Whats the best performance gain for the buck on a 3.2?

[Hoegenauer]

I am unfortunately not a guy with unlimited funds, but I have go fast envy of some of you who have done amazing things with your cars. What is the best bang for the buck in improvement for my '85 3.2 Targa. It is completely stock at this point. It was a basket case that is now running reasonably well (though it may need a clutch soon as it chatters a tiny bit grabbing first).

After 3 years of tinkering with a car that was bought locally off of ebay - not running and in various pieces - I am having a blast...but it is time to have vision for the future and something to work towards.

So, your suggestions (and why) if you care to elaborate. Exhaust, Cat bypass, SW chip, air box, turbo, supercharger, ?

I like (or think I would like) the simplicity of a supercharger some day, but they seem to be hard to come by and pricey. Turbo is easier to come by - but there seems to be a forum dedicated to the problems that lie within...

Every day I look at the Peli-classifieds but not sure where best to try and "jump in".

Thank you (and happy holidays)

[Arne2]

Everything I've seen would indicate that a chip w/cat bypass is the best for minimal investment. I know that my car is very responsive with those two items, although they were on the car when I bought it, so I have no personal experience of my car in stock form.

[DonDavis]

Tires, corner balance and alignment, and seat time at a DE. Replacing the shift knob and/or steering wheel is a good thing, too. Changing the things you touch every time you drive has an immediate impact. A LOT of seat time at the track will radically enhance your driving experience. The car has a few years on it and freshening up the stock stuff can surprise you. There's no need to jump the gun and throw money at engines upgrades if the car, in it's stock form, can out-drive you.

These are easy, affordable tasks that will also teach you more about the car and it's abilities.

Good luck!

[masterdave]

I would say chip / exhaust, it will give you more HP quite easily. As for the super charger, I would opt turbo for these cars. The conversion will be much easier in my mind. The issue with a super charger as im sure you know, it has to be powered from the crank shaft. The optimal place on these cars for a super charger would be right where the fan is. The nice thing about a turbo is you have some flexibility when it comes to mounting it and so many people have put them on that I would imagine there is more info related to the mater.
As for other up grades, keep you pugs/distributor rotor and cap/air filter fresh. I also agree that there is nothing that will replace time on a track. Learning to shift faster/more accurately can add seconds. I know in my 78SC with the 915 I lose a lot of time because I shift very slow from 1st to 2nd. I have how ever noticed that since i have owned the car for a while and gotten a feel for matching the RMP's for the shift, i have been able to shift much quicker.
If you are looking to take corners faster consider doing some suspension work as well. If you want to keep it stock, you may want to check you bushings and torsion rods and consider replacing them depending on the shape they are in. If you are looking to upgrade you may want to look at some of the coil over options available.

Regards
Dave

[DRACO A5OG]

IMHO, in order of Least Cost, assuming you DIY.

For Horse Power:

1. Lose some weight, simple but effective, lighter she is the faster she will go

2. If you have the OEM Air Box, cut open the Air Box cover, if you want to keep or go back OEM then find one at the salvage yard and cut it out. It will give you about 5 HPs, on the cheap.

3. Cat By-Pass, Used Burch is the least expensive, it will give you a bit more HP on the top end, but you may lose some low end.

4. Keep the valves properly adjusted every 12-15K miles, for heavy use like DE's a bit earlier, Properly adjust valve will maintain HPs

5. Steve Wong, Chip used if you can find it, if not save for one

From here slope gets very slippery.

Again this is my 2 cents and what I would do if I had to start again.

[CT Mike]

Did you replace suspension bushings when putting your car back together?

[porschenut]

You asked for best performance gain for the buck ----

weight loss, hands down. It doesn't cost a single buck and has a big effect on handling and responsiveness.

As far as things you buy, SW chip/exhaust. Tires and alignment are a very close second.

[ivangene]

hurry these wont last the day!
actually the newness of the seller makes me a little weary
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-used-parts-sale-wanted/640113-2-steve-wong-911-chips-3-2-carrera-sale.html

I have this
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-used-parts-sale-wanted/639758-autothority-3-2-chip-60-obo-shipped.html

[Rot 911]

Originally Posted by porschenut

You asked for best performance gain for the buck ----

This, seriously. I have done most everything you can do on your engine, short of a 3.4 upgrade or forced induction, and in the end it is going to cost you about $100.00 per hp gained. But it is not that hard to quickly lose 200 lbs and you will notice it with more responsive handling and acceleration. Here is what you can quickly do:

1. Get rid of the spare tire and jack. Keep tire plugs and tire inflator and AAA card.
2. Get rid of the rubber pads on the rear bumper.
3. Only keep 1/2 tank of gas in car.
4. Get rid of the stock battery and go with an optima.

