GT3 Bumper Screen Install

[KarlS]

(Note: cross-posted with Rennlist)

OK, it's not a full DIY yet but here are the basics.

Part numbers:

Left 996.505.323.91 $140.20

Right 996.505.324.91 $140.20

Center 996.505.321.92 $96.70

Available from Porsche Motorsports NA. You can also get them from Gert but his prices are the same amount but in Euro plus shipping and customs, so getting them from PMNA will save about 25%. Here's what they look like, not much to them, huh?

No special tools are needed other than a #20 and #30 Torx and if you don't already have an assortment of Torx drivers you have no business attempting this :P

Remove the front bumper cover. If you need a DIY for this, Loren has a good one as part of the center radiator DIY. I found it easier to just remove the wheel well plastic covers instead of tying them back as Loren did. The fasteners are all philips head, torx, or plastic pop rivets that you open up with a flat blade screw driver and then pop out with your fingers.

Once you remove the bumper cover, turn it nose down on a blanket and remove the long black plastic insert that is inside the air vents. Start at one end and begin releasing the clips that hold it in. These snap out easily with a small flat blade screw driver. You can discard this piece or sell it on eBay because you won't need it again after you install the screens.

The bumper cover has a series of slots in the frame below and above each of the 3 air vents. Each of the screens has a matching set of tabs that fit into these slots. If your screens are like mine, the tabs don't line up perfectly with the slots, so it requires some tweaking to get them to align. I found it easiest to start at one end and get one tab above and one below into their respective slots. Then I secured them with small 4" black tie wraps to keep them from popping out again. I then worked my way along doing another top and bottom tab together and then tie wrapping them. Not too hard but this step requires some patience. Here's what they look like installed in the bumper cover.

When you have all the screens installed and tie-wrapped down, you may want to run a bead of silcon sealer or epoxy along the edge. I didn't and so far the screens have held up well with just the tie wraps. It will be easy to remove them if I ever want to go back to stock or need to replace them.

Then just reinstall the bumper cover and you're done. Here's a couple of pix of the finished product.

BTW, in talking to guys with Cup cars, they still need to get in and clean out the radiators once a season, so while the screens will keep out most debris, you still need to keep an eye on your radiators and will probably need to drop the bumper cover every once in a while to thoroughly clean them out.

Let me know if you have any questions. I'll post more pictures on my web site as soon as I can.

Karl

[chicagobob]

Hey Karl,

Instead of purchasing the mesh from Porsche, do you think you can just buy any aluminum mesh from a hardware store or off ebay, trim it down adn add a foam gasket. The reason I ask is because the hardware store is significantly cheaper and on ebay, you can get the seller to profesisonally paint and clearcoat it.

Thanks

Bob

[KarlS]

Bob,

You can probably find a way to make it work. I know at least one pro team in Grand Am Cup that does their own wire mesh from chicken wire they get at Home Depot.

The outer edges of the screens are not a foam gasket, they are some type of plastic or epoxy. I think this is done to both provide strength and maintain the shape of the screens and to provide the tabs for mounting.

Karl

[el-ricardo]

Any contacts to purchase these in the US? Been trying to find a contact to purchase and have shipped to Australia but sinking quickly in the depth's of the net unfortunately.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Kind regards, Richard.

[therock88]

Any contacts to purchase these in the US? Been trying to find a contact to purchase and have shipped to Australia but sinking quickly in the depth's of the net unfortunately.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Kind regards, Richard.

I haven't seen much online, but I was able to fashion a set from stainless aluminum I purchased on eBay. Many people use cable ties to fasten them, but I did not like the way it looked. I flipped the bumper cover up on end, and used 2 part epoxy (plastic steel), and used 4 small bolts (glued the heads in first to the trim piece in the middle. then formed the mesh, and slid down over the bolt threads from inside, and used lock washers and nuts. I think it came out pretty good...Though I am no expert. I attached a photo of mine (I hope...first time I tried:)). It is a GT3 front, but similar to boxsters and original 996. Good luck!

[viper501]

rock, looks nice. Any close ups of the mesh?

I like the headlight covers too. Where'd those come from? How have you liked 'em?

[Paul Fraser]

Any contacts to purchase these in the US? Been trying to find a contact to purchase and have shipped to Australia but sinking quickly in the depth's of the net unfortunately.

Did you look here: http://www.carnewal-europe.com/main.htm under "upgrades" then "P96/P96GT3" then "GT3 Mesh grill intake covers"?

Edited January 29, 2007 by Paul Fraser

[therock88]

rock, looks nice. Any close ups of the mesh?

I like the headlight covers too. Where'd those come from? How have you liked 'em?

Hi, Thanks.

I have tried to attach some close-ups for you. I saw the ones on the link below, and was not terribly impressed (although

they are probably better than mine:)). Sorry for the large file size, but that wa sthe best way to get a close-up.

The grilel material can be purchased on eBay for not too much $$, and it was actually a little fun to make them. I took apart

the care, cut the grilles, glued the bolts, waxed and re-assembled in one weekend (time for glue to dry too....)

As for the covers, I really like them. I had to paint them to match (ocean metallic blus), an they fasten with the double sided

moulding tape. I used an entire roll.....you know....so they don't fly off at 170 MPH :) I got them from a guy in Germany a while

back, but have also seen similar ones on eBay.

Look Here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Porsche-Gem...sspagenameZWDVW

Good luck!

Donnie

Edited January 30, 2007 by therock88

[wross996TT]

I bought the mesh on line added some egde piping and installed...about $25 total.

[el-ricardo]

Thanks Karl,

I managed to get the grills from Porsche in the US (rather hard as they didn't sell directly to Australia but I managed to find a middleman). I provided your instructions to my mechanic but he told me with the airconditioning condensor in front of the radiator he couldn't fit the bumper back on that with the grill on it pushed it out so badly it wouldn't sit nicely.

Any ideas?

Many thanks, Richard.

[p0rsch3]

If you are in so cal area and in need of mesh, my buddy has a shop in long beach and makes body parts + does tuning for numerous race teams / drag cars, etc.

He has all the different stainless meshes and uses them on track cars, he did up my GT3 RS front opemings nicely.

1/8"-opening stainless weave mesh on the upper openings, and 1/4" square-opening weave mesh on the lowers.

Bumper was removed and pieces were epoxied / screwed from the inside.

Go to http://www.afterhoursautomotive.com - phone number is on the 'about' page, call and ask for the owner Brian.

Tell him Kurt sent you. Brian is a really nice guy and incredibly talented.

Sorry the pic of the lower center opening with 1/4" mesh is a bit dark- I'm no photographer.. :)

Edited March 1, 2008 by p0rsch3