Racing Junk Porsche 948RS is a Rare Sight at SEMA
Porsche 944 features an LS engine, a widebody package and a posh, purposeful cockpit.
American cars, trucks and SUVs dominate the SEMA Show floor every year while Porsche products are relatively rare. There are always a few newer 911s with big, often ridiculous wheels on display in near-stock form, but rarely do we see actual Porsche project cars at the sprawling celebration of the automotive aftermarket. That is what makes the Racing Junk 948RS so special.
Modified by Brian Bergeron from Widerstandsfahig, this was probably the only Porsche 944 at the 2019 SEMA Show. It is definitely the only 944 that we saw, and while this model doesn’t pack the “wow factor” of a new 911 in stock form, this modified creation stole our hearts.
Porsche 948RS
In case you weren’t sure, Porsche never made a 948 or a 948RS. 948 is the unofficial name given to 944s that have been upgraded with a V8 engine. In this case, the team from Racing Junk installed a General Motors LS engine, introducing American muscle to the German sports car from the 1980s. However, the build didn’t stop there, as a SEMA car needs more than just an engine swap.
While the American V8 provided “wow factor” once you were up close, the exterior design of this custom Porsche 948RS is what drew people into the Racing Junk display. A widebody kit adds huge flares over all four wheel openings, along with extended side sills and a chin spoiler that ties the flares into the 944 Turbo front fascia. The front end also features fixed headlights rather than the original pop-up design, along with a vented hood.
Out back, the Porsche 948RS from Racing Junk sports a huge diffuser that extends out from under the rear fascia, while a low-rise wing sits on the curvy hatch. It also has clear taillights, the unique 948RS badging and a license plate that reads “sacrilege”. Also, while viewing this car from the rear, you get a great look at the massive tires which are wrapped around HRE wheels.
Custom 944 Cabin
On the inside, much of the original 944 look has been retained, but everything has been dressed up with a new look. Plush, blue leather covers the seats, door panels, dash and center console. The seats and door panels feature black-and-white checkered inserts, while the dash board has a white stripe running through the center. The original interior controls are housed in this white portion of the dash and the stock gauges have been preserved.
Where the cabin of this 948RS differs from the original 944 is in the seats and hatch area. As you can see, the seats are a modern Porsche racing seat design and behind them, the hatch is filled with a safety cage system. There are also racing harnesses rather than the stock seat belts, as this car is built for a fun, safe track day.
Sacrilegious Engine
Finally, we come to the power plant of this Porsche 948RS. The license plate says sacrilege and we believe that refers to the engine. The standard turbo-four is gone and in its place is a worked General Motors LS V8.
We don’t have any details on this engine, but we can see that it is naturally aspirated. The lack of boost means that this isn’t likely to be a thousand horsepower engine, but we are certain that it is much more powerful than any factory 944 engine.
The instant response and big power of this LS engine is sure to make this widebody Porsche an absolute beast on a road course. More importantly, this engine was part of the allure of this stunning custom 944 at the 2019 SEMA Show, drawing many people into the Racing Junk booth in the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Photos: Internet Brands Auto Group/Racing Junk
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