On the front bumper, the center panel has to be removed. I found this angled pry tool to work the best.
From the front side of the bumper, I used another pry bar to get at the bottom of the center panel to release those snap features.
After snapping in the new center panel with the opening for the radiator, I applied the double-sided tape for the Radiator Grill Store center grill.
Before applying the tape, I cut off this little nub that was in the top middle of the new center panel so that the grill could sit flush.
Here you can see the air escape path exiting the radiator and going upwards.
This is the GT3 vent from the 997 generation 911 roughly in position. You can see the airflow path exiting the radiator and going up and out of the vent.
11 comments
What a cool mod!
That’s not punny. You’re going to get punished by being sent to the punintentary.
Cool and rad. Nice article. I think I’ve accepted the fact that I will never be cool enough to understand Porsche life.
Just modding for more cooling for better track reliability like my other cars. Just happens Porsche has more factory parts to use!
Nice! I’m surprised you didn’t just buy the replica or OEM GT4 front bumper! You get the top vent, larger lower vent openings, and a more aggressive front splitter for maybe more front downforce. Plus you wouldn’t have had to hack up the stock front bumper. AFAIK, a GT4 front bump is pretty much a plug and play solution. Can’t wait to see even more progress on this build!
Maybe it’s just me but I would not want to put an aftermarket fiberglass bumper on a Porsche daily driven street car. An OEM GT4 bumper is pretty spendy. This is a nice compromise.
The reason for not doing a GT4 front end is that it would get destroyed around where I live. Lots of steep driveway entries in shopping plazas, gas stations, parking lots, etc. As it is, I scrape the air strake in front of the front tire every time I leave my complex. A couple people have done the full GT4 frontend conversion.
The center vent really looks factory – great job!
Great job and beautifully documented!
Fantastic final result.
It’ll be interesting to compare temperatures with a stock car with common “control” ambients and driving, at a track day.
I 100% agree with the perfect compromise of repurposing the stock bumper, on the grounds of cost and ground clearance. I have a 981 GT4 and conscious of the limited approach angle.
I live in the UK where local town councils instal traffic speed calming with “sleeping policemen”, which I negotiated at an angle and crab over.
Hotels in Europe tend to have underground car parks and on road trips I check if they are ok for low sports cars!
The 997 GT3 vent looks pretty good on the 718. But, why not just use the actual GT4 radiator kit instead of the GTS?
To do the GT4 center radiator right, either have to do the full GT4 front end conversion or make a custom center section to go from the base bumper opening geometry to the GT4 radiator. Neither are easy or low cost options.