Porsche classic restoration challenge returns for 2022

For the second consecutive year, Porsche Classic is hosting its US-wide Restoration Challenge, inviting North American dealerships to return a classic Porsche back to its former glory. The United States is home to more classic Porsche sports cars than any other market. After decades on the road, some will inevitably be in need of a little extra care.

For the 2022 Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge, dealers will acquire a car due expert technical attention and oversee the vehicle as it undergoes restoration in the best possible hands, namely Porsche-trained technicians with a portfolio of more than sixty thousand unique Porsche Classic Genuine Parts at their disposal. The 2022 edition of the contest is expected to welcome more than sixty participating dealers, a fifty percent increase over the number involved in the 2021 competition.

THE DEALERSHIP HAS TAKEN ON A 1957 356 SPEEDSTER IN NEED OF TOTAL TRANSFORMATION

“The mission of Porsche Classic and our dealer partners is to go ‘above and beyond’ every day in order to keep vintage Porsches on the road and driving just as well as the moment they left the factory,” said Jonathan Sieber, Manager of Porsche Classic at Porsche Cars North America. “With the Restoration Challenge, dealers and service teams are able to showcase their skills and capabilities while revitalising these dream machines. Our inaugural competition in 2021 produced truly stunning examples of classic Porsche sports cars, and we expect even more from this year’s participants.”

356 and 914 models, five generations of the 911, cars from Porsche’s transaxle family of products — primarily the 944 and 928 — as well as modern classics, such as the first-generation Boxster, are eligible for entry into the contest, which will run through July. All entries will be judged at one of three central events, where a finalist will be picked to represent its respective area of the country: east, south-central or west. The three area winners will then move on to September’s national final, where the overall winning restoration will be announced.

All along, a panel of experts from Porsche Cars North America will be judging project progress based on criteria including not only restoration work, such as rebuilding each car’s engine, suspension and interior, but also the depth of supporting documentation, not limited to period factory build paperwork and the Porsche Classic Technical Certificate, which includes original vehicle production information. Ultimately, however, authenticity, craftsmanship and, most importantly, a smooth-running engine will decide which car scores top honours.

Highlights of this year’s entry list include the 1974 914 Limited Edition being prepared by Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas, the 1996 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S 993 offered up by Porsche Exchange in Illinois, a remarkably tidy 1993 Polar Silver 964 RS America in the possession of Porsche Ontario, a comparatively tired 1982 Minerva Blue 911 SC Targa being worked on by Porsche Chandler, and a rare 1989 Carrera 3.2 Speedster going under the knife at Porsche Delaware. From what we’ve seen, however, the award for ‘most ambitious Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge project’ must surely go to Porsche Woodland Hills?! As you can tell from the photograph at the top of this page, the Californian dealership has taken on a derelict 1957 356 Speedster in need of total transformation.

We wish each participating team every success and we look forward to seeing the wide variety of restored Porsches when they’re ready for evaluation. In the meantime, visit the Classic Porsche Facebook page, where we’ll share photos and videos of each project’s progress.