Advise please

[Hilux]

If paint is well stuck to the metal then why remove it, simply flat it back to an accepatable finish and paint it. Its layers upon layers over the metal that get a good deep finish not the other way around where you spend loads of time on the metal but only a thin coat of paint. The metal needs to be good but you look at custom car makers and they use loads of filler primer and highlight coats and get that right by repeat rubbing down until a highlight coat is evenly worn off so no high/low spots whatsoever.

 

[sawood12]

I agree with Paul, don't remove the previous paint unless necessary. Just by exposing the metal to the moisture in the air is going to start the corrosion process immediately. Why remove the paint at all? What do you think you are going to achieve?

 

[peanut]

wouldn't the extra airflow effect the engine performance ,quick warm up and cooling etc
?
I'll get me coat []

 

[Big Dave]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty

Well Big Dave, I beg to differ! I'm hoping to achieve exactly what Rick has done, and I think it looks fantastic. It makes the front end look more aggressive and gives extra engine cooling at the same time.

Don't think Dave means the vented look - most of us agree it's the dogs on every car we've seen. But, the S2/turbo bumper will not fit the 924 badge panel. Personally I'd think that by the time you've bought the part, painted it and somehow re-jigged the bumper to fit, and I don't like a little bit of cut-out red plastic to fill the gap myself, it'd be as cheap and far better looking to do it properly. I've seen it on three cars, but no idea how much.and would love to know!

Paul
Thats exactly what i was meaning..
I too like the more agressive look of the vented panel, but didnt think it worth the outlay...
If you are looking into cutting the original S2/turbo panel, have a search on rennlist as there was a thread over there about just this matter.. VERY usefull....

 

[bennyboy]

Paul, the problem is that the panel does not have a decent paint on it already. I think it was orginal that mint green colour but somebody has just lobbed some brown primer over the majority of it, so it's not an even finish anywhere. I started off by rubbing it down and giving a full coat of primer but there because of the differnet levels it just looked odd. I understand the concern with moisture getting to the steel, but I'll be working fairly quickly after it's been blasted and using plenty of primer and paint.

 

[Hilux]

Bennyboy I understand.

Rub it down, it wont rust and dissolve in 5 seconds! I`ve left bare metal for a day or so when rebuilding cars cos theres no point priming if you`re still welding (although there are weld through primers available). All it takes is a GOOD rub down to remove any light film of rust just before priming and not too smooth to ensure it keys properly. Then build up and rub down with filler primer coats using highlight mist coats to identify high spots etc

DONT rub down primer/paint with your fingers on sandpaper etc as it offers uneven pressure, use a sanding block.

Good luck.

 

[944Turbo]

I would also go for venting the original panel, some where on rennlist there are dimensions for cutting it and the grills from you 924 panel will fit if you cut it right. Think it was NZ951 (Andrew Cooper) who posted the dimensions who later was posting as something like machtigturbo not had time for rennlist in a long while so who knows what name he is posting under these days - If he is not banned again!
Tony

 

[Diver944]

Tony has a good memory (better than mine anyway).

I have found NZ951's original post and copied it here with his picture, blummin useful, thanks must go to him.

By popular demand and because of some misinformation out there...I thought I would post a new thread for someone searching...

A = 230mm
B = 235mm
C = 235mm
D = 230mm
E = 55mm
F = 15mm

Notes:

Because the panel is curved, the middle two vents are spaced lower than the two outer vents.

The E measurement in the closest point from vent and edge. And is the same at the opposite end.

The F measurement is the space between EACH vent.

The measuremnts are as close as I could measure however given the rolled edge there may be a slight variation, but you get the idea. This is not an exact scaled form from the 931, but simply what I ended up doing, so you can judge how it looks off the picture if you decide to do it. If you go the custom route, then you can move them where you please!

I have tested this mod against an intake temp sensor in my IC to itnake pipe and my 968 ambient temp sensor. On boost it drops intake temps circa 4-5 degrees C over a closed panel and circa 2 degrees C on cruise. I think that equated to a 5HP gain on boost. Obviously this is not exactly a total performance mod, but it does work! And looks sweet and "Porsche"...

EDIT: IIRC the Porsche part number for the plastic vents is 477 853 381 it costs around $10 each. Also bank on painting the panel after as well as the rolling of the edges will crack the paint.

 

[bennyboy]

Sorry to drag this one back up, but...

Are you changing your headlamp covers or do you have another solution for those?

... is it just the headlamp covers I will need? Do they fit to the 951 headlamp unit? Looks to me like the cover and plastic surround are 2 seperate parts?
Thanks.
Ps 931 badge panel looking great and waiting for paint. Bead blasting left most of the galvanising alone (visible in the metal) and did a great job of getting rid of everything else!

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Have you got any pictures?

 

[bennyboy]

Not yet, will hopefully have the paint tomorrow and the plastic spacer soon after...

 

[sawood12]

I rang my local OPC the other day and they can't get the vents from the original suppliers any more. They also did a sweep of all the other OPC's in the UK and none were showing any stock. So looks like the best option is to buy a 931 badge panel and remove the vents if possible.

 

[Peter Empson]

ORIGINAL: bennyboy

Sorry to drag this one back up, but...

Are you changing your headlamp covers or do you have another solution for those?

... is it just the headlamp covers I will need? Do they fit to the 951 headlamp unit? Looks to me like the cover and plastic surround are 2 seperate parts?
Thanks.
Ps 931 badge panel looking great and waiting for paint. Bead blasting left most of the galvanising alone (visible in the metal) and did a great job of getting rid of everything else!

Glad to hear it's progressing well.
I believe it is just the metal covers that need to be changed.

 

[bennyboy]

I thought that was what you meant, but I'm surprised because the leading edge of the cover lines up with the grey plastic bezel (at 90 degrees of course). Surely a different size cover would require a different size bezel?