Porsche restomod or backdate: what is the difference?
A backdate gives a later 911, most often a 911 SC, a 3.2 Carrera or a 964, the look of the 911s built before 1974, before the impact bumpers arrived: long bonnet, slim bumpers, chrome details, a cleaner silhouette. A Porsche restomod keeps or evokes the period appearance but reworks the mechanics, the electrics and the comfort, for a car that is more dependable and more pleasant to use.
The two approaches are often combined. Our guiding principle stays the same: to build the car in its own spirit, as a well-bred 911 might have evolved, rather than turning it into a fashion piece that will age badly.
A personal specification, detail by detail
A bespoke build is decided in the details, and each one is chosen with you: a historic paint colour or one that is entirely yours, cognac, tan or black leather, a front luggage compartment lined in quilted leather, aluminium pedals, side lettering, revised instruments. The upholstery is made entirely in the workshop, so stitching, quilting and shades can be adjusted to the very end.
Forged Fuchs wheels, emblematic of the 911 since the late 1960s, remain a natural choice for a backdate; other designs are possible if the project calls for them. Every choice is recorded in the brief, so that the finished car matches what was decided.
A considered mechanical upgrade
Reliability comes before power. Depending on the condition of the base car and its intended use, long journeys, mountain roads or summer drives, the build may cover:
- the brakes, for a car with more stamina and more reassurance;
- the suspension: dampers, bushes and geometry, set up for real-world use;
- the electrics: wiring loom, connections and lighting brought up to date, for a car that starts and lights up without surprises;
- the engine, whose complete rebuild provides a sound base before any development.
Our method: a written brief, reversibility, respect for history
Every project begins with a written brief: the base car, the lines, the mechanics, the interior, the use. It then forms the basis of the detailed, itemised quote, and nothing is added along the way without your approval.
Wherever possible, we favour reversible choices that allow the car to return one day to its original specification. Those that are not reversible are pointed out before work begins. A build is often preceded by a Porsche restoration: only a sound car can be properly personalised. Original Classic & Luxury Cars is an independent specialist, not affiliated with Porsche.
A real example: the workshop’s Porsche 964 Carrera 4
The grey metallic 964 Carrera 4, a project carried out in 2018 and 2019, shows this approach. The car was first fully restored and repainted, then given its personal specification: cognac leather upholstery, a front luggage compartment in quilted leather, aluminium pedals, side lettering and Fuchs wheels.
The Porsche 964, with its 3.6-litre flat-six and, as a Carrera 4, its four-wheel drive, lends itself well to this kind of work: a more modern base on which the elegance of the classic 911 can be expressed without denying what the car is.