Too Pretty to Race (Almost)
Though this immaculate 2004 Porsche 996 GT3 sports outstanding metallic black paint, straight panels and an impeccable black leather interior, its new owner is contracting Autometrics Motorsports to craft the sportscar into the ultimate Porsche Club of America track terror. 
At first glance the converting of a pristine street car into a track car may seem a strange choice. Why not, for example, start with a high mileage car or one with cosmetic issues. In almost all cases, however, our experience has proven this to be true: It is much cheaper and easier to spend money up front for a great car than it is to correct the problems of a high mileage or abused vehicle.
In the case of the 996 there is one additional reason to start with a great street car: many Porsche buyers have yet to realize just how good the 996 is. There are reasons for this. As Porsche’s first watercooled 911 it emerged from the factory with teething problems. As the car that—together with the original Boxster—was designed to save Porsche from declining profit margins, it shared many of its parts and therefore its appearance with its lesser stablemate as a cost saving measure. But the teething problems are easily remedied by those in the know and the 996—as this GT3 certainly proves—can be a remarkably attractive car. The result is that it has never been a better time to build a 996 track car, and beautiful, pampered, and potent street cars are out there for the taking.
This particular car arrived at the Autometrics Motorsports stables with just 28,000 miles on the clock and with everything, and we mean everything, in outstanding condition. The plan for the GT3 is a build to the full extent of PCA J-class rules using the same super-sanitary practices we use for all of our projects. First steps will include an interior tear-down and the installation of a custom-fabricated, color-matched 6-point rollcage. Once the paint dries we’ll move on to engine, exhaust, suspension, race seats, electronics, cool-suit system and more. Stay tuned, this one promises to be a great build that prove’s no car is too pretty to race
