2024 Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge National Champions crowned in L.A.

October 11, 2024 by Porsche

Porsche Englewood, Porsche Louisville and Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas take top honors.

Atlanta. Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) has announced the 2024 Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge champions. Entries from PCNA's three sales regions – East, South-Central, and West – were judged at area events over the summer. A panel of experts from Porsche Club of America and PCNA judged the finals at the Petersen Automotive Museum on October 4th.

Now in its fourth year, Porsche Centers across the United States were invited to compete in one of three categories: Preservation, Restoration, and Individualization. For the first time, an overall Grand National Champion was selected from the three category winners. In addition, the general public, along with a select group of VIP judges, including media, influencers, and industry experts, helped select the People's Choice award.

Individualization & Grand National Champion: Porsche Englewood

A 1985 911 Carrera backdate tribute: the '1971 McQueen Gulf #20 S/T.'

Brought to life by Porsche Englewood's dedicated Classic team in collaboration with a client to recreate the iconic McQueen 917 from the movie *Le Mans* (1971), reimagined as a 1971 Nürburgring S/T race car. This vehicle now proudly joins his collection.

The goal: 'What if Steve McQueen raced a 911 S/T instead of a 917?'

Porsche Englewood aimed to craft a daily-driver that remains track-ready, merging the finest genuine Porsche parts, including selections from the Porsche Motorsport catalogue, with top-tier enhancements. The result is a tribute that balances reliability with authenticity. To make this a reality, the team sourced a 964 engine and upgraded it to a 3.8L with internal throttle bodies, modernized the transmission with a hydraulic clutch, and shortened gears one to four for enhanced acceleration.

Along with mechanical modifications are significant visual modifications. The car features Custom livery with hand painted stripes, widened fenders and tucked bumpers. In the cockpit, the interior has been reworked with Alcantara headliner, pepita cloth seats and dash pad, custom steering wheel, and the upgraded Porsche Classic PCCM radio.

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Restoration & People's Choice: Porsche Louisville

Porsche Louisville acquired this 1977 Porsche 930 Turbo from the estate of its original owner. Finished in Peru Red -a bold burnt orange shade -the car had not run in 15 years, presenting a unique restoration challenge.

Reviving a vehicle that had been dormant for so long required draining all fluids, checking the engine for internal damage, and examining everything from the wiring to the suspension. Each component was scrutinized to ensure no hidden issues would impact the car's performance.

The entire engine was rebuilt to match its original performance specifications, allowing this Turbo to perform just as it did in 1977. The suspension was also fully rebuilt to restore the car's sharp handling and precise driving dynamics, which have always been the hallmark of the 930 Turbo. They reworked the entire electrical system to resolve any issues, ensuring every component operated reliably.

After addressing all mechanical, electrical, and interior aspects, the car was stripped down and repainted in its original Peru Red, bringing back its vibrant, head-turning appearance.

Preservation: Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas

This story started in 1997 when a local Las Vegas family purchased what they believed was a 1986 Porsche 911 Turbo-Look (M491) Cabriolet with a turbo spoiler. It wasn't until the vehicle arrived at Gaudin Porsche that its true identity began to unfold: this 1986 911 Carrera Turbo-Look was actually born a M491 Targa.

The team then endeavored to bring the car to its original configuration. They performed a compression/leak-down test to verify the engine's health, cleaned out the entire fuel system, and flow-tested the injectors. From there, they dry-ice blasted the undercarriage and all suspension components, cleaning 38 years of road grime. The team replaced the worn-out aftermarket shocks with Porsche Genuine Turbo-Look shocks, and the engine was resealed with Porsche Genuine piston rings and refinished cylinder heads. The interior was stripped to steam clean and recondition the carpet and leather. A donor Targa bar had to be acquired, meticulously measured for proper fitment, and welded into place. The rear glass required four people and hundreds of pounds of force to install. The front and rear lenses were replaced with Porsche Genuine Parts, along with rubber moldings surrounding the body that were degrading. The aftermarket wheels were swapped for the Porsche Genuine Fuchs wheels found in Originale 2. Lastly, an in-depth paint correction was completed to recover the original mirror finish. This is the second year in a row Gaudin Porsche has won in the preservation category. They also won People's Choice at Rennsport Reunion 7 last year.

'Congratulations to the winners of this year's Restoration Challenge,' said Jonathan Sieber, Senior Manager of Porsche Classic. 'The skill and dedication that went into each of these entries speaks volumes to the unparalleled passion surrounding Porsche vehicles of the past and the future.'

Fifty-eight Porsche vehicles were entered in this year's contest. Cars that compete in the Restoration Challenge are worked on by Porsche-trained technicians who have a portfolio of more than 80,000 Porsche Classic Genuine Parts at their disposal. America is home to more classic Porsche vehicles than any other market in the world. The Porsche Classic U.S. headquarters alongside One Porsche Drive in Atlanta provides Factory Restoration services for all classic models and Sonderwunsch factory programs for all Porsche models.