This 3.7L Hartech Rebuilt 996 is a Perfect Porsche 911. But at What Cost?

Whether it makes financial sense or not: I deeply admire people who set out to do things right, cost be more or less damned. I tip my hat at this man.

Day 1 of asking jay for garage tour/ fleet update

Glad you enjoyed the work we did on the engine

What I love about the older 911's is the size of them. The new ones are too wide for British B roads. They might be quick around the Nurburgring but that's not the real world. 😮

While I may be biased since I have a 996, but I really like the 996 headlights. The clear versions are like the GT1 Strassenversion which is a cool feature all while being different from the other 911s. Of course the classic 911 headlights are iconic, but the car still retains the classic 911 shape all while being a great car.

Love some Hartech!! I did something similar, hunted for a C4S with a blown engine. Rebuilt to a 4.0 and swapped the tiptronic out for a manual. I timed the market right and could still sell it and get all of money back, plus some. Side note, I did the build myself over 2 years, using a Nickies 4.0 block and stage 1 Hoffman heads. Fully documented on the Rennlist 996 forum.

996.1 owner here. I had mine for 12 years. Great cars

I bought my 1999 C2 for 21,500 USD. Opened the glove box and found a surprise: paperwork and photos of an engine rebuild from one year before for 17K! I pretend this means I spent 4,500 for it.

Having just bought a restored 996 with a broken engine I really enjoyed this and feel vindicated in my choice.

I can never get bored of that flat 6 sound

Biased 996.1 owner here. Yes, its the best 911 money can buy. Its far better than any earlier iterations, and compared to the newer 991 and 992 versions, its smaller in any aspect, lighter and its a liveable car you dont have to morgage the wife and kids or be so afraid to use. All the hate on the 996 is due to incompetence and by ignorant people. Mine is a september 1997 one of the first, it has its second gearbox, fourth engine and clocked 220.000km. It has a Numeric shifter and cables, center console delete, mechanical LSD (from factory), MO30 sports suspension (from factory), the 996 GT3 carbon bucket seats and a RUF-Raid steering wheel. With the new Micheline PS5 rubber its a dream to drive.

I have done something similar(ly stupid). Bought healthy & running 996 and let independent specialist renew the engine and accessories, suspension and brakes. Never had any, not even the most minor, issue with it during my entire ownership of three years. I think the car deserves to be in shape and has plenty to offer to offset the initial cost. My bill was about 14k Euros for the job, plus purchase price which here on the continent is slightly elevated now (25 to 30k Eur). As a bonus, it's vintage enough to feel unique and different in every aspect if you are young and used only to new cars like I was. Second bonus, its ridiculously easy to obtain any parts you need.

Awesome. I’m biased, I own a 1998 996 3.4 in manual with 18” rims and I simply love it. I spent ages trying to find a pristine example here in Australia and have kept it completely standard. I replaced the suspension, dampers and bushes with OEM parts and have never regretted it - what a car. It might have “only” 300bhp but it absolutely flies across country. I’ve got a good friend who owns a new 992 Carrera S with PDK and we regularly go driving through the national forest back roads in convoy with him - and the 996 has never let me down. Not only does it keep up - and even sometimes pull away, if I take a brave pill (although I’m undoubtedly busier behind the wheel), it always astonishes me (and my friend) at just what cross country pace it has in the dry. Porsche knocked it out of the park with this car - you just need to find a good one, which is getting harder and harder these days.

I also own a 1999 C2 manual 996, and it just ruins everything else I drive when it comes to feel. It also confirms to me that 300bhp and 1320kgs is all you really need on British roads. I firmly believe that in time the values of the early cable throttle manual 3.4's will catch and maybe surpass the C4S.

I have the exact same car and bought it from its first owner in 2002. It’s been sitting in the garage too much, but I really enjoy driving it. This inspired me to get it back on the road again

I have a 986 Boxster and love it, think it has aged gracefully and the orange headlights are just cool now. Hopefully soon I can upgrade to one of these…

If I was faced with spending that much on my 996 I couldn't do it. I'd sell as a roller or part it out and move on. So far so good though.

i own a 996 with a rebuilt 3.9 hartech engine. Yes it was super expensive but it was worth it and it's a forever keeper.

a 996 carrera for 20k with some new suspension is just my dream

3.4 engine never lacked the top end fire works!😂