Project 964: A Much-Needed Detail

I’ll kick this Project 964 update off with a question that some you might be asking: Why has it taken years to properly clean the car’s exterior? It’s a fair question too, so let me explain…

If you remember back to the 964’s SH Garage intro story, you’ll know that the car had sat outside for a long time before I stepped in to save it. These years, where the Porsche was fully exposed to the elements, were not kind to it, especially with regards to the exterior condition. Of course, I knew that buying a car that had been semi-abandoned by its previous owner was always going to throw up some challenges, and as it turned out, what could go wrong did go wrong pretty much straightaway. So I guess it became a psychological thing for me; I held back on giving the 964 the big clean it so desperately needed and deserved before the engine was able to be used reliably. I also knew that returning the exterior to its former glory was a huge detailing job, and that it needed to be done right.

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I’d need some help too, and this ultimately came in the form of Aki, who you might remember from his R33 Skyline GT-R project stories on the site in the past. It’s why the setting for this post is Aki’s man cave – a garage space that is equipped with every possible cleaning product, accessory, gadget and tool needed to tackle my filthy 964.

Our approach was a simple one: Do it once and do it properly. It took a good four days’ work to get the results we were after, beginning with a triple wash.

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In preparation for this daunting task, the guys at Gtechniq sent me out a goody bag full of their cleaning products. I’m going to be using this stuff on all my cars from now on, as the products turned out to be a proper revelation.

We started off with W4 Citrus Foam, which once added to a foaming gun transformed into a non-stop flow of creamy suds that quickly but gently broke down many of the contaminants dulling the 964’s yellow paint.

I did this in a two-step process. The first covering of foam was left on until it slowly started to dissolve and flow down the bodywork, at which point I hit it with the pressure washer to remove the loose top layer of dirt without even touching the car. The second foam covering came a few moments later with a wash mitt and Gtechniq’s G Wash soap.

The ‘two bucket’ method was used of course, as Aki would have murdered me otherwise. Both of his buckets feature a grit guard to ensure that the dirt and residue that’s pulled off by the wash mitt is not picked up again. The last thing I needed was extra webbing and light scratching on the already subpar paint surface.

Another pass with the pressure washer to rinse followed; then it was time to give the wheels some attention.

Despite the fact that I will be fitting aftermarket wheels to Project 964, in the meantime I really want the factory 16s looking their best. When new wheels are fitted, I’ll send the Porsche wheels off for refurbishment, and then they’ll be stored away safely.

Gtechniq’s W6 Iron & General Fallout Remover spray was the perfect product for this. Application is as easy as spraying it on and allowing the chemicals to react with the brake dust and grime on the surface of the wheels. Then you hit them with the pressure washer, and most of the gunk washes away. I use this spray regularly on Project Drop Top 2.0 (which you’ll see an update on in the next couple of months) and it works so well.

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By this point, the 964’s exterior had taken on a slightly brighter and glossier look. There was satisfaction all round, but now the real work began.

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With a fresh bucket of warm water and a second dosage of G Wash, it was time to start tackling the hard-to-reach places. A soft-bristle brush was used to agitate the soap into the accumulated grime.

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Next up was removing the stuff you can’t see but can definitely feel when you run your fingertips over the paint. Using a clay bar to remove all the surface contaminants was painfully time-consuming, but it’s something that had to be done.

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The main reason it took so long was the multiple passes I had to make over places where stubborn grime had accumulated, namely the glass seals, body panel gaps, door handles and mirrors. You can see the difference it made around the plastic seal (it was once rubber I guess) that isolates the handle from the door.

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I went through an entire clay bar to see the job through.

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However, the clay was no match for this black line of grime along the front bumper seal, so I had to leave it for a more aggressive fix later on.

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With the 964’s exterior predominantly clean, it was time to take things to the next level.

Stepping It Up A Notch
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With Aki’s GT-R away at Nismo for some updates, there was space in his garage to get really stuck in.

