Oakes -Detailed: 997 Porsche Carrera 4S High Mile Revival

**OakesDetail** · 09-11-2010, 06:24 PM

This 72k mile daily driver, was clearly showing it`s use, as expected. Definitely not abused, however, it needed some revival. We spent quite a bit of time restoring this beauty to factory like condition. The wheels came off, the top was treated, the mufflers were polished in the wheel wells, as well as the control arms and a-arms and so on! The leather was brought back to it`s delicious tan color and the paint looking fresh. The pics do a lot of the talking here, so check it out!

Products used:

Meguairs M105 + purple wool pad

Meguairs M105 + yellow pad

Menzerna 203 + orange pad

Menzerna 106 + white pad

Menzerna 106 + black pad

Meguairs M38 trim dressing

Meguairs Wheel Brightener

Meguairs Super Degreaser

Meguairs Last Touch

Meguairs APC

Mink oil leather conditioner

P21S Paint cleanser

P21S TAW

P21S Polishing soap

Stoners Tarminator

3M Adhesive remover

CG Citruswash Clear

CG Wheel cleaner

CG Diablo Wheel gel

#000 steel wool

Plexus clear bra cleaner

RAGGTOPP Fabric Protectant

RAGGTOPP Fabric/Vinyl Cleaner

Sonus green ultrafine clay

CG Maxisuds clay solution

Collonite 476 (for rims)

Wolfgang Fuzion wax

Sprayway ammonia free window cleaner

Rejex

Might be other products

Procedure: We took care of the convertible top by first spraying with Raggtop cleaner, agitating with swissvax brushes and then rinsing. The car was pre-rinsed, soaked with TAW and left to dwell for a couple minutes while misting to keep from drying. Afterward the car was rinsed off, washed with citrus based car soap and lambs wool mitts. Once rinsed, vehicle was clayed, good amount of contamination on it. Car was then dried and all water was blown out. Convertible top was sprayed with fabric protectant and removed per instructions on the product. After it top dried with air, it was covered up and taped off. Car was moved to polishing area, put on jack stands and all wheels were removed for cleaning. Wheels were cleaned then sprayed with Tarminator to remove all tar, then cleaned more. The final cleaning with wheel cleaner removed all previously used chemicals, then dried and waxed with collonite wax for protection. Exhaust tips were cleaned. While the wheels were being cleaned, wheel wells were cleaned and dressed; control arms and exhaust tanks were polished; calipers cleaned and sealed with Rejex. The wheels were put back on, the car was lowered and wheels were taped off to prevent dusting during polishing stage. At this point, the car was ready for polishing but first, the interior needed to be cleaned. The leather was cleaned with Meguairs APC solution and then conditioned with Mink Oil. The interior and floor mats were vacuumed. We tried several polishing combinations on several panels and used what worked best. Plastic panels were polished with wool pad and M105, then Menzerna 203 and then Menzerna 106. Final stage of polishing was done in 2 steps. Menzerna 106 with white pad until polish broke down then switched to black pad to finish polishing for maximum results. Some were done with yellow instead of wool because the paint was softer and not as damaged. Menzerna 203 and 106 was used on the car as the medium and final polish. After all of the polishing was done, the clear bra was polished/cleaned with plexus product then wiped down with alcohol mix and polished with Menzerna 106 and a green pad. This made huge improvement on clarity of clear bra. The tail lights were polished with the same products as rest of the car. Car was then paint cleansed and waxed with Wolfgang Fuzion wax. We let the wax cure for half hour before rinsing the car off with water and drying. The front and rear engine compartments were dressed and all of the jambs and glass were cleaned.

Onto the pictures.

Couple before pics

Convertible top treatment

Clay bar after a panel

Interior before, after and 50/50

Taillights before/ after

Wheels before/after

After waxing

Wheel wells

Exhaust tips

Front and Rear engine compartments before/after

**OakesDetail** · 09-11-2010, 06:25 PM

Clear bra cleaning/polishing 50/50

Correction pictures: before/after and 50/50

**Knox Details** · 09-11-2010, 06:31 PM

WOW! thats excellent work man! how many hours did this take all in all?

**OakesDetail** · 09-11-2010, 06:41 PM

Reflection/Final pictures

Spent about 32 hours on this car over 2 day period

**imported_DJ Mayo** · 09-11-2010, 10:35 PM

Awesome job, bud. Huge turnaround.

**OakesDetail** · 09-12-2010, 10:06 AM

Thanks DJ!

**imported_DJ Mayo** · 09-12-2010, 11:25 AM

Question though, why so many aggressive steps? Were some of these spot polishing, or was the entire car that whole process? Just curious as I have only worked on 1 Porsche that wasn`t "soft" paint, but it only required SIP / orange and 106 / black. Great job again.

**OakesDetail** · 09-12-2010, 03:40 PM

It was more spot polishing in some areas, the sides were really beat up by the car wash brushes. The hood came up almost perfect with just 203, so it was different adjustments here and there. The car never had a correction in 72k miles and almost 5 years so definitely had more damage in some areas. Overall though, the paint shouldnt have needed more than SIP for the most part.