A New First Time Owner With a Ton of Questions

[radiosimon]

Well, I've been reading in here for a while and everyone seems helpful so I thought I'd throw out a couple of questions and maybe someone could clear some things up for me.

After shopping for a couple of months and learning what I liked and didn't like, as well as what I could afford, I got an '86 Coupe in May. I started reading about Porsches a year ago and the more I read and learned about the PCA, the more I knew I wanted to get one. Now that I have it, I know why people are so passionate about them because the more I drive mine, the more I want to drive it. I crawl back into the Explorer and I'm bored to tears. And I find myself wandering through the posts in here that are just filled with pictures and people admiring their cars and I can actually understand, then I notice hours have passed, literally.

Anyway, on to the questions...
1.) First question, I'd really like to know how to identify the color...where can I find a color code or name? In general it's blue, plain and simple, but when the sun hits it, I'd swear its purple.

2.) A previous owner or dealer did some touch-ups to the paint, looks like with a small brush, to cover a couple of scratches on the sides and paint chips in the mirrors. Is there a better way to fix these without a whole new paint job?

3.) The seats are in good shape, no tears, but there are a couple of places where the leather is faded or has marks on it or something. Is there a way to repair it? The interior is black & blue...seats are blue.

4.) I'd like to get it in show condition, but I'd also like to be able to get involved with autocrossing. (I haven't even been to one of these events yet, but it looks like fun!) I guess I get a little confused with what show condition means by PCA standards. In a show, is it better for a car to be original or does it matter? Or, what mods would need to be done so the car can perform better and yet still compete in a show? I'm not talking roll cages, I'm thinking improvements to the suspension, braces, these performance chips I keep reading about, a new steering wheel, perhaps Fikse wheels, etc.

5.) The oil leak...She has a very slow bladder problem. The car leaks oil, probably just a drop or two a day. My first thought was to find a PCA reputable mechanic to get it checked out at...then I bought the book "101 Projects" and learned about changing the oil. It said that if you don't replace the seals when you put the plugs back in, that it will leak. I haven't had time yet to get under the car and try to trace the leak, but I know for a fact that the dealer I bought it at changed the oil and I'm wondering if that is the problem. So, should I change the oil? If so, what kind should I use?

Perhaps that's enough questions for now, I'll save others for later.

Info on the purchase...I did a no-no and bought it without a mechanic's inspection, but I had been looking for a while and did some reading on what to look for. Hopefully, I was lucky. It has a good carfax report, it just turned 56k miles, the top of the dash looks mint to me - not warped at all, the glove box had receipts from previous work, under the hood was the original mats, tool kit, even a cover. I haven't seen any rust anywhere. It really looked like it was taken care of. I've put less than 400 miles on it driving once or twice a week and haven't had one problem. It starts on the first try, every time.

Anyway, thanks for reading!

[azasadny]

Where are the pics? Welcome aboard!

[tcb_online]

Can't answer your questions... I'm a newbie myself... but let's see some pictures!

[Carl Bauer]

1) Color code should be in the hinge area on the driver's side door jamb

2) http://www.carcareonline.com/viewarticle.aspx?art=8

3) Sounds like the PO put some different seats in the car. There are lots of threads with leather repair as the main subject.
Carrera Sport Steering Wheel Resto

I'll let someone else touch 4 & 5. Post some pictures!

[Zef]

Welcome aboard...some pics is the rule...

[MattAlpha]

Great to have you aboard!

Congrats on the purchase.

IMO you got a great buy. Considering it came with the original mats, toolkit and a cover then the PO took care of it. I wish I could say the same about my own.

The oil leak sounds like it could be from an old washer that was re-used with one of the oil drain plugs, or it could be from a valve cover that needs a little tightening. That's pure conjecture though. It should be pretty easy to find though (at least where it drips down onto the ground from).

My method of finding the source of oil leaks:
Clean the ground below where you are going to park the 911. Take her out for a nice drive. The next morning/day, take a look at where the oil drops are and look directly above with a good flashlight. That should allow you to see where they're dripping down from. Clean the case/components in that area to make sure you see where it is coming from or at least it will give you a better ability to trace to the source of the leak.

Hopefully its just your "crush" washers and its an easy fix. If you're going to change the oil use 20W-50 of your preferred brand. It seems like a lot of people use Mobil 1, I use Pennzoil. Make sure you replace both washers and the filter. Do not forget to clean the drain plugs (at least the case plug should have a magnet in it and the oil tank may as well), it will also give you a snapshot of your engine's condition (depending on the amount of crap that has collected in the drain plugs).

Have fun with it.

