Tomikaze's 2004 Boxster S
 

Got my new to me Boxster S delivered last week. This is my third 986. I strayed on my last two cars. Porsche 968 and a BMW M3. Fun cars but always missed the Boxster. Just such a great all around sports car. Most bang for the buck in my opinion. Waiting for the title to show up so the car will just sit in my garage until then. Good thing I like to tinker. Here's a few shots...

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1467646390.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1467646510.jpg

Here's to my first mod... Porsche valve stem caps

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1467646757.jpg

Welcome Back! :cheers:
Very clean 986, looks fantastic! I especially like the Carrera 5-spokes and Litronics. I don't think I have ever seen a grey top on a grey (Seal Grey?) 986, it looks good!

Thanks. Good to be back. It's got an "Exclusive" package code. Need to figure out what exactly it included but it's a pretty highly optioned car.

Very nice looking 04 S. Congrats on the purchase.

De-Snorkle
 

I forgot what a pain this can be removing the vent. Sounds awesome. A must do mod.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1470766885.jpg

Engine Compartment Clean
 

Cleaned under the clamshell and made sure drains were clear. Did the same for the front/battery area. Cleaned and waxed all door jams and under the front lid and rear trunk. Spent some time cleaning the engine compartment. Griots engine cleaner and engine dressing. Pretty solid results.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1470768148.jpg

Spray on. Agitate with a brush. Spray off. Easy.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1470768196.jpg

Paintless Dent Removal
 

Time to address the most serious flaw on the body... a 15 inch scuff that pushed in the rocker. Pretty mild but I thought a buddy of mine could make it look better. Here's the before and after. Couldn't use tools to get behind the dent so he had to use the glue and pull method. Removed a few chips of paint in the process. Touch up isn't a perfect match. I'm not done trying to match up those spots. But overall it looks 80% better with no body/paintwork performed.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1473000042.jpg

Well, you bought the wrong color car, but it'll do :p

Did you check with a PDR shop? Definitely looks good, but a pro PDR guy might be able to get it even better.

I didn't know we could de-snorkle '03 and '04.

Why, yes - yes we can. Be very careful removing the flimsy-ass inner assemblies, though. They break real easy like.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

My buddy is a pro. Been doing PDR for over 20 years. Some come out better than others. He claims this was a tough one.

Great color choice, beautiful looking car.

That crease looks very hard to get pulled out and it now looks so much better. Maybe some black plasti -dip on the rubber spat/flap thing?

I'll be replacing that trim piece over the winter with a fresh part.

Nice fall foliage shot
 

Is this the dead center of Portland, great photo & great looking car.
Looking forward to many more Fall Boxster photos on the Forum.

Don't blame your PDR guy, paint doesn't adhere to the layer of whatever-it-is that gives the sills that uneven finish. I have a similar blemish and I now know what I'm facing when I attempt PDR on that area - thank you for that :)

Lovely car that seems to have gone to a great home. Grey interior?

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1476293789.jpg

Nice picture! Nice car as well. Congrats on the purchase. Looks like I need to do the tire valve cap mod, looks good!

Brilliant options! That wheel [emoji7]. Those seats [emoji7]

Air Bag Deactivation Bar
 

Bought used off FleaBay. Easy install. The buckle... not so easy. Got a template from another member here. Bought a used 944 seat beat off FleaBay for $20 shipped. Then a lot of grinding to get it to work. End result of the buckle isn't pretty but it works. Thinking now I will remove the bar and just tuck the buckle and receptacle under the seat for a cleaner look. My kid wants to go for a ride so now to get this reprogramed at the dealership. Wonder what that will cost?

