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Anyone put a turbo bumper on an earlier car?

Masher

Masher

PCGB Member
Member
I have a 1996 car which has had a turbo and intercooler fitted. It is clear the intercooler is not working efficiently and the solution seems to be to fit a turbo bumper to my car and duct the intercooler as per factory cars. This was discussed in another thread.

I understand a factory turbo bumper will not fit my car because the wings of my car and the later cars are different. This leaves me with 2 options as I see it:

1. I believe a GRP turbo copy front bumber is made that has been adjusted to fit the wings of an earlier car. I could just fit this (with ducting etc).

2. Since I also have a 924 CarreraGT style scoop I'd happily ditch too, I could be looking at new bonnet as well as front bumper. Having looked at ebay (always dangerous) and it strikes me I could buy turbo wings, bonnet and bumper for about the same cost as above (though more painting).

Option 1 is fairly straight forward and a fibreglass bonnet could be added (almost an arguement to do the wings too and be done with it!)

Option 2 looks like a nice idea on the face of it but I can imagine starting down this route only to find all the mountings are in different places and nothing lines up right.

Has anyone got experience of taking an earlier car and fitting a turbo front end? Anything I should be aware of? I am currently talking to EMC about this but welcome any personal experience.

Thanks
Mick
 
Just a couple of comments that might help:

If your intercooler is under the front badge panel (between the lamp pods) a 924 turbo badge panel with grills could get you the extra airflow you're looking for without major surgery.

The bonnets are unchanged on turbo/S2 cars, but the badge panel, lamp pods and (hidden) metal bumper & shocks are different, as well as the outer bumper (PU) & undertray. The wings are only slightly different so your existing wings could be shaped to fit. A 924 Carrera GT front PU would be less work & could look good, plus repeat the mantra 'never build a car you can buy' [:D]

Got any pics of the installation? I'd love to see it [:)]

Edit: just seen your earlier thread with pics, nice [;)]

 
My track car has a 951-style GRP 'PU' fitted. I didnt fit it, though. If I needed to do it now Id take it to EMC and let Kevin fit it as he has fitted scores of them to all manner of FrontRunners. He has special plastic bolts which remove the need to fit an alloy bumber mounting and he understands exactly how to duct air to the intercooler.

If you like the look of the 931 badge panel then keep it. It will be simple to mask the holes from behind to prevent their interfering with the intercoolers airflow.

GRP wings are optional: you arent short of power, after all! Theres no pressing need to if the originals are sound then Id leave them. The bonnet is more straightforward and I would buy (because race car!) that from Pro-9 and get EMC to fit and adjust that too, along with a pair of flush fitting catches.

As far as I can see this will be the easiest/best/cheapest solution.
 
Thanks Simon. This is basically plan A ref the bumper. I'll look at the Pro-9 bonnet and probably just replace these parts but I thought I'd start the thread to see what experiences people had and because used parts are relatively cheap so the thought of buying everything forward of the windscreen off Ebay did cross my mind.

Your plan is probably simpler!

Thanks as always,
Mike
 
I think a genuine turbo bumper (pu) can fit with the earlier wings, you just have to cut the front edge of the wings to suit. The badge panel will not line up with the newer front pu panel though but a badge panel can probably be obtained pretty cheaply.

I think the lux fronted cars usually had a welded badge panel, in the turbo / S2 they bolt/screw in, yours might have been modded already to get the intercooler in.

I am not sure how well the headlights will match a later badge panel. From memory I think the biggest difference in the 2 badge panels is in the centre, see http://www.cannell.co.uk/images/Cannell_web/944T%2057%202.jpg

This is a 944 turbo with a 924 front badge panel, there is a gap in the centre of the car. Others who like the look of the 924 vents have fitted them to a late 944 badge panel (and don't bin yours they became hard to get hold of a few years ago).
 
Series one cars had a welded on badge panel. Series two cars (oval dash) had a bolt on badge panel, be they original style or 951 style parts. With the best will in the world I cant agree that a genuine 951 PU will be straightforward or cheap to fit and there is no advantage that I can see.

The disadvantages are the need to source a bumper bar, mounts, badge panel, lamp covers, batwing and all the required hardware and it will all need painting along with the butchered wings.

If you go down the GRP route you need to have one new panel sprayed and EMC can get that done cheaply too - and they certainly have the paint!
 
Oem turbo conversion would need

Bumper
Lights
Alloy carrier/ mount
Cut n/a wings 2 suit

Turbo bumper changes the front slightly so you will need
Badge pannle and headlight lids.

You won't need headlight lids, but your current lids will be same as n/a size.

You could just run oem bumper and leave badge pannle, it will look differnt but not terrible

Normally I recommend full conversion as the gpr type won't 100% get the correct turbo look as its silghtly flater in the front. However as its more function issue gpr route would be cheaper, just bumper and paint.
 

ORIGINAL: T3rra

Oem turbo conversion would need

Bumper
Lights
Alloy carrier/ mount
Cut n/a wings 2 suit

Turbo bumper changes the front slightly so you will need
Badge pannle and headlight lids.

You won't need headlight lids, but your current lids will be same as n/a size.

You could just run oem bumper and leave badge pannle, it will look differnt but not terrible

Normally I recommend full conversion as the gpr type won't 100% get the correct turbo look as its silghtly flater in the front. However as its more function issue gpr route would be cheaper, just bumper and paint.
Click to expand...

You are quite correct that I am doing this for function rather than to create a replica. I ultimately want the car to look good but I am not worried if it is recognisably different to Porsche standard (just take a look at it already!).

Fitting a factory bumper sounds like hassle to me so a GRP bumper looks the way to go.

Cheers
Mick
 

ORIGINAL: T3rra

Oem turbo conversion would need

Bumper
Lights
Alloy carrier/ mount
Cut n/a wings 2 suit

Turbo bumper changes the front slightly so you will need
Badge pannle and headlight lids.

You won't need headlight lids, but your current lids will be same as n/a size.

You could just run oem bumper and leave badge pannle, it will look differnt but not terrible

Normally I recommend full conversion as the gpr type won't 100% get the correct turbo look as its silghtly flater in the front. However as its more function issue gpr route would be cheaper, just bumper and paint.
Click to expand...
It already has fixed lights so if the lids are the same the lights should be.
 
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