While its days as a street car are long behind it, the extensive mods made to today’s Nice Price of No Dice 986 mean it should be set for plenty of fun on the track. Let’s decide if its price takes the checkered flag or gets a DNF.
If you ask anybody, they will be able to tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing on the morning of September 11, 2001. Some older folk can remember their whereabouts on the day Kennedy was shot in Dallas. Few of us, however, are likely to remember the moment when the SUV took over our roads, highways, and driveways. It wasn’t an overnight occurrence, but it sure seemed fast and felt dauntingly inexorable.
For those wishing to rekindle the experiences of the before-times, we had a 1993 Buick Roadmaster station wagon as yesterday’s candidate. Nicely presented and seemingly in need of nothing, it came with a $5,990 price tag. That seemed a fair enough cost to turn back the clock, and in the end, earned the big Buick a 61% Nice Price win.
Pole position
A big wagon, like yesterday’s Buick, might make for a solid tow vehicle, should the burden not be too taxing. However, when it comes to pulling a race car—even one that’s been denuded of all extraneous road-going accouterments—on a trailer, something with a little more oomph might be required.
Today’s 2001 Porsche Boxster S isn’t that tow vehicle. It is, however, the car that would need a lift. Listed as having 40,000 miles on the clock and a clean title, this red roadster’s days of street service and canyon carving on public roads are long in the rearview. Like the guy who drew the short straw and was turned into an alien by his fellow scientists in that creepy Outer Limits episode, it has now been transformed into something more aggressive and singularly purposeful.
Those changes are extensive, as evidenced by the long list provided in the ad. According to the seller, the car is being offered for sale at a mere fraction of what that long list of changes cost to amass.
No substitute for cubic centimeters
That build starts with the engine. When factory fresh, that would have been a 3.2-liter M96 giving 247 horsepower. That, however, has been yeeted in preference of a 3.6-liter out of a 2003 911 Carrera, and that, from the get-go, made a solid 320 ponies.
Before installation, that Carrera mill was endowed with a new RMS, an LN Engineering IMS, along with a deep-sump baffled oil pan, new injectors, plugs and coil packs, and a slew of little bits. The brains of the operation is a Motec engine control unit with logging and e-gas mapping. Both the intake and exhaust have been updated and enlarged, and the engine sits under a custom cover with an added cooling fan. Power is sent through a Sachs clutch and balanced flywheel to a six-speed transmission with an added limited-slip differential. A Numeric shifter and new cables mean rowing those gears should be a pleasure, not a problem.
Built for speed, not comfort
The engine isn’t the only update this car has seen. In fact, the morphing from street to track car seems comprehensive and well-thought-out. For every bit of trim and convenience feature removed from the car, there seems to have been a track-focused addition to take its place.
This includes a fully adjustable suspension with new control arms, camber plates, and sway bars. The brakes are stock, but have been rebuilt, and being an S, those are already pretty strong.
On top of all that is a body with an aftermarket nose, huge rear wing, and a removable shell hardtop. One criticism that could be leveled at the Boxster as a race car is that it’s not as rigid as a coupe (cough—Cayman—cough) would be. That’s addressed on this car with a six-point cage that’s been welded into the single-seat driver’s office.
Other thoughtful touches include GoPro mounts and a six-point racing harness that is compatible with the Hans system. In front of that sits a custom digital instrument cluster and Momo steering wheel with a quick-release hub. And, while the car no longer has working A/C, it does come with a built-in Cool Shirt system and a cup holder!
Victory lap
There’s lots more on the list, however, for many of us, that’s all a moot point since few have the wherewithal to house a race car and trailer, much less campaign such a beast on the track. There are those out there, though, for whom a turn-key race car holds a lot of appeal. Building a car such as this, which is not only competitive but also safe and reliable, would not just take time; it would require a substantial amount of money. As we noted at the outset, that’s a salient point the seller makes in promoting the car at its $28,000 asking price.
What’s your take on this track toy and that asking? Does that seem like a fair deal for the right buyer? Or is that too much for a car with such limited appeal?
You decide!
Nice Price or No Dice:
Dallas, Texas, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
Help me out with NPOND. Hit me up at [email protected] and send me a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your commenter handle.
