Cadaver

Looking for some input from the gallery. Ive been checking out a 981 PDK cayman race car over the last 6 months. My mechanics car. Price has dropped to a point that I might consider buying. The car has been fielded in T3 and STU in SCCA for about a year. I actually rented the car and raced it in T3 last year. Ended up on pole for class. Its been running STU by another driver and won 2 of 3 races. The car has a stock 2.7L and classes fine in STU (and T3 once they approve the newer gen), WRL GP1, and NASA ST4. GT3 control arms, MCS coil overs are the main mods already performed. Otherwise stock. Getting to my question. Im fine to run these classes this year, but really want to be able to move up a class to PCA GTB1, NASA ST3, and SCCA T2 while staying more local to the midwest. How difficult would this be? From my limited research it seems like not an impossible option to swap in a 3.4L and upgrade some suspension/brakes/aero. Is this accurate? Am I missing anything else? Is this a crazy pipe dream? Last year I ran 5 races in IGT and 1 in sprint challenge in a 991.1 cup. Plan on keeping the cup a little longer and doing 2 or 3 races, but need to scale down the racing budget some while keeping the crack rush. Thanks in advance for any advice.

lcrain

718 is the turbo flat four motors, so I assume you are referring to a 981. What is the price? I'd talk with your mechanic about a true cost to convert it to GTB1 and if you can accomplish that for less than $80k all in, then maybe it is worth it. I imagine it will be cheaper/easier/faster to buy a car already built for GTB1. Buying a GTB1 car with a logbook that is ready to go is probably a $75-90k proposition. No idea how well a GTB1 cayman classes with SCCA or NASA ST. The later is pretty simple power:weight.

Cadaver

Yea. I meant the 981. My bad. I’ll correct that. This car is less than half of the GTB1s on the market recently. I’d say because of my relationship with the mechanic/owner I could potentially get it for less than $40k

ProCoach

To build for GTB1, at least to do it well, is not inexpensive. Not uncommon to spend $100K-$120+ on the build for a front running car. Great class, but very competitive up front.

I’d recommend Seb Juneau’s car (or his Dad’s car) if still available. Demonstrated performance, which is the most important thing you’re buying, if for GTB1.

Second, if you build for a PCA class, you lose a variety of choices to race other places. Just be aware.

What class would it be in now? G? I? I don’t know the specifics of the letter classes, hence my question.

I have seen an old front running IMSA ST class base Cayman 6-speed do 2:02-2:03 at VIR. This is a 2.7 car…

To me the value is you can run it in SCCA, NASA and PCA (likely) now. Hate to spend a bunch and render it both less competitive AND with fewer places to race.

Cadaver

very good points, thank you! I’m not really planning on campaigning the car nationally. I do want to be competitive in the Midwest races (heartland park, Hallett, ECR, COTA). I’d also like to find a pdk car. I’ll check out the car you mentioned. This helps me as my gut was telling me I’d be better off finding a GTB1 already built.

Cadaver

Peter, do you have happen to have a link to sebs car?

I’ve seen this one.
https://rennlist.com/forums/market/1209018

Frank 993 C4S

It sold some time ago.

Nickshu

It seems to me that nice Cayman-based race cars I see are priced for Cup car money. I guess the savings is all in the operating costs??, it does not appear to be on the buy-in end for the car.

ProCoach

Oh, well.

Frank, is the 981 PDK different class than a 987.2 PDK?

The trick car was some time ago a 987.2 PDK for B1, but the 911 platform has made inroads.

Cadaver

yes, pretty close to cup car money for buy in. Operating cost, from what I have heard, is also close to cup car if you want to run up front with stickers every race and quali. I think the benefit may be from the ability to self support and transport. I have a 991.1 cup that I race in IGT and the support and transport is probably 40% of the weekend tab. In summary, GTB1 vs cup is Essentially keeping the blow, but dropping the quality of hookers for the weekend.

fatbillybob

The OP post sounds like more about SCCA than GTB1. I am considering a cayman base to race as well. If you pass on your mechanic's car DM me contact info as I might be interested for T3.

I have only raced SCCA from West Coast to East Coast in T1 and T2. I'm looking at doing T3 in base cayman. The scca T3 cayman spec. (2006-2012) puts this car in T3 only. It will not cross class to T2 per the GCR specline. The T2 specline cayman is stuck in T2. I'm not sure if you can put a 3.4 in there and then be in T2 because the eligible chassis is technically titled as cayman S and specCayman. Perhaps that could be overcome with a simple letter to the CRB? There are a few other cars (C5 vette T2, T1, GT2 and Nissan 350Z T3 and T2) that can cross class with in-paddock modifications but it is a lot of work and most likely leaving you optimized in one class and not competitive in the other class but legal to race if you want points to go to runoffs. The best T2 car is 996 or 997 as they are always at the front. Weird stuff happens in SCCA like the T2 996/997 get a fancy real aerodynamic rear wing and my former T2 Mustang GT was only allowed the factory fake cosmetic wing. Go figure? Other cayman years might we allowed in SCCA T classes but only the listed ones in the speclines have been asked for and approved.

Frank 993 C4S

It's not impossible but it would probably be the most expensive way to achieve your desired end result.

For those venues, it really depends on whether you want to race in SCCA or race against other cars in your class in PCA. For Heartland Park you would be better off with a Spec Cayman (6-speed). There haven't been any PCA races at Hallet in a while and COTA is now off the 2022 calendar as well. For Eagles Canyon, an SPB (5-speed) is the car to have.

It's in the same class but the 981 has not proven to be very competitive in GTB1 - not sure why, but I think it has to do with the hesitancy to race an aluminum bodied car, with its limited repairability.

Agreed but if you can self support a 991.1 Cup, you can do the same with the Cayman. It all depends on how you want to spend your race weekend. The front runners in GTB1 have no time to self support.

ProCoach

SPC is one of the best bangs for the buck, period.

Cadaver

why is there only one on the roster for Sebring? Likely one of the biggest PCA gatherings and there is one SPC

PGas32

I’m not on it, but the SPC guys have an email chain and I think they try to coordinate which races to attend in order to have strong turnouts at a handful of events. My guess is the group collectively decided against Sebring this year.