Those nasty cloudy center caps. Don't put the lens restore kit away quite yet..
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Those nasty cloudy center caps. Don't put the lens restore kit away quite yet..
So my center caps were looking a bit aged and before forking up the cash to get nice new original Porsche center caps. I figure why not give the old ones a once over buff with the headlight restore kit sanding pads. Figured since the top layer of the original center caps look like they are clear plastic. So I went to town masking the surrounding area then sanding the center logo and increasing the grit just like it's done when using them to do headlight restoration. After a few short minutes, bling and the caps were looking like new. Tossed a coat of Armor-All extreme shine spray to finish off the new shinny look and now they are as good as new for a few more miles. Just wanted to share in case anyone else was in the same boat and was debating on paying the Porsche royalties for original Porsche parts on those center caps.
*Also if your center caps are loose just apply a little bit of hot air via a heat gun to bend the retainer prongs back. Just be careful not to over heat or melt the prong. I had one that would not stay in the infamous center cap position. But now it's tight and stays in place.
Last edited by Device2; 03-03-2017 at 04:18 PM.
#7
Nordschleife Master
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Zuffenhausen, Georgia
Posts: 5,345
Received 1,895 Likes
on
1,036 Posts
Just like 91One's recent thread... this is what happened to my OEM center caps. The darn crest came unglue and flew off. Uggh! You'd think Porsche would use something more than just glue for those metal crests.
Trending Topics
#8
Rennlist Member
^This^ I refinished my center crests as well - they came out nice. Shortly therafter one of the crests flew off. I was able to find a fairly nice replacement for about $30 on ebay, and I felt "whole again" Then I lost another... Maybe I'll just break down and buy a new set
#9
Instructor
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If they're original, I'd pop the crests off, refinish them, then reglue. I've lost 3 crests already, must be a bunch of porsche crests littering the roadways out there.
#10
Nordschleife Master
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Zuffenhausen, Georgia
Posts: 5,345
Received 1,895 Likes
on
1,036 Posts
I just refinished some old 993 versions that look really good on the wheels. But I also bought some Chinese knock offs. They work fine, but the fit is not perfect. They're like 1-2mm off around the edge.
Here's a picture of them...
Here's a picture of them...
#11
Racer
Thread Starter
B3, I will heed to your warning and make sure mine are attached well and not be another contributor to the liberated Porsche crest movement that now roam free through the highways and byways.
That original adhesive looks like a shot of glue from an old hot glue gun.. Cough, I mean special Porsche proprietary special adhesive. Lol.
That original adhesive looks like a shot of glue from an old hot glue gun.. Cough, I mean special Porsche proprietary special adhesive. Lol.
#13
Instructor
#14
Drifting
^This^ I refinished my center crests as well - they came out nice. Shortly therafter one of the crests flew off. I was able to find a fairly nice replacement for about $30 on ebay, and I felt "whole again" Then I lost another... Maybe I'll just break down and buy a new set
B3, I will heed to your warning and make sure mine are attached well and not be another contributor to the liberated Porsche crest movement that now roam free through the highways and byways.
That original adhesive looks like a shot of glue from an old hot glue gun.. Cough, I mean special Porsche proprietary special adhesive. Lol.
That original adhesive looks like a shot of glue from an old hot glue gun.. Cough, I mean special Porsche proprietary special adhesive. Lol.
#15
Drifting
Once you have the crests clean, you can keep them that way permanently by spraying them with Krylon Crystal Clear (). This stuff is different from regular clear coat paint. Clear coat goes on very thick and it would be obvious that they are coated. With the Crystal Clear, it goes on super thin, so that you really can't tell that anything is on it, but it protects the surface. It also enhances the color/gloss a bit, but it doesn't look like it is coated with anything. Once the Crystal Clear is dry, it's good to top it with wax as an extra layer protection. As thin as this stuff goes on, I would still only coat the crest rather than the entire wheel center.
I have used the Crystal Clear for a lot of other things. I had a copper street number emblem that was too shiny when I got it, but looked great after a week or so of aging, and then started to look started to look pretty bad as it darkened further and unevenly. I polished the copper to make it clean again, then let it age a few days until it had just the right amount of darkening, then sealed it with the Crystal Clear and it locked in that color and still looks the same 2 years later. This is bare solid copper and you really can't tell that there is a coating on it.
I have used the Crystal Clear for a lot of other things. I had a copper street number emblem that was too shiny when I got it, but looked great after a week or so of aging, and then started to look started to look pretty bad as it darkened further and unevenly. I polished the copper to make it clean again, then let it age a few days until it had just the right amount of darkening, then sealed it with the Crystal Clear and it locked in that color and still looks the same 2 years later. This is bare solid copper and you really can't tell that there is a coating on it.