996 Turbo Cab: The Girl Next Door with Steven Pham

[MarcHarris]

wow really great job guys! The clarity and reflections looking amazing. I love the way you restored the original factory look to the top!

Much appreciated - I think the owner is quite satisfied with the car and is glad to have the top taking care of.

NIce job, Nice garage to btw im jealous of that garage lol

Thanks

Another phenomenal job guys! :2thumbs:

I'd like to take that girl out on a date sometime!

Thanks a lot Chad - you and me both man!

Nice job Marc, Jacob, and Steven. That car turned out great - especially the hair.

Thanks a lot Shaun and hope things are going well with the supercar you've been handling. No doubt Steven / Mark will bring out the true beauty of her.

Very nice...Love the photos...:spot

Thanks Pat!

Very nice work!:2thumbs::2thumbs::2thumbs:

Much appreciated :getdown

I could see myself marrying a girl like this...



Awesome write up and pictures! Quick question: Any engine bay before/afters?

You and I both... Nope - only thing we did engine bay related was to cut a strip of paint protection film to cover an area there was rubbing between the rear hood and bumper.

Ok this is it. With outstanding work again from the AutoLavish Duo Makes me think I need to step up my game now. How am I suppose to post here when you guys keep raising the bar with every post. Another outstanding detail, yet again. Thanks for sharing. I can only hope the Black Porsche I have coming in tonight will present itself this nice when I'm done. On a side note, What kinda of flooring does Jacob have in his garage?

Barry, thanks a lot man. I always appreciate your enthusiasm. I'm trying to work something out now with scheduling the Ford GTTT and I'll let you know about it soon.

Awesome work on a gorgeous car I take it you used Raggtopp protectant on the top? Did you spray it on and then went over it with a brush? I'm asking as I'm taking delivery of my new convertible next weekend and am new to the Raggtopp products



Very nice garage btw, looks like a great place to work in.

Jeroen, yes we used Raggtopp cleaner and protectant. Follow the directions and you should be fine.

The cleaner is universal so it won't matter what type of top material you have. The conditioner/protectant will depend on your specific top material, so make sure you get the right product for your ride.

On this Porsche, I sprayed the product on (after masking around), let sit for 5-10 minutes, then brushed in straight lines to get any droplets to lay flat. After 15 minutes, I gave a second light coat to insure even application and additional durability. Just like wax/sealant on your paint: you're better off with two even thin layers.

As a head's up - do this ASAP on your top once you have your car to keep the top protected, which will help prevent fading.



Congrat's on the new convertible btw :spot

Gah! She doesn't look that old? does that mean you guys are pedifiles? or are car years kinda like dog years?haha! j/k amazing job!

No no no - car years aren't like human years. I figure most cars will only last 15-20 years, so a 6 year old Porsche is like a 18-22 year old :xyxthumbs

Well done!

Thanks

Your humor cracks me up...

Once again, another great job guys!

Thank you Jason - gotta have fun man! No doubt you're staying busy and keep in mind: I know a couple of photographers that'd like to work with you.

outstanding results!



i think i counted 29 gallons of product above those cabinets!!!!!!

It's not just about having a bunch of stuff - it's about keeping proper inventory

Looks like you did a great job :2thumbs:



Do you know what kind of flashes he used.

Not sure, but I'll try to have him stop in here and let you know.

Superb work as usual Marc, pics look great as well!

Thanks a bunch bro - hope things are well for you Dave

Outstanding job, guys! What were your average readings on the car?

Appreciated it Aaron. Normal Porsche readings: 95-135 microns with most being 110-120.

My goodness, that is nice! I think that's one of the best plates I've evar seen...really likin' it!

Thanks for taking a look and for the kind words Tom

 

[dmw2692004]

awesome job! that paint looks great! Quick question.. does that garage floor get super slick with water?

 

[imported_d00t]

Appreciated it Aaron. Normal Porsche readings: 95-135 microns with most being 110-120.

Ah ok. The one I did was around 80-95. Needless to say I won't be polishing it anymore =/

 

[JohnKleven]

Awesome work, and fantastic pictures. Makes me miss my 996TT. It got a coat of Vintage every week when I washed it.

 

[DaGonz]

Another awesome job! :drool::spot

 

[Jeroen]

Jeroen, yes we used Raggtopp cleaner and protectant. Follow the directions and you should be fine.

The cleaner is universal so it won't matter what type of top material you have. The conditioner/protectant will depend on your specific top material, so make sure you get the right product for your ride.

On this Porsche, I sprayed the product on (after masking around), let sit for 5-10 minutes, then brushed in straight lines to get any droplets to lay flat. After 15 minutes, I gave a second light coat to insure even application and additional durability. Just like wax/sealant on your paint: you're better off with two even thin layers.

As a head's up - do this ASAP on your top once you have your car to keep the top protected, which will help prevent fading.



Congrat's on the new convertible btw :spot

Thanks, yeah looking forward to the car, not the best weather now though lol

Thanks a lot for the info on the Raggtopp stuff, car has a fabric top. Asked my supplier for the fabric protectant and they have it in stock in about two weeks, so will order soon.

 

[a_guerrajr]

you guys do great work.



Good write up too!



what do you guys use for wheel/tire covers?