We busted out our Porter-Cable random orbital polishers and started experimenting with a few abrasive compounds to see which one had the best cutting power for the task at hand.

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And here’s the result after we settled on the pad that gave the best result. Granted, it’s not pure perfection, but it’s probably the best we – a couple of amateur detailers – were going to achieve with a pair of domestic-grade orbital polishers in a not-too-crazy length of time. To get the best possible results here you’d need a professional detailer armed with a commercial-grade rotary polisher and all the right pads and compounds.

One nice surprise was not finding any areas with deep etching that required wet sanding or other drastic measures. There are some paint chips on the hood and one of the front fenders though, so they will be touched up in due course.

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I was really looking forward to hitting the front bumper as there were many little imperfections; specifically paint transfers from light parking rubs and that tough grime along the seals. In order for the cutting pads to get into the tighter spots, I had to very carefully remove the corner lights so as not to break their brittle plastic clips.

There was a lot of grime behind the front license plate mount too, but that came off quickly and polished up smoothly.

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By wrapping the rubber strips along the bumper and the headlight washer jets with masking tape, I was able to get the pad right up to them without any chance of damage.

With the details taken care of, I moved to the front bumper’s top section – the saddest-looking part of the whole car. The paint was so dull here that multiple passes using a compound with more cut were required.

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At the same time, Aki had been hard at work on the wheels, cleaning up everything that hadn’t come off with the W6 and the initial wash. He then moved to the windscreen, pulling out a glass compound from one of his cabinets and performing a test polish.

It turned out to be totally worth it, removing a film of caked-on grime and stubborn water-spots.

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A few hours later and the car’s front end was totally transformed.

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The sun was quickly dipping at this point, but there was still time for me to make a start on the rear lights.

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As you can see, these things are in pretty miserable shape. They look more pink than red, there are hairline cracks everywhere and moisture always seems to be trapped on the inside. I’ll completely replace these lights eventually, but rather than going for a very pricey set of Porsche OEM items, I’m currently looking at what quality aftermarket options are out there. Not only do I want to bring the 964 back up to a nice condition all round, but also modernize it as we go, and this is one area where I can give it a sharper, more contemporary look.

During the wash process there was a steady flow of debris coming out from this area, so I knew there was a lot of dirt trapped back there. The wiring was really messy, too, with some very JDM-looking splice action going on.

At this point I also removed the center garnish, cleaned up all the surrounding dust and dirt, and then hit the whole bumper with a Porter-Cable pass.

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After cleaning the rear of the light assemblies, Aki pulled out a box of spare LED bulbs he had experimented with on his GT-R and Lexus IS F. We found a pair of red bulbs that fit and worked, and they instantly gave a new level of brightness and modernity to the rear of the 964.

Aki even had a pair of reverse light LEDs in cool white, which were better than the existing filament bulbs in every way. You can see the difference above after I installed one. Arigatou, Aki!

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The last job for the day was some touch-up paint for the stock lug nuts. This was something Aki really wanted to do in order to elevate the job he had done on the wheels. Yep, the otaku level was high on this particular night.

The Days That Followed
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The second day ended up being a pretty late start, but it turned into a full afternoon working on the areas that remained.

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That meant the roof, the doors, rear fenders, deck lid/spoiler section and the rear bumper.

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It was a good five or so hours’ work, but it brought us so close to completion. Every surface of the car was now looking like a mirror.

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The second day ended with me wanting to bring back some shine to the exhaust tip. Gtechniq’s M1 All Metal Polish helped to remove a lot of the grime, but to do a proper job I’d need better access and a more abrasive rubbing pad than the terry towel I was using. I’m not even sure why I put so much time into this, as I’m planning on changing the exhaust anyway…

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Fast forward to the evening of day three, which happened a week or so after the initial weekend. Aki had now machine-polished all of the exterior glass and started working on the inside with Gtechniq’s G6 Perfect Glass cleaner. The rear screen was especially tough, as there was stubborn residue from the removed tint and not a lot of physical room to work in.

