Keep it under wraps

[clivehorridge]

Hi all, when I bought my 80 in 2006, it hadn't been looked after too well and over the years I've got it right (with some minor ongoing projects) mechanically.

Sadly, before I acquired it, there had been several minor accidents and various repairs had been made to bodywork, extensive areas of filler, poorly matching paint, mostly rattle can by the look of it. I've also off-roaded it a lot which hasn't helped!

It's also my DD and lately I've become rather ashamed of the now cracked filler and extensive areas of missing paint and the general tattiness of the mighty machine. Time for a face-lift methinks.

So, the old girl's been at the body doctor's all week (and I think most of next week too) but the painter has looked into a question I asked him before he started. The question was, is it wise or viable to vinyl wrap offroad cars to offer paintwork some protection from bushes and the worst offender being old dead bramble branches that really do carve their way into the lacquer and beyond?

He's come back to me with 2 offers, one is standard clear wrap and the other is a heavy duty clear wrap which is much tougher and more scratch resistant.

If I don't wrap it, first time offroad will certainly mark my new paint job. Not good, although I accept nothing will stay new for long.

If I do wrap it, am I going to regret it?

I can imagine all sorts of problems with it peeling, dirt getting behind it, jet washing issues (will it lift the wrap) and all sorts. The guy fitting it is professional, it's a wrapping business so not a first timer, and I've seen cars that he's done and they're professional looking jobs.

Still not sure. Has anyone used this stuff for long enough to report any problems with it?

I'd be interested in any feedback that there is out there. Thanks

 

[clivehorridge]

Just some examples of my failing filler:

Rear passenger side door & rear quarter panel


Driver side rear quarter and pillar, mucho filler and very poor paint job, not even the same colour!





Close-up of the rear passenger door


She doesn't look too bad from the front since I refurbished the front bumper, but the bonnet has deep scratches and the front wings are peeling lacquer from a previous not-so-good repair

 

[Gary820]

The only wrapped cars I've had dealings with are via work, red Matt finish from factory but done with vinyl. @ 4 months old it came in under warranty peeling. Talking to the guys who came out to remove and re wrap it, they said it was poor vinyl used and poorly prepped so it peeled.From what they were saying it's quite durable stuff when done properly and shouldn't peel easily.
Sounds like the place you've spoken to know their stuff and heavy duty vinyl the way forward.

Plus if badly scratch the vinyl on a panel just get it re done on that panel.

 

[clivehorridge]

Plus if badly scratch the vinyl on a panel just get it re done on that panel.

That was the main idea, as I've had the whole car re sprayed, I thought the wrap would keep the fresh paint new and replace vinyl as it gets damaged.

I don't know market prices well, he offered the equivalent of £600 for the HD, the standard was about £350. I have to decide quickly, before the spray shop replace all the trim!

(these prices are without the roof being done)

 

[Paddler Ed]

I know a couple of guys have Plasti-Dipped their cars, it looks good if you get the colour right.

I toyed with the idea with a 4Runner I had an option on, as the clear coat had gone and there were a couple of mis-matched panels.

Here's one of the threads where they explain what they did.

It's supposed to stand up pretty well to jet wash etc.

Hope that helps

Ed

 

[Paddler Ed]

I know a couple of guys have Plasti-Dipped their cars, it looks good if you get the colour right.

I toyed with the idea with a 4Runner I had an option on, as the clear coat had gone and there were a couple of mis-matched panels.

Here's one of the threads where they explain what they did, with pictures, and this one without (as the pictures are broken)

It's supposed to stand up pretty well to jet wash etc.

Hope that helps

Ed

 

[clivehorridge]

Thanks ED, interesting stuff.

Problem now (after a re-spray and lacquer) is keeping it as good as possible. The vinyl is clear so no prob with colours.

I was just interested whether there were any horror stories of it coming off in a short time or it bringing the paint with it when it does come off.

 

[Paddler Ed]

From what I know about Plasti-Dip it's peel off and that's it done, and doesn't lift the paint AFAIK.

Plasti-Dip do a clear coat as well, so that could be an option. From what the guys have said the best finish is with 2 coats (or a bit more than they say you need)

The pics of the colour stuff is good because it shows where it ends up spraying, and how easy it is to remove.

 

[Gary820]

For the price difference must be quite good stuff, maybe more work to apply too.
We watched them strip and re wrap a M5 and they weren't delicate with it at all, I imagine the hd stuff is durable.

 

[BRE Fabrications LTD]

Going the clear film route is fairly popular in SA.

http://www.vpsprotection.co.za/Homepage/August_2008.pdf

If applied properly jet washing shouldn't be an issue.