-Matt

[Grady Clay]

Welcome to the Forum. You will find a lot of help here.

“1.) First question, I'd really like to know how to identify the color...where can I find a color code or name? In general it's blue, plain and simple, but when the sun hits it, I'd swear its purple.”
Someone correct me if I’m wrong but I think the color code decal is on the underside of the hood toward the front on an ’86. You will find the color changes in artificial light also.


”2.) A previous owner or dealer did some touch-ups to the paint, looks like with a small brush, to cover a couple of scratches on the sides and paint chips in the mirrors. Is there a better way to fix these without a whole new paint job?”
If they weren’t very careful the touch-up will probably come off in the center leaving the original pit and a raised lip like a crater. There is an art to touch-up and you can do it. The key is absolutely cleaning all the dirt and wax out of the pit. Even a little at the edges of the original paint will cause the touch-up to not stick. The other issue is to keep the touch-up below the original surface and not around the edges of the chip hole. A lot has been written about this.


“3.) The seats are in good shape, no tears, but there are a couple of places where the leather is faded or has marks on it or something. Is there a way to repair it? The interior is black & blue...seats are blue.”
Is this the natural leather grain or something added on the leather? Leather looks … well, like leather and is great with some wear.


”4.) I'd like to get it in show condition, but I'd also like to be able to get involved with autocrossing. (I haven't even been to one of these events yet, but it looks like fun!) I guess I get a little confused with what show condition means by PCA standards. In a show, is it better for a car to be original or does it matter? Or, what mods would need to be done so the car can perform better and yet still compete in a show? I'm not talking roll cages, I'm thinking improvements to the suspension, braces, these performance chips I keep reading about, a new steering wheel, perhaps Fikse wheels, etc.”
Absolutely. You can have your 911 with improved autocross performance (and incidentally better on the street) and be in “show” condition. In fact the two go together. Did you ever notice that the Factory race cars (and most successful racers) have competition cars that are constantly looking like new? That kind of maintenance and modifications make for constantly clean show condition and success at events.

Your 911 probably has 6x16 and 7x16 Fuchs. They are the best wheel made – bar none. Get a pair of Factory 8x16 Fuchs; put your 7x16 on the front and the 8x16 on the rear.

The only reason to have a roll bar in your coupe is to better support your 5-point or 6-point seat belts. This can also be done with a seat belt bar.

The norm for suspension improvements are larger diameter torsion bars (springs), adjustable sway bars and appropriate shocks. There are improvements to be had by replacing the rubber suspension mounting with real bearings. It is most efficient to do this all at once coupled with careful lowering and alignment.

Tires make a great deal of difference to a 911. Many have two sets of tires & wheels, one for street and another for events.

Your brakes are more than sufficient. Depending of your not driving in the snow, you can remove the brake dust shields and install deflectors to direct more air to the brakes. Good maintenance will keep the brakes in peak form.

PCA has a “Preservation” class for concourse events. That is exactly what you are talking about. The goal is to show the 911 as well preserved yet used.


”5.) The oil leak...She has a very slow bladder problem. The car leaks oil, probably just a drop or two a day. My first thought was to find a PCA reputable mechanic to get it checked out at...then I bought the book "101 Projects" and learned about changing the oil. It said that if you don't replace the seals when you put the plugs back in, that it will leak. I haven't had time yet to get under the car and try to trace the leak, but I know for a fact that the dealer I bought it at changed the oil and I'm wondering if that is the problem. So, should I change the oil? If so, what kind should I use?”
Aah the oil leak….

It’s just letting you know it is an air/oil cooled 911.

I suspect it isn’t a drain plug leaking; there are way too many other opportunities. Trace from the drip back up or along any edge or seam. The leak follows gravity and air flow. With patience you will probably find the general area of the leak. Most are fixed by doing everything possible in a certain area and you won’t know which did it. It is a continuing battle with occasional successes but you won’t win the war. Get a large cookie pan and put an old piece of carpet in it.

You will find a great deal of focus here on DIY. There is very little you can’t do yourself with help from the Forum.


Again, welcome.

Best,
Grady

[tonythetarga]

Welcome aboard!
Grady is correct on the location of the paint code for our year car. Follow this link: http://www.porsche964.co.uk/technical/specs.htm
for a code brake down. Look at the bottom of the website for the option codes and you should find the paint codes there. I know the site is specifically for the 964 but the de-code works for may later year cars, including the 86.

Before you start changing things to improve the car, learn how to drive it first. Do a Drivers Ed (DE) and learn about the characteristics of the car and what you might want to improve for a specific type of driving (AX or DE). As is they are pretty darn good too!

Post some pics so we can see what we're talking about.



EDIT: PAINT CODES CAN BE SEARCHED HERE: http://www.paintscratch.com/search.html

[David E. Clark]

Grady did a good job - as always - in answering your questions so I'll only add one comment. A few years ago, Popular Mechanics ran an article called "Repairing Paint Chips" which detailed a good repair technique you can do at home. Here is a link to the article. A somewhat different approach, similar to what Grady describes, can be found here. Hope one of these helps and Welcome to the board!

[radiosimon]

Thanks for all the comments! I'm so glad I went ahead and posted, you all have given me a lot of good information. Very helpful so far! I'll post pictures later today, I'm at work right now (yes, I have become that addicted).

Is this the natural leather grain or something added on the leather? Leather looks … well, like leather and is great with some wear.

I'll also be trying to get a picture that will show up what I'm talking about on the seats.

[masraum]

Originally posted by tonythetarga


Before you start changing things to improve the car, learn how to drive it first.

Definitely. If you start modding before you've learned how to drive in it's stock form you may not learn as much. Mods may allow you to develop bad driving habits that are masked by the improvements.

I would however make sure that everything is up to snuff. You may need rubber suspension bushings, shocks, brake pads, rubber brake lines, tranny fluid, etc... replaced. You would probably also want to rebuild the calipers, flush the brake fluid, etc...

[randywebb]

search on 'mandatory' for a thread I started on what to do after buying a 911

[radiosimon]

You all give fantastic advice and I'm certainly not in a hurry to change things up. I really do like the car the way it is, although, the more pics I see of steering wheels really makes me dislike this one!

Anyway, here's some pictures...











Is there a way to fix these marks on this seat?




Thanks!

[Brother]

nice clean car.

The leather wear will require a redye to fix. You can't just buff the color back in unless there is a product I haven't heard of.

[Jastx]

Nice looking ride! Great color. Sport seats too!

Check colorplus.com for leather reconditiong and their product Surflex. For an exact match to your leather you will have to send them something to match....your shift boot perhaps.

If you don't feel that handy, google your area for a leather repair company. For example, here is one I found in the Dallas area. I haven't used them, just found them:

http://colorglodallas.com/

They said to redo a seat bolster was approximately $65. Maybe there is an outfit like this in your area.

Congrats on the car.

[defcon65]

Looks like you got a real good one - Carrera coupes are the shiznit! That discolor on the seats is just normal wear from getting in and out. You can dye it, but it will rub off again - probably on your white shirt.
Paint code is under front trunk carpet on passenger side in my 85, yours should be the same. You can get little bottles with a brush in the cap to match you color code for about $25 - there's links to suppliers if you search 'touch-up paint' on the BBS.
Drive it a bit and get used to it, that's good advice. My first mods were shocks and TT rods, made a huge difference. I'll go through the brakes next, that's good advice, too.
The oil drip is just your 911's way of marking its parking spot - put a piece of cardboard under there if it bugs you.
Great find! Now go drive the hell out of it. Polishing can wait...

[MOMO3.2]

radiosimon:

That is a very nice looking Carrera. How lucky are you to find such a nice looking Coupe with Sport Seats. Damn, it is mean looking!

Mike

[PorscheGuy79]

That is about as clean as it gets, nice car!

[radiosimon]

Thanks! I do feel lucky to have come across it, but I also worry that luck only goes so far and any day I'll be in here talking about a $5k problem I have to fix. I guess I've read too many horror stories in here and I'm wondering with 56k miles, is it due for something bad to happen?

I have just ordered a couple of things from this website to replace...a missing threshold sill, a new gas cap, an interior light, etc. As for changes, I'm thinking about black floor mats and a new steering wheel...any suggestions?

[Carrera3.5L]

Looks like paint code L35V to me, marine blue metallic, although that was technically a 1987 & 1988 color for the Carrera. Like the others metioned, easy enough to check...

Other than JP's (jpahemi on this board) motor, I think that's the cleanest, non-rebuilt stock 3.2L engine I've seen so please keep it looking that way!

I like the factory Porsche Tequipment steering wheel myself. Much nicer in appearance and feel than the original...

Porsche part number is 000.043.161.00 color code 8YR if you want black. The manufacturer of this wheel was Atiwe M. Heinz GMBH.



Image isn't great, but run a search and you'll find plenty of other images from posters over the years. Some people also refer to it as a 930S wheel, although I never saw a 930S (admittedly I've only seen a couple FWIW) with this wheel...also be careful because there are reproductions out there as well.

Ralph