Bare Bones

[Jackrabbit]

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a heated seat on a cold morning and am spoiled by air conditioning in the summer months, however, I would prefer that my 2003 Boxster had come off the assembly line a bit more raw boned. No frilly electronics (power seats, power window, radio, alarm system, amp, etc.) I would say that only a heater/defroster would be a must have. Also, the power convertible top has me spoiled, but I  could  easily live without that as well. In short, I would like it if the car was a bit more raw. Anybody with me ?

[Paul P]

Honestly.  Nope.  I like the trimmings. But we all like what we like.  

[DaveyP]

I am.

On my way to building a "CS" version.

But, as @Paul P says, we all like what we like.

[Menoporsche]

Look up Marseille’s thread Lightening the Load, he lost 100kg or so by losing sound deadening, aircon and various other fripperies. 

 

Found it  @Jackrabbit. Make a big cuppa and settle down.

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by Menoporsche

[phazed]

Defo not with my RS60. Saying that, I am preparing my 986 for track day duties.

Will loose the A/C, (currently not working) and change the seats. Obviously chuck out the spare but apart from that the rest can stay.

Regarding seats. When I pulled the seats out of my old track day Octavia, the front non electric seats weighed 30KG each!!!  I replaced them with a couple of Elise seats at 1.5 KG each... Altogether saved 110 KG which was really noticeable on the track and made the car that little more chuckable.

 

Haven't weighed the 986 ones yet but they feel heavy!

[Everywhen]

18 hours ago, Jackrabbit said:

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a heated seat on a cold morning and am spoiled by air conditioning in the summer months, however, I would prefer that my 2003 Boxster had come off the assembly line a bit more raw boned. No frilly electronics (power seats, power window, radio, alarm system, amp, etc.) I would say that only a heater/defroster would be a must have. Also, the power convertible top has me spoiled, but I  could  easily live without that as well. In short, I would like it if the car was a bit more raw. Anybody with me ?

I know what you mean, I actually sought out a 986 without A/C, fancy stereo, electric seats etc., it just add weight and complication on a 23yrs old car which will have enough stuff to put right.

[Mattman42]

17 hours ago, phazed said:

Defo not with my RS60. Saying that, I am preparing my 986 for track day duties.

Will loose the A/C, (currently not working) and change the seats. Obviously chuck out the spare but apart from that the rest can stay.

Regarding seats. When I pulled the seats out of my old track day Octavia, the front non electric seats weighed 30KG each!!!  I replaced them with a couple of Elise seats at 1.5 KG each... Altogether saved 110 KG which was really noticeable on the track and made the car that little more chuckable.

 

Haven't weighed the 986 ones yet but they feel heavy!

I could quite easily replace that 110kg, just by sitting in it

[Ninesomething]

I get it. Would I do it? Prob not. IIRC some people dump the secondary air pump which I'm told is heavy and quite possibly serves no real purpose.

[BBB]

I would have bought an Elise if I wanted a stripped back car, or an Ariel Atom, or a Caterham 7. But I wanted a bit more luxury, but still with great road feel.

My chipped 535D might even be quicker than the Boxster on wide roads, but it’s a luxury barge when it comes to handling.

[nelmo]

On 12/7/2023 at 6:17 PM, Jackrabbit said:

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a heated seat on a cold morning and am spoiled by air conditioning in the summer months, however, I would prefer that my 2003 Boxster had come off the assembly line a bit more raw boned. No frilly electronics (power seats, power window, radio, alarm system, amp, etc.) I would say that only a heater/defroster would be a must have. Also, the power convertible top has me spoiled, but I  could  easily live without that as well. In short, I would like it if the car was a bit more raw. Anybody with me ?

You want a MX5 (Miata for you) or Elise...I have a Caterham and it is fun but just a bit limiting; I could daily the 987 in all weather's when the Caterham takes much more dedication. Passengers are also happier - my wife has been on several trips with me in the 987 in my first 2 months of ownership, only once in the Caterham in 6 years. I prefer driving alone but easier to get a pass out if she comes with me 😉

[TV8]

13 hours ago, nelmo said:

You want a MX5

I sourced one of these for my son recently. mk2.5 1.8 and its not fast in a straight line but seriously responsive and nimble. such fun to drive and he is using it as his daily car. They do seem prone to rust though!

[nelmo]

Yeah, my son had one for a while - £3k for a 2010 model and it felt like new - one of the best gearboxes in the business. I was considering getting one instead of the 987 but I wanted more poke.

[Bike Loon]

On 12/7/2023 at 6:45 PM, Paul P said:

Honestly.  Nope.  I like the trimmings. But we all like what we like.  

Same. Heated seats, heated steering wheel and air con all the way.

The weight difference is not really that relevant unless you are in a race series.

