DINING IN DINANT
We’re big fans of ‘five minute mods’, especially when they yield results as positive as the LED side repeaters fitted to Wallbank’s 981 Cayman GTS...
Now the weather is improving in the lead up to summer and, of course, as we begin to makes plans following the easing of lockdown restrictions, I’ve finally able to get regular use out of my 981 Cayman GTS and I’m absolutely loving every minute! This car never fails to put a smile on my face, and I’m happy to say I still have no regrets in switching from my 2006 997 Carrera S Cabriolet. In fact, I can safely say I much prefer almost every single aspect of the my 981 to the 997; the handling, chassis balance, the tech, the quality of the interior, the sound of the exhaust. Everything just feels right. Driving this GTS feels like a real ‘occasion’. Make no mistake, this is a true sports car.
This month also saw the arrival of some new parts I purchased during lockdown, chiefly 718-style sequential LED side repeaters sourced from independent Porsche parts retailer, Design 911. I must admit, I’m not usually one for modifying a Porsche with non-genuine products, but when I saw these LED indicators, they just seemed to match my car’s Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS) headlights better. Plus, they also get rid of the ugly orange halogen bulb visible through my 981’s standard chrome indicator housing. Result.
All this got me wondering whether I could replace my standard units with the newer 718 side repeaters. They looked as though they were the same shape and size. After a little searching online, I soon discovered these newer LED units (also fitted to the 991 Gen II) are indeed a direct replacement for the 981 and 991’s older halogen units. Naturally, I immediately searched the web for pricing, landing on the genuine items listed on the Design 911 website, but not only did the company offer OEM units, they also stocked cheaper aftermarket equivalent parts, which looked identical, but also had the additional feature of being sequential, meaning the indicator ‘pulses’ from one side to the other, a feature of many new high-end sports cars. Having watched a demonstration video showing the parts in operation, and after realising how easy they are to fit, I was impressed enough to make a purchase.
I’m no electrician, but fitting these LED side repeaters was one of the easiest and fastest jobs I’ve ever carried out when working on a car. No tools were needed — removing the original side repeaters simply involved applying pressure towards the side of each unit nearest the neighbouring wheel, which then allowed for the front leading edge of the indicator to be released from its clip and gently eased out with my finger. A few
online tutorials suggest a trim removal tool is needed to prize the front edge out, but I didn’t find this to be the case. Besides, using a blunt tool introduces the added risk of potentially damaging your Porsche’s paintwork.
When the front edge is free, the unit can be removed from the bumper. All that’s left is to release the plastic wire connector block, a task completed by applying pressure to the release clip on top of it. With this taken care of, I could connect each new LED side repeater to the car’s wiring harness and tidy the additional resistor wiring into the bumper, before lining up and inserting the big metal clip, applying pressure back near the wheel arch, allowing the front leading edge clip to snap back into place. It’s like the godfather of the DIY generation, John Haynes, used to say: “assembly is the reverse of disassembly”.
All in all, I was very happy with the result. These side repeaters have much cleaner lines than the OEM Porsche units and, pleasingly, the black inner surrounds match up nicely with the black detail in the headlights. The new side repeaters look great whilst flashing, too! And so, I’d completed my first DIY 981 Cayman GTS modification, even if it was very minor!
Another job I ticked off my to-do list in recent weeks was replacing frustratingly chipped black plastic front bumper inserts with brand new genuine Porsche parts. At just £85.00 for the pair, I was surprised at how reasonably priced they were. Needless to say, they’ve freshened up the front end of my car a treat.
At the time of writing this ‘fast fleet’ report, I received some very exciting news: I may be making my racing debut as a rookie in the 2021 Porsche Club Great Britain Championship! First, I need to obtain my Association of Racing Driver Schools (ARDS) racing license, which I can do by sitting a series of tests at Donington Park Circuit, all from the comfort of my 981 Cayman GTS. I’ll be reporting on what’s involved and how you too can use your very own Porsche as the gateway to competition life. Look out for the features in forthcoming issues of 911 & Porsche World!