Blue S2

I have a question about that. How do they make your engine run hotter???? The area uner the bra stays just as cool as running it without it. The only parts covered by the bra are the front bumper and headlights. This doesnt even bother with the engine compartment? It does not restrict air flow into the vents either. It is open in the front across the whole vent section. It only covers the paint. I think that statement is bull**** unless i see numbers. Ive run the car hard for a while with a bra on and have seen no ill effects whatsoever. And for autocross, ide rather clip a cone with a bra than with my paint.

I have the 3M clearmask on my other car which is black. Its great stuff...but the line across the hood IS visible slightly when the car isnt 100% clean. It would become a headache in concours. Not worth it IMO.

FSTPRSH

Three cheers for that.

Blue S2

Ok, it looks stupid as crap, but then again, ide rather look stupid that look like sooo many 944s ive seen that have pitted paint allover the bumpers and mirrors. A repaint is not an option. Again though, the bras are a lot of work to be effective without damage.

ERAU-944

amen!

-Michael-

Hella 325

yea buddy

Z-man

Blue:
Some bras cover the opening more than others, I suppose. For cars that require a license plate in the front, the bra needs to go around the plate, thus adding a little blockage to the opening. Heck, the plate alone blocks about 1/3 of the airflow there!

Also: of the edges of a bra wrap around an opening, while it may not block the airflow, it certainly creates vortexes and turbulence which can make the engine run hotter.


Having lost my H2O pump on the track and driving back home the 4 hours, I am more sensitive to engines running hot.

Hope this clarifies,
-Z.

Blue S2

I guess i got lucky with mine. Ive heard some fit differently. My openings are good as a little straps reaches underneath and hooks inside them keeping the opening clear. My problem is about 1/2" around the mirrors where the bra wont cover due to fit. Small chance to take, but better than a rock blasting off my paint or gouging the bumper. I must say though, Porsche paint must be rock solid because the car had very few chips that REALLY needed attention when i got it. After 3 owners and 64,000 miles i expected more than that. Never ran with a bra and original paint. So i guess in theory we could say i am overprotective.

PCinDC

I'm the same - I have one but I rarely use it - only for road trips or group drives with the other Porsche guys (a line of speeding Porsches tends to kick up some debris).
Since my new 951 has an AIR bumper with the lower lip, I guess I won't be using a bra again.
Tony, you are from around here - do you know of a place where I can have the clear 3M plastic shielding put on my car?
Thanks!

Matt H

They look awful. The 3M stuff is the way to go.

No one mentioned paint fade which is a real issue if it stays on all the time. Around it not under it, duh...
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pete944

In the words of G. Bush Sr. "Not gonna do it"
Not a fan of them on cars or women.
Actually we had one on the wife's car for a long trip and the paint clouded up very badly from it. I think it separated the clear coat from the base coat. It took a good weekend of rubbing and buffing to bring the paint back.
Hoffman 912 had a post a year or so ago where the same thing happened to his 912. Use at your own risk.

hoffman912

as pete mentioned, i know the pros and cons of hood bras all too well.

bras are really good, when worn correctly, and at the right times, and the owner uses his best judgment.

i was always great about being carful, and making sure not to have it on when it rained. i goofed one time.

the heat under the black bra, caused the metal to get really hot. the water from the rain got under the bra. no matter what kind of bra you use, this can happen, whether it be magnetic, or vynal, leather, whatever.

here is a message from a post i made a few mos ago.

ive always taken my bra off when done driving. and rarely drive in the rain. when i was at the south east 912 registry event in april.. it rained. the one time i leave my bra on, in the rain, in the 5 years i have owned her and this happens.



luckily, after alot of wax and elbow grease, the paint seems to be coming back. this is the right front fender. no waxing.

this is the front left fender after alot of waxing and elbow grease. (both fenders were equally as bad) all i can say is im lucky it can be brought back, but i have alot of waxing to do! hopfully my arms wont fall off when im finnished, so that i can at least enjoy and drive her!


LEARN A VERY IMPORTANT LESSON FROM THIS!!!!!!!!
I KNOW I HAVE!!!!

only have the bra on when its nice.. rain will cause whitening (moisture baked into the paint, as you see above), and also if you leave the bra on there when not driving, any moisture underneath can cause rust. take it off after each time you have driven it, or when it is raining.. no matter what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (again.. look at the pics above.. hopfuly they will scare sense into everyone, and this message can teach others the hard lesson i personally learned)

bras are not a bad thing. they can do alot to protect paint. BUT when used in correctly
they will cause more harm than good. use common sense and you will be fine.

btw.. what did i have to do to fix my paint....
alot of time, elbow grease, patience, prayer, ulcers (about worrying about an immaculate paint job done in 1983, that cost $6k when it was done, was ruined.) it is not 100%, and i doubt it can ever be brought back 100%, as if you look really closely you can still tell.

we got it to about 90% back, using 3m rubbing compound, 3m glaze, polishing compound, and zymol.. alot of work. still not 100% but this is a pic after we fixed it... took many weeks and lots of work.


btw i still do use my car Bra. it does help alot against chips, bugs, etc.. however.. using a bra is kind of like going out drinking...
if you act responsibly, you will have no problems. if you dont act responsible, you will be in deep ****. bras can do more harm than good, if one is not responsible.

please excuse the rant, but i hope this can really help you out. please, learn from my mistake!!!!!!!

Dales944

I've heard the front end will sag over the years if a bra is not used.

hoffman912

btw the process to fix whitening is hard work, but fixable.


we went to an automotive paint supplier, (where you can get all the equipment and paints etc for when you paint the car yourself), told them what happened this is what they told us would be the best thing to do.

what you need are

1)porter cable buffer or any other power orbital buffer
2) 3M rubbing compund
3) 3M glaze
4) wax (pic your favorite carnuba)
*5) polish (we did this just for good measure, but was not mentioned to us, so this is optional, but the rest is madatory to bring the paint back.)

A) now what you do is wash it etc..

B)use the buffer on the car with 3M rubbing compund. this will get it out for the most part.

C) buffer with glaze. this will continue to bring the paint back, and will take away any and all the swirl marks that occour with step B.

D) polish and or wax (we did this part by hand).

it is good to just do the whole car rather than the one spot, so that the whole car has the same continuous condition of paint, and further more if you are going to go this far, might as well get the rest of the car to look as good. (AND YES IT WILL LOOK DAMN GOOD!)

not this is not 100%. but on one small spot on the right fender, in the right light if you look very very very carefuly you can barely tell, and i mean barely. but it is only on that one spot.

(look again at pics.. before and after fixing it)

before



after the above steps were taken to fix it

Matt H

An even better method for removal is wet sanding, skip all other steps, buff, wax.
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hoffman912

wet sanding is even worse on the paint. not to mention the moisture is baked into the paint.

the best way is to bake it out. have a paint shop use a heat gun. (obviously this is only somthing a pro should do, unless you have the equip and are very comfoprtable doing this)