Edited December 9, 2023 by Bike Loon

[TV8]

44 minutes ago, nelmo said:

Yeah, my son had one for a while - £3k for a 2010 model and it felt like new - one of the best gearboxes in the business. I was considering getting one instead of the 987 but I wanted more poke.

ws it a 1.8 or 2.0? the whole driving position, gear change and steering is extremely good. the Boxster feels very refined in comparison

[nelmo]

1 hour ago, TV8 said:

ws it a 1.8 or 2.0? the whole driving position, gear change and steering is extremely good. the Boxster feels very refined in comparison

Can't remember - although I do recall my head was in the hood, up against a cross-member 😁

[bally4563]

On 12/7/2023 at 6:17 PM, Jackrabbit said:

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a heated seat on a cold morning and am spoiled by air conditioning in the summer months, however, I would prefer that my 2003 Boxster had come off the assembly line a bit more raw boned. No frilly electronics (power seats, power window, radio, alarm system, amp, etc.) I would say that only a heater/defroster would be a must have. Also, the power convertible top has me spoiled, but I  could  easily live without that as well. In short, I would like it if the car was a bit more raw. Anybody with me ?

Nope!

[TV8]

9 hours ago, nelmo said:

Can't remember - although I do recall my head was in the hood, up against a cross-member 😁

Good job its a convertible then

[Mattman42]

22 hours ago, nelmo said:

Yeah, my son had one for a while - £3k for a 2010 model and it felt like new - one of the best gearboxes in the business. I was considering getting one instead of the 987 but I wanted more poke.

Had 2 mk1's and a mk3 MX5's - wouldn't go back again as they are so basic, lots of noise, not much performance to match and rust, rust, rust - they are all bad. Handling is great, but not enough to make me have another

[EXY]

22 hours ago, TV8 said:

I sourced one of these for my son recently. mk2.5 1.8 They do seem prone to rust though!

Seems the Italian's have cured tin-worm and the Japanese have a little to learn.

I could have lived without A/C on our Boxster no problem as ours was a high days and holidays car and I live in the UK (NI) where global warming hasn't kicked in yet.

If you seen the amount of cr*p that's removed when A/C is removed 

It's difficult enough to find a Boxster without A/C partly due to dealers and motoring journalists claiming it is an absolute necessity for resale, a bit like FULL Service History when we all know it's often worthless.

[½cwt]

One gain is to reduce drag on the engine, so an underdrive pulley on the alternator and remove the A/C.  Could gain you one bhp.  Bear in mind that a Boxster kerb weight is about 1350kg (or there abouts depending on variant).  Strip out the A/C and you might save 15 kg as other than the pump most of the parts are light aluminium so a little over 1%.  Lets assume an early S model so 252php.  Power to weight goes from 186.6bhp/tonne to a massive 187.3bhp/tonne.  If you could save 100 kg it might be worth it that would get you to 200bhp/tonne, but 100kg is a lot to strip out of a car. 

Some of the things you might target are impractical without massive compromise (Boxsters never had manual windows so saving a couple of kg in the doors wouldn't be easy.  Some quick gains, losing the heavy carpets on the top and front engine covers, would also increase the engine sound in the cockpit.  Take out the tray under the boot carpet  There are couple of heavy bits to take of the engine, secondary air system.  Remove tools and space saver, explore a light weigh battery, but we know how tricky Boxsters can be on standard batteries.  Never more than half fill the tank.  Swap to 17" and tyres (or even 16" wheels is not the bigger braked S, which also saves weight but you have less power) , they are lighter.  Go on a diet an lose 10kg yourself!  You are one of the heaviest individual bits you put in a car.

Ultimately isn't a Lotus Elise from about 2000 a stripped out Boxster in effect?  A 1.8 litre 143 bhp mid-mounted engine in 770kg - 185 bhp/tonne.  So the Boxster is there without cutting it about, just more mass, so more momentum to change direction.

Edited December 10, 2023 by ½cwt

[EXY]

On 12/9/2023 at 11:53 AM, Bike Loon said:

Same. Heated seats, heated steering wheel all the way.

The weight difference is not really that relevant unless you are in a race series.

Oh contraire,,,,,,

If you turn the heated steering wheel and seats up full you could sweat down to racing weight.

Of course it helps if you have some extra kg's to lose in the first place   

[phazed]

Losing 100+ kilograms does make a big difference to the feel of the car as I mentioned above with my track car. Definitely wouldn’t do this to my road car.

Let’s be honest, where are you ever going to feel the benefit on roads in England, even with just a slight nod to safety. That is the reason why I do Track Days, have done one a month for the last few years and get a great buzz from it.

[TV8]

9 hours ago, EXY said:

Japanese have a little to learn.

It was a shock to me. There first 2 I looked at were newer (mk3 / C)  and were starting to rust. 

[Mattman42]

1 hour ago, TV8 said:

It was a shock to me. There first 2 I looked at were newer (mk3 / C)  and were starting to rust. 

The mk2 and 2.5 MX5’s are notorious for rusting front chassis rails. Virtually every one I looked at had MOT advisories for it

[Rev Ken]

13 minutes ago, Mattman42 said:

The mk2 and 2.5 MX5’s are notorious for rusting front chassis rails. Virtually every one I looked at had MOT advisories for it

I KNOW! I had  a mk2 and an 2.5. Great fun to drive, but I had to spend too much on bodywork repairs.(The Mk 3 was better.) My last MX5 might be better for corrosion but it was the worst of the lot to live with. It had nowhere to put anything (eg no glove box or door pockets and no vertical adjustment on the driver's seat as it is so tall it nearly touches the hood cross bar). I've never disliked any car more and couldn't get rid of it soon enough. Hence my VW e-UP! - so much fun!

Edited December 10, 2023 by Rev Ken