Top 10 Carrera upgrade suggestions

[teachkenpo]

Hi, Quite some time back I got some great advice here on restoring and painting my 66 coupe light ivory. I have been driving it for the last 2 years and loving every minute of it. It is loud and raw and it gives me 100 smiles per mile. I also have a 68 912 and a 76 914 that I am slowly making progress on. I guess the progress hasn't been fast enough because a few days ago for some unexplainable reason, I bought a 87 Targa with 64,000 miles in very stock and mint condition. The problem is that it is so refined and modern that I am just not sure how to relate to this "new" car. Gone are the carbs and the throaty rumble. This new car just kinda purrs. What should I do? Can some of you more experienced 3.2 owners suggest the top 10 things I should do rough this baby up? I have no experience with these modern new-fangled cars. I mean this thing is just barely 20 years old. I have tried to read up on bypass this and chip that, but as I learned a few years ago, asking questions on Pelican Parts saves time and solves problems fast. So, If you just bought this car, what are the Top Ten things you would do.
Thanks,
John

[JackMan]

Things I have done, my top ten, in no particular order, assuming all deferred maintenance issues have been addressed:

1. Buy and read Wayne's books. How to rebuild and 101 projects. There is a wealth of information in these books and will give you the direction to your upgrade projects.
2. Take the time to plan out your upgrade system/projects or risk wasting money.
3. Turbo tie rods
4. Steve Wong chip
5. Back date the heating system to pre 73 with SSIs
6. Front strut tower brace
7. Braided steel brake lines and performance brake fluid
8. Good wash/wax/clean exterior vinyl bits with Back to Black
9. Upgrade to H4s with high watt bulbs and install relays to handle the juice
10. Read Pelican Parts BBS for 6 months before doing any upgrade

As you are aware, before doing any of the above, get on the slippery slope and assume the position.

WJ

[johndglynn]

I would try to get some weight off it and backdate the exhaust and the heat. Lots of guys don't rate turbo tie rods but I like them.

Have it corner balanced on euro heights and get some sticky tyres on. Dyno run it to make sure the AFRs are all good and no intake leaks, refurb the injectors, maybe remap it if you have someone good in your area and you're pretty much done. Or at least if it was my car I'd be done (I think).

[JackMan]

Yeah, how could I forget an obvious one, re-index the torsion bars, i.e. lower the car to eurospec height.

wj

[s5uewf]

replace the heat exchangers with 993 heat exchangers and get custom exhaust, along with chip.

replace cams with 964 cams or 20/21 cams.

remove A/C and move battery to smuggler's box. replace battery with Miata or other small battery.

remove spare tire and jack and replace with spare in a can.

remove auxiliary blower on engine and all ducting. perform jumper hack to allow footwell blowers to still work.

replace engine and trans mounts with wevo or pelican semi solid mounts.

replace bushings with elephant racing poly bronze while upgrading t bars and re indexing.

remove rear seat backs

have fun with faster, lighter car.

[Bill Verburg]

If it's very stock and you intend to use it for mostly street/dd and you intend to sell it.

Keep it mostly stock!

Some small things that Porsche should have done any way and are reversible are ok
7 & 9 x16 wheels
Bilstein shocks
lower/corner balance w/ a good street alignment
sport seats
euro cat by pass
maybe f/r spoilers

[JMatta]

Bill's advice is the best that could be given. You have many other cars to tinker with...why molest a good, original stock car?

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by JMatta

Bill's advice is the best that could be given. You have many other cars to tinker with...why molest a good, original stock car?

I'm not going to argue with Bill...but here's my take. The stock Carreras are 20+ years old, and are FAT PIGS!. Therefore, here's a bit of what I've done (I haven't read the whold thread, so I'm sure some is a repeat), in no particular order. I love my car like it is now, wouldn't change a thing, and don't intend to ever sell her :

Bilsteins HDs/Sports
22/29 Torsion Bars
Elephant polybronze bearings all around
Rennline Monoballs & Triangulated strut brace
Lowered to euro height
Steve Wong chip w/ Fabspeed premuffler & GHL 1in/1 out
Backdated heat
Removed A/C system
Lightened by 150+ lbs
930 calipers / rotors / MC

[mhackney]

I'll offer 1 - update your signature!

[KFC911]

Good advice...everything else is gonna co$t ya

[Barrpete]

Even if you're keeping it stock here's a couple basic things you should do:
1. Electrical fixes: install headlight relays, dash light fuse, front AC condensor fan fuse.
2. Check the 'Carrera' fuel lines to the fuel rails which are prone to leak after 20+ yrs. There's several threads on this.

