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September 03, 2026
Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge: The Area West Winners
Now in its sixth year, the Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge asks Porsche Centers across the United States to do what they are uniquely equipped to do: take a classic Porsche that is due for expert attention and return it to the road. The work is carried out by Porsche-trained technicians with a catalog of roughly 85,000 Porsche Classic Genuine Parts behind them, and the eligibility list is deliberately broad. Entries can include the 356 and 914, six generations of the 911, transaxle cars such as the 944 and 928, and modern classics including the Boxster, Cayman, and first-generation Cayenne, provided the vehicle is a street production model.
Each participating center enters one of three categories. Individualization draws on the spirit of Porsche's Sonderwunsch program and rewards imaginative use of Porsche Genuine Parts. Preservation favors repairing over replacing, retaining as much original material as possible while improving how the car functions. Restoration is the traditional path, returning a car to like-new condition in line with original production specifications. A fourth honor, People's Choice, is decided by public vote rather than by the judging panel.
Area West judging took place on August 14 at Werks Reunion in Monterey, California, during one of the busiest weeks on the collector car calendar. Four Porsche Centers came away with awards, and the three category winners advance as national finalists to the finals in Atlanta on October 9 and 10.
Individualization: Porsche Tucson, 1973 914
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Porsche Tucson took the Individualization award with a 914 that arrived as a gutted rolling chassis sourced locally. The team stripped and sandblasted the shell to expose its true condition, removed corrosion, and completed extensive metalwork through the body and floor pans before fitting steel GT-style flares along with handmade front and rear bumpers and spoilers. The body was widened by an additional 1¾ inches along the upper fender line, work that required careful fabrication to keep the proportions consistent from front to rear. The finished car wears a custom-mixed Adriatic Blue over the upper and lower surfaces, with bumpers and trim in 70 percent gloss black.
The bigger undertaking was mechanical. Converting the chassis for six-cylinder power called for frame gussets, an oil tank, and a dedicated engine mounting system. The rebuilt 2.4-liter engine runs S-spec camshafts, high-compression pistons, Weber 40 IDA carburetors, PerTronix ignition, coated headers, and a sport muffler, and it sits in an engine bay finished with a painted shroud, zinc-coated hardware, and a handmade wiring harness. The rebuilt 901 side-shift transmission received new synchronizers, engagement teeth, operating sleeves, and a reinforced intermediate bearing support, while the suspension and brakes were rebuilt around new bushings, bearings, Bilstein shocks, and rebuilt 911 calipers. Inside are a custom five-gauge dashboard, redesigned seats in black leather with blue stitching, color-matched belts, a roll bar, woven leather dash trim, and a handmade aluminum shifter.
Porsche Tucson also made the build a public project, hosting an event at the halfway mark and another for the final reveal, and documenting progress at least twice a month for more than 6,000 followers under the #PorscheChallenge2026 hashtag.
@porschetucson
Preservation: Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas, 1996 911 Turbo
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The 993 Turbo that Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas entered arrived wearing years of aftermarket modification in the tuner idiom of the early 2000s. The category rewards restraint, and the team's approach was to reverse those changes rather than replace what lay underneath. The project was introduced to more than 120 VIP guests at a kickoff event in January 2025, with the transformation carried out in public view.
To protect original finishes, the undercarriage and suspension were dry ice blasted, lifting decades of grime without disturbing factory coatings. The aftermarket front bumper, rear spoiler, wheels, graphics, and aged paint protection film all came off, returning the original bodywork and paint to view. The interior was fully disassembled so the original carpets and leather could be steam cleaned and reconditioned, and the factory seats, belts, steering wheel, shifter, and parking brake assembly went back in as aftermarket carbon trim, aluminum gauge surrounds, pedal covers, door sill trim, and the custom audio system came out. The factory speaker configuration was restored, with a Porsche Classic Communication Management Plus system added for modern connectivity behind a period-correct face.
Mechanically, the car received a full engine, transmission, and driveline service, along with the reinstallation of its original exhaust, valve covers, and oil lines. Brakes were renewed with new pads, rotors, and lines and refinished calipers, and the intercooler and fan shroud were refinished in correct factory colors. A precision corner balance, ride height adjustment, and four-wheel alignment followed. Every original body panel was retained through paintless dent removal, all glass was polished rather than replaced, and a multi-stage paint correction revived the factory finish. More than 200 miles of road testing preceded the unveiling to a crowd of over 180 guests in the Gaudin showroom.
