This Wicked Porsche 944 is Headed to ‘Wekfest’

Custom widebody Porsche is a race car that will shine just as bright at a huge car show.

The Wekfest aftermarket auto show is all about unique, extensive customization more than on-track performance, but this wicked Porsche 944 race car is guaranteed to turn heads at the Chicago event in May. The widebody 944 was initially created out of necessity when its owner, Brandon Bergeron, worked to build an incredible autocross car, but that passion for the four-cylinder German coupe led to a business of building higher performance 944s – and the first car from Widerstandsfahig will be on display at Wekfest Chicago.

The Inspiration

While the Porsche 944 shown here has led to a business leading to more cars with a similar look and appearance, Widerstandsfahig grew out of one man’s passion for his German sports car. Bergeron had spent some time autocrossing with his Porsche 944 when he decided that he needed to make some big changes in order to be more competitive. He wanted his 944 to be lighter, with better suspension, more power and wider rubber, so rather than trying to convert his original car into this ideal autocross race car, he bought a second car and got to work.

In order to accommodate his design for a curb weight of just 2,250 pounds and much wider tires, Bergeron decided to design his own lightweight custom body for the Porsche 944. Without any previous experience in fabricating, he rebuilt his race car from the ground up with the most prominent feature being the unique widebody design. He designed the new body and did all of the fiberglass and metal work himself, cutting out a great deal of the factory sheet metal, only keeping what he needed to meet SCCA requirements inside and out.

In the end, Bergeron crafted new fenders and quarter panels, a new front fascia, a new rear fascia and a hood, along with making a rear spoiler that provided ideal downforce for his autocross-ready Porsche 944.

You can read a full rundown of what makes this Porsche 944 so special from our friends at Rennlist by clicking here, along with tons more pictures of this beautiful race car.

WIN TICKETS TO WEKFEST!
6 Speed Online & Rennlist have teamed up with Widerstandsfahig’s Brian Bergeron to give away 2 VIP tickets to Chicago Wekfest, May 20! Enter to win below!

The Nuts and Bolts

While the most noticeable feature of this Porsche 944 race car is the widebody package and bare-bones interior, Bergeron put just as much time and effort into the rest of this build. The car has Koni adjustable coilovers and huge Stop Tech brake rotors, along with custom-made, lightweight wheels all around. The Widerstandsfahig wheels are 18×12-inch up front and 18×13.5-inch out back, with a 335-millimeter tire up front and 345s out back.

Finally, the heart of this machine is a built LS3 V8 from General Motors, so not only is this Porsche much lighter than the average 944  with much better handling components, but it also packs far more power. Of course, the interior isn’t going to wow those folks who like lots of bells and buzzers, as the cockpit has only what is needed for racing purposes.

All-in-all, Bergeron’s project to create the car shown above was so successful that he started the company Widerstandsfahig to begin building more of these cars for other Porsche 944 owners who want to turn heads and dominate the race track.

If you want to see this entire project from beginning to end, Bergeron chronicled the lengthy process on Rennlist.com, offering us a look at every step of the build and you can check out that build by clicking here.

Headed to Wekfest

Brandon Bergeron built this Porsche 944 widebody race car to perform on the autocross track, but the gorgeous machine has proven to be a popular attraction on the show scene as well. Even before the car hit the track, he had claimed show trophies and that led him to apply to Wekfest Chicago. Not surprisingly, his 944 was approved by the ultra-selective group who picks the Wekfest show vehicles so on May 20^th, 2018, Bergeron’s original Widerstandsfahig Porsche will be among the many highly-modified cars on display at the Navy Pier in the Windy City.

The Wekfest website claims that it is “the dopest car show in the nation” and based on the pictures on the event website, there will be scores of stunning cars on display, but this Porsche 944 is sure to be a popular attraction – while also likely being the most autocross-ready car in attendance.

For an idea of the types of cars that will be on display at Wekfest Chicago, check out the video below of the 2017 Tuner Evolution event in Chicago. We are bound to see more than a few of these local cars on display in May, but in the video below from last year’s Tuner Evolution event, Bergeron’s Porsche was featured several times.

Best of all, with our friends at Rennlist sponsoring this Porsche, we will be giving out a pair of VIP passes for the Chicago Wekfest show on May 20! If you want a chance at those tickets, enter below. Be sure and drop by and check out Bergeron’s incredible Porsche 944 at Wefest!

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com