New 986 Owner

[Eric-986]

Hello!

New owner of a 1999 986 project car, the official worst Porsche to buy, the $800 project Porsche! My son (14) convinced me we needed it......

It has 240k miles with a hole in the case where a chain tried to get out.

This will be the weekend/autox project, while my 987.2 PDK Cayman is the "daily driver".

Currently working slowly to drop the engine out, and put a used 79k mile engine in.

Looking forward to being an active member of this forum.

For perspective, my 987.2 replaced a 90 964, which replaced a 90 944S2 which replaced an 87 951.

Gratuitous picture of it after the tow truck delivered it.

-Eric

[Starter986]

Welcome! Car looks great... straight.

That you have a young son who will help is awesome! Enjoy it!

See you around!

[Racer Boy]

Congratulations! These are fun cars, and are excellent for autocrossing. Hopefully things will work out so that your son can get to drive it in a performance setting, so he can learn some car control skills.

[maytag]

Welcome!
Hard to go wrong with an $800 boxster! Especially when you are a DIY-er and have AUTO-X as the goal.
You and your son will definitely enjoy that project.

I take it you've already sourced your replacement motor?

[Racer Boy]

BTW, you might want to go over the suspension (another fun project with your son!!!), the front looks really low. A previous owner may have lowered it in a poorly executed way.

[Eric-986]

I spent a few hours separating the rear wheels from the hubs, and I haven't gotten brave enough to take the mallet to the car again, but agreed, something isn't quite right in the front. The Boxster has been in New England since new, and while the body is rust free, the exhaust hardware and wheel hubs have taken serious effort to take apart.

Suspension work on the Boxster can't be worse than the Cayman (rear interior needs to be removed to get to the top of the rear suspension, lots of hidden clips and fragile plastic)! Or can it?

An hour away there is a "car recycler" that delivered the replacement engine, 79k miles and a year warrantee.

The pic is of the Cayman after the post purchase drive from Chicago to Boston.......

[Eric-986]

Racer Boy, you will never guess what I found when I was starting to replace the rotors in front...... both front springs were missing the bottom coil........ So, wheel bearings, rotors, pads, AND springs.....

Thanks for pointing it out.....

-Eric