She's finally back.....
 

....ok, i know this is technically a 'show and tell' thread but i am soooo pleased to have it back. Restored to full original glory.

6 weeks in the body shop, full bare metal respray. New nuts bolts rivets brackets, clamps etc etc.

Totally stock and now not a single stone chip, dink, dent or scrape.

Not eveyones cup of tea but it's rocking my world!http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1368439222.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1368439235.jpg

It looks SWEEEEET! Worth the wait.

I wish mine looked that clean!

Thanks guys, every panel gap has been adjusted for perfection and i am dead fussy about really clean lines, hence the de-badge. Im really please with the result, it certainly got alot of attention on the roads this weekend.

She does look sensational and, I'm sure, worth the wait!

Very nice! Looks perfect.

Looks very Shagoir-faire !

T-man, SS, thanks guys

JD - that's a ringing endorsement. Cheers :cheers:

Looks beautiful!

I'm assuming she is Ocean Blue metallic with Savanna beige interior - my favourite colour scheme for a 986 (OK - mine is the same combo). Let me recommend Dr. Color Chip for the little stone chips and road rash that will eventually occur (I know, you don't want to thnk about that yet). I've had great luck with it - it easy to use, doesn't stand proud like touch ups with match sticks/brushes and the colour match on my car is outstanding.

Now that you have her back (and back in near-new cosmetic condition), enjoy!

Brad

SS, thanks for the tip, I will definitely look into that.
It's actually Midnight Blue metallic (just poor lighting and an iPhone).
The interior is Monople Blue.
I addressed the IMS in January with the LNE retrofit kit, replaced the RMS and clutch at the same time. Flywheel was fine.

I know there will be other things along the way but thats what you get with any 11 year car, albeit with added P-tax.

You may have spotted the exhaust bypass pipes as well.
Similar to Fister for you guys but I found a place close to me in the UK who performed the surgery. The sound it's incredible to be honest.

I have a long wish list of things to do but I have a long time as well. I don't plan on selling.

Thanks everyone for the kind and positive feedback. It makes it all worth while.

Get thee to the clear bra shop.

The previous owner who only logged 9K miles had it done on my car.
Not one paint chip for nearly 6 years until I swapped bumpers.
There were markings on the clear bra but you really didn't notice them since there was
no paint discoloration. I have a body shop close by that does a pretty good of painting the
bumpers cheap. But the next time I have the metal repainted I'm definitely going to have it done again. Judging by the YouTube clips it sounds like a skill worth picking up because the labor rate to do it is kind of high for a basic panel type car like the 986/996. For a car with more intricate lines, cut-outs, ducting certainly not easy.

Car looks great. If you can get FK 425 polymer spray from FinishKare over there I highly recommend it for dark colored cars. Once you've waxed your car with whatever type of wax you like and its dried fully, the 425 spray leaves a teflon finish for the paint which makes it harder for dirt to stick and easier to clean. Once you've run your fingers across the paint you'll know what I'm talking about. I've not seen that property in any other over the counter or boutique brand detail spray. I buy it by the 1 gallon jug from www.autogeek.net

Great stuff- thanks PL. sage advice as always .

Looks lovely, what wax are you using to protect the finish?

Isn't the interior Metropole blue?

Hi Michigan,
Thanks buddy, ha ha yeah- that would be the colour! It's been one of those days.

I've always been a fan of Poorbys and Chemical guys. I use Poorboys Natty Paste blue, followed by Poorboys black hole to eliminate swirls and usually top it off with jetseal.

However Perfect Lap has given me an alternative regime. I'm always open to new suggestions, especially from dedicated owners and fellow enthusiasts.

ultra clean! Ithink I may debadge after seeing your rear:D

I've used those same ones, great products. Keep using them if you feel the intervals you like keeping are not promoting more swirls. The product I recommended merely goes on top as a final 'locking in' touch. Not really a sealant though, just a longevity product of sorts to keep the 10/10's final shine from going to 7/10's to quickly. But the towels are the bigger culprit, from now on the long nap like the Griots blue and green (I'm sure others make a similar towel, probably on Poorboys' site) are the only towel that touch metal, followed by a proper buffing/concourse towel. The typical microfiber towel sold in packs at autostores is now for bumpers, wheels and interior only.

I'm on the case with towels first thing tomorrow.
:D

Supernice car, prob cleanest on the board!

The poor boys kit is very good wax. You would want to lay the sealant down over something like lime prime though so it bonds to the paint - then apply the wax.
I use fk1000p as its an excellent sealant and works on the exhaust and wheels too - the stuff lasts and lasts. I would recommend it for your car but definitely stay with the natty blue to give it the depth of shine a dark colour requires. If you wanted a very long lasting wax to go over the fk1000p then collinite 845 would be an excellent choice as again it lasts for months. As PL said the less you touch the paint the better.

Hi Mich,

I have just ordered the FK1000p
Re the Collinite 845, do i put this over the FK? they both seem like waxes?

Happy to order both, just don't want to get things wrong.
So wash, Natty Blue, FK then 845...is that right??

Andy,
Can i ask - what is a GT3 Air Exhaust?

Great looking box Essex!!! I think I saw my own reflection through the picture its so clean.

Thanks Jgama,

I have attached another to try to illustrate some depth. You can see me taking the picture.
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1368546221.jpg

1. seal (Fk1000)
2. Wax of choice, Natty's (short term wax, better depth) or Collinite (long term wax, less depth)
3. Last step product (LSP) like FK 425 spray.

