HOW ONE PORSCHE FAN BUILT HIS OWN MOTUL-POWERED CUP CAR

By day, Paulo Tabora works as a nurse. But when he’s not caring for others, he has dedicated his life to cars. Recently, he’s been working on a Porsche 911 self-build, transforming a standard Carrera S into a Porsche 911 Cup-esque track star. Under the bonnet, Paulo has chosen Motul’s lubricants and oils for their reliability and performance qualities. In fact, Paulo is so much of a Motul flagbearer, he has given the car a rather special Motul livery, too. This is his story.

I’ve always used Motul products in my cars, even with my previous builds and my motorcycles. Now that I’m starting this venture with my 911, I will continue to use Motul. I know for a fact that Motul excels in performance, and that’s why I’ve always used its products.

I do track days with it and show it at car shows in Southern California. I know Motul has a big presence in the car show scene, too, so it’s great to represent the product this way.

I’m just a hobby driver. I’m actually a registered nurse. But I’ve been a gear head since I was a kid. As I can’t work with cars for a living, I do track days and shows in them instead in my free time.

It’s a 2006 Carrera S, which we have transformed into a Cup car. Prior to me, my buddy owned the car and he started to do the Cup flaring up front with the OEM GT3 aero all around. When I bought it from him, I finished the whole thing to turn it into a Cup car.

Oh yeah. We have a Fabspeed GT3 conversion exhaust system, AWE headers, AWE high flow cats, a GT3 throttle body, an IPD Plenum, Numeric racing short shifter and cables, three radiators, solid engine mounts and the engine has been tuned. As for the suspension, it has among many changes a JRZ RS1 Sport Coilover with Swift Springs, Tarret Engineering Top Hats, GT3 front and rear sway bars and a BBI street cup roll bar. And I use Motul 300V 0W40 as well as Motul Gear Oil and Motul RBF 660 brake fluid.

I’d be lying if I knew, but I’d say close to 400hp. It’s less powerful than a 997 GT3, but it’s adequate enough at the track where power doesn’t matter as much as aero, suspension and braking.

With a car like mine, you feel everything. It’s hard to put into words, but you feel the car’s spirit when you drive it. You feel at one with the car. So having the right lubricant that powers it, you can feel it, from the oil temperature to the braking. For me, fluid is so important, and I’ve been so in tune with Motul from a young age with my Honda Integra Type-R that I had 18 years ago, through to my Honda S2000 and even my Honda CBR. I’ve also got a Datsun 240Z, which I will use Motul in the rebuild of.

Since my ownership of the car, I’ve always used Motul and there have been no problems aside from routine maintenance. We upgraded everything on the car to be more track-spec.

© Images: goner.vis