There, you have lost 200 lbs. Total cost? Approximately $200.00 for the battery, plugs and inflator.

[Tippy]

If you can fab or have someone fab brackets, I have a Vortech "S" trim for sale.

It is just the head unit itself.

[techweenie]

Originally Posted by Rot 911

This, seriously. I have done most everything you can do on your engine, short of a 3.4 upgrade or forced induction, and in the end it is going to cost you about $100.00 per hp gained. But it is not that hard to quickly lose 200 lbs and you will notice it with more responsive handling and acceleration. Here is what you can quickly do:

1. Get rid of the spare tire and jack. Keep tire plugs and tire inflator and AAA card.
2. Get rid of the rubber pads on the rear bumper.
3. Only keep 1/2 tank of gas in car.
4. Get rid of the stock battery and go with an optima.

There, you have lost 200 lbs. Total cost? Approximately $200.00 for the battery, plugs and inflator.

Excellent advice! Adding lightness pays bigger dividends in more than one way. The car becomes more nimble in the corners, as well.

[mystro]

This is a good point...Would anyone really use this spare tire? We all have cell phones. I am taking mine out.

Originally Posted by Rot 911

1. Get rid of the spare tire and jack. Keep tire plugs and tire inflator and AAA card.

[techweenie]

I would add that the stock seats are around 45 lbs. each. a pair of 15 lb race seats will give you a big reduction in weight.

[intakexhaust]

All of the above are a great start. Shifting to superchargers, I've always been intriqued by them after I drove one for the first time in 89. It was a simple Paxton kit on a stock car. Postively improved the acceleration and entertaining. But for an everyday driver and reliability, keep the the car in tune, properly adjusted valves, SW chip and cat bypass. Have fun!

[esotoracing]

there are many ways to go. . .but they all have one thing in common, they are all budget dependant. You should make a plan starting with budget $$$. Short term and long term. You want an upgrade you can really feel? as stated above, SWchip and exh, then medium term goal for upgrade some suspension. But regardless, make a plan and set a realistic budget

[Tippy]

Gutting a car is free.

[Hoegenauer]

Originally Posted by CT Mike

Did you replace suspension bushings when putting your car back together?

I did not. A good deal of work was done by po although not all acceptable by forum standards and experiences. ie. the engine was rebuilt at a cost of over $10K (po provided receipts) by motor meister in 2004 - that is just something I will have to live with. It runs reasonably well (especially considering the car was not driven since 2005 as indicated by the expired inspection and registration). The po claims less than 10K on the rebuild. The car sat for over 5 years before it saw the street again.

I am not sure on suspension efforts by po. Handles and corners well on street but has not been on track. I did not see any visible cracking or dry rot, but that does not mean they are not soft or worn.

[lupin..the..3rd]

Motor meister!!

[Hoegenauer]

Originally Posted by DRACO A5OG

IMHO, in order of Least Cost, assuming you DIY.

2. If you have the OEM Air Box, cut open the Air Box cover, if you want to keep or go back OEM then find one at the salvage yard and cut it out. It will give you about 5 HPs, on the cheap.

Are we talking about removing the entire outer face of the box cover?

I also have a K&N that came with the car, but put stock on after all of the bad review regarding poor filtering by K&N.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by DRACO A5OG

/...2. If you have the OEM Air Box, cut open the Air Box cover, if you want to keep or go back OEM then find one at the salvage yard and cut it out. It will give you about 5 HPs, on the cheap.
.

Originally Posted by Hoegenauer

Are we talking about removing the entire outer face of the box cover?

I also have a K&N that came with the car, but put stock on after all of the bad review regarding poor filtering by K&N.

Lot's of good advice offered from folks above, and like Rot 911, I think I've done just about everything suggested in this thread (including the above suggestion by Draco). That said, with all due respect to Draco, he's incorrect...modding the airbox cover won't gain you squat except a different "sound", and that's been proven over and over on dynos. I too have a SW chip (along with the euro premuffler and sport muffler), but since I had a "better" stock chip than an '85, I didn't see significant gains on WOT dyno runs in numerous back-to-back runs swapping chips between each run. There are probably lots of '87-89 stock chips around from folks like me, and one of those, or a SW chip will absolutely gain you 10 hp over the '84-86 stock chip. IMO, put all your efforts into weight loss and suspension, as handling is what these cars are all about...once it's a go-kart on rails, you won't care about a few more hp anymore . Have fun...I know I have!