At Singer Vehicle Design in Sun Valley, California, the emblematic sports car Porsche 911 is transformed into a customer car – finished according to the individual wishes of each customer.
The dream car that would thrill generations of motorists was born in the year 1964. The Porsche 911 went into production, designed by Ferdinand Alexander “Butzi” Porsche. The model he developed as a thirty year old proved to be a timeless classic; even 55 years later, it is still being produced successfully. As in 1964, the 911 still stands for perfection to this day: a term underscored by its cult character. A design that embodies both the traditional and the modern. The 911 is an icon in the history of sports cars; many fans even call it “the ultimate car”. But is it possible to improve on it?
IS IT POSSIBLE TO IMPROVE ON A 911?
Every finished car that leaves the workshop is a work of art, as unique as a fingerprint, a motorized expression of its owner’s personality.
The answer is yes! The customers of exclusive tuning wizard Singer Vehicle Design can customize the 911 to make it their own. Like a home, anybody can buy the vehicle. But it is the modifications added to meet the buyer’s wishes, the personality, that are reflected in it. This individualized story installed at the Singer shop is what makes a Porsche 911 so special for each client. Singer Vehicle Design specializes in the restoration and customization of the air-cooled Porsche 911 with a 964 chassis. Every finished vehicle that leaves the workshop is a work of art, as unique as a fingerprint, a motorized expression of its owner’s personality.
Milestone: The 100th vehicle was delivered to a customer in July 2018.
At Singer Vehicle Design in Sun Valley, California, the sports car icon Porsche 911 is transformed into an unmistakable means of transport – each sports car is one of a kind. Customers value the high-quality work at the luxury garage.
“Everything is important,” – the motto at Singer Vehicle Design permeates through the work of every single employee involved in restoring a Porsche 911. This is evident not only in their work but also in the workshop, the equipment and the preparatory measures. Thanks to its specialty services, Singer Vehicle Design can make dreams become a reality. “We just want to make a bunch of people happy and we just want to have fun doing it, without sacrificing quality,” says Jay Goddard, Manager of Special Wishes and Client Services.
At Singer Vehicle Design’s location in Sun Valley, California, several Porsches are eagerly awaiting their next assignment. After the teardown process of each 911 has been completed, the true artisan work begins.This is the stage where the Singer crew shines in its craft. Technical teams deliver finished parts so that the car can remain in the workshop while various teams install the components one by one until it is on the verge of completion.
“We just want to make a bunch of people happy and we just want to have fun doing it, without sacrificing quality,” says Jay Goddard, Manager of Special Wishes and Client Services.
THESE PEOPLE ARE LIKE FAMILY TO ME, THE CARS ARE LIKE MY CHILDREN
In a labyrinth of shelves and storage spaces, a team is found methodically assembling big plastic bins, called “Bill of Materials (BOM) boxes,” and filling them with all the pieces needed to complete a single task. Thanks to these BOM boxes, the technicians can access every single screw and nut needed for the entire project. Not a single part is left over in the bin. This pre-planning process is the main contributor to the shop efficiency. The technicians collect their boxes and work at dedicated stations, where they focus on their craft with methodical precision, before moving on to the next bay and next vehicle.
Singer Vehicle Design restores and completely overhauls Porsche 911s.
The Singer lettering clearly indicates that the vehicles are one of a kind.
Each Porsche is stripped down to its individual components and then rebuilt according to the customer’s specifications.
Singer Vehicle Design invests up to 4,000 working hours in overhauling a single Porsche.
Every 911 can remain in the Singer garage throughout the entire restoration process – various components are installed in stages by different teams.
After every Porsche 911 is completely taken apart, the Singer crew’s true artisan work begins.
Würth products are also used at Singer Vehicle Design to finish the vehicle interior.
THE SINGER MOTTO: EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT
Many different Würth products are used in this garage – here, for example, screw locking varnish.
Over the years, Singer Vehicle Design has received many interesting and specific requests regarding the customizations. One of the more memorable ‘special wishes’ requests was having Singer Vehicle Design match the color of a client’s bathroom tile. The minds at Singer Vehicle Design do not shudder at a request like this. On the contrary, it is seen as an opportunity to do something that has never been done before. “These people are like family to me, the cars are like my children, these clients I talk to every week,” says Jay Goddard.
In just a decade since its formation in 2008, Singer achieved a milestone: It delivered its 100th vehicle to a customer in July 2018. More than 150 additional vehicles are waiting to be restored and handed over to their owners around the world. Perfection is by far the most time-consuming aspect of restoration process. While an average vehicle donated by a customer can cost as much as USD 60,000, after Singer’s restoration work, which can easily take up to 4,000 hours, its value can exceed USD 650,000.
Singer Vehicle Design does not change the original. The 911 experts reimagine the sports car icon, down to the smallest detail. Singer has defined a league of its own in the field of specialized body shops, from implementing a seamless restoration process and sourcing only the best-quality equipment and components, to their artisans in the workshop, who carefully go about their work with deliberation and precision. Anyone who sits in a Porsche 911 restored by Singer in Sun Valley, California and hears the purr of the engine, sees and feels the lustrous leather interior, can appreciate why “everything is important”.
Würth USA
Würth USA is more than a supplier. Würth USA has been a leading provider of vendor managed inventory (VMI) solutions for the transport, maintenance and repair industry since 1969, serving more than 25,000 customers in the USA, including Singer Vehicle Design since 2011. The most popular Würth products used at Singer include the Bonds and Seals construction glue, hose clamps, electrical connectors, and zinc hardware. “The more products Würth can supply, the easier our life is,” says Jay Goddard, Manager of Special Wishes and Client Services at Singer.