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1476967749.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1476967857.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1476967957.jpg

Winter in Maine sucks in you have a Boxster
 

Got the car on jack stands for the winter. Did an oil change. Working on the gear oil change now. Decided to do some cleaning. Amazing what steel wool and brake clean can do. Wish I had got a before shot of these pieces.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1482002230.jpg

Glad to see the 944 buckle worked!
Those underbody braces look incredible, mine are almost black.

new exhaust... soon
 

Didn't ask for much for Christmas this year so I could sweet talk the wife into letting me upgrade the exhaust come Springtime. Preparing for it now. Going to do the Fister modification, some TopSpeed bypass pipes and have Fister ceramicoat the whole setup. So I did this yesterday...

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1482764289.jpg

I will be interested to hear your opinion of the Fister exhaust, the car is looking great :cheers:

Almost looks as good as mine. Just kidding...... Very nice! http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1482859816.jpg

Great thread. You'll love the Fister's. I had them before the PSE. IMHO, the Fister's have a better sound.

My folks live in Maine and I spent 2 summers in northern Aroostook county picking experimental potatoes for the USDA around '89-90.

Ps have heard nothing but good about the fister... If you send your midpipes too maybe he would ceramicoat them for free. Should help keep some heat out from under there and off your inner CV boots. Ok just reread and sounds like he is doing them all, should be sweet. Which color did you choose?

Cermachrome

Have you guys sprayed the engine bay at the car wash? I have a 60,000 mile car with a dusty engine. I've been afraid to damage something with soapy spray.

Sent from my ONE A2005 using Tapatalk

I wouldn't do it at a self-serve car wash with high-pressure spray. If you have access to a hose, just open her up, use some engine detailer or degreaser, and spray off lightly.

I used spray on orange cleaner and gentle hose pressure along with some elbow grease. Definitely do not use any high pressure water:eek:

^
+1

At home in the driveway.

I used the garden hose to wet it all down, sprayed with 50% strength Simple Green, waited 5 minutes and hosed it off again.

Used the air gun on my compressor to chase most of the moisture away and fired it up to dry off the rest.

I just wanted to get rid of 15 years of dirt to get a baseline to watch for future leaks and such.

I'm under no illusion that it will stay clean for any appreciable length of time, given how most cooling air is drawn in from underneath, but it was worthwhile for baseline purposes.

+1 on the driveway and Simple Green


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Air Box Heater Flap Repair
 

So started this project over the weekend...

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1485783841.jpg

I thought we couldn't de-snorkle '03 and '04.

Nope, I desnorkled my 03. Easy to do. Same basic procedure as earlier MY's.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Famous black foam coming from the vents fix
 

Knee deep in this project. Following some instructions I got off here I removed the heater core, dremeled the top off a section of the heater box giving me access to this door...

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1486924195.jpg

Wrapped it in some foam I got from HomeDepot. Went back in easy enough. What worries me is when it was all apart you could see ANOTHER flap covered in the same disintegrating foam deeper in the heater box. I think it control the air flow to the defrost or the floor. Can't reach it from here. Maybe from behind the radio? Don't try to salvage the foam cover that goes over the heater core. Impossible to get a clean seal the 2nd time around. Spend the $17 on a new one and thank me later.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1486924423.jpg

Make sure you give it a good vacuum from the heater core side while you're in there, and after from the dash vents with the fan on high.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

black foam problem
 

So this was fun. A little more research on the forum and I found someone who did repair the other flap I discovered. Remove everything in the radio/climate cubby and you see the vent. Made a nice cut into stand the piece broke right out of the way. (all my photos flipped 90 degrees to the left for some reason)

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1488660733.jpg

Here's a shot poking my iPhone in the hole I just made looking down...

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1488660788.jpg

Jammed my hand in there and removed all the foam. Your hand will be all bruised and cut up but oh well. A couple layers of some industrial strength duct tape later and the flap was good. Gave it a good clean. Used some PVC cement to glue the piece I cut out back in and then finished it off with some more tape. I doubt anyone would really know what they were looking at if they ever saw it. Pretty happy with this and will be even happier no NO MORE FOAM blowing all over me and my interior.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1488660965.jpg