Fully amber free! - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Perfectlap · 03-08-2005, 08:57 PM

finished the complete Amberectomy this weekend. Followed Ebay for a few months until a set of clear tail lights surfaced for $135. Installed in 10 minutes
and here's the before and after.

By the way I also removed the old silver BoxsterS trunk badge and replaced it with the Chrome 550 edition badge.

next will be painting the bumperrettes or removing them altogether

p.s. I used S100 wax (previously Pinnacle Signature) on the paint this time, nice reflection of the trees. I also worked in some Renovo plastic polish on the rear window, excellent.

PAH · 03-09-2005, 03:28 AM

It makes a world of difference doesn't it?

When I bought my 02 Boxster S from the Porsche dealership, I negotiated everything, then right at the end, just before I signed, asked them to add the clear tail lights. They were keen for the sale, and accepted!

Then, when I collected the car, I paid an extra £15 or so for the clear side repeaters, and then this weekend just gone, paid the big one for the clear front lights! Got them for £500 (pair) from Jasmine Motorsport in Lancashire.

My car is totally amber free (apart from the very slight orange tint in the front lights from the internal lens - which I'm too scared to remove in case I break something!). With the sliver strips added to my front grilles, the car really does look like the facelift model. I'll get some pictures tonight.

Cheers

Paul

Maxandwill · 03-09-2005, 05:44 AM

I've read a couple of hack threads on removing the rear badge by running floss under it and then removing/polishing off the adhesive.
I was curious if your removal was fairly easy and if there was any kind of shadowing or residual from the original badge location when done?
I've got a mint "01" meridian silver that I would like to try remove the badge on.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Brad

Perfectlap · 03-09-2005, 08:51 AM

yup, used dental floss. Came right off, slowly from left to right. There was the rubbery glue residue which I peeled off. There was still a light shadow which I probably should have removed using GOO or whatever they call that sticker removal stuff sold at Pepboys. I used the shadow to align the new badge.

FUHRIUS · 03-09-2005, 09:24 AM

I heat them slightly with a hair dryer, then do the dental floss...the little reamining residual is easy to peel off from there. I had no shadowing.

Porschekid · 03-09-2005, 09:25 AM

^ Wow, just the single S looks real good. Wish mine was an S so I could do the same...

FUHRIUS · 03-09-2005, 09:38 AM

here's a better pic...before I got the solver bulbs installed in the tail lights (so please excuse the Amber¡¡¡)

I bought the 'S' painted black form bumperplugs.com

phrankandbeanz · 03-09-2005, 01:13 PM

looks nice! What kind of exhaust is that? The tips look nice. How is the sound? Any clips?

FUHRIUS · 03-09-2005, 06:54 PM

thanks for the compliment...I really like the way it looks too...it's amazing how many people ask me what kind of car it is now that I've removed the 'Boxster'. I went with the black to compliment the black rims I have.

the exhaust is techart, as with the rest of the engine mods on my car (catback exhaust, pre-cat delete, custom headers, expanded throttle body, air filter, and ecu)...I bought it from a guy who'd done that stuff to it.
the sound is incredible...really throaty, not too much drone. It's definitely the kind of sound where even people who know nothing about cars or porsches for that matters, always ask me: 'what did you do to that thing?' when I just fire it up in the parking lot. In my parking garage at work, as I troll through slowly, I always set off this one guys car alarm...makes me laugh every day....especially 'cause the car is an ovely-pimped out accord driven by someone who must think he's sir mix-a-lot or something....

anyhow, the tuning of the techart kit is not as wild as some, but my hat's off to them for putting together a tuning kit that inspires joy and has a very good reliability record to boot.
no sound clips as of yet, but I was thinking of getting one....especially after hearing that remus clip...I thought that one sounded raspy and harsh compared to mine from the outside, but the cockpit clips sounded more like mine.

phrankandbeanz · 03-09-2005, 07:54 PM

post more pics of your can bro! I want to see all the things you've done to it. I was wondering how much did you pay for that exhaust? Any sponsors on the forum that can help me attain the exhaust?

Perfectlap · 03-10-2005, 08:26 AM

painted bumperettes seem to be the final step for you and me Fuhrius.
$250 : (
But it doesn't look finished to me without color matching bumpers, especially when its parked next to a 911.

FUHRIUS · 03-10-2005, 09:49 AM

frank - I didn't do the engine mods myself, but the receipt from the previous owner indicates that $7k was spent for parts and labor for the techart kit (their 'version 3' kit)...don't know that I could have stomached spending that, but I do dig the way it performs. And for pics, see if you can hit this site where I've posted a few and let me know if you can see those...I have to get some of the interior: http://bubbler.net/pages/78162

perfectlap - on the bumperettes...I'm not convinced...I actually like the look of the black ones. I know that makes me a bit unusual on the forum, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? I like the painted ones too...but it's not a big enough issue to spend the dough. The last money I spend on the car was putting a techart-style aluminum pedal kit in and a real techart billet aluminum shift knob in (that I bought used for $150!!!)...and the knob is sweeeet.

Porschekid · 03-10-2005, 10:52 AM

FUHRIUS... How do you like they feel of the aluminum pedals compared to stock? Do they look that much better? I'm thinking of getting some off of ebay or something...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7960484121&category=33700&sspagename=WDVW

FUHRIUS · 03-10-2005, 11:00 AM

in feel, but a little better....I did it mostly for the looks, which is very cool.
they are a bit better shape, so I do like using them better.

phrankandbeanz · 03-10-2005, 11:03 AM

have you done the rear speaker upgrade yet? I heard it isnt a midrange upgrade, its more like a tweeter or a bass upgrade. I was wondering, if anyone upgraded the rear speakers to sound like midrange speakers

Thumper · 03-10-2005, 01:21 PM

I'm getting ready to do the rear speaker upgrade, but I'll be using a kit I found on eBay that uses coaxial speakers instead of the factory ones. A few that I've talked to that have done this say that the coaxial's sound MUCH better than the stockers.

phrankandbeanz · 03-10-2005, 05:39 PM

keep us posted on your upgrade

underDAWG · 03-12-2005, 08:42 AM

No punch intended here

Besides the personal preference, any advantages of not having amber lights?

Later,

Porschekid · 03-12-2005, 09:04 AM

^ +10 Horsepower

underDAWG · 03-13-2005, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Porschekid

^ +10 Horsepower

That is what I thought. I just wanted to make sure since I did not miss anything important.

Thanks

Later,