Preservation.

 
Upon inclusion of the structural repair and metal working capabilities of our build shop into our Porsche service business, Zuffenhaus Eurowerks became the comprehensive Porsche Specialist in the Charlotte metropolitan area.
In addition to our mechanical services, we provide our clients with a full range of fabrication and build services: from minor rust repair; to full restoration; to complete construction of unique Porsches.

RESTORATION

We focus on preservation. It’s well-known that vintage Porsche 911s have seen a steady increase in value and desirability in recent years, and are now highly sought after by enthusiasts and collectors alike.

As vintage 911 owners and enthusiasts ourselves, we are sensitive to the historical aspect of these cars, while acknowledging that every 911 is intended to be driven. So it should be no surprise that Zuffenhaus has been providing discriminating 911 owners our in-house restoration & project management services – with an art restorer’s respect for preservation – since 2005.

In doing so, we have formed relationships with industry-specific specialists: metal refinishers, specialty coaters, e-coaters, paint contractors, upholstery specialists, OEM suppliers, Porsche Classic, and a number of reproduction part producers; and maintain an awareness of the quality offered by each.

When your 911 arrives, we’ll begin with a critical inspection to determine if a sympathetic restoration is possible and to make an initial determination of project scope. If a full restoration is not necessary, we’ll advise you of which specific repairs are. If a full restoration is warranted, your 911 will be completely disassembled and individual components itemized and indexed. Original hardware will be preserved and reconditioned as necessary to be reinstalled during assembly. Suspension components and drivetrain will be disassembled and assessed for refurbishment and renewal.

The unibody will be assessed for squareness on one of our Celette frame benches, and any straightening that is required will occur. All rust repair and structural correction, followed by refitment and proper gapping of body panels to Porsche’s specifications will be performed while affixed to our Celette and prior to paint. An automotive paint specialist will refinish your unibody and panels, subject to our critical oversight and quality control; wherever possible original paint will remain undisturbed.

During final reassembly at Zuffenhaus, all seals, hoses and bearings will be replaced and final tuning will occur before you pick up your renewed 911.

RUST REMEDIATION

Although mechanically reliable, Porsche never solved the issue of rust for the 911 despite their best efforts. Consequently, this is often the major challenge in prolonging the life of your classic Porsche.

Because of the design of the unibody, 911s are prone to rusting in several SPECIFIC AREAS, despite additional galvanizing as the model evolved. As our Porsches age, more of them are showing the evidence of rust damage. Pre-galvanized era cars are especially susceptible to corrosion, and in critical structural areas.

Repair of unibody rust can have significant consequences if done incorrectly, can require more invasive work to reverse, and should not be performed by anyone not specifically equipped for structural work on the 911 model.

We have seen examples of: front suspension pan repairs that created axle offset to a degree that prohibited proper alignment, and those that have created a longitudinal twist of the trunk shut-line; slam panel replacements that also create a longitudinal twist, and prohibit proper trunk lid alignment; floor pan replacements that have narrowed the width between the longitudinals; and dogleg/longitudinal repairs that have closed the door gap – all of which compromise chassis squareness/soundness and require extensive reworking to correct.

Proper panel replacement is not performed on jackstands, on a lift, or on a rotisserie. Here at Zuffenhaus, all structural panel replacement (and the majority of all metal work) is performed with the unibody installed on one of our Porsche-specific Celette frame benches so as to preserve correct alignment of all critical points and dimensions of the unibody, and trueness of the shut-lines when reassembled.