Tanner Boyes is a founder of Specter Design, based in Utah. His studio focuses on metalwork and custom car design, creating unique sports cars with Porsche mechanicals. Inspired by vintage cars from a young age, Boyes combines artistic vision and mechanical skill in his automotive creations. © Harrison Mark
“A large part of that stamina comes with building something that will be interesting enough to you to see all the way to the end—something you really believe should exist.”
How did your passion for car and Porsche begin?
(Tanner Boyes, Founder of Specter Design) I grew up in South Orange County, California. It is a very car-centric place. I frequently experienced the wonder of seeing vintage cars in the wild as a kid. My dad also passed down the lore from his youth wrenching on dirt bikes and custom VWs in the 80s. When I came of age, my first handful of cars I saved up for and owned were VWs, and by 17 I was getting into Porsches and owned and drove a 912 I found and fixed up. I drove that through high school.
Now that you are based in Utah, what are some unique car cultures in Utah?
(TB) When I moved to Utah, I didn’t know what to expect regarding vintage cars. When I started my business, I added architectural metal fabrication to my repertoire because I wasn’t sure if there was enough work to keep busy. I soon found out the car culture here is incredibly strong and many people love to use their vintage cars in UT. I soon abandoned most of the work unrelated to old cars.
“When I started the ‘Specter’ aluminium-bodied 356 Special, it was simply a personal project.”
How did you start Specter?
(TB) When I started the ‘Specter’ aluminium-bodied 356 Special, it was simply a personal project. But it gave me so much gratification and satisfaction to design it, I soon pivoted my ambitions toward building a boutique car brand.
“It’s very gratifying to make something not only beautiful but very mechanically usable.”
What aspects of building your own car are most appealing to you?
(TB) Designing and building a car is wonderfully stimulating to both halves of the brain. On the one hand, I get to worry about forms, lines, and visual aspects; on the other, there’s always the engineering and highly functional aspect. To me, it’s very gratifying to make something not only beautiful but very mechanically usable.
“The hardest part for me is calibrating reality with what my hopes and thoughts are.”
What has been the most challenging aspect of building cars that you didn’t expect before starting?
(TB) Designing a car is a tremendous task. When you start, you think it’s much easier than it is in reality. The hardest part for me is calibrating reality with what my hopes and thoughts are. Part of it is tricking your brain into believing you’re closer to finishing than you really are, and that helps you keep going. A large part of that stamina comes with building something that will be interesting enough to you to see all the way to the end—something you really believe should exist.
“The mechanicals for the Specter are 100% Porsche 356. Everything else is designed and made by my studio.”
Please tell me more about The Specter Sports Car.
(TB) The Specter sports car is a brand-new design. It’s considered a ‘special,’ meaning the body and chassis are unique and the mechanicals are derived from a common car. The mechanicals for the Specter are 100% Porsche 356. Everything else is designed and made by my studio.
How does one get their hands on one of your cars?
(TB) Now that the prototype is complete and people can see and experience what the car is, I have opened the books and am currently selecting a very small number of customers who understand the vision and would like to add something exceptionally unusual to their stable. Potential customers can reach out to me directly for pricing information and available specifications.
