MARC A. 964 C4

Restoration of the black enamelled stainless steel foreword edging strip on a soft top 911/964.

Dear Fellow Rag Toppers...Part II (for jimq as promised)

Okay, let’s start your restoration of the black enamelled stainless steel foreword edging strip. REMEMBER... Once you start there’s no turning back... BUT, if I can do it, so can you!!..


1. Needless to say first thing is to remove the edging strip. Now unscrew the two support holding rounded bolts from the structure. Lay out some old newspaper and make way for the mess to come. Put an old pair of gardening gloves on to prevent burns and cuts. And the most important, get comfortable because this will take some time. Music Maestro...

2. Chip away the fractured enamelled paint where possible. Don’t scrape the surface with knifes or screw drivers, I actually used a wooden sharp edged blade as from this point on, you must respect the surface not scratch it.

3. Brush a thick coat of paint remover over the surface and allow it to do the work, not you. As the paint starts to crinkle, remove it, do not let it dry and apply the paint remover again and let it work. Several coats later, a big gob of mess and you should end up with something that has no paint left on it and looks scary.

4. Now wet sanding begins. Move outside for a hose or use the bathtub, and wash the strip and bolts well. With some wet and dry, mid grit sand-paper (150-220), sand the chips and remaining specs of paint / primers off the strip. Again respect the surface, let the sandpaper do its job.

5. Still working in the water, get a few steel-wool SOS metal scouring pads and start working the pad's soap and cleaning the surfaces and all the little corners and under edges. You should now see your efforts brightening up. Come on make it lather!!.. Again respect the surface.

6. Not bad... Dry the water off and control your work. If there are any deep scratches or residues of paint or rust, work on them. As you approach the pay-off for this DIY, allow those artistic fingers to work the detailed finish a bit more.

7. Apply a metal polish, and work it over the surface. Let it dry and remove. Now this is a secret handed down to me from my, Scots Heritage... I used an old electric revolving head tooth brush to get into the nicks and crannies. Or a tooth brush will do just as well. Polish a couple of times to obtain the shine to be able to read your watch in.

8. And... Presto!!!... You are now the member of the, "Shiny stainless steel foreword edging strip club!!!

9. Screw back into place the two support holding rounded bolts, and with some nice new screws get ready to put the edging strip back into place. Obviously clean the locking mechanisms, a drip of oil in them, and remove any of the old black rubber packing (Sikaflex) that may be in the structure before fixing the edging strip back into place.

10. As the extreme edges are razor like (thus the gloves) apply a little dab of black rubber packing (Sikaflex) on the interior extreme surface tips, not too much now, because you’ll only have to wipe it off in a moment. Do not let it dry! Re-screw the edging strip back into its place and with rag in hand ( for the excess) wipe off the black rubber packing (Sikaflex) that’s coming out at the edges after being properly re-screwed into place. Another secret handed down to me from my, Belge Heritage... Put some spit on your favourite finger and wipe the black rubber packing (Sikaflex) off clean from the exterior edging. Try to end up with a smooth finish in those extreme edges. (top photo left edge)

11. With the stainless steel foreword edging strip back in place. The two support holding rounded bolts from the structure screwed back in, why not... One more metal polishing, and there you are... In only a few hours a unique one (2or3) of a kind, work of art, forever... ( lower photo)

Congratulations!!!...

Marc.

PS. Jim, or anyone else, if in need of help pls ask...

tafkai

marc ,
is this a restoration or a modification ???

Dunasso

Yea, it's a resto-mod,

Most of us who have that flaking black paint, strip off the rest and pollish. Other authenticists repaint after stripping. It looks nicer all pollished up like Marc has it. I did mine about 5 years ago and it still looks good, even with little maintainance.

Great write up Marc! Good to see you taking such an interest in keeping the car sharp. Wish I had the time; mine's falling slowly apart.

Duncan

Wachuko

"Resto-mod" I like the sound of that

Anything that makes it easier to maintain on the long run is great in my book... painting it would only delay the issue since the paint does not seem to stick for long. The alternative proposed/done by Marc sounds like a plan to me...

Thanks Marc!!

hawk911

yeah, I'm on board with that too. Just one more for the list. Good thing, cuz I was running out of projects.

jimq

maybe the weekend project

hawk911

Jim, isn't it done yet?

Jeremy Pinsly

Wow, that looks really nice.....

jimq

Its been to cold but going to be near 80 for the weekend. Got to get it all pretty for the Porsche corral at the 24 hr race in Daytona next weekend. Going to watch the Busch cars test this weekend at the track. My favorite season!!

ttAmerica RoadsterAWD

Sensational!

Jaime