A Porsche fan from Arizona took a normal 911 (993) cabriolet and turned it into a lookalike of the iconic 550 Spyder model dating back to the 1950s. It is known as the Café Racer and is not for sale – at least, for now.
The work began around four years ago and is still ongoing. The donor vehicle is a 1995 Porsche 993, which lost its bodywork and automatic soft top in favor of hand-molded stainless-steel panels. The new body looks sleeker and more aerodynamic with a slimmer nose and wider rear end. 18-inch, centerlock alloy rims fill out the arches.
The interior – which is the main thing left to improve – keeps the original gauge cluster and center console. The dashboard had to be modified to accommodate a new, smaller windshield. The trim all around is minimal, and there are leather straps serving as door handles.
There are some technical upgrades, too. The chassis has been reinforced and the engine at the back has been upgraded to 3.8 liters of displacement. The owner says it sends 355 PS (350 hp / 261 kW) and more than 373 Nm (275 lb-ft) of torque to the wheels. The curb weight is as low a single metric ton (2,200 lbs).