diff btw 996 Tip/Man front bumper bar for Boxster?

[Jinster]

I hope someone can help me with this one please.

My 1997 Tip Boxster has a damaged front bar. I am replacing it with a (1998) 996 item.

But the 996 front bar I got sent doesn't have the air intake that fits within the lower air opening on the bar, so I need to order it separately.

Problem:

There are two versions of that air intake - one for a Tip, one for a manual 996.

Parts numbers:

996 505 553 01C M480

996 505 553 01C M249

For those who have done the conversion or in the know, is there a practical difference between the two parts as far as fitting the 996 bar to my Tiptronic Boxster? What is the actual difference anyway?

Thanks.

[Tool Pants]

You are missing some numbers in your part numbers, and I'm not sure what is the issue.

A 996 with a tip has an opening for the transmission cooler in the front of the car. On a Boxster there is no opening because the cooler is on the transmission. A 996 with a manual transmission doe not have the opening for the cooler - this is the one you should use.

This is a 1999 Boxster with a 996 manual transmission bumper cover.

[Jinster]

Thanks Toolpants.

I suspected this might be the case. Loren on the 996 forum confirmed this too.

I would prefer to use the 996 Tip style bar with the extra central opening on my Boxster just so that I can add an extra radiator (or intercooler) later on when I start to mod my Boxster. I am just concerned whether the Tip style bar would mate up well to my Boxster given that there's this obvious structural difference in air intake design?

[Highlander]

I think your over concerned about the problem. I fitted a '99 996 front bumper cover on my '01 S. The air ducting behind the cover for the side radiators is identical on the 996 and 986. The difference you see is purely cosmetic.

The cover I got was not from a 'tip. I purchased and easily replaced central part with that has the central opening for my 3rd radiator.

It was all a simple bolt-on. The hardest part is getting to the screws behind the inner fender liner that hold the extreme edges of the bumper cover together.

Good Luck,

Graeme

[Jinster]

Thanks a lot Graeme. Alleviated my concerns beautifully. :)