Harper Porsche earns top honors in 2026 Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge

Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas and Porsche Orlando also earned national titles in Preservation and Individualization

ATLANTA. Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA) has named Harper Porsche the Grand National Champion of the 2026 Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge for its restoration of a 1978 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3. National Championship honors also went to Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas in the Preservation category and Porsche Orlando in Individualization, with Porsche Orlando additionally earning the People's Choice Award.

More before & after images: PCNA Newsroom

For nearly a year, Porsche-trained technicians from Porsche Centers across the United States devoted their expertise and countless hours to preserving, restoring and reimagining classic Porsche vehicles. Following regional competitions held throughout the year, finalists gathered in Fayetteville, Georgia, during Luftgekühlt 12, one of the world's most celebrated Porsche enthusiast events. There, they competed for national honors and celebrated the craftsmanship behind their creations.

"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."

This year's highest honor of Grand National Champion went to Harper Porsche for its work on a rare 1978 Porsche. The project earned the Restoration National Champion honor as well. Finished in Paint to Sample Buick Medium Green Poly metallic over a distinctive white leather and pinstripe velour interior, the early Sonderwunsch (“special wishes”) commissioned vehicle arrived in need of extensive repairs after years of neglect. The team completed a full restoration that included significant rust repair, a bare-metal repaint, and comprehensive rebuilds of the engine, transmission and turbocharger.

The Preservation National Champion award went to Gaudin Porsche of Las Vegas for its work on a 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo. Decades of aftermarket modifications had altered much of what originally made the car special. Rather than replacing original components, the team focused on carefully reversing those changes and returning the vehicle to its factory-correct configuration. Original finishes were preserved, factory equipment was restored, and authenticity was verified through a Porsche Classic Technical Certificate.

Porsche Orlando earned the Individualization National Champion award for its 1997 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe. What began as a well-loved Pastel Yellow 993 evolved into a deeply personal Sonderwunsch-inspired creation for its longtime Porsche enthusiast owner. The vehicle was stripped to its bare shell and reimagined as a bespoke 993 RS interpretation, blending handcrafted details, custom touches and a high-revving 4.0-liter engine into a one-of-a-kind build.

The same vehicle also captured the People's Choice National Champion award after receiving the most votes from enthusiasts attending Luftgekühlt 12 at Town at Trilith.

What started with 60 entries from Porsche Centers across the United States concluded with three national champions. Together, the winning projects showcased the craftsmanship, creativity, and technical expertise that define the Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge. In the world's largest market for classic Porsche vehicles, the competition highlights the expertise of the trained technicians at Porsche Centers across the U.S., who have access to nearly 85,000 Porsche Classic Genuine Parts.

To learn more about the 2026 National Champions and their restoration journeys, visit Instagram and search #PorscheChallenge26.

About Porsche Cars North America, Inc. | One Porsche Drive, Atlanta, GA 30354 USA

Established in 1984, Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA) is the exclusive U.S. importer of the Porsche 911 , Macan , Cayenne , Panamera and Taycan . The Porsche Car Configurator can be used by anyone to customize and pre-order any vehicle in that lineup at any time. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, since 1998, PCNA is home to the first Porsche Experience Center in North America , which features two module-based 1.6 mile driver development tracks, a business center and Restaurant 356. The campus is also home to the U.S. headquarters of Porsche Classic . The company operates a second Porsche Experience Center near Los Angeles . That complex features a driver development track with eight educational modules totaling 4.1 miles, a business center, Restaurant 917 and the headquarters of Porsche Motorsport North America . PCNA supports 204 independently owned and operated Porsche dealerships in the U.S., five Porsche studios and six satellite stores in the U.S., including supplying parts, service, marketing, and training. They, in turn, work to provide Porsche customers with a best-in-class experience that is in keeping with the Porsche brand's 75-year history of leadership in the advancement of vehicle performance, safety, and efficiency. PCNA is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Porsche AG, which is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany.

At the core of this success is Porsche's proud racing heritage that boasts some 30,000-plus motorsport wins to date.

Photos and video footage are available to accredited journalists on the Porsche Press Database and on the Porsche Cars North America Newsroom .