Avid listeners of The Joe Rogan Experience are likely already aware of Rogan’s love of Porsche 911s, particularly of the restomodded variety. Among the crown jewels in Rogan’s garage are his SharkWerks Porsche 997 911 GT3 RS, featuring SharkWerks’ enlarged and uptuned 3.9-liter engine, as well as a 1-of-25 Gunther Werks 993 911, which encases a modernized version of the marque’s historic air-cooled flat-six in a carbon fiber body.
The popular podcaster’s latest acquisition moves past modernization of existing 911s and into the realm of fantastical creation thanks to the work of RSR Project. The decade-old outfit specializes in building road-legal tribute versions of the 911 RSR, a pure-bred race car that Porsche conceived solely to compete at the highest levels of GT endurance racing but never drive off-track. As RSR Project puts it, “What we build is what Porsche never released: a car that looks the part, carries the presence, but is made to be driven—and driven hard.”
“Our goal with every build is to honor Porsche’s motorsport heritage while elevating performance to meet modern expectations,” said RSR Project founder Richard Schickman, who personally led the build. “For Joe, we wanted to create something that was not just stunning to look at, but also thrilling and reliable to drive. Every RSR build should feel alive every time you turn the key.”
Every build begins with a complete teardown and meticulous inspection of the engine—Rogan opted for the 3.5-liter flat six—as well as the transmission and supporting components. The bottom end is disassembled, measured, and cleaned before each steel component is magnafluxed—a process by which magnetized particles are used to visually check for structural integrity. The pistons and rods are balanced to within a gram and crank journals polished. New bushings, bearings, seals, and hardware are installed throughout, and the cylinder heads are glass-beaded, resurfaced to within half a thousandth of an inch, and fitted with new guides, seals, and springs after a competition-level valve job. Cylinders are honed, machined flat, and measured for perfect alignment, while the transmission is stripped, magnafluxed, and rebuilt with new synchros, seals, and guides.
Each RSR Project requires a donor body: a galvanized 1984–1989 911 Carrera tub, which is stripped down, fitted with steel flares, and reshaped into the iconic “longhood” design. From there, get a Concours presentation-worthy paintjob, Braid Fuchs wheels wrapped in Michelin TB15 vintage tires, and period-correct RSR touches such as a ducktail spoiler, fiberglass bumpers, and Carrera striping.
Inside, the cabin has been completely stripped and reupholstered, starting with a new Porsche Classic dash that restores the period-correct look and feel. RS-style door panels and proper Perlon carpeting keep weight down. For Rogan, the bucket seats were wrapped in black vinyl and a unique woven leather with nickel grommets reminiscent of 1960-era Ford GT40s. There’s also a classic Momo Prototipo steering wheel, refreshed pedal assembly, and a precision Wevo short shifter that aims to “channel the mechanical purity of the 915 gearbox,” which was originally produced from 1972 to 1986. While RSR Project will equip modern amenities such as infotainment systems per the client’s wishes, Rogan only elected to add an air conditioner, further adding to the car’s driver-forward purity and esotericism.
“Every RSR we create is built to be driven and enjoyed thoroughly,” added Schickman. “Joe’s car was tested extensively, road-proven for over 700 miles, and tuned to deliver the kind of visceral experience that makes these tributes so special.”
While pricing for Rogan’s car wasn’t announced, RSR Project commissions start at $375,000, which includes the price of the donor car. Tap here to learn more.
