So I bought this 86 NA last year so far I have rebuilt basically the entire drivetrain. Fixed all the AC blend doors and such as well. The interior is real nice dash is clean. Only some cracks on the drivers seat.
My thought was to repaint it in the original color of kalhari metallic. It looks ok right now but the paint has a lot of cracking in it down low. It also appears the hood has been repainted at some point. Ive been also told the car can only be original once and I should keep it this way. It does show well and its hard to see the flaws with this color. Heres my poll so far
Keep original leave it alone
Strip and repaint original color
Scuff and clear it as is to maintain its originality.
Keeping original paint or not?
It mostly depends on how the car makes you feel. It also matters if you are going to keep it or eventually sell it. If it looked OK to me, I would get an expert to buff and polish it. If I was going to sell in 3 years, I would paint it and stick with the original color.
82 911SC Targa 5 speed
87 944 Coupe 5 speed
86 928 Auto
89 Carrera Silver Anniversary Cab
95 993 Coupe 5 speed
99 996 Coupe 6 speed
19 991 Cabriolet PDK
87 944 Coupe 5 speed
86 928 Auto
89 Carrera Silver Anniversary Cab
95 993 Coupe 5 speed
99 996 Coupe 6 speed
19 991 Cabriolet PDK
I was on that same path to respray to the original sapphire on mine after the previous repaint went south.
I walked into a porsche dealership to pick up a new windshield and there was a 911 in a pts color that i just had to have. It was closer to the original sapphire, but has a lot more shades at different light angles.
So I went with the pts color in my profile pic and get lots of compliments. Very happy with my decision.
I walked into a porsche dealership to pick up a new windshield and there was a 911 in a pts color that i just had to have. It was closer to the original sapphire, but has a lot more shades at different light angles.
So I went with the pts color in my profile pic and get lots of compliments. Very happy with my decision.
1986 951 - Silicon Valley
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walfreyydo
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Id opt for original paint color (unless you plan to also paint the engine bay). Theres nothing worse than having a car whos engine bay is original paint and the rest of the car doesnt match, imo. I think it would also help the resale value, if that were to ever be a concern.
Such is the case for my car unfortunately, and Id much prefer the original color of the engine bay (Glacier Metallic) matched the rest of the car.
Such is the case for my car unfortunately, and Id much prefer the original color of the engine bay (Glacier Metallic) matched the rest of the car.
89 S2 Variocam, Megasquirt DIYPNP
Garage
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Personally, I’d start with a good cutting and buffing process to see if the original finish can be corrected. I’m always amazed at what can be done with some compounds, a DA buffer, and a few hours of careful work. If the hood has already been repainted, it’s not fully original at this point, so if the current condition is bothering you it’s probably enough to make that leap.
When going the full respray route, I’d just make sure to select a body shop with a solid reputation, and if they’ve redone 944s before, even better. A bad respray can negatively impact value more than the original patina’d finish would, if resale value is a concern.
When going the full respray route, I’d just make sure to select a body shop with a solid reputation, and if they’ve redone 944s before, even better. A bad respray can negatively impact value more than the original patina’d finish would, if resale value is a concern.
Of the choices presented:
Scuff and clear is an absolute non starter, for many so reasons, I won't begin to list them.
Leaving it alone is fine, especially if the soft trims are in good condition. Really depends on your goals. The Porsche metallic golds and silvers of the era can get crazing in the basecoat and it's not known to be fixable.
New paint is a great option providing it's done properly with the body fully dis-assembled. That means glass out, except for windshield, and every trim removed. Fenders and doors are negotiable based on condition but ideally are removed. These cars look remarkable with a fresh, deep base and wet clear, however, do not allow your car to be stripped or sanded to metal. The substrate layers used by Porsche in the day cannot easily be duplicated today so best to protect and coat over them. Be sure to budget for all new soft trims also.
Scuff and clear is an absolute non starter, for many so reasons, I won't begin to list them.
Leaving it alone is fine, especially if the soft trims are in good condition. Really depends on your goals. The Porsche metallic golds and silvers of the era can get crazing in the basecoat and it's not known to be fixable.
New paint is a great option providing it's done properly with the body fully dis-assembled. That means glass out, except for windshield, and every trim removed. Fenders and doors are negotiable based on condition but ideally are removed. These cars look remarkable with a fresh, deep base and wet clear, however, do not allow your car to be stripped or sanded to metal. The substrate layers used by Porsche in the day cannot easily be duplicated today so best to protect and coat over them. Be sure to budget for all new soft trims also.
I am most likely going to repaint it. All glass will be removed including the windshield and all the trim ect. Looking deeper into it it looks like the entire front has already been repainted at some point in its life. I did not see any evidence of repairs anywhere when I had the front apart and the motor out.
That approach worked well for me. One thing my paint shop did was a quick paint depth assessment before they gave me an estimate. We found some potential problem areas, but nothing that was a showstopper and no need for full paint removal.seiplej wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 6:53 am I am most likely going to repaint it. All glass will be removed including the windshield and all the trim ect. Looking deeper into it it looks like the entire front has already been repainted at some point in its life. I did not see any evidence of repairs anywhere when I had the front apart and the motor out.
1986 951 - Silicon Valley