This Porsche Boxster S (986) is my own personal car and has been an ongoing project for some time. Rather than being built in one go, it has been continually developed, improved and slowly restored while remaining in regular use. The intention has always been to retain what makes the 986 such a good road car, while addressing some of its known weaknesses and improving the driving experience along the way.

Finished in Porsche Lapis blue, the car sits on 18-inch Porsche wheels with wider 996 rear wheels in place of the standard 986 items. These are currently fitted with new Nankang NS-2R tyres all round. BC Racing coilovers give the car a purposeful lowered stance, while red brake calipers complete the look.

The exterior has also been subtly updated with a 996-style front bumper and facelift headlights, the latter having recently been fully restored. The black fabric hood incorporates the later glass rear screen, offering considerably better visibility and durability than the original plastic-window arrangement.

Mechanically, quite a lot has been done beneath the surface. The 3.2-litre flat-six is fitted with a 996 inlet manifold and MAF arrangement, together with a custom airbox, stainless-steel exhaust manifolds and sports catalytic converters. The result is a more responsive engine with a stronger exhaust note without making the car unpleasant or overly compromised for road use.

Importantly, the IMS bearing and timing chains were replaced approximately 15,000 miles ago. The six-speed gearbox has also received the important selector-fork modification, addressing one of the known weaknesses of the 986 transmission.

The standard gearshift has been replaced with an uprated short-shift arrangement using bespoke bronze bushings, giving a noticeably tighter and more mechanical shift action with far less of the looseness often found in higher-mileage 986s.

Inside, the car has heated seats and a Prototipo steering wheel, along with an aftermarket oil-pressure gauge neatly integrated into the dashboard. Additional sound deadening has also been installed in the rear boot area to reduce drivetrain and road noise, making the car more refined on longer journeys despite the more focused mechanical specification.

This is very much an ever-evolving car rather than a finished showpiece. Being my personal Boxster, it continues to receive improvements and restoration work as and when required while still being driven and enjoyed. It has been developed into a well-sorted, usable 986 S with a number of the worthwhile upgrades and preventative jobs already carried out, while retaining the character that makes these cars so enjoyable in the first place.