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Finally, we arrived the end point of this detailing journey – protection with Gtechniq’s EXO V4 coating.

Gtechniq actually sent me two coating products, the other being Crystal Serum Light, which is deigned for paint and UV protection plus swirl resistance. EXO ups that with hydrophobic protection and dirt repellency, which helps with ongoing paint maintenance. Since the 964 sits outside – albeit covered with a car cover (which I’m currently getting custom made), I went for EXO.

The process was pretty easy: Using the supplied applicator you simply run it across the entire panel. A few minutes later you wipe it off, leaving the crystallised product. This effectively creates a hydrophobic barrier that keeps nasty stuff off the paint and makes it a million times easier and faster to wash.

I worked well into the evening to ensure I finished the coating so it could cure overnight.

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With that done, I then moved on to the trim. Here, the exposed plastics and rubbers were hit with Gtechniq’s C4 Permanent Trim Restorer.

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Again, it’s all about careful application and following it up with a towel wipe once it has cured. In this case, the C4 left behind a glossier, deeper black surface, making it look like the plastic had never aged.

Day four was our final push to completion as Aki’s GT-R was coming home, but what I failed to document were the hours spent laying down a few layers of carnauba wax. I applied the wax by hand and then buffed it off with a soft cotton bonnet over a polishing pad to enhance the gloss.

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The finishing touch was the replacement of the front Porsche emblem seal, which was disintegrating. With the new seal fitted, I considered Project 964’s detail done.

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Finally, the transformation I had been envisioning in my mind had happened and I was over the moon at how the car was looking. With its smooth-running and non-smoking engine, a clean bill of health from SunBeam on the suspension bushes, and now a restored exterior, I finally feel like this project is actually getting somewhere.

But believe me, that feeling was very much short-lived. What happened next is something I will dive into in the next Project 964 update. Trust me, it gets messy…

Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: dino_dalle_carbonare
dino@speedhunters.com

This story was brought to you in association with Gtechniq, an official Speedhunters Supplier

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1

Holy...that's an amazing job.

So this "Gtechniq EXO V4 coating" isn't permanent? Like a ceramic coating?

Author2
Dino Dalle Carbonare

I don't think there is anything out there that's permanent. I once paid a lot of money for a company here in Japan to do a ceramic coating for Project Drop Top, they told me it would last up to 5 years. But with the car sitting outside and used daily it didn't even make it to 1 year.

3

Agree on the permanent part...but to not make it past one year, that's surprising. Did the shop have warranty on this? Usually they offer touch ups within a year or 2...

Ceramic Pro is currently on my car that's rarely driven and parked inside most of time, its been 6 years and still very good. My other car, brand new delivered in September, daily driven and parked outside uses Nano-Brite Evo 10H. There was a huge price difference between the 2 applications for essentially the same coverage - was told CP is a "name brand" and Nano-Brite is a "generic brand". So far so good and no difference between the 2 in terms of effectiveness. Will see it it makes it past 1 year

Author4
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Yeah they did, and redid the coating. Lasted a year or so, then I just gave up on it

5

Wish I had the time, money, and resources to do this to my truck. The level of shine and brightness on that Porsche is stunning! Good work, Dino, and Aki of course.

Author6
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Trust me it was so satisfying seeing the shine come back! It's good therapy lol

7

Great article Dino! The 964 is stunning, excited to see how this progresses.

Author8
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Thanks! Progress is slow, 1 thing goes right, 5 more go wrong ...

9

That's the way it goes sometimes. Just keep on replacing what goes wrong whilst improving it and your 911 will become superb.
See if you can get a G50 gearbox, hydraulics, pedals, etc. These things won't be getting any easier or cheaper as time goes on...

Author10
Dino Dalle Carbonare

They are already way way more than what I want to spend...

