The Toad, aka Todeskart (99 base Boxster)

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Hasbro

True Classic
I decided to divide my X and Boxster projects into two threads to put them in the proper forums.

Quick re-intro; I started lurking on here around 15-20? years ago, joined about 12 years ago. Had a couple of projects set up (thanks, Pete) but a health issue reared up and I had to back off. I bought an old but pretty decent Boxster (The Toad) to take out my aggressions on since it was a reliable running project. It's in many pieces right now. Recently I saw Mike Tavalin's X and, being fairly familiar with it and Mike's extensive efforts, I agreed to buy it within about an hour. One of my better moves, I think/hope.
 
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The Toad -
Toad is short for todeskart, German for death cart, which is a term used by GRMers (GrassrootsMotorsports) as a racing group for the $2000 Challenge.

This won't be really mentioned much on here, just thought it might be of interest to some of you. It currently weighs 2,310 lbs and will weigh less eventually. Stock was 2,820.

Here it is currently. Sherrif said my uh, bumpers and pipes were good. I live in a VERY tolerant county! I don't think a windshield is required but a wiper is...

boxster,rear,Jon'spipesattached!1 19 20.jpg


Sort of what I want to do with it but will probably cut the windshield off completely. Shooting for 2,200 lb.s "street Legal".
Inkedaero study - little bastard 911 Chopped4.jpg


Next project. Maybe some Steve H. spring weights? It's just a six cylinder X/MR2.😏
 
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Good thing you didn't post this on MIRA as they would chase you off as not being about Fiats. I personally like your project and deathkart Miatas are all over the place. Funny, but I thought a Porsche would be kept nice and an X would be chopped up.
 
If this kind of thing (death cart) continues it won't be long before you'll have to get gubbermint approval to purchase a SawsAll.
 
On a non-antique car license plate, I'm not sure how you would get this past your DMV safety inspection. I'd love to see such a conversion to an X but I just don't know what you can cut off and what needs to be there.

You would be able to buy a Sawzall, but you would need a permit to buy the blades.
 
Mark, thanks for moving to NFC.

My county doesn't do inspections. Very lenient. And this Boxster had body damage from the left headlight to the rear tail light. The repair was about a B+ so of little interest to the serious Porschefile so it's a good car to cut into. Initially it will recieve recipricating saw action but hopefully (fingers crossed) it will be transformed something similar to my design above (I dislike weight overhang!). The actual front and rear will be determined by how much I can safely cut into the unibody.
 
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In one of the "modified X designs" threads I started there is some discussion of doing something like this to the X. Sort of a roadster with a "speedster" top / modified targa bar and general body mods to make it "minimalist". I have a very rusted X that is basically a parts donor car. But all of the critical areas are not rusted, so structurally it is pretty sound. Just too rusty otherwise to save as a complete X. So if I ever get all of my other project cars done then I'll look into this concept on that X chassis. I have some fairly radical ideas that I'd love to incorporate into it, just for fun. As much a 'art' project as car build I guess.
 
^ That sounds like fun, especially since you are always considering creative design ideas.

At about the same time You, Carl and I were communicating re. body design, the rat projects were also in high gear. This will be a street rat at first - hopefully it will segeway into a really cool body design if my bodywork skills develop exponentially. :p
This endeavor is also contiguous to preventing any radical body changing to the X! Although the X will not remain unscathed... but done gently.

The first endeavor was to see if the side view, sort of the major theme, could be more curvy and retro. I think it works;
Boxster - curve study 2 (3).png

It will require the door to be skinned and attached to strengthening cross bars in the door frame, which also really stiffens the chassis. Between the fenders from the nose to tail will be dropped 2-4" if that makes sense. Stock length will be shortened 32'- 40", depending on structural integrety. One of the reasons the windshield goes. Lots of aero under, over, and through the car.

A few pics with similar themes;
Boxster body study Ferrari SP1.jpg

aero - elemental-RP1.jpg

aero study - green4u-panoz-racing-gt-ev-race-car_100610213_l.jpg

I'll stop here before I get run out of XWeb.
 
I'm thinking if it is converted to a full-time roadster with a completely open cabin (no top), and the profile is lowered, then you may need any doors. Add a stiffening brace across the door opening and weld the door skin over the hole. A bit like some of the competition examples you showed.
 
Here's an example of a re-bodided X. It's not the cool jelly bean shape though.
Full disclosure - I stole the pic, and the car (kinda) ;)
wedgex2.jpg
BTW - I think a wrecked Boxster would make a very cool skate!
 
Dr.Jeff, good point and I agree (last post); "It will require the door to be skinned and attached to strengthening cross bars in the door frame, which also really stiffens the chassis."

Mike, not sure what a skate is. Like these? The third one is similar to what I'm thinking.
boxster windshieldless tcc_8_02_tube_frame_boxter.jpg
boxster (913) study.jpg
aero study - from facebook Outlaw Boxsters.jpg
 
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Me like!

I was interested in buying a Boxster several years ago. The early series had dropped significantly in price as the second generation was to come out. And I was seeing very nice examples for little money (in Porsche terms). So I started looking at what I could do to customize one. At that time there weren't a lot of choices from the aftermarket specifically for the Boxster, it was still considered as not a "real" Porsche. With the nose being shared with the the 911 you could add some front spoiler/noses, and a wing or two at the back. But I wanted to go much further, along the lines of what you are planning. Unfortunately that's about the time I became severely injured so all projects were off the list for a few years. Now I'm seeing really cheap Boxsters available. Especially if the engine status is questionable. That's where something like a Renegade conversion kit might be nice. ;)
 
I once had the opportunity to buy a cheap 911 that was a theft recovery from a chop shop, through the insurance company. There wasn't much left of it. Back in the 80's it was said there were more Porsches in Orange County than the rest of the world combined. Not sure, but there certainly were a LOT of Porsche chop shops. And they harvested every usable part off them. It was the #1 most stolen vehicle for several years there. So I thought it might be cheap to get the needed parts from said shops to put it back together (they actually advertised the parts for sale). Sadly I found it would not be cheap nor easy. Then I thought what else could be done with such a stripped/chopped shell. The aftermarket was full of 911 replacement body panels, mostly fiberglass, for widebody conversions, etc.. I had a lot of experience with air-cooled VWs and many of the same suppliers also offered Porsche parts. So I thought about building something sort of along the lines of the second example in post #11. Maybe with a combination of VW and Porsche components. But my common sense got the better of me and I never pursued it. These days you couldn't touch anything 911 related without spending a fortune. So building a hacked up hot rod (or Skate) out of one would be unheard of.

I'd like to see that example (posted above) with a bit of rear body work to give it a little more "911" look.
 
Dr Jeff, have you looked at the prices of 996s lately? IMHO those are the performance bargains of the moment. Yes, parts prices are high, but as you know, there are plenty of used parts available.
 
WedgeX reminds me of one of those dirt track American race cars (I'm not even sure what they are called, I've never had any interest in American racing).

Funny about Porsche "911" models and prices. When I was younger I wanted the latest version of 911, with all of its new technology and design. Naturally at that time they were also the most expensive unfortunately. Now I'd prefer a very early 911 (long hood model), with the classic vintage look and features. And sadly there are now the most expensive. :rolleyes:
 
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