Harper Porsche’s 1978 Porsche 911 Turbo Takes Top Honors

Harper Porsche’s winning entry was a 1978 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3, an early Sonderwunsch commission finished in Paint to Sample Buick Medium Green Poly metallic. Its unusual specification includes a white leather interior with pinstripe velour upholstery, reflecting the individualized character of Porsche’s historic special-order program.

Years of neglect had left the car requiring substantial restoration work. Harper Porsche’s technicians undertook significant rust repairs, stripped the body for a bare-metal repaint and comprehensively rebuilt the engine, transmission and turbocharger. The project earned both the Restoration National Champion award and the overall Grand National Champion title, making it the highest-honored vehicle in the 2026 competition. Its combination of a rare original specification and extensive mechanical and cosmetic restoration distinguished the project from the other national winners.

Gaudin Porsche Restores a 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo to Factory Specification

Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas received the Preservation National Champion award for its work on a 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo from the 993 generation. The car had undergone decades of aftermarket modifications, obscuring much of its original factory specification. Instead of undertaking a wholesale restoration that would replace surviving original materials, the team concentrated on reversing previous alterations while retaining authentic components and finishes wherever possible. Factory equipment was reinstated, and the vehicle’s authenticity was documented through a Porsche Classic Technical Certificate.

The project illustrates a different approach to classic Porsche ownership: preserving original materials and factory specifications rather than replacing them unnecessarily. For collectors, that distinction is particularly relevant to the air-cooled 993 generation, where factory-correct configuration and documented authenticity are important considerations when evaluating individual vehicles.

Porsche Orlando Builds a Bespoke 993 Carrera With a 4.0-Liter Engine

Porsche Orlando claimed the Individualization National Champion award with a heavily customized 1997 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe. Originally finished in Pastel Yellow, the 993 was transformed into a Sonderwunsch-inspired interpretation of a 993 RS for its longtime Porsche enthusiast owner. The project began with the vehicle being stripped to its bare shell. The finished car combines handcrafted interior and exterior details, personalized design elements and a high-revving 4.0-liter engine.

Unlike the factory-correct approach taken by Gaudin Porsche, the Orlando build emphasized individual expression while retaining the underlying identity of the 993-generation 911. The same car also earned the People’s Choice National Champion award after receiving the most votes from enthusiasts attending Luftgekühlt 12 at Town at Trilith.

Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge Brings Together 60 Entries

The 2026 Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge brought together Porsche-trained technicians from dealerships across the United States, with participating teams working on their projects for nearly a year. The competition progressed through regional judging before the national finalists gathered at Luftgekühlt 12 in Fayetteville, Georgia. The three judged national categories reflected distinct approaches to maintaining and developing classic Porsche vehicles: Restoration, Preservation and Individualization. A separate People’s Choice award recognized the vehicle receiving the most votes from event attendees.

“This year’s winners should be incredibly proud of what they accomplished,” said Jonathan Sieber, Senior Manager of Porsche Classic. “The quality of work across the board was impressive. Their passion and commitment to craftsmanship is what makes the Restoration Challenge so special.”

The competition also highlights Porsche’s continuing support for its historic vehicles through the Porsche Classic program. According to Porsche Cars North America, Porsche Centers have access to nearly 85,000 Porsche Classic Genuine Parts, supporting repairs, maintenance and restoration of older models.

Why It Matters

The 2026 results demonstrate three different approaches to the preservation and continued use of classic Porsche sports cars. Harper Porsche’s 1978 911 Turbo represents comprehensive restoration of a rare Sonderwunsch-specification vehicle. Gaudin Porsche’s 1996 Turbo emphasizes the preservation of original materials and factory authenticity, while Porsche Orlando’s 1997 Carrera demonstrates how the 993 platform can serve as the basis for a highly personalized build.

For owners and collectors, the winning projects illustrate the range of specialist work available through Porsche’s dealer network, from mechanical rebuilding and corrosion repair to factory-specification verification and bespoke customization. The results also underscore the continuing relevance of Porsche’s air-cooled 911 generations, with all three national category winners based on models produced before the introduction of the water-cooled 996-generation 911.

Additional information about the winning projects and their restoration journeys is available through the Instagram hashtag #PorscheChallenge26.

Key Facts

Editorial summary — suitable for conversion into a Microsoft Word table.

Item	Confirmed information
Competition	2026 Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge
Organizer	Porsche Cars North America (PCNA)
Grand National Champion	Harper Porsche
Winning vehicle	1978 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3
Restoration Champion	Harper Porsche
Preservation Champion	Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas
Preservation vehicle	1996 Porsche 911 Turbo (993)
Individualization Champion	Porsche Orlando
Individualization vehicle See also Rex McAfee· Porsche 356 Retrospect: Porsche 356 “Twin Grill” Roadster	1997 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe (993)
People’s Choice Champion	Porsche Orlando
Orlando engine	High-revving 4.0-liter
National finals	Luftgekühlt 12
Location	Town at Trilith, Fayetteville, Georgia
Original entries	60
Porsche Classic parts	Nearly 85,000 available
Winning Turbo paint	Buick Medium Green Poly metallic, Paint to Sample
Award year	2026

Above contents © 2026 Porsche Cars North America, reviewed and edited by Rex McAfee , @rexmcafee  🏁