Faded hood cowling redone!

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Drome

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Yes the heat gun will take away all the gray and bring it back to black. I ran mine at around 600 degree. Setting 6 of 10 on my gun. I keep it a few inches away from the cowling. You'll see it start to turn after about 30 seconds. It took about 15 minutes. Note not at all like the beautiful respray done here. But good enough till I get the time to do the respray this fine fellow did here. Can't wait.....
 

toddjb122

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I imagine another good time to replace this is when you get a new windshield. I usually break one windshield per year but no luck on this LR4. With 70K miles, it is really pitted from winter sand & salt. Makes driving into direct sunlight rather difficult. I sense it's going to crack soon, one way or another.
You're telling me! I just went through a lengthy dealer windshield replacement process. If I knew the cowlings were so affordable I would have thrown them a new one to install with the windshield.
 

Taylorguy74

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Oh wow - this thread took off - I'll post up some pics shortly - looks great installed. Don't even notice the texture - looks practically stock. I got the wipers off relatively easy - no hammer needed. Just move them back and forth slightly while lifting/pulling. Mine at least popped right off. When you ratchet them back on, just make sure they're lined up correctly and let the nut pull the wiper back onto the bolt. Wipers off, cowling change, wipers back on - probably a 15 minute process at most.

I'll have to give the heat gun a try on the old one - does it just lift the oils back to the surface or is it 'baking' it back to black? Does this last?
 

ktm525

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You're telling me! I just went through a lengthy dealer windshield replacement process. If I knew the cowlings were so affordable I would have thrown them a new one to install with the windshield.

Window replacement here happens frequently due to all the gravel spread in the winter. I learned long ago with LR3/4 to never reuse A pillar garnish clips and replacing the cowling every second or third window. Not only do they fade but they tend to warp. The current one on mine looks like ass (grey) and I had to glue it down with silicone last year as it started to warp.
 

jpjp

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Window replacement here happens frequently due to all the gravel spread in the winter.

Have you thought about applying a film on the outside of the windshield to prevent this from happening? I guess this wouldn't work if you had the cold weather package and use the heated windshield. (I do and live in Miami:dontknow:) Rear heated seats get used, the rest not so much.

I know people in the Porsche community apply exterior clear film to the windshield if they have a collectable appreciating model that has the original glass or if they track their cars where a lot of debris gets kicked up compared to just driving on the street.

How many windshields have you had to replace?
 

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