Rear Center Reflector - opinions

[SFR]

Looking for ‘the community’ to weigh in on this custom center piece.
Let me know your thoughts.

Also, does anyone know where I can get custom reflectors printed?
I’d like to add rectangular reflectors in the black section next to the tail-lights.

Thanks

[TeeJayHoward]

I rather like it. It's a bit far "inward", but I assume that's just a mock-up, or maybe the lens isn't pushed all the way in. I'd imagine having the reflectors over the black bit would fill in that awkward depth issue.

That being said, it's YOUR car. How do YOU feel about it?

[Discseven]

Originally Posted by SFR

Looking for ‘the community’ to weigh in on this custom center piece.
Let me know your thoughts.

Tail end your setting up looks great. Way I see the center piece, it detracts from the lines you have working because it's visually busy. Am thinking that azz-end would benefit from visual simplicity---I'd put a panel there and paint it the color of the car. Premise being: less is more. All subjective. In the end, you gotta be true to your creative vision.

[ADDvanced]

Not really a fan; I don't see details like that anywhere else on the car, really. This reminds me of all the crazy grills people would put on their cars after fast and furious came out. Just my opinion.

[EC900]

I don’t care for the look of the screen, much akin to the bottom of a refrigerator. Looks difficult to keep clean. It’s such a unique part of the oem body design scheme, I don’t think it would even look good if it were a solid painted body color. I’ve seen so window tint outfits actually use tinting on head and taillights for a ‘blacked-out’ look.
As for printing the rear reflector, most silk screeners probably could but the paint has to be special for plastic, and then again how will it stand up over the years.
I don’t care for the PORSCHE script reflector myself, if it were faded out enough I think I would opt for one of those custom overlay, press on decals similar to vinyl wraps.
Plenty of sources do this.

[SFR]

Thanks for the feedback. The lens is just placed and would look better if it was screwed in.

When I recessed the license plate, I knew I would like it, the grill, I’m on the fence.

I may redo the mesh to the smaller version, which would match the pattern of the whale tail grill and make the vertical bars wider, again to match the tail grill.

[Rodsrsr]

More pics of the car!

[Showdown]

I applaud the desire to break convention and try something new and personalize these old jalopies- once you’ve seen one stock 911, well you’ve seen em all

I think that the exercise struggles because it’s creating a new lexicon out of already existing pieces of an established design language. That is, the grille is used where there is airflow into the car and that establishes a use pattern. We’ve seen folks use the grille to cover a front bumper oil cooler and it works because it’s following established convention: where air moves, there is a grille.

When used as a light cover it becomes a bit confusing and breaks the pattern of use thus jumbling how we understand that piece of design.

It also de harmonizes the junction between the tail lights and effectively takes what Porsche want ed to make a unified red bar and breaks it up.

What are your plans for the tail lights? It might be worth it to consider any design changes to the center panel in the context of how it relates to the tail lights as a cohesive design element.

It also might be more informative to look at other light sources within the car: on the dash, the headlights, etc… and see if there’s something that can be referenced and expanded upon.

All this is to say that I think it’s unresolved, but I don’t drive your car and you should take my words with a massive grain of salt.

[rolfjahn]

I like whatever you are doing, whatever makes you smile

[REVerend]

Is there any way to make a rear grill that provides some functional cooling to the engine compartment? Looking at my car it seems pretty blocked off but for all I know there is some well known mod that would open things up a bit in the back? And would it even be desirable to have the back opened up for ventilation purposes?

[David Inc.]

Originally Posted by REVerend

Is there any way to make a rear grill that provides some functional cooling to the engine compartment? Looking at my car it seems pretty blocked off but for all I know there is some well known mod that would open things up a bit in the back? And would it even be desirable to have the back opened up for ventilation purposes?

That's the opposite of what you want. As designed air flows in through the top, is drawn in by the fan and then forced down through the engine. Not sure of how opening up the back piece where the reflector is would affect air flow but I can't imagine it helping.

[SFR]

Julian - agree with your thoughts, it’s not functional so other than the ‘look’ no reason for it.

One of my goals was not to have PORSCHE script anywhere on the car, other than under the whale tail, reflecting onto the deck paint.

I didn’t like the look of the options on the market, so made this one…initial thought was to open up the area for ventilation, however as David pointed out, it may not be functional.

Maybe, if i had turbo’s it might be helpful (current plan is for 3.6, no turbo).

As mentioned I’m on the fence.
Been making changes to a lot of the cars/bikes I build, and it helps to get feedback from people that look at these cars ALL THE TIME.

Here are some pic’s of a bike I built last year - big transformation.

[Showdown]

That bike is wicked!!

Before I backdated I also got rid of the reflector with a plain delete panel I made. It was ok, clean and innocuous, but it was just ok.

Ultimately I think that addressing the tail lights in conjunction with the reflector is the best way to create a unified look that doesn’t feel piecemeal.

Now, how to do that- I haven’t really thought on it much but I’d say it would relate to the overall vision of the car- if you’re going with new LED headlights and a future-mod look with carbon fiber and new parts then there are some cool new bloomers (lit up center panels) for 964s that could be an inspiration.

Keeping modifications on track with an overall vision is the key, but also really hard…

[nospiners]

i love the speedholes look, just an idea !! some people here have done it and it looks great..

[REVerend]

Originally Posted by David Inc.

That's the opposite of what you want. As designed air flows in through the top, is drawn in by the fan and then forced down through the engine. Not sure of how opening up the back piece where the reflector is would affect air flow but I can't imagine it helping.

Thanks for the response… I have a lot to learn about these cars.

[SFR]

Wish someone was making a center reflector, without the PORSCHE script.

[Showdown]

IIRC, the Porsche is just painted on and if you disassemble the reflector I *think* it’s possible to remove it. Don’t quote me as it was a while ago that I had mine apart.

[David Inc.]

Originally Posted by SFR

Wish someone was making a center reflector, without the PORSCHE script.

A lot of the aftermarket reflectors just have decals on the outside which I imagine could be stripped.

Originally Posted by Showdown

IIRC, the Porsche is just painted on and if you disassemble the reflector I *think* it’s possible to remove it. Don’t quote me as it was a while ago that I had mine apart.

The stock one is painted on the backside under another layer of grey paint. If you wanted to remove that one you'd have to strip the entire backing and reapply the reflective coating to the whole surface to make it uniform with the rest of the reflector. The factory coating is something special, though, not sure if it's available for retail use.

[SFR]

Rev2 center reflector option, this version is plastic, similar to front grills.
Not sure why, but the red reflector on purple car, just doesn’t work for me.

Thoughts?

[rwest]

So much better than the red.