Boxster Brakes, Which to get? S or Non S? Options

[soloracer]

I am looking for a decent brake solution for my 914. Currently the car has an 80's 911 front suspension and I purchased a set of 964 C2 calipers and Carrera rotors. I thought I was doing good until I saw the bolt spacing for the 964 calipers don't match the strut mounts. I found adapters but they require sawing the mounting tabs off the calipers and buying an adapter - to the tune of $1000+. So now I am considering selling the 964 calipers and going with a full set of Boxster units. Question is though, which ones do you go with? The Boxster S or non S? Or should I just scrap the idea of Boxster brakes all together and get 993's or something else? Maybe keep the 964's and redrill the holes? Know anyone who does that sort of work?

Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

[Brando]

930 (big reds), 964 and 993 brakes are 3.5" bolt hole spacing. So, you'd have to weld an adapter on for those anyhow. As for Boxsters... I think they are 3.5" spacing as well, but I'm not 100% sure.

[smdubovsky]

930 (big reds), 964 and 993 brakes are 3.5" bolt hole spacing. So, you'd have to weld an adapter on for those anyhow. As for Boxsters... I think they are 3.5" spacing as well, but I'm not 100% sure.

930s are NOT big reds. They have 3.5" spacing. Bolt right on w/ early (<1980) turbo rotors.
964 have to have the caliper machined + adapters. W/ adapters, you can have any bolt spacing you need. (Note: I've never held one of these, just the information I gather from pelican and the pics)
993/S4 calipers require adapters but no machining. Use early (<1980) turbo rotors. (I've got a set of these on my bench)
Boxster calipers require adapters but no machining. Use carrera(84-89) rotors. Most say this is no real upgrade vs carrera calipers (though you can put boxster calipers on 3" struts becasue of the adapters)
Boxster S are 996 brakes. They also require adapters. No early rotor fits them easily. (I also have a set of these on the bench)

SMD

[Aaron Cox]

(though you can put boxster calipers on 3" struts becasue of the adapters)


SMD

wrong... no one makes an adapter for 3".... and the ears get in the way of pad's and any adapter block....

[smdubovsky]

(though you can put boxster calipers on 3" struts becasue of the adapters)


SMD

wrong... no one makes an adapter for 3".... and the ears get in the way of pad's and any adapter block....

I'll have to defer to your experience Aaron. I only have late struts. Are the 3" ears in a different location on an early strut? I've never studied one closely, but it appears they are just closer together. Why wouldn't the same tangential/radial adapter design principle work?

You are right - I have never seen an early 3" adapter 'off the shelf'. I always assumed because of the limited market and the relative ease of swapping to 3.5" struts.

SMD