Photo credit: Porsche
Judges at Werks Reunion West during Monterey Car Week selected the Area West winners in the fifth annual Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge, highlighting a record year for the program. Seventy-three vehicles were entered nationwide, the most since the challenge began in 2020. The judging panel included members of the Porsche Club of America, Porsche Classic, and Porsche Cars North America.
Technicians from Porsche Centers compete in three categories. Preservation focuses on originality, Restoration returns a car to its factory condition, and Individualization allows creative modifications. A People’s Choice award was also decided by the gathered crowd. “Each year the competition becomes fiercer,” said Jonathan Sieber, senior manager of Porsche Classic, who congratulated the Area West winners for exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail.
Porsche San Francisco won Restoration with a 1985 928 S showing more than 81,000 miles. The Glacier Blue coupe underwent a comprehensive rebuild, with every system refreshed and seals replaced. The project carried a personal note for one technician who first learned to drive in the car before it fell into disrepair, then led the team that returned it to form.
Gaudin Las Vegas earned Preservation with a 1988 944 Turbo S that spent more than two decades off the road after a local resident won it in a single hand of poker. The team prioritized conservation, replacing only necessities such as belts, gaskets, and hoses to keep original finishes intact.
Photo credit: Porsche
Porsche Bend took Individualization with a 1973 911T transformed into a faithful RSR 2.8 tribute. The chassis was stripped and reworked with hand-shaped steel flares and period-correct details, finished in Viper Green and powered by a 2.8-liter flat-six built from a new Porsche block with rare Mahle pistons. A custom houndstooth interior and revised suspension complete the period look and stance.
People’s Choice went to Porsche Tucson for a Fire Orange 1972 914 Off-Road created with community input. The car wears a number five on the hood to mark the center’s fifth year in the challenge.
America is home to more classic Porsche vehicles than any other market, and participating centers draw on nearly 85,000 Porsche Classic Genuine Parts and factory resources, including restoration services based at Porsche Classic U.S. headquarters and One Porsche Drive in Atlanta. The next judging rounds are scheduled for September 5 in Carmel, Indiana, for Area South-Central, and September 6 in New York City for Area East. The National Championship will be held October 4 in Durham, North Carolina, alongside Luftgekühlt 11.