On past track projects I have started my upgrades with power, then went to suspension, then safety. A true “safety third” approach. I no longer do that as I have learned that approach is ass backwards. The biggest improvement on any cars’s lap times is to upgrade the nut behind the wheel (the driver). I am a decent driver but not a great racer with god given talents with endless confidence and no fear. I also am realistic that I am simply a track rat that wants to go fast and develop my race craft……I am not on the road to Le Mans. So my plan is to spend as much on professional coaches and track time as I do on car upgrades. Its a new approach for me but it seems like the right one.
Luckily the GT4 is a highly capable car out of the box so not much is needed for a driver like me. If you are a semi-pro driver I could see how heavily modifying the GT4 would make sense (upgraded suspension, more power, more aero, less weight, upgraded brakes, etc). But for my goals I feel I need to make the car a bit safer on the track, a bit more grip, and driving tools to help me develop as a driver.
So my first purchase for the GT4 was a bolt in half cage so that I could install 6 point belts and use my HANS device. In the past I have done custom weld-in and bolt-in cages but fortunately there are a couple off the shelf options for the GT4 making this upgrade cheaper and easier. I don’t want to damage the interior so out of the options out there I went with the Competition Motorsports half cage which requires less trim cutting as well as pre-cut trim pieces so you can retain your factory trim. I went with the satin black finish to match the interior design as well as sub bars for under the seats so I can have 6 points.
For the belts I went with the classic Schroth Porsche GT3 Profi 2x2. These have Porsche specific mounting tabs for the factory carbon fiber race seats making them the perfect match for the GT4. These will allow me to mount the 6 point belts along with the factory 3 points for dual street/track use. I opted for the silver belts to better match the factory silver upholstery thread and pull handles. As with all of our builds, these little decisions make all the difference in the world on the finished product.