 

[BRE Fabrications LTD]

http://youtu.be/7f3zY9N_mBA

 

[Shayne]

I think wrap will last all of 5 minutes if you go off-road and remember a hairline scratch on your wing that could be repaired with a touch up pen in 2 minutes in paint will mean you need the whole wing re-wrapped in vinyl . I've often wondered how ronseal hardglaze varnish would fair on a vehicle , its oil based and finishes hard like a sheet of glass though i've only used it on wood . I imagine it would crack if panels were dented but if its dented it needs repaired anyway . Thick as it is i'm not sure you could spray it but only a pro could say yay or nay to that .

My handmade kitchen worktop (softwood) was coated in this stuff and 6 years later shows no sign of wear despite a year of constantly yelling at the kids for cutting sandwiches on it . Tough stuff might be worth discussing it with a pro ?

 

[mrdelmonti]

A good quality thick vinyl applied onto a properly prepared surface will survive better than paint offroad and won't damage the paint below if removed correctly.

Never used clear stuff before but use coloured cast vinyl quite often doing a small trade on the side in signage.

 

[clivehorridge]

Thanks guys!

Plenty for me to go at there!

Shayne, I like your idea of Ronseal! I don't think I'll be going there though, I've had enough problems in the past with mixes of cellulose, polymers and emulsions of different sorts, causing blistering and premature peeling.

It almost makes me wish the 80 was made from wood! I too have had a boat building and maintenance upbringing and wood can become like ceramic when treated properly.

I'll ponder on this one for the short time I have, decision time will be Tuesday I think and so far I'm going for the HD clear wrap. If it all goes pear shaped, I'll peel it off. If it brings the paint with it, I'll simply sue the ass off them! Ha ha!

I'll post some shiny pics when I eventually get her back.

Cheers guys!

 

[Shayne]

Good luck with the clear wrap Clive lots of bikers use it to cover the fuel tank coz modern bikes have you gripping the tank with your knees , i very much doubt you need to worry about it taking the paint away if you decide to remove it . Personally my number one choice finish if i was say restoring a vehicle would be the stuff pictured below , its all we used on a 60ft 50 year old scallop dredger (boat) and she was right up until the day she died about the cleanest boat in the fleet . Its a very tough oil based paint .

I bought this to tidy up my fuel tank and towbar etc .

 

[clivehorridge]

I went to the paintshop yesterday and he had a wing panel prepared with 3 different grades of clear film.

The lowest grade was useless. I ran my thumbnail across it and cut right through to the paint!

The next level up we tried with the back of a Stanley knife blade. Of course it cut easily into the unprotected paint, but as it went across the film it marked the film, but didn't cut it.

The thickest grade (which is also a tougher film) was resistant, amazingly so. I even did a deep gouge with a key (we've all been victim of the phantom key scratcher at some stage) and it glided over the top of the film and didn't leave a mark. The same pressure on the unprotected paint went down to the metal.

So there we have it, I took the decision and the car is now wrapped in thick clear vinyl!

He has to reinstall all the glass and reassemble the trim and I hope I get the car back in time for the weekend.

Hoping to post some photos then.

I still don't have my rear ARB bumper back from the guy who's rebuilding the spare wheel swing-out pivot bearing, so it will be a week or so before the car is really in one piece again.

That bearing (as made by ARB) was useless. My guy is replacing all the movement with stainless.

 

[stumog]

clive
do you have the details of what the film is or the weight per sqm as i want to do this on mine. I have only done a couple of lanes and the sides dont look that good. I will come out with a t cut which i would do before i wrap it but i hate polishing a car every time i take it out.
stu

 

[clivehorridge]

I'll find out Stu, I'm hoping to get to see it tonight and I'll ask him.

He did tell me how many microns it is, but I'm old and forget these things, it would be pointless for me to guess!

I'll try to get the make and the thickness.

 

[stumog]

thanks for that i do think its the way forward.
and just note i do think yours looked very good before the bodyshop visit. looks well used my favorite look.
stu.

 

[clivehorridge]

thanks for that i do think its the way forward.
and just note i do think yours looked very good before the bodyshop visit. looks well used my favorite look.
stu.

Yep, I've kind of defeated the object to some extent!

After coming back from the Middle-East I had the chance to bring with me the Mitsu Pajero that I had there, 50k kms and 18 months old, bought for 14k Euros! The import tax and bribe money put a stop to that, it would have cost me 12k Euro just to import it!

That was before I knew the delights of LCs especially the mighty 80 and I've always been glad I didn't bring the Pajero back because I would have never off-roaded it like have the 80.

Now I've spruced it up I'm back in the same dilemma!

So I'm hoping the wrap will permit me to keep off-roading without damaging it too much. I found that the brush and brambles do the most damage, especially the old dead branches which are very tough. They "bruise" the laquer and most of it polishes out, but you can see in the old photos that the paint was matt and all different colours.

Something had to be done because we use it as our DD and it was becoming embarrassing, especially when you go to a wedding all dressed up or something similar.

"Here's the hill-billies again" I could imagine them to say!

I also like the "used truck look" but my better-half deserves something better even though she never complained. If we had a regular car as well I wouldn't have bothered!