Detailing An ‘80s Air-Cooled Icon - Porsche 964

It's always a great time when we get the chance to bring in staff from various departments for a special session at the Auto Finesse Detailing Academy. This time, we took things up a notch with one of our favourite Detailing Sessions videos. Take a sneak peek behind the scenes as we work on a true air-cooled classic...

The Iconic '80s Air-Cooled Legend

As you can probably guess, we’ve always been big fans of Porsche here at Auto Finesse. After all, it’s hard for any true car enthusiast not to admire the legendary 911, especially given how many variations there are!

That said, the rugged late '80s 964 holds a special place in our hearts. Produced into the early '90s, it was also the first to feature all-wheel-drive. But for us, it’s the car's beautifully sculpted, timeless lines that really stand out. While the 993 is often considered the final chapter of the air-cooled era, many still view the 964 as the last of the true classic 911s, thanks to its iconic front-end design.

We're not here to argue about that, but what we do know is that the 964 is nothing short of majestic in any colour. However, there's something particularly striking about it in red. To bring out its full glory, the paintwork has to be pristine—bright, glossy, and flawless. That’s exactly what we’re focusing on in this epic 964 detailing session!

The Key Steps

This particular coupe wasn’t terribly dirty for a car that’s actually used, and it was clear that the current owner has taken great care of it. The main issues were the defects that became apparent upon closer inspection—chiefly the swirl marks that had built up over years of washing. There was also the challenge of revitalizing the slightly faded paintwork, a common issue with '80s cars, especially red ones.

With that in mind, the three main areas we focused on during this session were paint correction, cleaning the vintage, light-coloured leather interior, and executing the wash stages carefully to avoid creating new swirls that would need polishing out later.

Before diving into any of that, though, we always start with the wheels. Since we’ll be performing a full decontamination on the bodywork later, it’s the perfect time to do the same for the wheels. For this, we used Iron Out Contaminant Remover to dissolve any metal particles (mainly from brake dust) that have become embedded in the surfaces. Applying a generous amount of Iron Out also aids in breaking down and degreasing heavier grime. Think of this as an essential decontamination step for your wheels.

The Wash Stage

Moving on to the bodywork, while this isn’t a daily driver, it does get used regularly in all kinds of weather. So, as with any car that’s been exposed to winter conditions and some spirited driving, the pre-wash is absolutely crucial.

The goal, as always, is to remove the heaviest grime and contaminants before physically touching the vehicle. This safe washing technique is essential for preventing swirl marks.

However, before starting the pre-wash, it's a good idea to focus on cleaning areas like the engine bay, door shuts, fuel flaps, and door jambs. A fantastic product for this—one that’s safe on paint—is Eradicate Engine Degreaser. Spritz a little Eradicate on these areas, then use a soft FeatherTip brush to agitate and rinse it away. This ensures that any grime in these hard-to-reach spots doesn’t run out and interfere with the rest of the wash later.

The first step in the pre-wash process should always be using a pre-cleaner to break down the toughest grime, allowing it to be rinsed off safely. Citrus Power Bug & Grime Remover is perfect for dissolving heavy soiling, suspending it in the solution so that when you rinse, it won't drag across the paint surface. Additionally, Citrus Power is safe on wax and sealant layers, making it a great choice for regular maintenance washes down the line, even if it's not a concern for this session.

The second stage of any full detail pre-wash is always the application of Avalanche Snow Foam. This citrus-based solution clings to every panel, breaking down grime while working its way into hard-to-reach panel gaps and wheel arches to remove dirt and dust. Simply apply the foam to the entire vehicle (working from top to bottom with your Foam Lance) and rinse thoroughly, making sure to flush out all panel gaps and wheel arches.

Finally, after this thorough pre-wash process, we can safely begin the contact wash to remove any remaining grime. It's crucial to use the 2-bucket method at this stage—one bucket with shampoo and another with clean water to rinse out your mitt between passes before dipping it back into the shampoo. Equally important is using the right cleaning agent. Lather Car Shampoo is a strong cleaner that also contains special lubricants, allowing the dissolved grime to slide off the paint safely without causing swirl marks.

Once the wash is complete, we can proceed with a full 3-step decontamination process. First, we use Iron Out to remove any metal particles embedded in the paintwork. Next, we apply ObliTARate Tar & Glue Remover to dissolve any sticky residues. Finally, we use our Clay Bar with Glide Clay Lube to lift any remaining contaminants from the surface.

Paintwork Correction & Finishing

When it comes to paint correction, proper testing is essential for any vehicle. Without it, how can you determine what areas need cutting and polishing? Identifying defects using a light source and selecting the right combination of compound and pad to eliminate them is important, but the primary task is ensuring there is enough paint to safely polish.

The goal is to mentally map out the vehicle, assessing which areas require more intense correction. It's also crucial to check for any previous repairs, low spots, or areas with blended or new paint where hard edges might be exposed during polishing. Using a paint depth gauge to measure variations in paint thickness, along with a light source, will help you visually inspect the entire surface.

For older vehicles, especially sports cars, thorough inspection becomes even more critical. In many cases, the owner may not know the full history of a classic car, and there could be hidden issues that need attention. Even cars with "original paint" often have repairs or touch-ups that should be avoided during correction, so there’s always plenty to consider.

It turns out this classic red 911 has had some paintwork over the years, so there were a few areas where we had to be cautious and avoid polishing too aggressively. However, for the most part, our goal was to eliminate the most noticeable defects using Revitalise No:2 Polishing Compound with medium foam Revitalise No:2 pads. To refine the paint further, we followed up with Revitalise No:3 Refining Compound and soft Revitalise No:3 pads. This two-step correction worked wonders on most of the car, though some areas required an extra step, starting with Revitalise No:1 Restoring Compound, which is typical in paint correction as different sections often require tailored approaches.

These products are designed to work perfectly with our DPX Dual Action Polisher and are available individually or as part of the complete Revitalise System Kit V2.

To finish, we prepped the surface with Rejuvenate Paintwork Cleanser, a glaze-based abrasive designed to prepare the paint for our Signature Waxes. And when it came to the wax, we chose our Passion Luxury Car Wax. This premium blend of 45% T1 Brazilian Carnauba creates a deep, wet-look shine, making it the ideal choice for older paint types. The results speak for themselves—acres of gloss and solid protection. For this iconic German masterpiece, only the finest wax protection would do.

Cleaning The Interior

For the final stage, we tackle the delicate task of cleaning the 30-year-old leather interior.

The best way to start any interior detail is by vacuuming from the back of the car. For a coupe like this, begin with the parcel shelf and work your way forward. Once that's done, move on to your cleaning products, starting with the headlining and pillars before working your way down throughout the vehicle.

The main focus here is the leather, and while deep-cleaning light-coloured leather can seem daunting, it’s actually quite simple when you use the right products.

Hide Leather Cleanser is a gentle formula that targets ingrained dirt, stains, and even dye transfer from clothing (especially jeans). Simply spray it onto the surface and use an Upholstery Brush to agitate and lift out deeply embedded stains, oils, and grime. Although it's a mild solution, this glycerine-based product is highly effective on even the most sensitive leather, making it perfect for refreshing classic cars as well as newer vehicles.

After using Hide Leather Cleanser, we recommend following up with Hide Leather Conditioner. This wax and lanolin-enriched cream nourishes the leather and restores its original color, leaving behind a satin-matte finish that makes it look as though it just rolled off the factory floor.

The Final Results

As you can see, after a thorough detailing session, the little 964 looks incredible. The full detail, including all the products used to get this German classic show-ready, is featured in the video at the top of the page.