Lab Eleven is a family-run company born from the passion of its founder, Pino La Rosa, and his daughter Milena, for Porsche cars. Located in the province of Pavia, Italy, the workshop boasts a team with over 40 years of experience in restyling vehicles from the German manufacturer.
Specifically, the company specializes in the "restomod" of the iconic 1970s 911 model, bringing the design of the cars back to the glory of past decades but with the addition of modern components and technologies. The result is a unique, fully customized car with high-quality materials produced directly by Porsche. Lab Eleven stands out for the high quality of its restomod vehicles and captivating aesthetic style, thanks to the use of original Porsche details that have achieved great success over the years and are still considered trendy symbols of a refined style among vintage car enthusiasts.
"We export our cars worldwide and they have been particularly appreciated by Japanese entrepreneurs who came to Italy to see our work," explains the young entrepreneur Milena La Rosa. "The customer can completely customize the car, from the engine to the colors to the details of the interior. The only constraint we impose concerns the origin of the components and accessories: they must necessarily be Porsche."
The vehicle can be lightened in terms of weight by replacing steel with materials such as carbon fiber and aluminum. This ensures a better power-to-weight ratio, making the engine more efficient and optimizing the car's chassis, making it even more enjoyable to drive.
The model used for the backdate is the Porsche 993, produced from 1994 to 1998, which is modified in the Lab Eleven workshops to bring its design back to the sought-after Porsche 911 style of the 1970s.
Lab Eleven acquires the 993 models from the European market after a careful evaluation of the car's condition and its parts, as well as the completeness of documentation regarding its history, which must include information on all work done and previous owners. Once the car is chosen, the interiors, glass, and electrical system are disassembled. The car is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized with a wash at a temperature of 100°C to remove any impurities. Subsequently, Lab Eleven mechanics inspect imperfections and proceed to remove the front and rear fenders and the hood.
Wide fender flares are applied to retrodate the line for steel models, while lightweight models receive new carbon fiber bumpers and fenders.
After replacing the front and rear glass, a three-layer painting process with a clear finish is applied, making the body durable over the years, free from defects, and giving it a mirror-like gloss typical of 1970s cars. "All the paints used and the color shades are the original Porsche ones," explains Milena.
Now, let's move to the heart of the car: the engine. The buyer can decide whether to keep the current displacement of the vehicle or increase it from 3,600 to 3,800. In the first case, the engine is disassembled, overhauled, and worn parts are replaced with new ones. If the customer wants to increase the displacement, a new engine is installed.
The electrical system is checked and restored to the original, with the option to add alarm and satellite systems if the customer requests them.
The front headlights retain the original 1970s aesthetic on the outside, while halogen lights are installed inside. The gearbox is opened to replace all bearings and any worn parts with new ones.
New Recaro seats are installed. The customer can choose between leather, fabric, alcantara, or a mix. The fabric, cut to measure, is made of natural fiber like that used in the 1960s, with a wide range of pastel colors. The hi-fi system has the original Porsche retro design on the outside but is digital on the inside, with the possibility to add connectivity for navigation and mobile phones.
Once all the restyling work is completed, the car is tested, approved, and delivered with all the necessary documentation to circulate regularly and safely in Europe. The high quality of the components, experience in production processes, meticulous attention to detail, and continuous communication with the customer are just some of the factors that make Lab Eleven a globally appreciated company in the luxury car restyling sector.
But that's not all; Lab Eleven also represents a concrete example of a circular economy, not only because it gives new life and splendor to discarded cars but also for the recovery of parts and waste materials such as screws and bolts, which are renewed and reintroduced to the market, thanks to the high quality and durability of the original components produced by Porsche.
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