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Hardwired Radar Detector
 The Boxster's cigarette lighter is always on! Put another way --
power is always running to the socket. So if something is plugged in
(say, a radar detector), it will stay on even after turning off the car
and removing the key.
Now, I'm sure in Europe, where in some countries even the dogs smoke,
it's probably very convenient to have a cigarette lighter that's always
available, even when the car is not on. But I don't smoke, I don't
want anyone ever smoking in my car (and now they can't light up even if
they want to -- see related hack below), and it's REALLY annoying to have
to turn off (or unplug) the radar detector each time I turn the car off.
So, I ordered an extra long cable form Escort for my Passport 8500
(designed specifically for this purpose), and had my dealer install it.
It's mounted high, right between the mirror and the passenger visor.
(And it's getting crowded in the neighborhood; I've also got an "EZ-Pass"
toll transceiver there.)
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An easy "hack" -- I "installed" the decal just before I left the Watkins Glen
DE event in October 2003.
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 Rear Speaker Kit (Porsche OEM parts)
Did it myself; well worth the $ and effort. There are various excellent
sets of installation instructions available online, and one worthwhile tip is:
fill the cavernous spaces behind the speakers with fiberfill material, to
improve the sound.
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AutoTop One-Touch
Convertible Top Operation
10 minute installation, one-touch operation. I did NOT do the "relay"
hack to allow operation while the car is moving; I really don't think the
benefit is worth the risk. (The AutoTop unit includes an extra wire that
you tap in to the speedometer feed that goes to the radio, so that it knows
how fast you're going and won't operate at higher speeds. But I'd still
prefer not to risk serious damage; I'll pull over and stop.)
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 Non-Smoker Conversion (Porsche OEM parts)
 Cosmetic? Frivolous? Obsessive? What can I say -- the
ashtray is gone, and I have a place to put my phone.
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CD Changer (Silverstone 7860 ordered from
Fred Opert Racing)
 Becker's Silverstone 7860 replaced their 2660, which was the original
Porsche OEM CD changer for the Boxster. The connector is plug-and-play,
but the mounting is different. The supplier told me I could just use the
universal Becker plastic mounting brackets and screw the unit directly into
the firewall. I opted instead to use the Porsche mounting kit (metal
bracket, U clamps, various screws), and come up with a way to secure the 7860
to the bracket (it has no mounting holes as the 2660 did). Currently
I've got double-sided tape holding the 7860 to the metal bracket (back and
bottom), and a large velcro strip holding the 7860 to the carpeting behind the
bracket (the bracket has a large circular hole in the center), as well as a web strap around the 7860 and bracket.
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 I can open BOTH of my garage doors, from a Porsche rocker switch installed
in my upper dash, and the LED goes on to tell me that it's transmitting!
Read all about it here.
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OBC
I WANT MY ON-BOARD COMPUTER TURNED ON!!! My two local Porsche dealers
both refuse. But I will not give up. I've tried to convince them
to do it, promising to pay for a 4-stalk steering column and the labor to
install it if they'll just do this one little thing for me. But no dice.
So I'm going to broaden the search -- maybe I can find an independent mechanic
with the PST2 who can turn it on. And depending on how difficult the
garage opener switch turns out to be, I might decide to just put two rocker
switches in the remaining two blanks, and forget the 4-stalk assembly.
It will be a much less expensive solution.
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Aerokit I
Before/After:
Front:
Back:
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OK, this one was somewhat of an "impulse" buy. While I was at
Brandywine Porsche picking up the mounting hardware for the CD Changer
install and the rocker switch for the Garage Door Opener hack, they
mentioned an unbelievable deal -- $999 for the parts, plus $1295 for
painting and installation (including modification of the front bumper for
my S). I thought about it for a few days and decided to go ahead
with it. Finish Line, a local body shop, did the installation.
They ran into a nightmare . . . apparently, when the repairs were done
after my track mishap, the front bumper was
not reinstalled properly. Instead of the standard brackets, it was
held on with tie wraps and caulking! Finish Line wanted to do the
job right. I paid for the two brackets and split some of the labor
with Brandywine; Finish Line supplied much of the labor at no charge.
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Trailer Hitch / Bike Rack / Track Trailer
I want to pull a little trailer to the track, and I also want to be able to
take one, and sometimes two, bikes out with my Boxster (thus ending the sunny
day dilemma -- do I go for a drive, or a ride?). So I ordered a hitch
and bike rack frame from
Willwood. Installation wasn't too
hard, although I did make a few trips to the hardware store because I kept
forgetting to check whether I had all the tools I would need. I
purchased and attached two Thule Velo Vise 589 carriers, and two Thule "Wheel
On" 593 front wheel holders. I was able to install all of these without
drilling any holes or modifying the carriers or the Willwood rack! Check
out the pictures below; the hitch receivers (first picture) are almost
invisible (between the bumperettes and the license plate):
Receivers:
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Bike Rack:
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One BIke:
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Two Bikes:
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Side View:
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Brey-Krause Rollbar Extension
8 track events with a (relatively) "stock" Boxster and now I find out that
I need a B-K Rollbar Extention to get on the track at Virginia International
Raceway (as well as any of my local PCA region's events) . . . fortunately I
managed to pick up a 1-year-old unit. Installation was relatively easy;
I used it once, and I'll post
pictures the next time I use it.
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"Jewelry"
Lefteris Trochalidis, a frequent poster to
Porsche Pete's Boxster Board,
manufactures "Jewels
for Cars" and ships them from Greece. Silver,
rhodium coated, and quite beautiful. The rear trunk lid of my Aerokit I
has no emblem, so I installed a "Boxster S" logo on the red lens of the
collision avoidance light.
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Who says you can't have it all? CD changer AND iPod.
Pictures and details here.
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Garage Door Opener
