Converting sports cars into all-terrain machines is a wild idea that very few have managed to ace. But it surely is a desirable package to have racetrack performance stacked into a trail-ready body. Even Jeremy Clarkson couldn't stop himself from drooling over this formula, and he bought the cool Bentley Continental GT MFB that was seen in the Grand Tour's Madagascar episode. The latest addition to this desirable off-beat list comes from TJ Russell, an ex-Singer fabricator.

His current venture, Russell Built Fabrication, has come up with a bolt-on kit to convert the iconic 964-Gen Porsche 911 into something that doesn't think twice before scaling a mountain! Called the Safari Sportsman, this kit jacks things up by 10 inches which is ample to glide or drift over anything. The highlighting feature is its suspension setup which has been built from scratch to fit right onto the 964-gen 911's chassis. Russell earlier made our eyes pop at the 2019 SEMA Auto Show with his Baja-Spec Porsche 911.

And as compared to that, the Safari Sportsman is subtle. Well, this "subtle" kit also gives the exterior an Armageddon-ready makeover with reinforced bumpers and lots of skid plates. Apart from these bits, there are loads of optional extras including a roll cage and rear-seat delete package. Russell Built is also offering three engine options to the package. If this kit is anything that it promises to be, then a 964-Gen Porsche 911 Safari Sportsman can make Baja-spec machines sweat!

Russell Built Fabrication has created an off-road kit for the 964-Gen Porsche 911, and we weren't prepared for the outcome!

The Safari Sportsman's Off-Roady-Ready Suspension Kit Is Wild

Porsche 911 Safari Sportsman cool wheels close-up view
Via: Russellbuiltfab.com

The wildest part of this off-road kit for the Porsche 911 is a jacked-up suspension kit that adds up to 10 inches of wheel travel. This feat alone makes the classic Porsche go anywhere. Russell Built Fab started bare bone on the suspension setup for the Safari Sportsman. Using the expertise that the team acquired from working on the hardcore Porsche 911 Safari, they were able to pump things up for the Sportsman.

Porsche 911 Safari Sportsman front third quarter drifting in sand view
Via: Russellbuiltfab.com

This kit has been derived from the same layout used in the Safari build. The suspension layout at the front includes heavy-duty unit bearings and hubs. These are mounted onto an assembly consisting of adjustable struts from EXE-TC, adjustable camber plates, and steel plate lower A-arms. The uprights, tie-rods, sway bar links, and upper strut mounts are carved out of sturdy 7075 billet aluminum. At the rear, this 911 gets a custom subframe which also helps in increasing the wheelbase by 2 inches.

Porsche 911 Safari Sportsman rear third quarter view
Via: Russellbuiltfab.com

This subframe holds boxed-plate steel trailing arms connected to internal bypass King shocks and coilovers. The rear assembly is also built from billet aluminum. All of these combine to provide this classic Porsche 911 with 10 inches of high-riding capabilities. Chunky all-terrain tires from Toyo complete the off-road-ready Safari Sportsman package.

Related: The Brabus 900 Crawler Is A Mercedes G-Wagon Faced Off-Roading Beast

964-Gen Porsche 911 Exterior Gets A Mad-Max Makeover

Porsche 911 Safari Sportsman front third quarter view
Via: Russellbuiltfab.com

Russell Built Fab has managed to jack up a 964-Gen Porsche 911 without diluting its iconic design language. The body remains intact and most of the major modifications are confined to the lower half of the car. The wheel arches are now garlanded with chunky bolt-on fenders that also give a visual idea of the extended track length and suspension travel. The Baja look is spot on with steel tube-reinforced front and rear bumpers, heavy-duty mud-flaps, and six skid plates across the bottom.

Porsche 911 Safari Sportsman rear view
Via: Russellbuiltfab.com

Russell has gone for a raw industrial look to truly showcase its capabilities. But style has also been given due importance here. Flaunting an all-black theme, this dune-bashing Porsche has a sinister vibe to it. Those all-terrain Toyo Open Country tires are wrapped around Rotiform wheels that are black too. The only contrasting bits on the exterior include the unpainted skid plates protruding at the front and rear; and those yellow accessory light assemblies.

The Safari Sportsman's List Of Optional Features Are Insane

Porsche 911 Safari Sportsman front fascia close-up view
Via: Russellbuiltfab.com

While the standard kit package is insane enough, Russell Built Fab also puts forth a slew of optional accessory bits to leave you spoilt for choice. These optional extras include all of those rally-spec lights housed in carbon fiber mounted on the front bumper and on the hood and a carbon-fiber roof rack that mounts the spare fifth wheel. Other optional features include a roll hoop assembly along with rear seat delete. The seat space is taken over by a storage box.

Porsche 911 Safari Sportsman interior view
Via: Russellbuiltfab.com

An optional harness bar can also be added with the hoop. Under the front truck, an accessory carrier cleverly hold two recovery raps, a tow strap, and a large-capacity scissor jack in an impressively compact storage unit. If you are looking to do some serious off-roading on the 911 Safari Sportsman, then Russell Built also offers an oil cooler and AC condenser upgrade. The bigger coolers are relocated into the front trunk to improve the approach angle.

Related: Project Maybach Off-Road Electric Coupe Makes No Sense

Russell Built Fab Also Offers Additional Engine Options

Porsche 911 Safari Sportsman on the road front view
Via: Russellbuiltfab.com

The Safari Sportsman kit is compatible with the stock powertrain layout of this classic Porsche. But Russell also offers three custom engine options. The first is a bumped-up version of the stock unit. The bigger 3.6-Liter unit churns out 310 hp.

Then comes a 3.8-Liter unit with 350 hp and the most powerful is a 4.0-Liter boxer with 400 horses. All of these get custom MOTEC ECUs, a full-system exhaust, and independent throttle bodies. These engines can also be equipped with Stage 1 and 2 transmission upgrades with extensive gearing changes.

Converting Your Porsche 911 Into A Baja Machine Will Cost $135,000

Porsche 911 Safari Sportsman front view hd wallpaper
Via: Russellbuiltfab.com

If you have a spare 964-gen 911 lying around, then it would cost $135,000 to convert it into a Baja-rivaling monster. Russell Built Fab states that the Safari Sportsman kit is almost entirely a bolt-on unit with minimal fabrication or trimming. Oh! And the pricing is inclusive of installation, tuning, and painting.

Sources: Russelbuiltfab.com, Porsche.com