The artisans of Goodwood Revival: Rico Customs

It’s fair to say that Ten Napel, affectionately known as ‘Rico’, is a big fan of the Porsche 911. Such is his enthusiasm for the marque that, as soon as he could, he bought one in need of a little TLC. Ten Napel, whose background is in fashion design, set about stripping the car down and completely rebuilding it to his own tastes. Such was his transformational ability that he soon had enquiries to do the same for friends and fellow Porsche 911 fans.

“I like to think about it as breathing new life into a timeless icon,” Ten Napel said. “It’s not just restoration, it’s art.”

After a few more collaborations with clients had ensued, word quickly spread and, in a few short years, Ten Napel was able to launch his company, Rico Customs, who work from a stylish workshop in the Netherlands.

“We don’t just restore classic 911s,” Ten Napel explained. “We like to think that we work with our clients to find the absolutely ideal design for them. Porsche provided the perfect silhouette, and we then transform it into a customer’s dream version, totally individual to them so that their dream Porsche can become a reality.”

This fusion of classic design and modern performance aligns with the Goodwood Revival’s Revive & Thrive ethos. Ten Napel agrees: “At Rico Customs we love that people come to us who are real drivers, they’re enthusiastic about taking the car out onto the road, into the mountains, or even just enjoying their drive to work, really using the car, not just admiring it.

“We give these cars longevity; they may look like beautiful classic cars, but often we’ve replaced many of the old components with modern, more efficient, and environmentally friendly parts which gives them a whole new lease of life to be enjoyed for years to come.”

When a client brings an original Porsche 911 to Ten Napel’s team at Rico Customs, it is entirely stripped down and rebuilt, body modifications are made and parts replaced or refurbished before the car is reassembled again. Sometimes Ten Napel includes race details from the late 1960s and early ‘70s, such as louvred windows, and he loves to see cars finished in grey or earth tones, which he feels look stylishly understated on the road.

Ten Napel isn’t a fan of the phrase ‘Outlaw Porsche’ but agrees that backdating — modifying newer models to get the aesthetic of a classic Porsche — is his main business area. “Everyone has a different idea of their perfect Porsche; it’s like making a bespoke suit. We are always delighted to be able to collaborate on a project with a client who ends up with their perfect car.  

“It’s great to be part of a wonderful community of people who enjoy owning these custom built favourites, and even love to organise driving tours in Austria where we enjoy hearing everyone’s stories about their adventures with their cars.”

The 2026 Goodwood Revival marks the first time that Ten Napel and his team will be at event as exhibitors rather than just enthusiastic visitors. They plan to build a replica workshop Over the Road, and will be sporting matching mechanics overalls ready to talk to fellow enthusiasts about how they can transform even the most neglected of Porsche 911s. Be sure to take a trip across the bridge to visit Ten Napel and the team at their workshop to learn more about customising your dream Porsche.

Images courtesy of Rico Customs.

Saturday tickets and 3-Day passes for the Goodwood Revival have now sold out, and Friday and Sunday tickets are limited. 

If you’re not already part of the GRRC, you can sign up to the Fellowship today and save ten per cent on your 2026 tickets and grandstand passes, as well as enjoying a whole host of other on-event perks.