Carpokes

I like working on my car. Rather I've learned to like it since sometimes the car requires a lot of work. Zen and the Art of Porsche Repair and all that. This isn't a new idea to anyone here I'm sure.

Last fall I resealed my hatch glass. Removed it from the frame. Cleaned and scraped all the old adhesive. Repainted the frame. Expanded the black margin a bit to make tinting the glass again a bit easier. Fixed the defrost grid where it was no longer conductive. Applied proper 3M primer for the proper 3M window urethane sticky goo. It was a process. And it worked! No leaks. It even looks good. I should make a post about it.

However, the part that ended up being the most difficult (for me) was tinting the da*m window. I went to YouTube University and ordered genuine film from a supplier on eBay. I bought the window tinter's starter kit from Amazon. I already had a heat gun. I thought I'd give it a shot. I mean, how hard could it be.

Hard. It's hard.

After more than a half dozen attempts to shrink the film to the contours of the rear glass, and spending a bunch of money on orders and re-orders of different brands of tint, expecting each different brand to be "easier", I was pretty bummed.

So I called a couple mobile tint guys. They didn't wanna do it. "Too Hard" they said.

So I called my local tint place. They've been there for decades. The guy on the phone said "Yes, bring in the glass and we can do it." Still, it defeated their guy who has been tinting cars since 2004. He said he thought the New Bug rear glass was hard, and the Corvette C6. But he couldn't do the 944 rear glass.

So, I went to YouTube University again, this time studying the "Split Tinting" technique, where multiple narrower sheets of tint film are used (vs one full-window sheet), hiding the seam along the defrost grid.

Holy forking shirt balls! That's where I should have started. It still took me the better part of an entire day to do it. But I did it!

I tried to do 2x 20" sections of film, hiding the split along one of the middle defrost lines. I got the top section shrunk without too much problem. But I just couldn't get the bottom section shrunk. I resorted to 3x sections. The 20" top section, and 2x smaller sections to cover the bottom.

Top section of tint already shrunk. Seam with next section will be at the 7th defrost line from the top, iirc. The white border you see is narrow vinyl electrical tape to serve as a high-contrast aide when trimming the film to the desired final size. Working on middle section of tint film. Seam with final section will be at 2nd defrost line from the bottom. Working on bottom section of tint film. Tint sections all shrunk. Dark bands are where they are currently overlapping and need to be trimmed with a sharp razor tool along a defrost line. I elevated the glass and put a number of flat flashlights under it to help visualize the defrost line. Overlapping sections trimmed. Sections of tint "reverse rolled" (with protective clear film still attached), then installed on the inside of the glass. Tint installed! Done!
If I ever have to do it again, and I might since this is really an example of one single successful effort, I'd order 20" tint film from eBay (which is cheaper than wider rolls). I'd make it easier for myself to shrink the top section by making it narrower, splitting at maybe the second defrost line from the top. Then I'd make the middle section wider, spanning between the 2nd-from-the-top and 2nd-from-the-bottom defrost line.

I'd also be incredibly overly careful about cat hair. Two strands of cat hair got into the finished product. They are in there now.

Still, the ultimate result falls well above the "Good 'Nuff" standard of quality I can live with.

Nice work!

Congratulations on the tinting. I recall that my new old 944 had the rear hatch tinted using the 3 film pieces method. It was the classic purple when I got it and I stripped off all the tint and have not replaced it. I would really be interested in the hatch reseal process you used as I have tried in the past and while it held for about a year, it started loosening up.
Thanks

The finished job looks great - well beyond your "Good 'Nuff" standard in my view. Amazing that you had the patience to stick with it until you figured it out. Good inspiration for others too.

Plus, your story-telling is always a fun read!

Tinting is one of those things that looks so easy, and in many ways is, but it's one of those skills that just requires time/practice to do it well. And as you noted, the rear window of a 944 is pretty much a 12 on the 1-10 scale of difficulty.

Don't forget to do your windshield, there are plenty of 'clear' tint options out there these days to stay legal, and it makes a HUGE difference (it's usually the biggest or 2nd biggest piece of glass on a car), I was skeptical at first, but finally did it on a car, and now I do it to every car. It should also help keep the dashboard looking good for longer, along with the rest of the interior.

Let me also second the request for the rear hatch seal process you used. There's a number available on the web; through enough effort I'm sure someone (maybe you!) has found a critical part of the process.

I hope that doesn't sound snarky or crappy, I'm genuinely interested in learning about how you went about it and, if your other work is any guide, seems like it has a good chance at some longevity.

Cheers

Zirconocene wrote: Tue Jul 11, 2023 3:27 pm Let me also second the request for the rear hatch seal process you used.

Let me also tag @zooklm1.

Cool! It'll take me a couple days to do a proper pictorial write up. I used basically the procedure(s) we've seen over the years, perhaps with a couple of deviations.

In a nut shell, after removing the glass from the frame and painstakingly cleaning the old adhesive, I wire brushed, acid etched, primed and painted the frame. Nothing special for paint. Rust-Oleum Satin Black Enamel over Rust-Oleum self-etching primer.

I also removed *all* the old black "fritting" from the glass (I think that's what it's called). Much scraped off with fingernail pressure. The rest required a dull razor blade.

I masked the glass and applied completely new fritting using 3M #08682 primer with my Harbor Freight HVLP, thinned 2:1 with acetone. Many light coats on the glass and on the frame where it interfaces with the glass.
I used 3M #08609 "Window Weld" as the adhesive and every freakin' spring clamp I could find or borrow. Probably should have used even more.

Then I left it alone. For at least a week.

Then I removed the spring clamps and the masking tape that prevented the urethane from getting absolutely everywhere. Probably should have used even more masking tape, too.
Then I waited for *months* to put it back on the car. Kept it inside. Room temperature. Car sat with a tarp over the hatch opening all winter. Loving girlfriend gave me side eye about the large car part taking up space in the house.

I waited much longer than probably was necessary for the urethane to cure. Maybe that has made a difference. Maybe it just hasn't had enough time to fail yet. Still, it turned out really well so far.

Ajay213 wrote: Mon Jul 10, 2023 6:18 am Tinting is one of those things that looks so easy, and in many ways is, but it's one of those skills that just requires time/practice to do it well.

Very well said! It sounds like you tint windows professionally. Thank you for the advice about clear tinting the front window for UV protection.

The tint pros out there make it look easy because they are so good at it. They've put in the time and the practice, and they definitely earn their fees.

Much respect to you.

Zirconocene wrote: Tue Jul 11, 2023 3:27 pm I hope that doesn't sound snarky or crappy, I'm genuinely interested in learning about how you went about it and, if your other work is any guide, seems like it has a good chance at some longevity.

Cheers

Not snarky at all. I genuinely appreciate the interest and your kind compliment about my other work.

Thanks for the quick notes on the hatch reseal. You mentioned a couple things I don’t think I did, like repainting the frame and applying the fritting to the frame. I did apply to the glass but brushed it on as opposed to spray. I do remember the clamping was hard to get a uniform pressure and in some places the frame wanted to twist/move. I look forward to any additional info you can offer.
Thank you for the post.