Painting a 944

Introduction

This article is not a guide to painting a 944 yourself. It is intended to inform 944 owners of what a proper paint job on this vehicle actually requires — particularly for owners commissioning body shop work. Shops without experience on 944s frequently underestimate the labor involved and underbid the job, leading to shortcuts and unsatisfactory results. Understanding the scope of the job helps ensure the shop you choose is equipped to do it correctly.

Preparation

Ninety percent of a quality paint job is preparation. On a 944, preparation is particularly involved because many body parts must be removed and painted separately for professional results. This makes the process labor-intensive.

Front of the Vehicle

• Remove the headlight covers and the nose panel (where removable — on 924s and early 944s the nose panel is not removable and must be painted on the car).
• Remove all front ground effects. On normally aspirated 944s, this means the front spoiler and front bumper. Remove lights and bumper pads from the bumper.
• On Turbo models, remove the fog lights and front bumper cover.
• On all models, remove the side marker lights.

Middle of the Vehicle

• Remove the mirrors and door handles.
• Remove the trim pieces on the roof.
• Remove the sunroof and all seals in the sunroof area. Paint the sunroof off the car.

Rear of the Vehicle

• Remove the hatch.
• Remove the tail lights, license plate assembly, bumper cover, ground effects, and side markers.

Surface Preparation

After all necessary parts have been removed, all surfaces should be sanded, dents and dings repaired, and primer applied.

To ensure a perfect painting surface, the car should be "blocked" after priming. This process involves applying a second coat of primer in a contrasting color. The body is then hand-sanded. Where the top primer color sands away and the base color shows through unevenly, the surface is not level — those areas can be identified and leveled before the final color coat is applied.

Painting

Once all surfaces are properly prepared, the actual painting is relatively straightforward. The preparation is what determines the outcome.