Even though I'm changing colors from green to silver, I'm thinking of retaining the original door jam sticker. Don't know how well it would look after painting, but I was wondering what would be the best approach to mask it, yet minimize any masking reveal (yeah I know the punched numbers will show green, but that's ok). Some sort of low retention clear masking pre-cut to the exact size?? Suggestions?

Thanks,

Andys

Yes Don't color change your 914 and don't mask off the sticker, replace it.

Get a roll of green masking tape, put a strip over the sticker and carefully, using an exacto knife (pen knife) trim around the sticker.

Tightly mask around the perimeter of the sticker with blue 3M tape. Coat the entire sticker with a thick coat of vaseline, overlapping the tape about 1/4". Carefully peel away the tape, leaving the sticker coated. Paint will not penetrate the vaseline. When you're done with the painting carefully wipe off the vaseline. I suggest you test this method out before using it on the car to satisfy yourself that it works.

[quote name='dr914@autoatlanta.com' date='Mar 24 2010, 12:52 PM' post='1291357']

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Yes Don't color change your 914 and don't mask off the sticker, replace it.
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I'm not familiar with the significance of the punched numbers. VIN? Color? How would a replacement sticker be number-punched if they are significant?

Andys

Probally look better with it off. You'll have raised paint around it when you mask. You can get a new one from Porsche that has the vin number on it, except I believe it will be white.

Airbrush folks use regular blue or green 3m tape and reduce the stickyness by first sticking it on their jeans to let it grab some cloth fibers so it won't pull fresh paint. If the color showing through is a problem a small touchup brush in the holes and a quick wipe will fix the hole problem. Careful triming with the exacto knife especially around the corners will work. The replacement stickers are better than nothing but aren't original exactly but it is really just a mfg. safety compliance sticker. If the sticker is already scratched or ragged it's probably not worth saving.

Hey its your car.
Paint it if you want.
If you decide to sell it later,
most buyers will want the original color.
I would take green any day.
It shines well and stands out.
Silver on the other hand fades.
Anyway its you car do what you want.
John

Andy - I masked over mine with the green 3M tape to shoot the color. We then took the tape off and shot the clear coat right over it. It's not stock but it's preserved and looks nice. You can come take a look if you want.

Steve, when you have a moment, do you think you could snap a photo of the treatment? I'm curious what the sticker looks like with clear over it. Thanks!

For the door and vin stickers, I just used the 3M "delicate surface" blue tape, and cut around the sticker with an exacto knife. When I was done painting a few months later, I cut around the sticker again (since the paint had hardened) and peeled it up. Came up perfect.
Zach

Steve,

I never looked at yours to see how it turned out. I'll stop by on my usual Sat. morning coffee run.

For those that masked using the 3M blue/green tape, how exactly did you trim the tape relative to the sticker if the tape is on top of it?

John, I never really wanted to do a color change (it's against my principals), but in this case there was a substantial degree of bodywork required as well as a flare installation, so about 2/3 of the car needed to be stripped anyway. It's also a LS1 V8 conversion car. As for the color choice, some like green, others like orange, etc. etc. Being in SoCal (near the high desert) a light colored car is a distinct advantage. I chose silver; it's agruably the most popular color choice of potential buyers.

Andys

Actually Andy & number 6 I was wrong. I meant to clear coat over the sticker but Steve worked fo fast with the paint that I neglected to get the tape off before he clear coated. I wish I would have done that. I might still come back and shoot the jam one more time with the clear.

I've used the gold fine line masking tape for the edges and then the regular 3m masking tape.

Shoot your color coats and then remove the tape before you shoot the clear.

I'm not a fan of color changes, even though I've done it before, but it's your car and you are the one you are building it for.

Masking tape set just INSIDE of the edges, trim the top and bottom so they are INSIDE of the edges of the sticker. THEN go around the edges with a fine line tape. Make certain the corners are STUCK. They like to lift. What this allows, is for uo to paint, clear then while the clear is still wet/tacky, pull the fine line tape only. The clear will lay down and adhere to the edge of the sticker. By clearing OVER the sticker, you are almost definitley creating a lifting issue down the road, as the paint will not adhere properlky to the sticker itself.

I masked this one:

Thanks Scotty, I like your approach.

Andys

Hi Andys! Silver...what color did you go with? Are you going to the WCR, I can't wait to see your car.
Mark

I'm going with Porsche GT Silber (silver); it's not so pale like many other silver colors. Yeah, I can't wait to see it too WCR is a no-go for me, as my daughter's school is still in session. If it were planned a little later then I would likely have gone.

Andys