Werks Reunion Monterey: Owner-restored cars shine

Ra, the Egyptian sun god, must be a PCA member because a show field full of Porsches basked in the warm California sun at the Werks Reunion Monterey. The ones that really shined were those whose owners restored the classic Porsches themselves.

For example, Ted and Nancy Livingston’s 1963 Porsche 356B Super Cabriolet. Ted’s parents purchased it new in Germany. He bought it from his dad in 1967 and drove it daily for 9 years. Like many classics, however, life got in the way. It sat in the garage until 2018, when he restored it with the help of some friends.

Gregg Blues’ silver 1957 Carrera GT had sat for 47 years until a friend of his found it in New York City in 2016. Gregg mechanically sorted the car, but the paint, interior and engine remain original. He has put over 30,000 miles on it, mostly on road rallies in North America, although his most recent rally was the 2024 Mille Miglia in Italy.

Then there’s Jeff and Tracy Shirhall, who found their tired but roadworthy 1982 Porsche 911SC Targa in the LA area just before the pandemic. Apparently, Jeff spent those two years quarantined in the garage, where he painstakingly corrected the original paint, restored the interior, and performed the usual mechanical fixes needed on a classic that’s been sitting for a few years. The results were incredible. Plus, the pride and joy that they have in their car is infectious, and one of the reasons that this event is so special.