[rustech]

Make sure you let that paint fully cure before you go tear it up with rock chips <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/rolleyes.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> You'll have to trailer your car to the meet. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[biotechee]

Anchor-



Sounds good. Another possibility outside of a dinner get-together is meeting you at Pete's. It only takes 15-20 min to get there from my work. Not sure if you plan on having anything done in the near future but I can swing by if you're in the neighborhood and we can grab a bite, or just chat with Pete and see if we can get some free wrenchin' done!!!! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[Anchorman]

Meeting at Pete's is easy - and, once I get the car back, he has to adjust the shift block.



No joke, Rustech - I have to wait about a month before having an invisible bra installed, and I'm trying to figure out how I drive the car during that period (which will include a long trip to/from Martha's Vineyard) without damaging the new goods.



I just came up with a possible solution to the third brake light relocation problem. I've ordered an LED light bar that has potential. I'll let you know.

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[flash]

because the car is black, i suggest having it clay barred and buffed to remove the surface impurities just before applying the clear bra

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[Anchorman]

Good suggestion, Flash. I'll do that (or, maybe the more correct statement would be "I'll have that done.")

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[Mark]

[quote name='flash' post='38473' date='Jul 18 2007, 07:05 PM']because the car is black, i suggest having it clay barred and buffed to remove the surface impurities just before applying the clear bra[/quote]





I would think that would be standard operating procedure no matter the color.

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[flash]

lol - yeah, but all the more important with black - it tends to show impurities and flaws much more easily, and once the clear bra is on, it's too late to go back

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[biotechee]

All this talk of getting cars repainted has me in a tizzy!



Damn you all to hell I say!

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[Anchorman]

I wonder if the fact that the new paint is metallic will help reduce the visibility of flaws and impurities.

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[flash]

yes, it will help, as long as you didn't color sand it - that is my issue on my car - i color sanded it to get rid of the orange peel - looks great, and i prefer it, but it shows EVERY flaw immediately

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[Anchorman]

Progress continues - prep work is just about done, the holes are drilled for the side marker lights, the new door stops are installed (with the repairs done to the driver's door), and...



I've worked out a way for the third brake light conversion. Very exciting. As mentioned earlier, the task got surprising complicated and the "fix" will not be as clean as I'd wanted. But, what could be worse than that thing sitting on top of the trunk lid? Getting to this so late in the job may slow things down a little, because now the trunk lid holes have to be welded shut and then the lid prepped.



Actual painting starts tomorrow. So, it looks like I'll not have the car until next week, slightly more than the three-week estimate. But, at least I've got a rental Kia Optima (would NOT buy one).

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[flash]

note on the trunk lid holes - let the prep sit on the trunk lid for at least a week before painting - failure to let that completely cure WILL result in shrinkage - arrrrgh - if the shop says otherwise, get them to agree in advance to reshoot your trunk lid for free when it happens

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[Anchorman]

Understood re the holes. The biggest problem he's expecting on that is that the lid will distort when he's welding material in to fill the holes. The plan is to weld, then fill/prep, then paint.

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[flash]

that's how they did it on mine - got no distortion on mine, but i did get shrinkage, and you know how that shows up on dark colors (don't get me started)



now i need a drink

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[biotechee]

I hearby dub the cabriolet 3rd brake light mod the "Anchor Mod"! I have no doubt that it will look fantastic and really add a finishing polish to the lines of the rear of the cab! I can't wait to see it (as well as the paint job!)!

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[Cloud9...68]

[quote name='Anchorman' post='36349' date='Jun 3 2007, 12:18 AM']My car is going in for a paint job in the next week or so, and I'm going the Basalt Black route (the car currently is black).[/quote]

I know this is a very late reply to your post (sitting around recovering from shoulder surgery gives me a lot of time to kill), and I'm sure you thought this through, but how worried are you about the risk of doing DEs with your beautiful new paint job? No problem, I guess, as long as you stay on the black stuff <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/biggrin.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> .



My car's paint is in OK shape, but severalf of the plastic panels (front bumper cover, right "shark fin" panel, and front underbody panel in particular) are looking pretty rough. I've thought about just getting these resprayed/replaced, but I cringe at the thought of going to the track with a (even partially) repainted car.

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[Anchorman]

Cloud, you've touched on an interesting issue. Yes - I am concerned about DEs with the new paint. That's one of the reasons that I'm going to get the 3M clear bra installed ASAP. I've also decided that I'm not going to let the fact that the car will now look better lead me to enjoy it less. My wife is already pressuring me to buy something else to use during the winter, and I'll likely concede to that. But, hopefully I'll be strong enough to not go further in the direction of making the 968 a pampered part-timer. The "smile factor" is still a big draw...



So, I'm currently planning to do a VIR DE event in early November. I'll keep you posted on what, and how, I do.

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[Anchorman]

An update, and a question. The shop has pretty much finished painting and polishing, and they are starting the reassembly. I expect to get the car this Friday. Hopefully, it'll "wow" me.



A shop I was considering for the 3M invisible bra said that they can't do the work because he only works with pre-cut kits by X-Pel, and they don't make kits for the 968. Suggestions?

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[Anchorman]

THE CAR IS BACK!!! I'm very pleased - although there is a punchlist of minor items to work through (none of them paint-related, just reassembly related). The conversion of the third brake light came out quite nicely - I'll post a photo in the next day or so. The Basalt Black metallic has a purplish caste in sun that gives an interesting look - that, happily, I like. I still haven't found anyplace for the clear bra, and the result of two days of driving unprotected is already showing. I'm thinking of going with an (ugly!) cloth bra, but maybe I'll just resign myself to a respray every few years. I pulled off the discolored headlight and foglight protectors and installed new ones - different (thinner) material, the old ones were Stongard, the new ones are from X-Pel - and the lights look great (except the headlights still pop up - have to figure out something to do about that!). The project list is now pretty short - but my wife is now calling this the $10 million car (up from $6 million).

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[flash]

don't use the cloth bra for at least 2 weeks - let that paint cure first



do a google on clear bra - there should be an 800 number you can call for a dealer, though i'm pretty sure you still have to wait for the paint to cure

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