[snova]

Hi.

I started clearing the undercarriage of my early model 968.  Starting working on the aluminum components which are covered in years of grim and oil 

Once I remove the layer of grim on my rear transaxle, rear and front suspension , instead of discovering silver colored components, they seem to have a layer of some kind d brown stuff that flakes off. 

Its even thinkness everywhere like it was sprayed on   It looks like this photo of underside body of this 944 Turbo that I found on the web except there are is no bare silver areas, unless I scrapeatit.  what is this? undercoating? some kind of tarnish?   You can see simliar stuff in this photo on this 944's rear transaxle housing and suspension arms.  Its not on bushings or hoses, so its hard to bellevue its some kind of undercoat. 

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Waylander]

Its protective wax, mine was covered in it too

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Ryan]

I think they called it Cosmoline.  It was a waxy coating that hardened over time. Use a heat gun to help soften it. WD-40 helps if left on a while. 

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Chris Vais]

It is similar to the old school cosmoline. You might try taking it off with a steam cleaner. You can get if off with aromatic solvents such as methyl ethyl ketone, lacquer thinner or something similar. When it was in the service we used gasoline to take the cosmoline of newly uncrated weapons.

 

All of these solvents are highly volatile, very flammable, and potentially explosive. Therefore do not do this in your garage or anywhere near an open flame such as your water heater, if it is in the garage. These solvents are also very significant inhalation hazards and I would not use without an appropriate air purifying respirator. A paper dust mask won't do.

 

WD-40 contains among other things aliphatic hydrocarbons which if you inhale enough will have a narcotic effect, so I would not use in my garage if using it in large quantity over a long period.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[snova]

Does anyone know if all 968 had this done at the time of manufacturing?  

thanks all great responses. 

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Waylander]

Pretty sure they did, I have worked on over 20 different 968 and they have all had that stuff on them


And I have done a couple of LHD cars too

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[snova]

thank you. I appreciate all the great feedback. Would be nice to see all the aluminum but its seems that its just not meant to be if I want to keep it looking stock or value my health.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Waylander]

The other thing to consider is that it’s helped keep the alloy from deteriorating for the last 25 years!

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[barista]

Its a protectant 

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[snova]

was hoping to make it look like this.  Oh we'll. I guess I just stare at the photo instead.

 

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Waylander]

If you did that, you would never drive it,

 

take it everywhere on a trailer and spend your whole life wiping and polishing, and who sees the underneath anyway

 

i see plenty of guys at car shows doing it and almost all of them don't enjoy it very much, the car becomes an expensive bit of art, instead of something to drive and enjoy, but each to their own

 

that one of the resto cars from the Porsche Restoration Competition 2017, they spent over $40,000 on it.

 

All Europe cars have a layer of black  under seal on them too.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.