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This concept, more or less, has been in my planning agenda for the better part of 10 years. I have finally mustered the courage to do it and well...I can't go back now. Or can I? Pun intended.
I didn't necessarily have a car in mind when I started thinking about this, but mainly it centered around my love of certain classics, Porsche and others, and how I loved the unbridled designs of the past, but didn't want to be stuck in the technology of the time. My own progression through life and automobiles eventually became very heavily Porsche focused through my first 997.1, then HPDE, instructing and then racing. Which eventually led me back to the older Porsches and the marvel at their engineering and handling for their time. After serious research and much debate, I decided to start this rebirth with a 964 C4 Widebody. I chose this because I am not old enough to wax nostalgically about manual steering or lack of heat and ABS, but wizened enough to know that Porsche nearly went bankrupt designing and building this generation and it shows. The cars are amazing and a solid platform to start with.
I know some of you are probably already rolling your eyes , and yes there are a lot of influences from the Singers, Kaege and many many iterations or backdates and restorations, but I just wanted it to reflect the things I love, that I have learned and how I envisioned my classic would be.
To that end, it had to have 3 criteria what the industry define as Emotional Design Criteria:
Visceral - When you look at it, do you desire it?
Behavioral - When you use it and drive it, does it feel and sound right?
Reflective - After a long time in it, do you still love it?
I had to separate the build into stages as this project isn't quick or cheap. I would classify them into the following categories:
1. Will get done - External body work, addition or fiberglass and steel bumpers with pre 80s styling, RS type tail with current motorsport influence, delete sunroof, backdate to chrome surrounds, mirrors etc. Reconstruct the rocker panels to a more modern look. Remove as much weight by using lightweight materials, hood, glass etc. Repaint. Replace suspension bits, add new wheels and tires.
2. Likely to get done - Exhaust upgrade and tweaking. Interior redo, with dash reconfiguration, change interior to Alcantara and leather, add navi and bluetooth, refresh gauges, replace seats with lighter weight ones, replace door panels etc.
3. There might be chance it happens - Engine and transmission rebuild, if necessary eventually.
I would like to thank the various members who have been invaluable in helping with many of my questions regarding mechanical and inner workings of the car especially Rob, Bill, Anthony, Greg. I apologize if I forgot anyone.
I am well into the project and am posting now, because I actually have some pics to post with this intro. You can follow in more detail on my instagram
@drives2smiles
I hope you find this remotely interesting. Thank you
Spike is awesome! I like the bias to Porsches on that show. That concept by Land Rover put very succinctly, was what I was trying to explain to the restoration shop and everyone else as to what I want to achieve.
Everyday I lay eyes on the car, I almost chastise myself for doing anything to 1 of the 267 ones brought to North America.
But I have to trust in the end result. In the end, I am building this for me. And I don't want to disappoint myself
Yes it was. The end result had to be a wide body look. A less than perfect C2 could have worked but that would mean attaching steel turbo fenders all around with welding and fabrication. This means the car will forever be transformed with no chance of going back. Even though the chance or returning to the original is not the goal, the cost was extremely high, whereas with the C4 wide body the body style is OEM. Even with all that I am doing, the car can revert back to its original form if so desired. Hence the decision to to go with the current car. Yes, it took long time deciding on that. Only time will tell. Cheers.
I cannot wait to watch this transformation! I am one of those "267" as well.
Mr. Wolfe
Greg, you were one of those that had some influence on the choice. Only because you love your car so much. I put so much planning into this...I do hope the end result is something wonderful.
Yes it was. The end result had to be a wide body look. A less than perfect C2 could have worked but that would mean attaching steel turbo fenders all around with welding and fabrication. This means the car will forever be transformed with no chance of going back. Even though the chance or returning to the original is not the goal, the cost was extremely high, whereas with the C4 wide body the body style is OEM. Even with all that I am doing, the car can revert back to its original form if so desired. Hence the decision to to go with the current car. Yes, it took long time deciding on that. Only time will tell. Cheers.
This is CoachWerks on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. They do a lot of restoration of many amazing cars! I chose them because I would have had to piecemeal my build with a few different shops to get what I wanted and Coachwerks was able to do it all. You can literally eat off their floors. The majority of their customers are from the USA and International. I have only praise for their work so far.
...I know some of you are probably already rolling your eyes , and yes there are a lot of influences from the Singers, Kaege and many many iterations or backdates and restorations, but I just wanted it to reflect the things I love, that I have learned and how I envisioned my classic would be...
Don't worry about it one bit, even today the factory dips back into the archives. Can't wait to see how it all comes together.
01-18-2020, 06:19 PM
Future date/ Back date/ 964 Transformation
, and yes there are a lot of influences from the Singers, Kaege and many many iterations or backdates and restorations, but I just wanted it to reflect the things I love, that I have learned and how I envisioned my classic would be.
