Neglected Porsche GT3 RS Brought Back to Life

By Brett Foote - March 27, 2018

Even if you don’t keep your Porsche 911 GT3 in a hermetically sealed chamber, bringing it back to like-new condition is possible.

Unlike your average daily, supercars tend to live spoiled lives. We keep them detailed, in climate controlled garages, and oftentimes covered up. We don’t take them on cross-country road trips. At worse, maybe you track your special ride every now and then. But otherwise, supercars like the Porsche GT3 RS live like the rightful kings of the automotive world, which they certainly are.

But every once in a while you come across a special car that is a bit, shall we say, neglected. Maybe its owner simply doesn’t care about its prominence or resale value. Perhaps they don’t truly appreciate the pedigree of what they are driving. Whatever the reason, supercar neglect does happen. And it happened to this once-proud Porsche GT3 RS.

Thankfully, that’s what folks like Team Speed member Oakes are here for. To rescue neglected rides and whip them back into showroom shape. And that’s exactly what happens, right before our very eyes, in this amazing thread.

“Everyone loves a dedicated track vehicle that is road legal. Especially one that has been enjoyed and is now ready to lean towards the investment track to be brought out on the most perfect of days. Which we can all appreciate, as some day these cars will be more and more scarce. So preservation is key to remember the golden era of sports cars.

This is quite easily the most comprehensive write-up I have made in a long time. Although I have another one brewing that is just as extensive. This visual journey will take you through the start to finish of reversing time on a previously enjoyed Porsche GT3 RS that was kept outside for a good portion of its life and tracked semi-regularly. The goal of this project was to essentially make this 997.2 appear like it has never seen a road surface and protect it properly should it see the road again.”

“This meant a complete wheels-off teardown to everything short of pulling the motor and undercarriage. Which we have done before, but was unnecessary here. As thorough as physically possible, cleaning through degreasing, steaming, clay, correction/polishing of all surfaces to be properly conditioned and protected via sealant, ceramic coating, or clear film.

With that said, the visuals will explain the process for me from here. Starting with how it arrived, driven in by the owner, and on first sight. As stunning a car as it is, it was clearly in need of a refresh.”

The well-used Porsche GT3 RS might not look terrible on first sight. But a closer inspection revealed several lingering problems.

“Fortunately, clear film protected the main impact areas of the vehicle. Though it wasn’t installed well and left key areas exposed to damage. Which effectively defeats the point of wrapping the panel, in my opinion. It also points to one of the limitations of a template install without manual adjustments or proper install.”

Pretty shoddy work, indeed. It also became quickly apparent that the car had never been properly washed or detailed.

“After the initial preparation, we began to disassemble the car to complete the preparation before the paint correction could commence. The most involved part of this whole project, as we found more and more fun stuff removing panels.”

In addition to the paintwork, the wheels also showed some light scuffing. But nothing that the OP couldn’t polish out and correct. After a ton of cleaning, it was finally time to apply a new paint protection film and ceramic coating. But not without some additional decal work.

“Not without replacing the GT3 RS vinyl throughout the car, as they had seen better days just like the paint. Removed the badges and flags, their location’s paint corrected, new lettering placed, and then clear wrap installed over top per the owners request.”

The results, obviously, speak for themselves.

So if you don’t treat your supercar like the future collectible that it is, fear not. It’s just fine to use it as intended, even if you don’t have it detailed every single weekend. There are plenty of talented people like Oakes out there who can transform your ride back to showroom new condition. All it takes is some time and a whole lot of elbow grease!