Interim Project Update: Painting the cage (many photos)

[Don Plumley]

Following my last update - half cage installed, it's time for paint.

Starting here:


I cleaned the welding and grinding junk out of the car. Then sanded and cleaned the cage:


Then masked off everything:




Applied a few coats of self etching primer:


It was a painful chore to get in behind the cage, without touching it, multiple times, to spray the coats of primer, sandable primer, color and clear.



With daylight fading (and temperature dropping!), I got the last coats of clear on. I rushed those coats because of the falling temperature, but they needed to be applied either then, or wait seven days for the color coat to cure.



It rained today (good thing I got it done yesterday!), so I pulled off all the masking tape to show the finished product:



Whew! That was a lot of work. Given how close the main hoop is to the body, it's essentially impossible to get a reasonable amount of paint on the very edge of the bar you can't see. Now I understand why the guys that have a full cage fabbed in usually are doing a glass out repaint at the same time. I don't plan on doing that much interior masking again for some time.

Although the back looks very "Cup Car" like with the wires out and sheet metal showing, I plan to cover some yet unknown amount of it with an RS carpet kit. I also plan to tack up a simple headliner - just to cut down the noise and clean up the raw welded bits around the sunroof.

Thanks for looking!

Don

[Chuck Moreland]

That main hoop really hugs the chassis. Is that a custom job?

[Todd Simpson]

Nice work!

I have carpet in my track car too, along with the stock vinyl side panels and rear deck.

I have no headliner and it's not too bad without it. I get a LOT of heat from the rear seat area though, even with a reflective engine sound pad, so I added heat insulation to the inside under the carpet. I think it's heat from the heater boxes, even though it's all hooked up and working properly.

[Don Plumley]

Originally posted by Chuck Moreland
That main hoop really hugs the chassis. Is that a custom job?

Thanks Chuck. Yes it is. Fabricated by Rolf by Design at Sears Point. More info here. Highly recommended - on time, under budget, quality work.

[CHILI]

I'm interested in the headliner that you will be "creating" as you state. I'm going to be doing a very similar cage very soon and have no headliner in the car currently. Not sure I want to install a stock one since it's a pain and not cheap. Do you have a plan as of yet?

BTW, nice cage. Looks great. What paint did you spray it with? I just see the primer in a can.

[J Smith]

Don, you're doing an awesome job with that car. I will build a 993 track car at some point in the future (who knows when). They're the best 911 Porsche built, IMO.

Keep up the great work, and please continue to give us the mod-by-mod updates!

[DW SD]

Excellent! Really great work! Congrats on another job well done.

I think you'll be very pleased when you are done.

Doug

[Don Plumley]

Thanks again for the encouragement.

Chad - I have an idea, sourced materials - after I give it a go I'll post the results.

[CHILI]

Originally posted by Don Plumley
Thanks again for the encouragement.

Chad - I have an idea, sourced materials - after I give it a go I'll post the results.

Thanks, that would be great!