Impressive, looks like a good way to make a beater look good.
It does. However, I'm sure one of the reasons it looks good is because of the relatively new finish underneath.
Vinyl can cover a lot. I used it to cover up the rusty rockers on my truck to get through inspection. It won't completely eliminate imperfections, but it can do a lot to hide them.
I remember reading that article a ways back- I was thoroughly intrigued. Now if I could just find plaid vinyl........
Still a LOT less work then painting.
one thing is for sure, vinyl would likely take cone scuffs a lot better than paint. not sure if I like the flat black all over the whole car just for practicality reasons (better hope your AC blows like Jack Frost if you have many bright sunny days...), but flat black on the hood and then something contrasting on the rest of the car (cue old Fiat 124 Abarth paintschemes) would look very purposeful I think
I wonder if anyone has wrapped their car in clear vinyl, just to protect the paint but not change the color any?
Shrink wrap works, too. 
Slyp_Dawg wrote: I wonder if anyone has wrapped their car in clear vinyl, just to protect the paint but not change the color any?
like STARSHIELD on the lotus elise. They do make it, it tends to be the first mod any exotic owner makes to save the front and sides of the car.
And, my main questions are -
How important is the condition of the finish that the wrap will cover?
Will a wrap work when applied to a "bad" surface?
Or does the "bad" surface require prepping before a wrap is applied?
If so, what kind of prep is recommended?
And what kind of "finish" is needed before a wrap is attempted?
These queries come from one who has two cars with "textured" paint because the clear coat is way gone and both are constantly exposed to the elements........
How much did it weigh?
I wonder where to get that stuff. My dad would love me wrap the rust sol in bright red.
If you have a scratched up car, or an old car with spiderwebbing paint or just a really faded car, this could work.
mndsm wrote: I remember reading that article a ways back- I was thoroughly intrigued. Now if I could just find plaid vinyl........
There is a SMF CRX that is plaid. It is awesome.
wearymicrobe wrote:Slyp_Dawg wrote: I wonder if anyone has wrapped their car in clear vinyl, just to protect the paint but not change the color any?like STARSHIELD on the lotus elise. They do make it, it tends to be the first mod any exotic owner makes to save the front and sides of the car.
We just sold a Doo Doo Brown Audi R8 that was completely clear wrapped.
What a great idea!
My work-partner has a dark green SAAB 900 convertible. She liked my white Miata and thinks it's a better colour for convertible cars.
She wanted to change the colour, but was happy with the SAAB.
Her husband was is in the vinyl graphics business so he covered it with white vinyl for her (sadly, he has since died).
This was done about 2 years ago and it seems to be wearing well (and now she's unlikely to change it back for sentimental reasons).
aeronca65t wrote:
Pretty impressive. Definitely good enough for GRM standards.
Cheaper than a paint job.
Some Locost guys are considering this route. I am too except it means either covering rivets, or wrapping the panels before installing them - with rivets. Then, if the wrap has to ever be changed, it means every single rivet's going to rip and retain a little ring of vinyl.
I like this idea for my beater 944 - I can do the basic bodywork to fix the major problems and not have to worry about paint beyond primer. There's a shop just outside my neighborhood that does professional vinyl wraps on tractor trailers, full print graphics on cars and trucks for businesses, and all the graphics on the cop cars and emergency vehicles in the region. I'll have to see what they charge for a wrap or even just for the materials.
I wish I could find a pic of the late 80s or early 90s Mercedes touring car that had the hood wrapped in a graphic that looked like the hood was peeled open. That would be cool to replicate.
I like this idea too, but I'll be damned if I can find it for $120. Prices look to be more in the $400-$900 range for enough material to do a car.
I did this to both my E30 325is and my P71. I bought one 48" roll of Oracal Matte Black 651, I think, for under $200. On the Vic there were a couple places I had to splice so if I were doing a car that had that much space between panel gaps I would go for the 72" roll next time.
Applying it is definitely a skill, much like painting. But my Crown Vic had crappy Earl Scheib taxi special paint that had begun to peel before I even had it. It just takes some prep work to get it the way you want. It was definitely a satisfying experience and I think I will be doing it again to another car.
I can't find pics of the 325 right now, but I have some WIPs of the P71.
Became...
Hrmph. I have more. I need to look for them.
Found one with the trunk lid done...
OK, I've totally decided to do this on my old Mk2 Jetta. Body is very solid, paint is very poor. I'll do close to the original Tornado red on the sides, black on the hood and roof.
Are there any good online suppliers for this stuff? I can't seem to find any after some admittedly half-arsed intarweb searching.
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