Painting Calipers on a 2003--What color was original?

[wpruitt]

I was thinking of painting the calipers on a 2003 base boxster. I came from a restoration background where you repair , replace or refinish as it came from the factory. That said, what is the collective thinking when it comes to a modern day Porsche? My initial thoughts were to paint them black as I assumed that was original but after looking harder at the calipers I am not sure they were not silver. By the way, I have white decals from xenonmods on the way.

Thanks for any input!

Warren

[Tool Pants]

Base calipers are black. They can turn whitish but I have only seen this on cars older than a 2003. Most people paint the base red to look like an S.

[986Jim]

Porsche uses Black Red and Yellow on their cars as OEM colors depending on your brake setup.

[Westcoaster]

If I remember correctly the finish on my03 (non S) calipers was not paint but actually anodized aluminum, but the dye color was black that's why they look slightly different.

Now that your's are weathered they may look slightly silver.

[wpruitt]

If I remember correctly the finish on my03 (non S) calipers was not paint but actually anodized aluminum, but the dye color was black that's why they look slightly different.

Now that your's are weathered they may look slightly silver.

Al,

That explains why I could not tell the original color. Great explanation--Thanks. Still can't decide what I want to do with them if anything.

Warren

[Westcoaster]

If I remember correctly the finish on my03 (non S) calipers was not paint but actually anodized aluminum, but the dye color was black that's why they look slightly different.

Now that your's are weathered they may look slightly silver.

Al,

That explains why I could not tell the original color. Great explanation--Thanks. Still can't decide what I want to do with them if anything.

Warren

Glad to be of help!

You could have them re-anodized but that would be a lot of work, by nature of it's process anodizing requires that the aluminum be clean and no other materials present, steel, rubber etc. and protect any surface you don't want etched by the acid. This means that you would not only have to remove them from the car but strip them of all attached 'bits'. Probably why most people end up painting them.

The Porsche OEM red for the 'S' and yellow for the PCCB calipers could be paint or powder coating, not sure as I am not lucky enough to have ether of these systems.

[mee]

The Porsche OEM red for the 'S' and yellow for the PCCB calipers could be paint or powder coating, not sure as I am not lucky enough to have ether of these systems.

Definitely not power coat. The factory S brakes appear to use red paint with a very cheap clear over that. Mine and others' have notoriously flaked and peeled. The Porsche red also does not appear to be "red" red. It has a slight orange tint to it, possibly guards red or similar. The reason I say this is that if I touch up mine with over-the-counter brake paint kits, the red is a little off.

The base brakes are not a gloss black, but do appear to be some very dark anodizing or some other chemical dye treatment. I think the 550 SE came with silver calipers.