 

[Alex Boyce]

wow, as always great work Marc and Jacob!!! I would love to travel to the other side of the state to see you guys in action. Great photos Steven, those pictures are amazing, wonderful job of capturing what this girl was transformed into.

 

[Apollo_Auto]

Dribble, spurt, drool... me loooooooves that car!! Awesome work men! The neighbors don't fcuk with you guys for doing cars there? Lucky if no... mine insists on letting me know that it bothers her... when I wash MY OWN car. Old hag.

 

[imported_artikxscout]

it's always confuses me to see someone wash the car inside their garage. It's just weird, but it seems like you guys got it down to a science.



Another thing I noticed, 17 inch DSII spoke e36 m3 wheels... drool. I miss my car and those wheels.



Other than that, great job on the car! You know what lens he was using for that shoot?

 

[Petrucci_M3]

Excellent work and what a great write up!

 

[jlb85]

Hi guys, though I'd chime in here on the garage.



Thanks for the compliments! This is the most organized place in my house, and it is a challenge to keep on top of it. So if it shows well, I'm happy I've been able to do it.



The floor is from FloorJunkies, a simple and cheap plastic tile system. Just throw down over concrete, done. We installed the floor in a matter of hours. I got the diamond plate design to help grip when wet. I got them white to reflect as much light as possible for detailing, and to be able to spot dropped bolts and nuts when working under the hood. I do a lot of mechanical stuff to my own cars, use jacks and jack-stands. If there is one thing I do not like about the floor, it is that it is not as thick as it should be, and the plastic buckles and shifts under weight. I have seen more expensive tile systems do similar, so it might be an issue with it being a full floating design.



When it s wet, it does get slippery. But you adjust to it just like walking on snow. Use good shoes. But it gets downright dangerous if any dressings fall on it. My driveway is stained from ASD since I no longer spray inside anymore.



The tiles also stain easily. Oil, grease, and tire marks are abundant now. I use some simple green and a floor brush with the pressure washer every time I can. I squeegee out the water, and the floor dries overnight.





Other than that, the garage is set up to be water resistant. Anything touching the floor is plastic, and most things (even the shelving) is slightly lifted off the ground. Using a pressure washer indoors is the best way to wash inside. Although it may seem counterintuitive, pressure washers have less flow, so there is actually less water used. Plus the atomization (fan) of the spray means the water is thrown less far. This helps keep the walls dry (which are painted by spray gun with paint made to withstand heavy water usage, and sealed with rubber baseboard runners). In winter, the garage stays about 55 to 65 degrees depending on how much sun we get, which makes for comfortable detailing. The garage door will get insulated soon. I have the "kit", but it has been too cold to install (condensation buildup and poor tape adhesion).





It is a tight space, so I tried to keep everything up against a wall or the ceiling. I can fit 2 cars and my 2 motorcycles if I wanted to, just takes a little effort. But with just one car inside, there is plenty of space to move about with hoses and extension cables. The Oak cabinets are from the kitchen. The plastic cabinets are from HD, and the upper shelving was custom by me The tire racks are from TireRack and have very sharp edges. I used my old Absorbers wrapped around the corners to help dampen the blows to the head.



Above the tires is a Wills Wing Falcon 195 hang glider, which gets almost zero usage

Another thing I noticed, 17 inch DSII spoke e36 m3 wheels... drool. I miss my car and those wheels.

They are from my E36 M3. I had two sets of staggered DS2's, and made them 2 sets of wide and skinnies. 8.5's are used all around for summer and track tires. The 7.5's were used for snow tires, but now they carry drift tires. They are for sale (sorta) since I need wider wheels now!

 

[MarcHarris]

Thanks, yeah looking forward to the car, not the best weather now though lol

Thanks a lot for the info on the Raggtopp stuff, car has a fabric top. Asked my supplier for the fabric protectant and they have it in stock in about two weeks, so will order soon.

Understandable. Its a long Summer though, so no doubt you'll get a nice chance to enjoy the 'vert.

you guys do great work.

Good write up too!

what do you guys use for wheel/tire covers?

Thanks a lot. The wheel covers were purchased from Harbor Freight

wow, as always great work Marc and Jacob!!! I would love to travel to the other side of the state to see you guys in action. Great photos Steven, those pictures are amazing, wonderful job of capturing what this girl was transformed into.

Much appreciated. If you're ever on our side of the state, give me a call! When we're on the west side, we're usually in Grand Rapids.

Dribble, spurt, drool... me loooooooves that car!! Awesome work men! The neighbors don't fcuk with you guys for doing cars there? Lucky if no... mine insists on letting me know that it bothers her... when I wash MY OWN car. Old hag.

Thanks a lot Jesse. No real problems with the neighbors. We're usually mobile anyways, and when we do work out of the house, its during the day and many times the garage door is closed anyways.

it's always confuses me to see someone wash the car inside their garage. It's just weird, but it seems like you guys got it down to a science.

Another thing I noticed, 17 inch DSII spoke e36 m3 wheels... drool. I miss my car and those wheels.

Other than that, great job on the car! You know what lens he was using for that shoot?

Lol, I hear you, but luckily everything is set-up to support it. Not sure on the lens, let me get back on that.

Excellent work and what a great write up!

Thank you! I look forward to seeing what you have next as well :xyxthumbs