Cleaning up old emails and I came across one from several years ago from another 914 group I belonged to. It claimed that Porsche had a 'Classic' division that would do a factory restore of a car, even to the point of 'bare metal' and reproducing body panels. Back then, it seemed like it would be too expensive, but with a pristine /6 going for $70k or more...

Anyone else ever heard of this, or was it basically urban legend/old wive's tale?

Porsche Classic is real - and they can get parts reproduced from original molds/tooling. Stuff we can only dream of.

But like anything in that category. You don't ask how much. They can't tell you, and the people who are paying won't tell you either. It's a ton. I suspect you would be SERIOUSLY upside down if you had them do a 914/6 that ended up being worth $70k.

A few years ago someone posted several pictures here from a 914/6 bare metal resto at Porsche Classic. They had the car sitting on a Celette bench.

if you ask for the price, you can't afford

Plus shipping and duties.

Turns out, that "someone" was me ...

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=53284

Believe it or not, I did not see this post before I wrote mine. It was pure coincidence.

However, if it's that expensive, I can't see why anyone would do it except maybe to be able to say they have a 'brand new' 40 year old car?

It wasn't designed for our cars, but the value of a Carrera RS or a 356 only goes up if you can show that all the resto was done by the mothership. You know it was done right with all factory parts.

Seinfeld had one done there. I remember readng about in Excellence or maybe it was PCA Panorama

For some people, dropping a couple hundred K is play money. Percentage wise, it's probably less than we spend on our cars. If I had the money, I wouldn't think twice about having Porsche rebuild my Porsche.

I agree; if I had the money I'd prefer the factory do my restos but there is a principle (@ least to me) that's bugging me. The 914 was sold world wide but as we all know the vast majority of teeners came to the USA, & for that matter so did a lot of other models. They're the corporation & we're not, so why the hell don't they open a resto facility here? I'm already paying for the resto but why should I be subject to VAT tax? Why should I have to pay for shipping to & fro? Maybe I'm being picky but it bugs me.

Because they are Porsche and they are the ones making the rules. You have to decide if you want to play. If you think the shipping is pricey then I bet the $200/hour or whatever they charge is probably more than you are comfortable spending.

I agree, but paying VAT really bugs me- it's un American in that it's taxation w/out representation. Not trying to start a political discussion here, but I'm one of those guys who really paid attention in history class.

I don't think we pay it.

I paid more than that for my divorce attorney.

To lose that witch, worth every friggen' penny.

I did when I ordered my Hayward & Scott SSHE's for my six

VAT is "sales tax" charged in europe for goods that stay in europe. If you go in person and bring it back with you = you can get the VAT refunded to you either at the airport or later on your credit card. If you mail order goods to be shipped to the USA by mail - you normally will NOT be charged VAT.

That was how I understood it but H&S sent a VAT bill to FedEx after the fact, who in turn dumped it in my lap so I paid it to avoid any litigation from FedEx. Probably should have told them to "piss off wankers"

I have read recently that Porsche is bringing their restoration business to the USA and are in process of selecting a small handful of current dealers to open Porsche Classic facilities. My money says Brumos will be one such place...stay tuned in the months ahead.

You should not have been charged - or paid - this. (Don't even try arguing with FedEx, they know diddeley-squat about import-export, despite being in the business).

BUT if it's a personal export - ie you take it with you - you have to pay VAT to the vendor. You then produce the goods and the bill at at the airport on departure, and get them certified. You then send the certified bill to the vendor, who then refunds you the VAT element. But I assume that as FedEx are involved, this didn't happen.

Sounds like your argument is with H&S. Either they, or FedEx, or probably both, fouled up and FedEx's "solution" was to just pass the charge on.

You mean this thread
914-6 restoration by Porsche

Ha!
Well thank you, i can sleep better now. Apparently, my memory is still somewhat intact.

I know the guy Porsche approached of heading up the Classic Restoration department in ATL. He considered it but really likes having his own business. He owns Broadford Racing here in Jacksonville.

Porsche Cassic Restoration is in ATL.

So where is that car today?

Judging by the license plate, it's somewhere in the area of Göppingen, which is in Baden-Württemberg. It's pretty close to Stuttgart.

Not a very good shot, but a couple of the above-mentioned restorations in-progress (and not in ATL).

Click to view attachment

and a few other cars in the shop...

Click to view attachment

That's the shop at the Portsche Museum in Stuttgart

Not the shop where they dio the restorations

Cannot comment on plans for the U.S., but you are essentially correct if they follow the UK. In the UK to celebrate 50 years of the 911 every main dealer had to purchase a project 911 and restore it to a fixed budget - 50k all in I seem to recall, so no long hoods.......

Off the back of that they launched 'classic restoration' at one or two centres

OPC's here also have at least one classic car sitting in the showroom on loan from some one. I was thinking of putting my 2.4 forward so come the spring it would be waxed and buffed to perfection!

I guess their logic is that with the value of some of the cars being well beyond even new cars and some lucky punters have the cash, then why not have a cut of the action that the independents have been enjoying

The issue I see is that with so many really really good and well established restoration businesses, unless you have super deep pockets, why bother apart from the kudos of saying my car was done by a classic Porsche centre

Then again why not just take it to Rick, Scotty, the metal guy, andy's guy......

If I won the lottery, only the mothership would do and I'd purchase a flat 8 while I was there as well

If I won the lottery I'd do it cause it was 'factory'. If they offered a new body I'd strongly consider that too. I'd send that one to one of our members for paint and build.

I think these guys would give Porsche Classic a run for their money. I believe that Peter Porsche bought one of their cars for his collection.
http://roadscholars.com
Nice to have that kind of money but reality intrudes.

My memory is a bit foggy ....
I remember reading about a factory 356 restoration that included a lot of liberties with switches, knobs, trim etc. .....even a T5 car that got a T6 nose !
I think in Europe at the time function was far more important than minute detail.
When they bought important cars from the US that were restored here (.....not all) their level of detail and depth improved big time.
Plus, if MB has a classic center and Ferrari has a Classiche(?)center, Porsche is sure to follow.

Technicians that worked on the cars back in the 70's now work on the same cars at Classic Porsche now.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB0tq6e5pWo

Not cheap but not out of the world:

Our hourly rates:
Mechanic per hour: 105.00 € excl. VAT*
Body work/paint: 110.00 € excl. VAT*

As in regards to VAT (Value ADDED Tax):

If you in person buy stuff in EU and most other countries, you will have to pay local VAT, which you can reclaim after you export our purchase.

For a restoration, that would be only for the value of to the restoration and transportation cost. Not the car value, before or after.

Also, I don't know why, but auto parts are excluded for VAT reclaim if purchased in person.

Once you import your purchase, you will have to pay customs and your local state VAT. Hence, your taxes will stay local, if that makes you feel better Johnny B.

Also, are you seriously suggesting, or even demanding, because Porsche ships most of their cars to the US they should move their operation to us because of the shipping cost?
Guess how quickly they would stop offering such service to us in the US.

Watched some of the videos of the 911T restoration. I think there was a mention of about 1400 man hours of labor. So if my math isn't too rusty, we're talking around $300k, and that doesn't include parts.

Do Porsches bring $300K plus at auction ?

There is a restore shop near me that has a nice orig condition barn-find for $100K if they do the restore, for a total estimate of around $250-$300K restored. (Not for sale if they can't do the work) It is a late 1960's 911 short or long wheel base (which is the more popular, LWB?). How many Porsches sell at that $300K plus?

Not to be the police but...

110 euro =$137.00 usd

1400 x 137= $191,800.00

Still a bucket full of cash.

I really need to get a better job!