Another Pedal..

[ralphmusic]

I suppose I should confess I have gone over to the dark side and now have an extra pedal. It's been PPF'd over the last week or so and I collected it from the fitter today. I am hoping that Porsche introduce the Clubsport Rally car soon to match my plates.

I had time to get two of the wheels off today to apply sealant and also to the callipers, finish up tomorrow.

Being an inveterate modifier (and cheapskate), I have fitted my first non-standard parts, £17 from China versus £140 from Porsche (they are the correct white, different lighting)

Interestingly the top mounts' camber is maxed out (near side pictured), so shims are required subject to constraints of the stock rear TCA. we're off to Centre Gravity before a January Silverstone track day (>1,700 miles by then) followed by an oil change and oil test a few days later.

Stock settings are:

Front total toe +2’ +/-2’
Rear total toe +10’ +/-2’
Front camber -1:30 +/-3’
Rear camber -1:30 +/-5’

The Jukebox is 10GB, 30GB smaller than the 981 version so it won't hold all my music. It also has one less 12v and one less USB socket than the 981. iPhone and Bluetooth connections work easily but the PCM functions interface looks like it was designed by the guy who wrote Windows 3.11 GUI.

All quiet this evening, more cleaning, sealing and fitting modest decals tomorrow, and then data logging and cameras to be installed Friday before Castle Combe for noise tests and break-in mileage on Saturday.

 

[ralphmusic]

..and a full size legal stick-on front plate will fit

 

[ChrisW]

Congratulations Ralph

 

[AndrewT]

That’s a thumbs up from me too!

 

[Motorhead]

Yes, well done Ralph. I thought that you'd planned to wait for the PDK version, due next year?

Look forward to hearing about progress with the set-up and modifications. Keep us posted.

Jeff

 

[Gazoak]

Looks great in white Ralph. Enjoy!

 

[Peter_Bull]

Wow - that looks goregous! I am sure it will perform brilliantly with that flt 6 installed!!

 

[andywill]

Being an inveterate modifier (and cheapskate), I have fitted my first non-standard parts

I’d Hardly call you a ‘cheapskate’ Ralph with all the time, and £ you spent on your previous mean machine [].

Enjoy

 

[981TC]

Looks great, congratulations

 

[snowy999]

That looks fanbtastic and just like mine ! Well mine is the slower older version. Congratulaitons I hope you love it !

Snowy

 

[ralphmusic]

As a positive v my negative comments on fewer USB/12v sockets, I can fit a 64GB card in one of the SD slots below the PCM screen and play all my music from there. My iPhone started playing music via Bluetooth as a surprise, so many buttons to press! So now I'll delete all music from the Jukebox.

I have found the nice Smoker's Pack cover at the front of the armrest is very easy to unintentionally open with my elbow. Using the 12v socket there will be fun - easy to dislodge. Why oh why did they remove the 12v socket form the back of the arm rest as in the 981?

Model decals (just GT4) applied to bottom of doors - what a faff still another experience and hopefully they'll stay on. I might remove the GT4 badge at the back as road gunk will accumulate and offend me by being difficult to clean (a bit OCD).

How on earth do owners avoid the seat belt buckles damaging the carbon backs of the LWB seats? Although I had the seat backs PPF'd I am going to prototype a "sock" tomorrow to go over the buckles and protect the lovely carbon. I have worked out how to get in and exit the seats without sitting on and wearing the seat bolsters although Crazy Eddie in California has some neat French stitched leather protection covers which get good reviews on rennlist. And then there are the replacement centre seat cushion and back panels in classic Porsche materials - Pasha looks a little too loud - available from Manthey/USA companies/UK upholstery trimmer.

Hours of endless fun awaits..

 

[Nick_USA]

I don't think you will regret the extra pedal. I concur with the PCM, it's a step backwards in terms of usability compared with the 981 though I have yet to explore the use, or not of Apple Carplay. Re: the rear badge I did factory delete as I did not want a raised badge. May yet do a GT4 stick-on replacement but we will see.

On Mods, I had a look at a GT4 Clubsport today had wing envy, I guess it will have Porsche screaming at me, though I guess that when I find out how much it will cost I'll have a reality check.

Enjoy, and see you out on the road soon.

 

[Motorhead]

Ralph,

Rather odd that the PCM seems to be a slight downgrade on that fitted to the 981. I think it was quite an expensive option on the 981 but is standard on the 718, so maybe there's been some cost saving?

One of the chaps in my Region has (I think) black and white dog-tooth seat inserts on his silver 981 GT4. I think he said that they were UK-sourced but will ask if he's at the next meeting.

Re your Smoker's Pack cover comments, you do have to wonder if designers think-through their updates before committing them to production - if it ain't broken, don't try to fix it.! Pity about the self-activating cover - one of the downsides of going manual gearbox operation I suppose, something which is less likely to happen with the PDK 'box with its paddle operation.

Good luck with the customisation.

Jeff

 

[Brian_Innes]

Ralph,

Well done! You will enjoy this one!

Good to hear you maxed out the top mounts for negative camber as a first priority. Like minds.......

Your comment on shims for the front TCA's puzzled me. I have always maxed out the top mount slots on all my Caymans without any problems. Are the TCA shims only a GT4 requirement?

Brian

 

[ralphmusic]

Brian,

The picture of the front top mount was as it came from the factory, hence the comment that to get more front camber it'll need shims for the split wishbones to push it out from the bottom, which is preferable anyway.

The TCA comment was reflecting on the rear camber adjustment which is constrained by the eccentric bolt arrangement.

Ralph

 

[Motorhead]

Ralph,

Over on PH an experienced GT4 owner has posted his impressions of driving both a 718 GT4 and Spyder at the PEC and on some public roads. Different specs (the GT4 had comfort seats and the Spyder Buckets) but he said that there was a big difference in handling characteristics between the two cars (the Spyder was superior!) which he attributed to the vagaries of the factory geometry set-up (rather surprisingly, apparently the PEC cars aren't run through a geo check). It'll be interesting to read your comments once Centre Gravity have done their work.

I seem to recall that the 981 GT4 rear suspension was a slightly beefed-up version of the standard car, which I think was carried over to the 718. Just to ask: Is there any evidence of similar modifications with the 718 GT4?

Jeff

 

[Steve Brookes]

Congratulations Ralph...and if you keep both of your hands on the wheel rather than resting one on the armrest, that cover popping open won't be a problem.

 

[ralphmusic]

Ralph,

..... I seem to recall that the 981 GT4 rear suspension was a slightly beefed-up version of the standard car, which I think was carried over to the 718. Just to ask: Is there any evidence of similar modifications with the 718 GT4?

Jeff

Underneath the 981 GT4 courtesy of Porsche Club of America...

[tube]https://youtu.be/5SamK54Igm0[/tube]

 

[ralphmusic]

...and a similar video of a 718S Boxster

[tube]https://youtu.be/Xiq-ykzIFrk[/tube]

Ralph

 

[Twinfan]

Looking good Ralph - I too thought you were going for PDK. It's hard to tell from the pics, but it looks like you've not gone for the Clubsport pack? I think you said you'd be fitting your own harnesses, is that right?