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Riviera Blue 997.2 GT3 Build Thread.

PhilMorrison

Well-known member
Joined
30 Apr 2013
Messages
161
I know you don't have a builds section here, but I think it's great to be able to catalogue your progress with a car and your results, so here's my thread :).
A little about me which may explain some of the idea's I have (or mistakes I make ;) ) : I come from Japanese cars (Perhaps a dirty word to some around here :D ). I own a company called Driftworks, and I part of the small group responsible for starting the drift scene in the UK. I've won two pro championships, and still have a big love for going sideways. I'm fully aware of the stigma attached to the word drifting in track circles so I won't go on :D
Here's a vid where you can't see anything:


My job has taken me around the world doing some awesome stuff. One of my favourites was last year when I was asked to drive for Jaguar for the release of their new XFRS. I basically got to hoon around some incredible (aka deadly) roads in Switzerland in a 550bhp hooligans car for a couple of days.

Filmed by my good friend Al Clark.

Because drifting is 'almost' work. A few years ago after buying an E46 M3 daily I started doing a bit of track driving for fun. I went to The Ring for the first time, and got the bug. In typical fashion I got a bit carried away with the modifications and ended up transplanting a 5litre V10 from an E60 M5 into my E46 M3.





In May this year I decided to replace the V10 M3. I'd owned the M3 for nearly five years, and two of those were with the 545bhp V10 engine fitted. To get the car working properly with the V10 engine took more work than most people can comprehend (or are stupid enough to do), and to be honest it had taken it out of me a bit. I'd done a couple of Destination Nurburgring events in the latter part of ownership, and although I still loved the ridiculous power and noise, I felt it was time for a change. So I decided to replace it with a car that had consistently overtaken me on the Nordschleife for the past 5 years. A GT3.

The moment I saw the Gen 2 Riviera Blue GT3 on Pistonheads, I couldn't take my eyes off it, and despite having never even been in the passenger seat of any Porsche I agreed to buy it.

Embarrassing collection photo. The drive home was interesting as it completely pissed down, but I instantly knew I'd made the right decision.
CollectingGT3.jpg


First things first - I hate not be able to work on my own car, so a torque wrench was ordered:

TorqueWrench.jpg


In June I did my first track day in the GT3 at Rockingham. I'd just 180'd the front top mounts to get nearly 3* neg camber, and set the toe. I had a great day, and learn't a lot about the car. I also learn't that Rockingham is one of the worst surfaces for tyre wear I've ever experienced. Vid here:


Rocky.jpg


Oh before going we'd made a bolt on silencer as I was under the impression GT3's wouldn't pass a 98db day. Thank god I didn't have to use it as it's hideous, but it's good to have just in case, and takes 5 mins to fit.

Silencer2.jpg



I went back to Rockingham a few weeks later. I'd already paid, otherwise I would have given it a miss. This time I'd fitted some RS29 pads, I'd fitted a KW HLS lift kit that allowed me to lower the car slightly. Then I corner weighted it, and added a bit more camber at the back along with the desired Porsche toe in. It handled great, but tyre wear at the rear was more than I wanted.

PagidRS29GT3.jpg

KWHLS.jpg


I took a gamble on some 3 year old rear tyres at £150 a piece. It paid off as they haven't degraded one bit as far as I could tell. Performance was exactly as per the brand new N3s that the car came on.

Tyres.jpg


Aesthetic stuff I did.

Smaller custom number plate made to the size of the plastic block.
Painted the roll cage and front splitter.

RivieraBlue1.jpg


RivieraBlue2.jpg


Not long after I bought a Cup Splitter from Porsche. Fitted it to the car and removed it immediately as despite it looking okay in this picture, I don't feel the proportions work without the front wing extensions the Cup cars have. It is also much lower quality (As expected), so the standard painted splitter went back on.

CupSplitter.jpg


Most recently I did Destination Nurburgring 9, and had SO MUCH fun in the car. I actually got to learn the track for the first time in a long time, as the car was so composed and didn't try to kill me at every available opportunity.

DN9GT3.jpg


It was there when I made the mistake of going for a lap in Max's Manthey 410 996. It felt a lot more composed, and I couldn't believe how good stability was under hard turn in on the brakes. It lead me to suspect that my standard LSD was perhaps a little worn, and that the stock suspension could be improved upon.

I am far from reaching the maximum potential of the standard car, but as I like messing with cars, I've ordered a Guard LSD rebuild kit and recently bought some Ohlins while in Germany.
I'll also freely admit that making a car look how I want it to look as well as go how I want it to go is big on my priority list. So I have a set of custom Strasse Monoblock centrelock wheels being made that should fill the arches nicely. We'll see how much work I have to do to fit them. All of this stuff should be arriving soon, so I'll update this thread as and when :)

I've already had some new wheel nuts 'personalised' ready for the new wheels. We'll see how long that lasts with my frequent centrelock checking paranoia :D
WheelNuts.jpg
 
Right on cue. A lovely parcel from Guard: 8). I might have to get it on the ramps and start chucking spanners at it tomorrow if I can get the gearbox oil in time.

GuardLSD.jpg
 
Great stuff. Looking forward to seeing what you get up to.

:popcorn:

Beautiful colour, too.

:thumb:
 
Iteresting stuff, i guess thats the warranty renewal out the window then....


Air bags on the susp. What prompted that?
 
Great vids and a really interesting topic !!. Phil, you guys are authorised
Decibel devil distributors...what's the going rate for a pair for my RS ?.
If you can, send me a pm..all the best. :wink:
 
Senoj said:
Iteresting stuff, i guess thats the warranty renewal out the window then....


Air bags on the susp. What prompted that?

Yeah I didn't go for the extended warranty as I kind of knew I wouldn't keep it stock.

The KW HLS is hydraulic like the standard nose lift kit. Not wanting to smash into speedbumps prompted it as I daily drive the car.
 
nick w said:
Great vids and a really interesting topic !!. Phil, you guys are authorised
Decibel devil distributors...what's the going rate for a pair for my RS ?.
If you can, send me a pm..all the best. :wink:

Hey Nick :), we're not authorised traders here, and I wouldn't want to take the piss. Are you aware they need modifying for our cars? I've done a set for my own car.
 
No doubt a bit of grinding...or moving a bracket...! 8)
 
nick w said:
No doubt a bit of grinding...or moving a bracket...! 8)

Nick
I have a set that are already modded, never used and as I've change tail pipes they don't fit my car any more. Can bring to Goodwood if your interested. What size are the tail pipes on your RSS pipe?

Jon
 
Cunno said:
nick w said:
No doubt a bit of grinding...or moving a bracket...! 8)

Nick
I have a set that are already modded, never used and as I've change tail pipes they don't fit my car any more. Can bring to Goodwood if your interested. What size are the tail pipes on your RSS pipe?

Jon

..3.5'....I ordered two first thing this morning...groan.. :nooo:
 
Awesome shiny presents from Ohlins at the Nurburgring! 8)

GT3Ohlins1.jpg


GT3Ohlins2.jpg


GT3Ohlins3.jpg


Fronts are TTX46 46mm Thru Rod, and rears are TTX36.
Both front and rear are 3way - 2way compression and 1way rebound, and this is the exact kit (with spring rates for my full weight car) that they run in the fastest VLN Cup car on the full combined Nurburgring lap. So basically that means that I'm going to fit them and immediately be able to do a 8:29 full combined lap right? :grin:
 
Dare I even ask about what they cost?
 

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