@gaudinporschelv
Restoration: Porsche San Francisco, 2003 911 C4S
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Porsche San Francisco chose its subject with an argument in mind. The 996 is the entry point into air-cooled-adjacent 911 ownership for a lot of newer enthusiasts, and this 2003 C4S Tiptronic was selected to show what the generation is capable of when it receives proper attention. The car is on its seventh owner and spent most of its life outside the dealer network before returning in May 2023 with a recurring check engine light. Diagnosed with an internal engine concern, it was bought as a retirement project and then sat under a cover beside a house for three years.
The engine and transmission came out in front of a live audience during the project unveiling. With the engine partially disassembled, removal of the bank two cylinder head revealed a carbon pattern on cylinders five and six consistent with coolant in the combustion chamber. Inspection found no cracks in the head and no bore scoring or cracks in the cylinder walls, so the engine was reassembled with cam timing set, new spark plugs, latest-revision ignition coils, a new air-oil separator, and a new water pump and drive belt. Once reinstalled, the misfire was confirmed corrected.
From there the car received new shock absorbers, strut mounts, bump stops, and dust boots, a four-wheel alignment, rebuilt and refinished calipers with new Porsche script, and new discs, pads, sensors, and hardware. A PCCM+ upgrade required removing the single-DIN radio and relocating the A/C control panel to the base of the console, and the center console itself was replaced after its rubberized coating began peeling. The headlights were restored through a multi-step process of chemical cleaning, progressive sanding from 800 through 3000 grit, polishing, and UV and ceramic coating, while cracked taillights and the spoiler lip were replaced. Full exterior paint restoration and an interior detail completed the car.
The team deserves specific mention. Gold Meister and classic certified technician Noah Saldena led the project alongside Gunter Feldmeier, with engine work performed by first-year technician and PTAP graduate Nicholas Cappa, who also handled the PCCM+ installation and console replacement. Dominick Eldridge covered suspension and lighting, Jonathan Battad handled wheels and tires, and the parts team led by Kalvin Kao sourced the correct components throughout.
@porschesanfrancisco
People's Choice: Porsche Santa Clarita, 1991 911 Cabriolet
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Public vote went to Porsche Santa Clarita for a 964 Carrera 2 Cabriolet conceived as an art car. The reference point is the 1970 Porsche 917 that ran at Le Mans in what became known as the Hippie livery, hand-painted with spray cans in the paddock to disguise lightweight fiberglass bodywork. A practical solution turned into one of the most recognizable race cars ever built, and that idea of paint as part of the story shaped this project.
Santa Clarita brought in Los Angeles artist RISK to treat the car as a canvas, with the artwork as the centerpiece rather than a decorative finish. The bodywork underneath is a RAUH-Welt Begriff build, chosen for the way Akira Nakai's approach combines craftsmanship and individuality while staying rooted in Porsche culture. Custom RWB x Rotiform wheels sit under the widebody kit, wrapped in 305/30/18 front and 335/30/18 rear tires, with KW V3 coilovers, a 964 adjustable rear spring plate, and a 993 Big Red brake kit with matching booster and master cylinder.
The mechanical brief favored feel over peak output. The original 3.6-liter flat six was rebuilt with oversized valves and paired with a lightweight single-mass flywheel for sharper response, breathing through RSR headers and an RSR-style exhaust. Inside, custom magenta and ivory leather, a Porsche sport steering wheel, custom gauges, PCCM infotainment, and a premium sound system with subwoofer round out the cabin, while retro G-body turn signals nod to earlier 911s outside.
@porschesantaclarita
What Comes Next
Four very different interpretations of the same brief, from a fully fabricated 914 to a 993 Turbo returned to factory specification, a 996 given the attention its generation has long deserved, and a 964 turned into a moving piece of art. Porsche Tucson, Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas, and Porsche San Francisco now advance to the national finals in Atlanta on October 9 and 10, where the category champions and the Grand National Champion will be decided.
