Road Scholars Cares For Only the Best Porsche Around

Best of the Best

Porsche restoration shops are, well, a dime a dozen these days. Even Porsche themselves offers such services, and plenty of people take advantage of them. But only one such shop can call themselves the very best of this diverse bunch, and most would say that Road Scholars of North Carolina currently holds that title. Thus, Bloomberg took a trip down there recently to see just what goes on behind the closed doors at this fascinating shop. 

One of One

The first incredible sight that Bloomberg was able to witness was a 1-of-16 (and 1-of-11 surviving till today) 356 America roadster undergoing a meticulous restoration. And here, in this nondescript shop outside of Raleigh, they found the only red example ever built being carefully brought back to better-than-new condition. 

>>Join the conversation about Road Scholars restoring Porsche models right here in Rennlist.com.

Porsche-centric

Road Scholars owners Cam Ingram and Kevin Watts just have that kind of reputation in the Porsche world that folks would entrust them with such priceless machinery. The duo obviously specializes in Porsches, but do take on other special projects if customers request them. 

>>Join the conversation about Road Scholars restoring Porsche models right here in Rennlist.com.

Not Perfect

While some shops take liberties with such vehicles, Road Scholars is laser-focused on rebuilding these pieces of history back to their original condition. Great care is taken to preserve each car's authenticity, which includes leaving imperfections wherever they might have existed from the factory. 

>>Join the conversation about Road Scholars restoring Porsche models right here in Rennlist.com.

Different Era

But those are the minute details that judges of shows like the Pebble Beach Concours look for. Things like the original wax that held the interior pieces together and off-center weld lines. This was a time before practices like painting cars were perfected, so these Porsches must also reflect that. 

>>Join the conversation about Road Scholars restoring Porsche models right here in Rennlist.com.

Meticulous Details

The tedious task of restoring a car to its original condition begins with a great deal of research, as you might imagine. Road Scholars tries to source original parts in each of its restorations but will hand-build a replacement if necessary. 

>>Join the conversation about Road Scholars restoring Porsche models right here in Rennlist.com.

Not for Everyone

All of this work doesn't come cheap, of course. A restoration from Road Scholars commands somewhere between $350,000 and $600,000, depending on the condition of the car. The process can take up to 3 1/2 years as well, so it obviously isn't for everyone. But for those who want only the best, it's hard to argue against taking your priceless Porsche to Road Scholars! 

>>Join the conversation about Road Scholars restoring Porsche models right here in Rennlist.com.

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