K-A

Random question: I'm looking through 911 lineage photos and I noticed some differences in the edge around and near the rear window. Also read somewhere that the "edge of the roof is different", though I always assumed (and they pretty much look) 100% identical.

Fun to notice all the subtle changes and evolutions of the 911.

82_930

According to Top Gear, the roof is the only panel that stayed unchanged from the 996 to the 997. I happen to own both, so I'll make a note of it next time I'm in the stable.

K-A

Thanks! To be honest, I always though the 996 and 997 had the EXACT same body, save for bumpers and "easy" stuff. It wasn't until I saw the two next to each other that I noticed the body's are totally differently formed, at least the hips. Now I'm wondering if there's some subtle roof changes that got by me.

I didn't know that the doors were different on the two though? If so, does anyone know how they differentiate from each other?

gravis121

The roof-rack for the 996 fits on the 997. The doors no the 987 boxster/cayman are exactly the same as the 997. Not sure about the 996

Edgy01

Although in print it states that the roofs are shared between the 996 and 997, I believe there was something lost in translation.

There are subtle differences between the coupes' roof lines. It is the HARDTOPS that can be shared, and did not change from the 996 to the 997 models. So far, the 991 has not even offered a hardtop for the cabriolet models.

K-A

Interesting, now I'm wondering if the 996 and 997 doors are identical, since I believe Porsche implies they're not?

I think the roofs are the same, but some details around it or within it might have been tweaked. Such as in this picture, you can see more of a recess in the rear window of the 996, that or a thicker weather stripping around it:

Ptech1

I believe the roof and doors are the same. Only say this because we recently had a cust's 996 GT2 in that was converted to a 997 GT2 body with what I believed to be OEM parts from the windshield forward. Rear fenders had to be grafted though. Great body work, so I could be wrong...

sbpsu354

I thought the 996 and 997 had the same roof lines, but the Porsche sunshade for the 996 is shorter than the one for the 997. I used the 996 sunshade on the 997 for a while, but it would fall below the sun visors.

yemenmocha

The 996 is newer actually, since it came from the future and had a futuristic look that they were aiming for. That's why it is such a different car than the rest in the 911 family tree. See interior for further differentiation.

lordpantsington

The doors are different. There is a build thread somewhere on the net of a 996 converted over to 997 and part of the door needed to change to fit something (rear 1/4 panel?, perhaps was just due to accommodate 997 door handles).

rotesAuto

is this my friend KA from mb forum?

Edgy01

The doors a definitely different because on the 996 they are a bit concave along the bottom (it's done as an optical illusion).

K-A

Yes it is!

Trying to do my homework on the P-Cars.

rotesAuto

haha!@
hello buddy

just buy one already! LOL

good luck