Z-top adds balance to the rear of the car so the front bumper isn't overpowering the rest of the car and he's changed the look of the headlights so they blend into the flow and the lines of the front cover. Even the larger "987 look" intake vents help add the proper balance to the car drawing your eye towards the rear and a more balanced look.

Watching this car built over the past years has been a lesson in how to do something the right way. Everything he's done here has a very "factory OEM" look to it. All the things that I don't like on a stock 986 - the big front bumper, 19" wheels, the turn signals down low, etc are absolutely perfect looking here. The reason it all looks perfect is because the entire car is in balance, and it took a lot of trial/error for it to look this way.

So again, I'm not dogging you - I promise. I'm just saying this GT2-type cover isn't the right look on a standard looking 986. The car has to look in balance, and JBauer is the only guy I've seen do it right. And he did it most awesomely!

[azlvr]

Originally Posted by RedTele58

They both look like a catfish swimming along the bottom of a pond looking for garbage.

No. Please, just no.

Find a 996.1 front cover or a 986.1 aerokit bumper cover.

But no - both of those are hugely out of proportion for a 986.

That's a good looking catfish

[RedTele58]

Originally Posted by azlvr

That's a good looking catfish

Yes it is. It's also not a 986 catfish.

It's a completely different look on a larger, more proportioned car with different headlights.

I don't dislike the look on a bigger car that can take the proportions of a larger, more open front grill area. It's to my eye all out of proportion on the smaller, curvier profile of the 986.

I'm not taking a personal swipe at you - honest, so please don't take it that way. it's just to my eye the two front ends don't look right on a 90's era (smaller, curvier) Boxster. I'm sure they would look completely different on a 981 or maybe even a 987.

Reading your other post, I understand what you're wanting to do in upgrading your car to a more modern look. I just don't think the larger, sharper, more angular, open grill look of those front bumper covers fit either the proportion, or the softer, curvier look of the 986.

I'll go out on a ledge here and probably get smacked by a few guys (fair enough), but I see too many cars that folks start adding modern looking lights, 19" wheels, and other tomfoolery to that really distract from the simpler look of the 986. You can't just tack on a bunch of aftermarket crap and think you've made your car look more modern. You've all seen a 60 year old woman dress like she's 20 - it's usually a walking disaster.

I like the look of the rear diffuser, the side skirts and (depending on which one) an aftermarket rear spoiler. I just don't think these particular front bumper covers are the best looking option for the 986.

But I'm in the middle of building my little Outlaw Boxster that I have no doubt will receive some scorn from a few folks when I have it complete and "unveiled" this fall. Right now I'm trying to figure out how to "marry" Boxster Red and Metropole Blue together in the interior. The colors work, but it's not as simple as pulling some blue pieces and putting red pieces in their place. There's a lot more to making it blend. Same with those front bumper covers, you can't just tack one of them on a 986 and think you have a modern looking car.

But, like others have said, "it's your car, build it your way. Because in the end, it's your $ and hard work, and you're the only one that has to like it."

Just make sure you post up pictures when you're done with the build.

[paulofto]

What RedTele said.

Can you imagine what the 993 crowd would say if someone did this sort of thing to one of their classics.

[alansdavid]

Originally Posted by paulofto

What RedTele said.



Can you imagine what the 993 crowd would say if someone did this sort of thing to one of their classics.

They have you in an econobox quickly


Sent from my SM-G991U1 using Tapatalk

[JBauer]

Originally Posted by paulofto

What RedTele said.

Can you imagine what the 993 crowd would say if someone did this sort of thing to one of their classics.

Jeez it's a 986 is not a 993. Although most of the posts on this thread act like they are. ��

[paulofto]

Originally Posted by JBauer

Jeez it's a 986 is not a 993. Although most of the posts on this thread act like they are. ��

And according to Porsche they are both classics

Other than only a few being made and it being the last air cooled 911, there is nothing inherently special about a 993. The 986 and 996 saved Porsche. The 993 almost bankrupted them.

[JBauer]

Originally Posted by paulofto

And according to Porsche they are both classics

Other than only a few being made and it being the last air cooled 911, there is nothing inherently special about a 993. The 986 and 996 saved Porsche. The 993 almost bankrupted them.

Maybe but a 993s are valuable, 986s are pretty much cheap used cars. Modifications on a 986s are a cheap fun way to personalize your car. Most can be easily reversed.