Porsche 356 Restored by Emory

The original Porsche 356s we restore are all referred to as “ outlaws .” Its body and chassis are all steel, just the way it left the factory in Germany. We perform a concours-quality restoration to the metal while improving the drivability in preparation for the unique 4-cylinder engine. Our styling cues are often rally- or race-inspired, but sometimes something closer to “stock” is what a client wants. Every car we restore is outfitted with an Emory-Rothsport Outlaw-4 engine as standard equipment.

Click here for detail page links and an image gallery of “ outlaws “

Click here for image gallery of “ specials ” –>>

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Original Porsche 911 Restored by Emory

Every so often, we will give an original 911 some competition-inspired love.

Click here for image gallery of 911 cars –>>

© 2023 Emory Motorsports. All Rights Reserved. Emory Motorsports’ services are provided solely by Emory Motorsports, that they are not sponsored, associated, approved, endorsed nor, in any way, affiliated with Porsche Cars North America, Inc., or Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche, AG. The Porsche® name and crest, 356® and 911® are trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AG, and any other products mentioned are the trademarks of their respective holders. Any mention of trademarked names or other marks is for purpose of reference only.

Bringing a car back from the dead takes time. Each one has a unique back story and properly restoring each 356’s underpinnings requires the patience of skilled craftspeople who have learned the specialized art of car restoration. All of our donor cars have suffered severe damage and few people possess the skill, patience or know-how to preserve their DNA and give them a new life. We do.

Each car we touch follows the same well-planned course and is why our cars are as revered as they are. Yes, they photograph well, but the lasting value is in the quality of work and components used to build one.

Every car we restore is already spoken for. Our process begins when you decide that you must have a 356 in your stable. The initial consultation will help you determine what body style of car (open or coupe), what model year and what level of restoration you desire. Then, we’ll cover the topics of exterior trim, wheels, colors & finishes; interior features, seating style, colors & materials. We will prepare some visuals to help you understand what the finished car might look like.

Upon agreement of the spec, your deposit will set the process in motion. We will source the donor car, disassemble and strip it to bare metal and properly store the vehicle in our shop until work begins.

Once work starts, we launch into the labor intensive task of restoring the chassis and body’s sheet metal. Once the metalwork is complete, the exterior continues to finer and finer stages of body work and then a concours-quality paint job. After this, the car really begins to hint at its final form and the fun of final assembly kicks in.

The restoration timeline typically takes 12-18 months from the time we begin the metalwork. Project funding is divided into monthly payments during the build and the final payment is due upon delivery of the car. We will send regular project updates to help you understand where your car is in the process.

Clients often visit our shop to get an intimate understanding of our process and why we do what we do. If you think you would like to discuss a car, use the links below to make contact with owner-customizer Rod Emory.

The Emory family history of car customizing encompasses three generations, beginning with Neil Emory and Valley Custom Shop in Burbank, CA in 1948. Valley Custom Shop created some of hot rodding’s most revered cars because of the keen sense of proportion and tasteful modification, giving American cars the panache they desperately needed. Even the SoCal Streamliner (below), which set land speed records on the dry lakes, had its body styled and fabricated by Valley Custom Shop.

The design gene was passed from Neil Emory to his son Gary. In the ’60s Gary and his dad started working for Chick Iverson Porsche, launching the family’s long association with the Porsche brand and forever cementing the future path of the latest generation to get the gene.

Gary Emory’s Parts Obsolete business is still widely known in Porsche circles as the go-to place for hard-to-find parts. For more than 40 years it has been a valuable resource in the restoration of the iconic 356 and other early Porsche models.

In the ’60s, Gary Emory styled and created the original “Baja Bug,” a modified soft-top VW Beetle with definite off-road chops. In the ’70s Gary fashioned a wide-bodied, race-inspired car from an early 911, in which he and his wife brought his newborn son home from the hospital at a high rate of speed.

The latest recipient of the design gene is Rod Emory, whose Emory Motorsports business has been restoring 356s for more than 20 years.

Occasionally, we will do a “stock” restoration on a significant works competition car, including 906-011, 906-036, 908/3-007 and 908-010. The 356/2-063 “Gmund SL” is a special case in point. There is perhaps no more significant car in Porsche’s history as a manufacturer because of its status as the progenitor of Porsche Motorsport. The 1951 Le Mans 24 entry of #46 conspicuously marked Porsche’s entrance onto the world stage of motorsport. On their first outing at such a high level, the werks 1,100 cc 356 SL won its class and beat the rest of the 1,500 cc cars, too. When the car came into our care, we assumed the daunting task of restoring the entire roof, dash and inner structure to the car, returning it to its most significant identity as a Le Mans winner.

Click above for more 356 SL images and video