• KCPerformance offers the PDK conversion for air-cooled Porsche 911s, allowing owners to enjoy a modern dual-clutch transmission in their classic cars.
  • It’s a significant investment, costing around €50,000 (~$54,000) depending on the configuration.
  • The company believes its PDK swaps will encourage classic 911 owners to drive their cars more often.

You’ve probably never heard of KCPerformance before, but they are the company to call if you own an air-cooled Porsche 911 and want it equipped with a modern PDK dual-clutch transmission.

Many would agree that classic 911s should only come with stick shifts, but a PDK is more convenient and enjoyable for some. KCPerformance has been working on air-cooled 911s for quite some time and has found that owners of some upgraded classic 911s don’t drive them frequently because they have to row their own gears. As such, it now offers PDK conversions for these air-cooled models.

Read: Original 1973 Porsche 911 Turbo Concept Is Back On The Show Circuit This Summer

Getting a modern-day dual-clutch transmission to work with an old-school engine isn’t easy. Speaking with Motor1, KCPerformance co-owner Kazimir von Hooijdonk said his firm has to mill an aluminum adapter plate to pair the engine with the transmission. It also installs a new flywheel with a crankshaft position sensor and an electronically controlled throttle body.

The changes don’t stop there. The shop has tweaked the engine to use an electronic ignition and fuel injection. It also runs an aftermarket ECU to ensure the engine and transmission work seamlessly. KCPerformance has even created different throttle maps and can tweak how aggressively and quickly the PDK swaps cogs.

$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis
$55,000 PDK Swap Is Your Air-Cooled Porsche 911’s Midlife Crisis

It has also tweaked a modern Porsche 911 steering wheel with paddle shifters to work in air-cooled models. The shifter in the tunnel can be used to change gears, just like in a modern PDK-equipped Porsche.

Hooijdonk says the first air-cooled 911 equipped with a PDK was a 993 model, and it’s currently building a 930 Turbo with a PDK.

Dropping a dual-clutch transmission into a classic Porsche doesn’t come cheap. In fact, Motor1 says the conversion costs around €50,000 (~$54,000), depending on the desired configuration.