Porsche Will Bring 40 Classic Cars Back to Life in an Epic Restoration Challenge

It’s hard not to appreciate sports cars, and those of us who love these types of vehicles have a special place in our hearts for Porsches, especially the vintage models.

To us, they’re much more than collector’s items or obsolete means of transportation; they represent the beautiful things that can be built when passion, innovation, and perseverance meet. So, we want to see more of them out on the roads, in mint condition.

The good folks at Porsche Classic feel the same way. The division in charge of factory restorations has been hard at work throughout the years, reviving legendary models like the one-off aluminum-bodied 356 Cabriolet built in 1953 or the 1967 911 S Targa brought back to life after being forgotten for 40 years.

Recently, the division announced that it’s hosting a restoration challenge in the U.S. with 40 dealerships taking part, each embracing the task of restoring a classic model.

For those of you asking why Porsche chose to host the 2021 Restoration Challenge on American soil and not back home in Europe, the answer is quite simple; the U.S. is home to more classic models than any other country in the world.

While the cars involved have different stories and range from early models built in the ‘50s to ‘younger’ ones that left the Zuffenhausen factory in the first decade of the 21st century, they all reached a point where they need extensive restoration work.

Among the Porsches that will receive a complete makeover, we find multiple 356 models from as early as 1956, legendary 911s that span across five generations, front-engine models like the 944 and 928, and modern classics such as the first-generation Boxster.

There are also exquisite rarities such as a 1988 ‘slant nose’ 911 Turbo, a 1989 911 Speedster, and a 2005 Carrera GT, the latter being the ‘youngest’ of the models entered into the competition.

These priceless pieces of automotive history will undergo an extensive restoration process at the hands of Porsche-trained technicians who will have more than 60,000 distinctive Porsche Classic Genuine Parts to work with.

Additionally, nine of the participating dealerships are certified Porsche Classic Partners, meaning that restoring vintage models is part of their daily routines.

The challenge is set to run until mid-August, when Porsche will pick one winner from three areas of the country: South-Central, East, and West. The winning cars will move on to the finals, where one of them will be crowned champion in September.

We eagerly await to marvel at the results of this awesome contest, and although only one dealership will take home the crown, all 40 are winners in our eyes for taking on such an admirable task.

Both Porsche Classic and the teams of technicians who will spend countless hours working on these gems deserve our utmost respect and appreciation.