Porsche 997 "it's the small things"

I didn't spend a ton of time documenting the previous damage but did take a few shots that allows you to grasp the extent of how bad it was. This project was going to take a lot of time and I was not going to spend any more time taking typical (how the car gets washed/ect.) shots that everyone's seen. In leu of those shots I focused a bit more on the finer areas.

Every principle involved with a 100k Porsche applies to a $35k Tacoma. If you have any questions on how to work on your own paint correction/restoration feel free to ask.

Probably the best helper I've had through the years. haha


Over the years, emblems will generate some nutty types of visual flaws. They are difficult to clean thoroughly, gather hard water deposits that have air-dried and it's practically impossible to correct around properly. This one was removed.


Emblem came off without being damaged should the owner want to replace it himself.(Dealerships offer replacement emblems with fresh double sided tape for $90. Considering they come with low profile tape that covers 100% of the emblem it is a better option vs removing all of the old tape and reapplying to the emblems. The bottom line is the cost of this detail was so far beyond $90 that it is a non-issue, they just want the restoration done properly)


Tape removed


Restored. Unfortunately, the hard water damage was so deep that there was no safe way to completely remove the traces of damage. I would say it was a 90%+ kind of job. The paint was measuring too thin to safely get any more aggressive.


This does a fine job showing off how difficult it is to see the traces of the old emblem damage. Once the owner saw the rear end he said he liked it better without the emblems.


While I did not do a great job documenting all of the damage this car had, I did take a few great shots to show off the afters. Too much emphasis is placed on hood shots. Bumpers shots are the real deal.(hood shots to come haha) I use halogen lighting for all restoration as LED is terrible for hiding finer damage. These halogens show off as much if not more than you will see in direct sunlight.


Another set of shots that show off the attention to the finer details. Restoring the paint on the engine louvers sucks. It's a real pain moving protective tape countless times and cleaning residue with alcohol. I spent about 2+ hours on the engine louvers for just the first two steps of the correction.


The payoff was worth it.


Direct sun shots are a great tell-tale to how things come out for a resto-job.


When he pulled up and saw it, he lost his mind. He loved it.



Atlanta Detailer www.detaileddesignsautospa.com

It sucks in the middle of these jobs but knowing what comes from 30+ hours is rewarding(plus the swell pay). Thanks for looking and check out my youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/PaintCorrectionPro I've not been able to stay on top of adding new videos as I would like but I have a TON of videos I have taken of many different restoration jobs and once I get the time, I will be adding a bunch of great video.

 

Great work. I definitely have a love hate relationship with black cars. They are allot of work but when maintained there is no better color. I can only dream to do the work you have done on this car some day. Did you get any formal training or did your skills develop over years of detail work and learning everything you could?

 

Jean Claude, I stole your 2 bucket method and what a big difference in washing! Such a simple trick.

 

That's a sweet looking car. Good job!

 

It means a lot to hear that I can help you out. Thanks for the kind words.

 

Very nice work what products did you use on this vehicle ?? I'm waiting on some Wolfgang total swirl remover to come in to give a try, been using chemical guys V line with good results, and M105 for the tougher defects...

 

d300, sip, 101, 205 and powerlock in no particular order.

 

Does it ever frustrate you that most people who can afford these types of rides haven't a clue how to look after the paint?
On second thought, I bet it doesn't! Otherwise you wouldn't be in business!

Nothing like spending 9 months customizing something, laying the most ultimate black paintjob down you ever have in your whole career, cut polishing it for that mirror finish... and seeing the owner at a car show a month later, "cleaning" his award winning ride with an old microfiber towel he just dropped on the ground...

 

Pretend that you're starting your knowledge base of real car care from scratch(that's where most start). Now go out there and find the best ways to do things. It's like searching for a specific needle in a stack of thousands of needles. There is a ton of misinformation and it's difficult for people to know what's right. Most are surprised at what I tell them to do or what not to do. Education is a big part of my service. They know how to take care of it when I am done.

Education should be every restoration guys list of to-do's. People just don't know bro.

 

*Sigh* You're absolutely right. "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance"