Just cleaned up wheel wells and need info on color

[1986911]

Got a tip from a fellow pelican on how to make undercarriages and wheel wells like new. Check out pictures below. Car is an 89 Factory Slantnose. I used a hot water pressure washer and the undercoating and grime came off like "Butta." Anyone have a know if that tan color is factory? I am in the process of restoring it to as close to concours as I can get and want to know if they need to be black (like the body) or this tan color that is the same as the undercarriage. I think it should be Tan if so where can I find it!!! Did the whole search thing but that lead to more confusion.

Thanks

[Joe Bob]

Chemicals|WURTH USA Inc.

[RSTarga]

I think after 73 everything should be body color.

[herman maire]

nice job.

I think you stripped the paint right off, the beige is more than likely the actual rubber gravel guard .

Scrape into the rubber gravel guard and see what the colour is below the surface. The underside is usually painted body colour.

[Super_Dave_D]

+1. In your case it should be black

Originally Posted by herman maire

nice job.

I think you stripped the paint right off, the beige is more than likely the actual rubber gravel guard .

Scrape into the rubber gravel guard and see what the colour is below the surface. The underside is usually painted body colour.

[deshetlr]

Nice looking undercoating. Should take the black spray paint well.

[deshetlr]

Wurth makes the undercoating.

[Joe Bob]

With those body mods it has had quite a bit of work. MY guess is the grey is over the original body color. I doubt very seriously that the pressure washer peeled paint off.

Paint it whatever color strikes your fancy. Wurth is pricey.....but it does a good job.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

I doubt very seriously that the pressure washer peeled paint off.

+1 Not a chance looking that uniform.

Edit - those little spots just above the cadmium plated AC line fastener look pretty black to me.

[1986911]

So far then black?

From most of the pictures I have seen the cars have black wheel wells. Actually I have not come across one with the beige gravel guard in the wheel wells (except mine). The underside of the car has that beige gravel guard finish as well. It took about 20 minutes to do each wheel well start to finish, hot water pressure washers are incredible.

[AVDCAV]

orange with racing stripes

[Bob Kontak]

Here is my pals 1989 regular 930 from today. It has 20k miles. I will ask him to look in the morning at his wheel wells.

[1986911]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

With those body mods it has had quite a bit of work. MY guess is the grey is over the original body color. I doubt very seriously that the pressure washer peeled paint off.

Paint it whatever color strikes your fancy. Wurth is pricey.....but it does a good job.

No body mods, car is an original 1989 factory slant nose. I spoke to the original owner after I bought it and she drove it right off the showroom floor. Its been Black from day one. Beige wheel wells on all 4 sides. Check out a picture of the front well opposite side

[Bob Kontak]

Sorry - here it is. Looks a lot like your wheel wells. I will confirm for you. My 81 SC wheel wells bottom are red. This 930 does not have a hint of black like the outside.

[1986911]

Sweet, Bob what is he going to do to it? I have a lift as well but did not have the guts to pressure wash inside the garage, way too much gunk and grime.

[Bob Kontak]

He is actually cleaning the engine and banana arms, etc. He sent me this pic with the text "Call me Dexter" which I think refers to the HBO show where the guy must wrap his murder scenes in visquene (sp?)

He has an epoxy paint floor but no drain plus he is pretty "clean". I have an e-mail out to him now re the wheel wells.

Here is a pic of both our cars together.

[1986911]

Thanks Bob,

Targa's rock!

[Cooper911SC]

Hi, Nice looking Slant Nose!
Kudos for tackling your undercarriage.
I prepare Porsches for Concours for a living. I have taken care of undercarriages on '81, '84, '87, and several '90s 993 series cars.

What you will find is that Porsche used a Beige paintable undercoating applied over the sheet metal.

The car then went down the paint line. As the car was sprayed the flat surface facing outwards in the wheel well was given a medium wet coat of body color paint. (In other words looking straight into the wheel well with wheel off of the car you will see body color) This paint will just cover the undercoating. The front wells always appear to get more paint as they are a bigger more visible area than the rears. The wells will not be fully painted as the rest of the car.

Likewise, the floor pan will be 95%+ just the beige undercoating as your picture looks.
There will be some color on outward facing edges. These areas would have been hit by "overspray" as the rocker panels and door jambs were painted.

When I handle Concours prep on undercarriages I work slowly by hand with mild solvents to avoid damaging the paint or undercoating. The Tectyl or Cosmoline coating is time consuming to remove.

You can use a gloss black spray can to "repaint" your wheels wells.

Once clean and dry I hand wax the wells and the floor pan of the car.

Just my observations and $.02

Best regards with your detailing!

Cooper

[1986911]

Thanks for the reply Cooper. So when I apply the paint to the wheel wells should I go for 100% coverage (no beige showing) or spray sparingly so some shows here and there? I would greatly appreciate any pictures as well.

Thanks!

[nineball]

Originally Posted by Cooper911SC

Once clean and dry I hand wax the wells and the floor pan of the car.

now that's dedication, bordering on ocd