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Thom wrote: Sat Apr 05, 2025 12:45 pm
I hadn't brought my car to a professional shop for decades and visiting the exhaust shop today reminded me why : because of the relatively high level of mods on my car they seemed to be thinking I was full of money for having spent that much on such an old platform and quoted me a whopping 2500€ for welding the twin scroll tubing. They added that it was not worth it considering how much better turbos had got in the last years, but didn't seem to acknowledge that exhaust pulses didn't care about progress in turbine design. I guess I'll be looking elsewhere... Makes me want to learn welding.
TIG welders are pretty affordable these days and it's not nearly as hard to learn as the internet might make you believe. It's not a hot glue gun like a MIG welder, but it's not rocket science either. You've seen my TIG welds, and I picked it up watching videos and practicing here and there. They won't be featured on Instagram any time soon, but they look 'ok' and are perfectly functional. You could TIG weld at least that good by this summer if you put your mind to it, probably better. You have more than enough background and shop experience to pick it up in no time, and there aren't many skills as liberating as TIG welding your own stuff for a car guy. It's fun too.
Its good to remember that back in the 80's Porsche factory philosophy was that intake and exhaust manifolds did not matter in a turbo. Just add more boost! Take a look at some of the 930 intake manifolds…..ugh
Thom wrote: Sat Apr 05, 2025 12:45 pm
I hadn't brought my car to a professional shop for decades and visiting the exhaust shop today reminded me why : because of the relatively high level of mods on my car they seemed to be thinking I was full of money for having spent that much on such an old platform and quoted me a whopping 2500€ for welding the twin scroll tubing. They added that it was not worth it considering how much better turbos had got in the last years, but didn't seem to acknowledge that exhaust pulses didn't care about progress in turbine design. I guess I'll be looking elsewhere... Makes me want to learn welding.
Was that 2500 for basically the same setup as you show above from JME? Seems sort of accurate from what I remember paying for mine. Although converting into AUD makes it look worse. That would have included twin gates and coating though. Probably would have cost a bit more now that I think of it. But yes, learn welding and save yourself a small fortune.
Thanks for the encouragement. I can well imagine how liberating it must be to know how to weld, having watched up close things being welded for my exhaust already.
There are quite a few online videos which explain the basics of welding. I even stumbled upon laser welding content that I have found quite exciting but still way too expensive to this day, at least for me.
333pg333 wrote: Tue Apr 08, 2025 8:32 pmWas that 2500 for basically the same setup as you show above from JME?
That would have been for the full job, but reusing stock headers and the current 3" exhaust. 2500€ is too much IMO, and perhaps they quoted that much because it would not be a bread and butter job for them like they mostly do and did not really want to do it.
The JME "semi" TS setup may be a slightly cheaper alternative as I need more wastegating area anyway, and adding a second wastegate à la TS would work for sure, and I have one in stock already. However since the cross pipe has to come off why settle on a "semi" TS setup when I also already have a TS turbine housing in stock...
No progress with the welding/TS project so far but my general interest in cars with a chassis somewhat outpowered by the engine has brought me to consider adding some sort of 911 to the fleet. I have been thoroughly enjoying a foray into Italian material for a few years but feel like yet again doing something deeply counter-intuitive and risk myself into something that really doesn't handle that well out of the box... Thoughts and suggestions?
Or get a 3.2 Carrera. You can't be a car guy and not love driving those cars. You'll already know the engine management like that back of your hand, too.
A 3.2 isn't an option, the last one I drove felt like a bag of nails and it wasn't even a bad car... I was more thinking about something like a 996TT, delete the FWD and mod the heck out of it. A 992 would be way too expensive for me.
40000 km. It still runs as good as can be but I must say I do not push it much and mostly use it as an A to B tourer these days, which it does very well. Cruising in 6th @3000rpm/150 km/h is so smooth, relaxed and satisfying that I hardly feel the need anymore to look for secondary roads to unleash all the power. The "fast roads" geometry settings make cruising under these conditions a very dynamic drive and you do not get bored after hours on the motorway as you may with a car on standard settings. Again the 16V engine has awaken the chassis of the 944.
I am still getting minor vibrations in the rear and an alignment is long overdue, though I drove 400 km in a vintage Grand Prix Bugatti earlier this week so getting into the 944 again right after was probably akeen to piloting a 10000 mph capable interstellar space shuttle as comfortable as a Rolls Royce...
