Help me out guys! Color Choice?

[andycook]

Just me again...

My car will undergo a full re-spray in the spring and I would like some input from the board. It is a 78 SC with cup style wheels on it. The original color is an orangish red, not Guards Red, but not totally orange either. Paint was ruined by being stored with a cheap car cover on it. Moisture spots over the hood and roof.

My color choices for the spray will be using the original color again, or going black. The car will be getting graphics as well following the re-spray, I just haven't figured out what exactly.

Interior is all black. New black racing seats and a four point black cage soon (getting it this weekend). Stainless and wooden steering wheel and shift knob. Any thoughts?

[RickM]

Andrew,

Personally, I wouldn't change the color unless I was spraying a shell and totally disassembled car.

I wince when I see people "storing" their cars under a piece of plastic.

[andycook]

The PO had good intentions, just didn't realize the ramifications of those cheap Tyvek type car covers. They trap moisture real bad.

So if I change color, you think I should dismantle the entire car? Makes sense.

[NoLift911]

I would agree with Rick -

It always looks pretty ghetto to find different colors in the trunk/engine compartment. Everything should be fully dissassembled, stripped of any previous color and then sprayed.

No need to have useless layers of weighty paint on a shell. If you go to the trouble to take it apart, do it right.

Just my .02

-Jeff

[RickM]

Originally posted by andycook
The PO had good intentions, just didn't realize the ramifications of those cheap Tyvek type car covers. They trap moisture real bad.

Actually Tyvek is one of the best covers to use as it breathes...at least for indoor storage. It's superior to cotton when humidity goes above certain levels. Not sure how it performs outside but I'd think it's better than a plastic tarp.

[andycook]

The Tyvek didn't seem to work too well for this one. Trust me, I wish it had! Then again, I am not 100% sure how long it was stored like that either.

[ChrisM911SC]

Andy, I would stick with the original color. My car was originally Minerva Blue Mettalic and is now Guards red, done by PO. When the car was repainted, the engine compartmant and trunk were repainted, but the wheel wells and underside of the car were not. Guess where the blue is showing through now?

[Jim Richards]

The original orange would be my choice.

[Rot 911]

Don't give up on the original paint yet. You car did not come with a clear coat so there is a good chance you can rub out those water marks. Have you tried to do so? I've had some pretty bad looking paint that I have managed to bring back from the dead.

[andycook]

Thanks guys. Kurt, no I haven't tried to rub any of it out. I figured it was clearcoated, so I didn't give it much thought. Would some good rubbing compound work or do I need some special stuff?

[Rot 911]

Go to an auto parts store and get either a Meguiars or 3m rubbing compound that says for hand use, not machine use. Then test on one of the water spots. If it removes the water spot then you can decide if you want to do the whole car yourself or pay to have a pro do it.

[RickM]

If the test Kurt describes shows promise then I'd suggest having a pro do it. Unless you have experience.

[xlr8]

The PCA website has a tech section with Q&A about paint here .

An example:

"I have the white cloudy water stains from leaving a bra on too long after moisture penetrates the paint (on the whole front of the car). I have read that using denatured alcohol removes similar staining from furniture finishes. Will this work for my 911SC without damaging the paint? If not, what will work for a rather large area?

I remove white water spots on paint with Blue Magic Polish. With a moderate amount of rubbing the stains disappear. I just did this procedure on a 64 356C in front of 50 PCA members at one of our presevation seminars.

John Paterek - PCA WebSite - 3/16/2003"

Good Luck,

[Sarah]

Black

[jet911]

First, I would take it to a body/paint shop and see if they can buff out the paint for you.

I have an '86 coupe in a pastel yellow with black trim and dark tinted windows (custom paint from the factory), the drivers door was fading more than the rest of the car for some reason. Last year, I took it to "best" body/paint shop in town (recommended by the P-Dealer), they used some special compound and the result was unbelievable. The car looked new! I could not tell any difference from the drivers door to the rest of the car. Well worth the $125.00 they charged. The car looks great today and all I do is wash (by hand) and wipe dry with a coat of wax every so often. If it starts to fade again, I'll spend another $125 to bring it back to life...

[Shaun @ Tru6]

What is your color code? I am guessing that your car is indian red.

[kjb]

Originally posted by Shaun 84 Targa
What is your color code? I am guessing that your car is indian red.

I though Indian red is what the factory called guards red until 86?

/ J

[mede8er]

I agree that if you change the color you have to stripp the car completely if you want to do it right......

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally posted by kjb
I though Indian red is what the factory called guards red until 86?

/ J

Could very well be. When I went to paintscratch.com and typed in the code for Indian Red, it gave me 20 shades of guards red.

My targa is a more orangy version of the guards red and I think somewhat rare. I've been buying guards red replacement panels of it: fender, decklid, rear valence, side skirt and they all match, but they are more red than the res of the car.

The good part about the color is that when it's waxed, the car actually glows in the sun.