Restomodders the world over are chasing the Holy Grail of classic Porsche 911 perfection. They’ve tried fitting Formula 1 engines, EV swaps and almost everything you could imagine in between. Yet somehow British specialist Thornley Kelham has found a new sweet spot.
The European RS is based on the pre-964, picked for its inherent lightness, and then brought up to speed with a choice of three flat-six engines, along with uprated suspension brakes and transmission.
“The European RS combines the pure engagement of the original 1973 Carrera 2.7 RS but comes complete with a lightweight, handcrafted body and reimagined, driver-focused interior,” explains co-founder Simon Thornley. “This is a truly unique car imbued with the nuanced dynamics and feedback of the legendary 2.7 RS, the thrill of the 2.8 RSR, and performance, precision and progressive handling of the legendary 997 GT3 RS 4.0.”
Starting with a bare shell Thornley Kelham’s metalworkers resculpt the bodywork, making it 19 mm longer, 51 mm lower and 220 mm wider. The track is also upped by 112 mm at the front and 214 mm at the rear. A custom roll cage is installed to increase rigidity.
Minimising mass is a mantra, so the front and rear bumpers are carbon fibre, along with the duck tail spoiler. The door skins and bonnet lid are aluminium and the rear quarter windows are polycarbornate. The result is a wet weight of 1,070 kg.
Of the 6,000 man-hours that go into the European RS, some 2,500 are spent on the body alone. Meanwhile the interior gets carbon fibre Recaro seats, a Momo Prototipo steering wheel and a mix of leather and Alcantara trim. Upgrades include a lightweight climate control system and a Porsche PCCM infotainment system.
The standard power unit is built on a 993 engine block, enlarged to 3.8 litres, and fitted with Mahle pistons, bespoke camshafts and individual throttle bodies. It’s fuel-injected, controlled by a Life Racing ECU and comes with a custom exhaust. It makes 385 bhp at 7,700 rpm, with the redline at 8,000. The maximum 290 lb-ft of torque kicks in at 6,000 rpm.
If that’s not enough Thornley Kelham can supply a 3.6-litre 24-valve engine that revs to 10,000 or a four-litre that packs over 400 bhp. Whatever motor you choose is matched to a six-speed G50 manual transmission.
The chassis deploys front wishbones based on the current GT3 with JRZ Motorsport four-way adjustable dampers and Eibach springs, with a hollow, adjustable anti-roll bar. A Quaife steering rack requires just 2.5 turns lock to lock and electric assistance can be specified.
At the rear there are lighter, stiffer trailing arms, controlled with similar JRZ Motorsport and Eibach components, plus there’s a Wavetrac limited slip differential. Six-piston front calipers and four-piston rear units grab two-piece vented and cross-drilled disks to provide stopping power.
As a finishing touch there are Fuchs-inspired 18-inch Fikse alloy wheels fitted with Michelin Pilot 4S tires, with track-focused Cup 2 rubber also available.
Although every one of the 25 cars planned will be unique and priced accordingly it will cost at least £580,000 to have one built.
Thornley Kelham is also working on further European models based on the Porsche 356 and Jaguar XK120 to be revealed later this year.