11

Dino,

Looking much better! I've never used Gtechniq. I've used Griot's stuff for 25 years. This is what I use:

Britemax car wash. Best car wash I've ever seen!
Sonax wheel cleaner plus. Amazing!
Griot's Clay bar and Speedshine.
Klasse sealer/cleaner.
Griot's interior cleaner
Griot's glass cleaner. Nothing can beat this glass cleaner!
2 car covers. Speedshine from Griot's in between.
Griot's waterless car wash in the winter. No garage.

Author12
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Nice to hear what other people use! I'm always experimenting and good to see I'm not the only nut using 2 car covers lol

13

Looks fantastic! Typical Aki "otaku"-manship.

Author14
Dino Dalle Carbonare

And his ability to contort his body and get into the right places to unleash more cleaning!

15

I witnessed his fastidious cleaning fetishes when he visited once, and we cleaned his then new (to him) RE30's before crystal coating them before washing his R33 GT-R. Even his rear suspension arms got washed that afternoon.
That was about 15 years ago. No doubt his skills & attention to details have improved tremendously since.

Author16
Dino Dalle Carbonare

They have, and I'm sure they will evolve once he gets that lift in

17

Fantastic transformation, Dino!

Your yellow Porsche looks like a million dollar now.
It will be two million dollar if you did the interior. ;)

Author18
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Oh the interior. I'll get on that soon. I type this with shaking hands as I've just pulled out more of the carpet...

19

This color's way more impressive than Ferrari Fly Yellow.

By the way, I thought Tokyo in December wasn't exactly shorts-and-flip-flops friendly.

Author20
Dino Dalle Carbonare

This was months back! Mind you, it was 20 degrees on the first day of December yesterday, and I was in t-shirt and shorts. Global warming indeed

21

Like new!

Author22
Dino Dalle Carbonare

As long as you observe it from 2-3 meters away lol

23
Andrea Pecchenino

Ora che è bella pulita cambio manuale, KW v3 e TE 37 ???

Author24
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Eh Andrea, ci sei arrivato abbastanza vicino. Ne hai uno da darmi per caso di cambio? lol

25

What a brilliant colour once cleaned!

I commend You for not getting the OEM replacement rear lights. The new ones look gaudy and pink and are in no way consistent with NOS Porsche lights. Also they fit pretty bad.

Author26
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Thanks for letting me know, I had no idea they were not up to par on the quality side of things.

27

Did you get this car wrapped in black and put some Rotiforms on it? Because the guy in this photo looks a lot like you and I'm no Porsche nut, but the car does look like a 964.

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Author28
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Haha that is indeed me, that's the 964 we built for SEMA a few years ago. My car is indeed a 964, minus the RWB body and pretty much everything else you see on the one above lol

29

Dang, I figured it was you, as your glasses are instantly recognizable, but I was hoping that Rotiform had released a sneak peek of your 964 on their website. Oh well ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

30
Jay Soh Tsu Chung

That's a different car from 2016. It's featured here before.

http://www.speedhunters.com/2016/11/spirit-of-147-nfs-porsche-964/

31

Ciao Dino, reading your story was pure therapy. I couldn't click faster on your article the second I saw it: detailing+Porsche is the perfect recipe to achieve inner peace. Thanks for letting us enjoy every progress you're making with its restoration. Sei un grande!

Author32
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Ti ringrazio Lorenzo!

33

Well that was satisfying

Author34
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Thanks!

35

That kind of thing I would only dream of doing for the 10 years I was living in Japan... Having this kind of space to perform a car detailing in your home is a rare privilege, and I always had my cars parked in some remote parking location.
Moving to the US now, that is something I love doing every now and then! Although I still miss Japan a bit...

Author36
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Ah yes that's a feature of Japan. Making life's little pleasures almost impossible to achieve lol That's when you borrow friend's garages!

37

Absolutely beautiful! Job well done! Looking forward to the next update.

Author38
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Thanks!

39

Dream car, excellent work and beautiful result...timeless

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