2023 Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge "Preservation" National Champion

Arguably the greatest sports car of all time, the Porsche 911 is nothing short of legendary. In 1975 Porsche released a new variant of 911 fitted with a turbo to increase power and enhance performance. Each 911 Turbo since then showcases just how devastatingly fast this legendary sports car can be. One of the most favored generations of Turbo by Porsche enthusiasts was the 993 generation.

The 993 Turbo provides a far different feel from the modern cars of today. The cockpit feels very much like the classic cars that came before it, fitted with the iconic five gauge instrument clusters that have been an integral part of every 911 interior. By today's standards, it is very basic, but in a refreshingly good way. Analogue is the vibe, and the manual gearbox lever lures you in further. The road-gripping all-wheel-drive system and 400+ horsepower allow you to roll up your sleeves to get the most out of it. A bona fide driver's car.

Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas is excited to announce our choice for the 2023 Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge is a 1996 Porsche 993 Turbo. This year's competition will be judged in three categories: Preservation, Restoration, and Individualization. Our car is uniquely original so we have entered the preservation category. Our team will perform all necessary mechanical maintenance including a top-end reseal, fuel system refresh, and brake/suspension revamp. The special optioned leather interior with dark wood trim will be completely reconditioned keeping as many original components as possible. Finally, the exterior will undergo a full paint correction to preserve the vibrancy of the original Speed Yellow color.

History of the car:
Our car was originally delivered to Southern California in August of 1996 and remained there until 2001. It then traveled to Arizona until early 2005 when it was brought to Las Vegas by a Father/Daughter duo and remained in their family until late 2022.

Progress Report:
February - On February 4, 2023, the 993 Turbo preservation was unveiled in front of a large crowd of Porsche enthusiasts from all over the country. The engine and transmission have been removed and are ready to be disassembled for further inspection.

March - The engine has been disassembled and undergone a deep cleaning. The pistons and cylinders are in great condition and with Porsches spec. The cylinder heads have been refinished by our machine shop and we installed new valves and guides. The majority of all the other components were in good condition and able to be preserved.

With the engine and transmission removed, we are able to better focus on the chassis. After 69k miles of driving it looks pretty dirty underneath so we used a process known as "dry ice blasting' to remove any dirt and grim from the entire undercarriage of the vehicle.

April - The 993 Turbo wheels were very special and they featured something new to Porsche, "hollow spoke technology." At some point in the vehicle's life, the outer lips of the wheels were polished giving the vehicle a different look from the factory. We have stripped them down and refinished them in the original silver finish.

Now that the chassis has been cleaned up we can focus on removing the worn-out M030 sport suspension. We replaced it with Porsches' newly engineered Bilstein M030 with a modern inverted mono-tube design.

The orange brake calipers have been completely disassembled and stripped. We then refinished them in the original Brembo red and installed new pistons and seals.

May - We reassembled the complete engine including the installation of new piston rings and refreshed cylinder heads. The transmission underwent the "dry ice blasting' process to bring back the original appearance. Finally, the engine and transmission were reinstalled.

June - The last step to complete the chassis was the rejuvenate the fuel system. The aged fuel was cleaned out of the tank, the fuel pump was replaced, and the injectors were function tested. The engine was now ready for its first start in nearly a decade and it didn't disappoint.

Now that the car can move under its own power it was time to focus on driveability. The car underwent a corner balance, alignment, and kinematic toe adjustment. Followed by an extensive road test.

July - The outdated sound system was removed and the new Porsche Classic PCCM+ was installed. The 12-way seat motors were refurbished.

The exclusive optioned interior was completely reconditioned. The wood trim steering wheel, parking brake handle, and shift knob were all brought back to showroom condition.

Lastly, after years of sitting outside the Speed Yellow paint had turned foggy and white. Thankfully the clear coat had not failed. The car was wet sanded and polished to a brilliant mirror finish.

On July 29, 2023, the complete car was unveiled to hundreds of people in the middle of our showroom.

August - At the Werks Reunion in Monterey, CA the car was awarded the "Area West" Preservation Champion beating 11 other cars in its class.

September - The Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge national finals were held at Laguna Seca Raceway during the Rennsport Reunion. The car was judged by both PCA and PCNA members and was awarded the title of National Champion in the Preservation class and People's choice award.

VEHICLE HAS BEEN SOLD AND IS CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY AT THE PORSCHE EXPERIENCE CENTER IN ATLANTA