Guard rolling on Andrew’s 911 Turbo 🔥

Some jobs look simple from the outside, but anyone who has ever worked on a Porsche knows they like to make things interesting. Andrew brought in his 911 Turbo for a guard roll — a small but essential step if you want clean wheel clearance without risking tyre rub at speed. On most cars, this is a straightforward job using a proper guard-rolling tool. But on a 911 Turbo? Not quite.

Why the Roller Couldn’t Be Used

A typical guard roller bolts onto the wheel hub, allowing me to apply slow, controlled pressure to fold the inner lip of the guard.
But Porsche, being Porsche, uses a stud pattern and hub design that doesn’t match standard rollers.

So this was another example where the most precise tool available was… a hammer.

The Art of Hammer Rolling

Hammer rolling isn’t about brute force. It’s the opposite — it’s all about finesse.
Tiny taps, working millimetre by millimetre, letting the metal relax into its new position. Too hard or too fast and the paint fractures. Too soft and nothing moves. It’s a balance that only comes from experience and patience.

To keep everything safe and controlled, the process involved:

• Controlled heat to keep the paint flexible
• Careful tap-and-check progress to avoid overstretching
• Constant monitoring of paint stress points
• Lots (and lots) of time

This isn’t a technique most people want to do, because it’s slow, unforgiving, and has no margin for error. But when executed correctly, the end result is better than what most rollers can achieve.

The Result: Absolute Perfection

After methodically rolling the guards by hand, the Turbo’s inner lips were fully rolled, smooth, and factory-perfect.
No cracks.
No waviness.
No visible signs that anything had even been done — the way a proper guard roll should be.

Andrew now has the clearance he needs, without sacrificing the originality and finish of the car.

Why This Matters

Porsches aren’t just cars; they’re precision-built machines. Owners who bring them to me know I’m not afraid to take the harder route if it means protecting the car and producing a good and fair result. In this case, the harder route was the only safe route.

This 911 Turbo reminded me of something important: the right way isn’t always the easy way, but the results speak for themselves.

If you’ve got a performance car that needs guard rolling work — especially something unique, European, or highly sensitive — I’m always happy to take the careful, skilled approach to get it done properly.

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