[yelcab1]

Upgrade it by making it a "Super Carrera"

Flame suit on!

[911st]

Clearly decide you goals for the car.

Cruser, GT cruser, back road blaster, track junkie.

I belive the best investment for power is the cat bypass and modified muffler with one tip added to right side. The comprimize is it will be louder.

I do not belive the SSI conversion makes for any more power in the 4k to red line over a bypass set up. It may offer a bit better response around 2500rpm and sound better. On the other hand, I have seen a chart that showed a bypass w sport muffler equalied the HP of a SSI with sport muffler.

Before you chip, get your mods setteled and any maintance ( fuel filter, air filter, valves, injectors ballanced and cleaned etc).

If you want more of the Porsche experance you can whole your air filter cover (not me) but we don't expenct any extra power, just more Porsche sound.

Only after motor is in good tune and modified the way you want, then I would order a SW chip with the custom chip option. Install and have the car dyno'd to check the A/F ratios (as noted above) then have Steve adjust it to fit your car.

My big reason for this is the stock air flow meter dose not mesure air flow well above about 5k rpm. Thus, there is a chance the tuned chip my not have the right fueling for your car. The factory chip I think runs rich up top and possable insurance but should be checked also. The 87 was not a bad chip to start with. My off the shelf chip was to lean in that area.

If you want to go all out, look at the Mass Air Flow kit at around $2500. Wow!

Now the motor is at it's best.

The 87 has the biger rear torsion bars and larger sway bars ft & rr.

Check your rear arms to see if it is still close to center or if the bushings are failing. Inspect the front A-arms to see if they are saging but I would not think so with the low miles on your car.

If saging, concider rubber Netrix replacement bushing in the rear. If you are going to make it a race car, then go with the PB's.

To me the best value opertunity is to have the car set to euro height (may add stearing rack spacer kit), replace shocks with HD's (Sports if you like it stiffer) and have it corner ballanced and aligned by somone that it good at it.

How old are the tires, if you are a driver, replace if older than 2 years.

Tires are the best handling bang for buck, followed by a performance alinment.

Tires & compentant suspention adjustment, and a compentant driver is all the 86 and older Carreras really need. If you are going to track it, big springs, bushings etc will help some.

Or if you are going to slam it you need big springs.

Replace your brake lines with new stock rubber's and flush with good hi temp fluid. Put a good pad on it. If you are going to track it, remove the brake shields and add cooling like ducting and or 993 deflectors.

A/C if you keep it (maintains value of car) there are some up dates. Mostly make sure your receiver dryer is good, every thing is clean and charged. There are mods that can be made.

This is just personal, don't put a spoiler on a Targa. For me, they look unique and wonderfull. A rear spoiler, well, just spoiles the lines.

Happy trails!!

[DCinVA]

One more electrical: Add fuses to the footwell blowers.

[gtc]

Heh, I prefer Targas with spoilers.

#1: Steve Wong chip
#2-10: ?
For what it's worth, I didn't notice much difference when I put my strut brace and body brace in. I left them in since they look cool and can't be hurting anything.
Edit: I have headers now... they are sweet!

[Porsche_911s]

Before you upgrade or change, find another pcar that has the upgrade and test drive their's first.

[dw1]

I also started with a stock '87, with approximately 64K miles..

So far:
SW chip
Fabspeed pre-muffler
Dansk 1-in-2-out
Revised rear bumper (removed bumperettes)
Euro ride height
Bump steer spacers

And lots of other cosmetic items (trunk carpet, radio, removal of original "handset type" mobile phone, etc.)

The car will never have the "tossable" feel of the old cars, but by far the biggest bang for the buck is replacing the cat with the premuffler & the SW chip.

I am also extremely careful to be sure that any changes do not prevent the car from being easily changed back to 100% original, including keeping the old parts (like the original radio).

[EarlyPorsche]

If you have a 66 you really dont even need the Carrera. I would sell it.

No matter what anyone here tells you, don't make too many drastic changes to the 66 911 or 912. Those are like gold. In short time they will be an easy trade for a full childs college education.

[RWebb]

ini that vein, my top 10 mod to a Carrera would be to sell off the shell and interior (keep any manual seats) and install manual seats, brakes, suspension and motor/trans. into an early car. Bingo - hotrod!

[tcar]

Please do NOT molest the early cars. Please don't do it.

JMO.