Very German Update

ft. Chinese parts

While we were sorting out Benny's Lambo i also sourced some parts for the 997! First i only focused on replacing the broken parts in the front but then i decided to go all out and totally transform this thing, having a rebuilt title later on it will drop its value anyway so there's no point in keeping it original. A very noticable part here is this VIS Racing OEM Style carbon fiber hood i found at Andy's Auto Sport. If i have to get new body parts, why not save some weight while we're at it?


And the weight reduction doesn't stop there! I managed to grab a couple of FRP front fenders, amazing what you can find on AliExpress. Well i only needed the left fender but OEM parts keep a very high price, even in used condition so aftermarket is the way to go on this build.


One of the best finds was this RUF front bumper! Also one of the most expensive ones but like i already said, that's the price of car brands like this. I really like those LEDs that came with it too, not sure how i'm gonna make that work with the car yet but i'll figure it out eventually.


Moving on to the rear, there's this huge GT3 Cup style spoiler that you may have seen peeking out in the last update. I've always loved the look of it, seeing it on 997 GT3 rally cars across Europe. Looks like it's adjustable too, that's quite a cool feature! With this and the carbon hood the 911 is definitely getting a track car look.


A GT3 rear bumper would be a great match to the wing but i ended up with one from a 997 Turbo. I was looking around the internet but most aftermarket bumpers were for the facelift models, if i got one of those i'd have to replace the taillights which i don't really like that much anyway. This Turbo one is even supposed to be OEM, however it was not in very good condition so i sent it to a local body shop to get it fixed and fill the gaps where those ugly bumperettes used to be. The result is a good looking Euro-spec bumper, they did one hell of a job! Now i just need a good exhaust system to match it.


After buying that bumper i remembered another part from a 997 Turbo, those nice side vents for improved air intake and engine cooling. Mine is a naturally aspirated Carrera S but i thought it would be a nice addition! They're from some no-name Chinese brand so i kinda doubted the quality but when i got them they were legit carbon fiber! However this exact 911 didn't have any side intakes so i dropped the car off at the body shop to make them fit perfectly and provide some more breathing room for that boxer. Despite the newer Porsches being water cooled it still needs some more Luftgekühlt


Exterior wise, i think i got a great package overall. Now the only parts left are some wheels, even if the stock ones look great but they don't suit the track vibe this car's about to have, and a windshield. I've looked at a few options already and again i'll have to get an aftermarket one, and probably from China again lol. I've looked through a few forums and videos and found out that a Fuyao glass is a good aftermarket alternative with OEM quality! That's actually a major brand which also makes windows for many car brands so i'm sure it will be a good choice.


Looks pretty much ready to go from the outside but there's still some more work to do. Now the frame is intact but the front left wheel seems a bit off, i'll have to look into that and maybe upgrade some suspension parts in the process. Well, the 911 being a world-famous sports car already has a pretty good suspension setup but you know, there's always room for improvements!


And here's the next German that i wanted to tell you about for a while now. I basically haven't touched it since the boys from Tokyo helped me out with it, but we've done some good progress at that time! Notice the different bucket seats, the Mk4 R ones were alright but i wanted something a bit more oldschool for a change. Luckily i found a guy in a local VW group who's building a Mk2 show car, we traded the front and rear seats and the dashboard with steering wheel. I still have the Mk4 door panels though, even if i'm aiming for a simpler build it's still good to keep some features like power windows, for example.


With the dashboard i also got this aftermarket steering wheel which suits the car well, not sure if it's legit but i don't mind really. Another mod there is the radio but again, it's cool to have a few modern things on board! But then again, i'd love the original radio with some oldschool casettes playing...


We also managed to make the transmission work! The Golf runs and drives just like it should, especially with the new KW coilovers and FM control arms we installed. Before that i also got a set of 225/45 R16 Yokohama Advan Neova AD08Rs on those Regamasters, the previous tires were a little too high profile. But since then, i guess i ran out of time to complete it because of the other projects, especially the 997 and both Supras lately. Don't worry though, there will be time for every car in this place, i'll at least clear the dust off the Mk2 for now.


These two haven't changed a bit either but we've had some fun with them at the drag strip. The Supra feels very similar to the SC300, just with a little harder suspension and a few more horsepower. It definitely needs new tires though, launches were not so good as i thought. For now we're more focused on that one peeking on the left


And one more JDM legend not to forget about! After some discussion with Benny we decided that we will sell it on somewhere in Europe because the market for rally inspired cars there is on fire these days, and because it can't live on in America sadly. The front bumper fixing is still in progress, and the wheels need to be refurbished. It's the same issue here - too many projects. A few days ago we also checked its engine and replaced a few fluids to keep it like new on the inside just like it will be on the outside!


After we were done with assembling the 911 Benny suggested to go for a drive with his Supra, you know i couldn't say no to that. He threw on the plate from the Golf so maybe it will raise one or two eyebrows less than a Supra with mismatched parts and no registration would. We headed out through the outskirts of the town so we had less worries and more space to floor it. We were later joined by a few local friends who were quite impressed with it, especially by the fact that it comes from Europe. I mean, people here in the USA usually import a Japanese car from Japan after it turns 25 years old (maybe also earlier in some cases but i'll pass on that), i guess they just want that JDM feeling. A better reason is probably the price though, with the prices rising each year around the world you can still find a few cheap examples in Japan, due to higher availability. But if i have a choice i'd go for a left hand drive example, after all you drive that car on the road and having the steering wheel on the other side can be a problem, especially if you're going to a drive-thru! Well the US Supras, modified or not, have reached insane prices so the guys have to find some sort of alternative.


If you look at it from behind where all the parts are in the same color, apart from the wing being in a different shade of silver, it's really a sight to admire, even in a pretty much OEM shape which Benny will hopefully keep. Suspension stayed stock too, we had a bit of body roll through the corners but the car still feels very responsive and agile thanks to the new OEM suspension parts. It could use an inch or 2 of lowering though, not gonna lie.


The Supra drives like a dream, now it just needs some exterior touches to become road worthy. I can't say the same for the 997 though, that one may need some extensive suspension work. Have a good one!