There are racecars, and then there's the Porsche 962.

Only a few have achieved the legendary status of the Porsche 962. Built to dominate endurance racing during the 80s and 90s with 19 constructors’ championships and more than 180 overall victories, there’s only one place an icon like this truly belongs: on the racetrack, at full throttle.

That’s exactly what veteran racer and collector Charles Nearburg set out to achieve when he teamed up with Porsche Motorsport North America (PMNA) to restore his rare factory-built 962 with the intention of using it on the racetrack.

With a racing career spanning SCCA, CART, and Le Mans, as well as an FIA World Speed Record of 414 mph at Bonneville, Nearburg knows a thing or two about serious racecars. His rare 962 is undoubtedly one of the most special cars in his collection.

A Rare Piece of Porsche Royalty

Chassis 962C-005 is one of just nine Porsche 962 prototypes built directly by the factory, with only seven remaining in private hands. Making it even more special, this particular car still wears the iconic Rothmans Porsche livery and also served as a testbed for Porsche’s racing technology.

This explains why the car retains much of its original wiring for Porsche’s early prototype of the Doppelkupplung (PDK) dual-clutch transmission, which made its competition debut in 1986.

The 962 was the first Porsche race car to use the system, with Hans Stuck and Derek Bell taking a PDK-equipped car to victory at Monza during the same year. It was also Stuck’s idea to place the gear selector on the steering wheel. Its period-correct Bosch ECU and ignition system were also preserved.

Back to Factory Spec

When Nearburg acquired the car, it was a close-to-running showpiece in need of a serious mechanical revival. Rather than rely on old memories or conflicting technical information, PMNA went straight to Porsche’s archives, using original factory drawings, manuals, and records to guide the restoration.

The 2.8-liter, flat-six, twin-turbocharged powertrain was fully rebuilt and calibrated on PMNA’s engine dyno before the 962 underwent initial shakedown testing at the Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles.

Six months after arriving at PMNA’s facility in Carson, California, 962C-005 was back with Nearburg. A month later, it returned to its natural habitat at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), completing a trouble-free session.

Unfiltered, Analog Power

Driving a 962, however, remains a very different experience from operating a modern race car. Drivers must anticipate turbocharger response, manage a traditional clutch and shift lever, and stay ahead of the car's reactions rather than relying on modern electronic systems.

"If you are late to the throttle, you simply have to wait," Nearburg explained. "In a more modern car, the electronic boost control is much more linear."

While the safety equipment was updated to modern standards, Nearburg and PMNA went to great lengths to preserve the 962’s original raw, analog driving character.

The 962’s dominance on the track perfectly embodied the old “race on Sunday, sell on Monday” philosophy, helping cement its place as one of the most successful sports prototypes ever built.

For a machine this rare, preserving history doesn’t mean keeping it locked away in storage or a museum. It means letting the 962 do exactly what it was built to do: race.