Hi everyone, I started my project for a Matte black camry today. PITA but i think we did OK as first timers.
So far, we only got the roof done, took us about 2 hours of squeegeing, stretching. We still got about 20+ small creases!?! (what the hell,right? hopefully it's not very noticeable).
Car wax was removed. Heat gun was utilized (great help, use it!!!).
Matte Black Vinyl 3M 1080. I think you will need about 5x50 feet to complete a car (without messing up too much).
Still in progress, I will try to get as much done as possible during the weekend, will post updates as soon as possible.
Please post your opinions, pros tips and comments
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ABOUT 15 hours of measuring, working.
NOTE FOR rear bumper:
If you measure it, for me it came out about 10'4" x 2'3" size. it wraps around the bumper just fine at the beginning, but as i work from the middle outward to the sides, things starts messing up.
When you stretch the vinyl to the bottom of the bumper, it tends to relocate the vinyl toward the top of the bumper, resulting in shortage at the bottom. I had to pull it back down, cut the film at the corner (vinyl can stretch but not that much) leaving behind two seam lines at the corners, and then a lot of heatgun stretching too. It worked out ok for me but cost me 5 hours of working on it by myself.
I completely remove the bumper and brought it inside the house to work with, i couldn't stand the 100+ heat in texas, although i'm in the garage. This might have been the reason for wasting a lot of time. the damn thing won't stay still.
Gas cap was easy, it just hard to tuck it around the hinge.
I will have seam lines on the side of the side of the roof, cut off is right there as you can see, it way to long and big piece of vinyl to make this seamless. The rest of the vinyl is tucked around.
Door are easy too, need to remove the door handle to wrap around the exterior handles.
So far, only the passenger side of the roof roof is done as you see above, will post more photos as it progesses
Passenger-side doors, and the bottom trim, i would look much nicer with the SE side kit, i think.
Overall look from the back bumper, will need to get that trunk trim wrapped soon.
Here comes the problem, the corner of the bumper, where a lot of heat was used, the matte finish faded a little because of too much stretching. It is not very visible unless you focus closely. Try to look from differnt angle to your screen, you'll see "waves" on the vinyl.
The corner cut off and seam lines at the bumper corner. It was my bad to cut the film to narrow and did not pay attention to the side until it was almost too late. And crap, i was tired as hell after wrestling with the jumpy bumper.
Seam on the driver side. (track it from the mud flap toward the back, you'll see it.
Another look, a little bit far back.
Driver side doors.
So far, we only got the roof done, took us about 2 hours of squeegeing, stretching. We still got about 20+ small creases!?! (what the hell,right? hopefully it's not very noticeable).
Car wax was removed. Heat gun was utilized (great help, use it!!!).
Matte Black Vinyl 3M 1080. I think you will need about 5x50 feet to complete a car (without messing up too much).
Still in progress, I will try to get as much done as possible during the weekend, will post updates as soon as possible.
Please post your opinions, pros tips and comments
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ABOUT 15 hours of measuring, working.
NOTE FOR rear bumper:
If you measure it, for me it came out about 10'4" x 2'3" size. it wraps around the bumper just fine at the beginning, but as i work from the middle outward to the sides, things starts messing up.
When you stretch the vinyl to the bottom of the bumper, it tends to relocate the vinyl toward the top of the bumper, resulting in shortage at the bottom. I had to pull it back down, cut the film at the corner (vinyl can stretch but not that much) leaving behind two seam lines at the corners, and then a lot of heatgun stretching too. It worked out ok for me but cost me 5 hours of working on it by myself.
I completely remove the bumper and brought it inside the house to work with, i couldn't stand the 100+ heat in texas, although i'm in the garage. This might have been the reason for wasting a lot of time. the damn thing won't stay still.
Gas cap was easy, it just hard to tuck it around the hinge.
I will have seam lines on the side of the side of the roof, cut off is right there as you can see, it way to long and big piece of vinyl to make this seamless. The rest of the vinyl is tucked around.
Door are easy too, need to remove the door handle to wrap around the exterior handles.
So far, only the passenger side of the roof roof is done as you see above, will post more photos as it progesses
Passenger-side doors, and the bottom trim, i would look much nicer with the SE side kit, i think.
Overall look from the back bumper, will need to get that trunk trim wrapped soon.
Here comes the problem, the corner of the bumper, where a lot of heat was used, the matte finish faded a little because of too much stretching. It is not very visible unless you focus closely. Try to look from differnt angle to your screen, you'll see "waves" on the vinyl.
The corner cut off and seam lines at the bumper corner. It was my bad to cut the film to narrow and did not pay attention to the side until it was almost too late. And crap, i was tired as hell after wrestling with the jumpy bumper.
Seam on the driver side. (track it from the mud flap toward the back, you'll see it.
Another look, a little bit far back.
Driver side doors.