The carnauba element in a wax usually means it will have a wetter shine but carnauba is a natural element that will not fare well in rain, sun, etc. like a synthetic wax. If you use a high carnauaba paste wax you definitely want to top it with FK 425 spray to get more longevity. But to be honest its only really on dark cars that you can tell the wetter shine difference and even then it takes a good eye to tell them apart. You can use a synthetic wax for duarability and simply boost it in the short term with a spray that has a fair amount of carnauba like Griot's Spray Wax if you want to keep the touching to a minimum (a good idea with dark paint). When it comes to carnabua sprays and paste waxes, you can almost smell the carnauba when its highly concentrated...or simply check the price. LOL.

Roger that captain!

In the less than sunny island we live on PL Collinite 845 will last 3 months in the winter due to the less than favourable road conditions - salt etc
As PL said Essex fk1000p first then you could go Collinite followed by the Natty's for depth. You can top up the Natty's every month or as I do use Sonax brilliant shine detailer to top the shine - you won't believe the way water sheets off the paint with the Sonax https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwKB-1tu3Rk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Good work on purchasing the products - you really won't any other product for a long time as both the fk1000p and Collinite 845 should be used very sparingly meaning they'll last for years if kept right. Don't forget the fk1000p can go on your exhaust tips and wheels.

you guys need to move to Majorca or Ibiza and quit fretting over those dirty Porsches. LOL.

p.s.
FK 1000 P comes in a ridiculously generous quantity. You might be able to pass that down to your grandchildren. Keep this stuff in zip lock bags a little bit of air can make it hard and crusty.
Definitely for carnauba waxes like S100, P21S or Souveran.

Sand and hot sun can reek just as much havoc ;)
I have done over 100 applications over the past 18 months with fk1000p (not on my car) and the pot barely has a dip in the middle - amazing.

tip, something I generally do. Spray the surface with a quick detailer before applying the wax to increase lubrication on the paint rubbing. Let the product haze over. Spray the surface again. Use speed, not pressure to to remove the wax if doing by hand. If there's any ressistance because the wax dried hard, simply apply more more spray. Switch to a buffing towel as soon the wax has been removed from the area. Don't use a wax-removal towel to buff the paint once the wax is off. That's askign for swirls. Spray the car again to remove any wax remnants but do so with a towel with less bite. I would even do this with an inexpensive halogen lamp the first time to see if your towels/methods are too harsh. Take a before and after pic directly over the lamp to see if you added any new swirls. Basically if you're touching the paint make sure its wet and you're using the softest, cleanest towel that will do the job.

one reason I don't like using the microfiber towels with the prickly hooks for painted metal is that they are great when brand new but after the first use they are really stubborn at letting go of whatever they pick up. A towel that touches your paint should not be clingy at all, the dirty matter should come right off the towel when shaken or washed. And most of those autostore towels sold in packs are just rebranded janitorial towels used to clean muck from floors. way too much bite.

Perfect detailing sense PL :)

Car Care Products | Detailing Products | UK - Clean Your Car

Thanks guys.
The above seems to be a one stop shop.
I will look to pick up the remaining products in line with your advice tomorrow

New sonus buffing towels and sonax detailing spray.

Already aquired- natty blue, black hole and EX-P sealant.
Already on order FK and Collinite.

I'm lovin' this, it's like polish porn.

Thanks again fellas.

is envious. Beautiful.

Have a look :)

http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/25621-my-%2432-00-gt3-mod.html

Roll her out of the garage, dust her off, treat the leather in the interior, and roll her back in the garage...

That's the only way you're going to keep that gorgeous paint job looking that way :(

^ somebody didn't get a clear bra. :D

The more I inspect my paint the more I realize the front bumper, hood, skirting, front fender -- including area near the wheel well opening, and rear bumper are must do's. these areas just benefit tremendously from clear film protection on dark cars where every little stone chip seems bigger than it actually is.
I think you can probably get away with not doing the rear trunk lid, the doors and mayyybe the rear quarter panels.

Great video with some British yuppie sounding music in the back. Looks like simple trial and error, squeege, hair dryer, patience:

2008 Porsche Cayman S Paint Protection Film Install By Global MARS.mp4 - YouTube

just don't order from these guys, if they're still around:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsvuUJ6yWKY

Perfectlap, why not just do the whole car?

I guess the theory is to protect from incoming stones, gravel, etc.
Those projectiles don't really make it to the vertical surfaces like the doors, rear quarters (not including fender humps) and rarely land on the on the rear trunk lid and back bumper.

My 2000 has 93,000 km (about 57,000 miles) and the original paint and I do not have a serious problem with either paint chips or road rash. The worst areas for road rash were the mirrors and the lower section of the front bumper by the air intakes, and Dr. Stone Chip did an incredible job of covering those. Apart from a couple of bad stone chips, you need to have your face about 3 feet away to see them now.

I will acknowledge having seen many Boxsters with much more damage to the paint, but surely this speaks to a lack of car for the vehicle. My car has never been driven in the winter and I make sure that I do not drive it in the spring until all left over salt and sand has been cleaned off the roads. I do not drive on gravel roads and, on the highways, I avoid driving behind trucks. The original owner claimed to have done the same (as well as avoiding parking lots, etc.) and the lack of door dings and chips and scratches certainly speaks to the same. When I do get a new stone chip, I immediately clean off the area with alcohol, apply Dr. Stone Chip and then, after a week, re-apply wax. Obviously if you let rust start on any stone chip, much more aggressive work will be required to effect a repair.

My car will be 14 years old in August and I must say I wonder how well the Paint Protection Film, if available in 1999, would have held up over the passing years. Will the areas of the body that are covered with it fade at a different rate than the rest of the body? Does the film itself expand and contract at the same rate as the paint in extreme cold/heat? Will it start to deteriorate over time?