996 tt front cut question

oz 930 turbo · 06-14-2015, 03:40 AM

Hi all, hope I'm not making a fool of myself asking this question. I have a 996tt that has substantial front damage, I have located a very reasonable and great condition 996 carrera front cut. Big question is I know the 996tt is based on the four wheel drive carrera platform but the front cut I have access to a standard 996 carrera.
Is this likely to cause any major issues during the rebuild?
Any pointers or advise much appreciated.

Matt Monson · 06-14-2015, 04:43 AM

I don't think it will have a tunnel for your awd.

stevemfr · 06-17-2015, 04:26 AM

While I am no 996/7 expert, I have done work on the 996 shell and am converting a 6tt to 7GT2.

Matt is correct with the tunnel - but that is not what I would worry about with a project like this. The 996/7 platform is not to be compared to the earlier 911 platforms (or earlier cars in general). There are large differences in the complexities of the stampings, their composition (heat treatment, etc), and their assembly. It is not a case of drilling spot welds and reassembling everything on a body jig: you will not end up with a chassis that offers nearly the same strength or rigidity.

Call body shops experienced in Porsche repairs and ask their advice and google the 996 shop manuals (they can be found as a free dl) - there is a good section in performing body repairs.

TBH, to do it right, you are probably better off finding a C4 or tt shell with minor, non-structural body damage and re-bodying. And you mention the cost of the clip: if you are somewhat handy and have a little experience, you can potentially save money by doing a lot of the re-bodying work yourself. Otherwise, just find a good tt. They are not that expensive and you will likely not save terribly much in the long run.