This guy 3D printed an air duct for his Porsche to save $2,000

A missing air duct shouldn’t cost Porsche owners thousands, and 3D printing car parts proves it doesn’t have to.

On a 2017 Porsche 911 Turbo S, one of the rear quarter-panel air ducts had completely vanished.

Whether it flew off or was taken remains a mystery.

What wasn’t a mystery was Porsche’s replacement price: roughly $2,000 for a single plastic piece.

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Reverse engineering parts takes precision

Rather than handing over that kind of cash, YouTuber Hayden Schreier took a very different approach.

Luckily, the duct on the opposite side of the car was still intact, making it the perfect reference for reverse engineering.

Using a Creality Otter 3D scanner, Schreier carefully prepped the original air duct and scanned it to capture an accurate digital model.

Because the duct was made of reflective plastic, scanning spray and reference markers were used to eliminate glare and give the scanner reliable tracking points.

Two separate scans (front and back) were captured and merged in modeling software to create a clean, detailed file.

Once complete, the model was mirrored to recreate the missing side.

Before committing to the final material, Schreier test-printed the duct using a cheaper material to confirm it would fit.

It snapped into place perfectly, proving the scan and model were spot-on.

With fitment confirmed, the final versions were printed in ASA, a filament well-suited to automotive use thanks to its heat resistance, UV stability, and durability in outdoor environments.

Since the work was already done, Schreier printed both sides to create a matching pair.

Were the printed air ducts a success?

The raw 3D prints weren’t going anywhere near a Porsche without some finishing work.

The parts were sanded with 320-grit paper, skimmed with glazing putty to eliminate layer lines, sanded again, and then coated in proper 2K automotive primer.

For the final step, the ducts were taken to a body shop, where a flawless paint match was applied for around $100.

Once installed, the DIY parts were nearly indistinguishable from the factory original, with all clips lining up perfectly and working like a charm.

Beyond saving serious money, the project highlighted how 3D printing can reshape car ownership.

Car owners can now 3D print expensive or discontinued parts, keeping their cars alive for a fair price.

In fact, enthusiasts can even go to the extreme of 3D printing an entire Porsche, which is pretty nuts.

Companies aren’t ignoring the potential either.

3D printed F1 parts are already being built into road cars, and the performance jump is wild.

Perhaps sometime in the future, companies will consider 3D printing vehicles too, possibly with factories staffed by robots.

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