Front boot painting

[210bhp]

There are a lot of excellent examples of detailed restoration projects on this forum, some of them to very exacting standards, following months of research in some cases. There are threads which have detailed examples of how to replicate the underbody factory finish and a wealth of information on professional looking paint jobs. There are are also several examples of how to reproduce the colour and finish on fuel tanks using different techniques. The results are always amazing but,

With such attention to many details my question is this,

Why doesn't anybody try to replicate the factory finish in the boot area........
i.e. A 'thin, matt' body colour finish with black on the strut tops rather than the full on colour as per the exterior panels?

Regards
Mike

[Lightweight_911]

I think it's because when people are undertaking a complete (from bare metal) restoration, they can't bring themselves to duplicate the original (poorly-finished) appearance in that area.

[912uk]

I just painted Satin Black, it's neat, clean and under the carpet, plus it's as close as it was orginaly.

[210bhp]

Sorry Mark, I should have specified I was talking about later cars with faint body finish in the boot.


It seems odd to me that we are sticklers for correct date stamps on parts,correct stickers, correct finish on wheels, the correct one year only engine lid grilles, correct tyres sizes, correct date stamp and part number steering wheels etc etc................and yet you take one look at a painted 'trunk' and it just doesn't look 'correct'.

It can't be that difficult to replicate.

Regards
Mike

[912uk]

arrr now I do know what you mean as Terry showed me a Yellow RS 73 being painted in his work shop and the owner wanted this dust coating on the inside ( eg trunk area ) and engine bay area etc etc. Sort of an unfinished look

[Gary71]

Interesting one, I think most people don't do it because it looks nasty, correct or not Original it may have been, but I couldn't leave my boot looking like this: (Don't mention the rust colour!)

[Nick Moss]

I think it's because when people are undertaking a complete (from bare metal) restoration, they can't bring themselves to duplicate the original (poorly-finished) appearance in that area.

Andy has it spot on. Given the option of the original factory finish in the luggage area and underneath, or full body colour, the customer invariably opts for the full colour. It also happens on the earlier cars, which should be black in the luggage, engine and underbody, but are usually painted body colour.

[hot66]

even though I love original cars, if I ever did a full on resto on my 2.4S it would be full exterior quality paint in the 'trunk' & engine bay , just because I think it looks better

[58A - 71E]

I should have specified I was talking about later cars with faint body finish in the boot.

Anyone know when they changed from all black to include the body finish?

[Ferry Man]

I confess that when Nick restored my 2.4S he offered to replicate the factory finish in the boot.
I’m sure that early911, with their knowledge and in-house paint spraying, could match the original.
I declined.
Why end up with a poorly painted car? Just to match a poorly painted original?
Porsche saved a few quid on every car by not painting fully.
They made tens of thousands of cars a year. They saved money.
You’d save what? £1? £5?
The answer is: how far do you want to chase after originality.
Even Mike (who’s quite mad enough) will sacrifice some little points of originality if it makes a better car. I would too (and did).
I also chose to have the engine bay in body colour. Why brush paint it black when you’ve just bare metal restored to a perfect body colour. By the following year the factory did it that way anyway.
A lot of ’73 cars should be running on ‘cookie cutters’. Do you ever see any? No, because the ‘fuchs’ wheel is the iconic wheel for early 911’s. They look better.
Why would you want your car to appear original if most people considered it to look a lesser car?

[early_911]

[Ferry Man]

Phil, it's a lovely car you've got there....

[Ralph]

I would agree, I think that it looks much better painted - why skimp? Here's mine so far:

[oliveR]

Paint it black!!!

[Alan @ CanfordClassics]

H,

Just for file, this is a late 71 car with original finish under the bonnet.



But as others have mentioned I also prefer the full colour

This is not to say all cars are done this way. We restored a 72 E where the customer specifically requested a black engine bay.

HTH

Alan