Porsche 964 C2 restoration in Guards Red
MarkGolf revives a faded Guards Red 964 C2 Tiptronic through hands-on repairs, strip-down and reassembly around a full repaint by Xquisite Automotive. Heater-control repairs and continuing maintenance follow the bodywork.
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A running C2 with faded paint
MarkGolf begins the diary with his 2015 purchase of a Guards Red 964 from a former work acquaintance. It was a Tiptronic with about 79,000 miles, described as regularly driven and mechanically maintained. The interior was in good condition, but the paint had faded and small rust bubbles appeared at some wing edges. The heater did not supply warm air and the rear wiper was stuck.
Repairs before the repaint
Early work included freeing the rear wiper, cleaning light terminals and polishing the faded paint. He also cleaned the engine bay and refinished the fan with a textured paint. Later, he replaced a corroded oil-return pipe that had developed a hole and stripped the bumper areas to renew rusty support brackets and reinforcement pieces. Cleaning, inspection and preparation of seals and trim accompanied the bodywork plans.
A full repaint at Xquisite Automotive
The owner removed side skirts, mirrors, the sunroof and interior door trim, keeping fasteners in labelled compartments. Xquisite Automotive then carried out the windows-out bodywork and full repaint. The original Guards Red was retained, this time with a clear-coated finish. The 2016 entries follow preparation, paint, wet sanding and polishing before the car returned home.
Reassembly and suspension fitment
At home, MarkGolf reassembled the engine lid and refitted trim, seals and lights. The headlight trims needed attention because paint on their inner surfaces made them too tight. The H&R coilover kit was for a later 964, so rear installation required adapters and later upper mounts. Missing shims left the front struts protruding too far; he reports having replacements made. A later reply confirms the rear adapters worked on his car. These are the fitment differences encountered in this individual installation.
Restoring heater controls
The mixer servos were initially stiff and would move under an external power supply but not respond to cabin commands. After repeated troubleshooting, MarkGolf sent the CCU to Tore at Bergvill F/X for repair. Following the supplied checks, he also found a corroded thermistor in a chamber-temperature sensor, obtained two replacements and soldered them in. With the repaired CCU installed, he reports working servos, air distribution and cabin-temperature control.
Maintenance continued after the paint
In 2018 he checked valve clearances, adjusted two and replaced the spark plugs and oil. Fresh paint did not end every mechanical issue: oil leaks persisted, and later entries describe intermittent starting trouble and a misfire under load. In a later follow-up, he had reassembled the distributor after its bearings arrived but had not refitted it. He noted that he had not set the engine to top dead center before removal and still needed to confirm its position. A resolved misfire is therefore not established by this account.