Has anyone used the clear 3m film to protect the paint on their 80's? I'm getting some serious stripes up here in the NW.
3m flm to prevent scratches? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter nautiq544
- Start date
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Got a friend of mine that I painted his Porsche because of rock chipping on the hood and fenders. He likes to drive fast meaning 100+ and the rocks tear it up. Since I commented about 3m sheeting he's happy. I've never installed it but have seen it on his car and it looks like clear vinyl.
Oh there is stuff (pics) that I want to post up really bad.
However that being said I will not.
I have to much respect and admiration for the member in question as he is an invaluable resource to us all and often times solves problems that would leave others just shaking there heads.
But if one was to search, and no I will not point you in any given direction, there is information on a topic similar to this which has been covered.
However that being said I will not.
I have to much respect and admiration for the member in question as he is an invaluable resource to us all and often times solves problems that would leave others just shaking there heads.
But if one was to search, and no I will not point you in any given direction, there is information on a topic similar to this which has been covered.
The member in question is our very own Beowulf, and I out him while standing alongside him, as I have been interested in magnetic sheets or other such solutions for a while myself. Hopefully this will get the discussion started. IIRC, the last discussion on this topic turned into childish name-calling. I hope this one will be more mature. To those reading this thread: if you're not interested in this topic and feel like paint protection is of no use to you, do us all a favor and please don't waste your and esp. our time posting.
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I'd like to get ahead of the curve and say "I am rubber and you are glue"
IMHO, the 3M film is the way to go. Anecdotal information comes from the high-end sports car market where owners are having it applied to the front and sides to avoid rock chips and door dings.
Many new car manufacturers are applying it to small exposed areas:
* On the Xterra, Nissan puts a strip on the leading edge of the roof where the wind fairing rubs.
* Our 80s have a triangular shaped piece at the leading edge of the rear flares.
* My wife's car has an "invisible bra" across the width of the bonnet. You would never know it was there if I didn't tell you.
* Doug (and others) sells the stuff for headlamp protectors.
* An Aussie (I think he is on this list) is a dealer for the 3M product in OZ. We exchanged e-mail a few times and he told me he covered both sides & the bonnet of his 80 with the protective film. He ran an off-road driving school so the truck saw a lot of abuse. He told me it worked great; better than his expectations. He sold the vehicle after having the film on for 5 years and removed it when he sold it. He said the paint underneath was like brand new; no fading, no scratches. Removal was a matter of letting the vehicle sit in the sun for a few hours, then peeling it off like you would skin a catfish.
I'm afraid my paint is a lost cause now but I seriously considered putting the 3M film on it ~6 years ago. It was expensive (~$1k) and nobody in our area was experienced with applying it to anything except small parts of the bonnet and the mirrors. Vendors do not sell pre-cut kits for body panels so you would have to buy it in bulk and cut it yourself.
My "experiment" is bordering on legend so I would prefer not to cover it in this thread. Those that are interested can search. It really is not an interesting topic, though you may get some perverse pleasure out of piling on and calling me names. Dan in particular, likes to humiliate me from time to time and that subject is one of his favorites. Plus, he has pics.
-B-
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NaterGator
On Gilligan's Island
You could just use 3M body film each time you go wheeling. It would take a little while to apply each time but it comes right off. If you happen to own a white rig it would be a bonus as the film is white. Me, I wear my pinstripes with pride
You could just use 3M body film each time you go wheeling. It would take a little while to apply each time but it comes right off. If you happen to own a white rig it would be a bonus as the film is white. Me, I wear my pinstripes with pride
The 3M film is much too expensive to apply and remove on each trip. Applying it would take several hours. It is also clear and virtually invisible so removing is not necessary.
-B-
Si, I'm referring to the temporary white film. I use it when working on cars I don't want to get scratched. I'll be working on my rig today. If I remember, I'll apply a piece and snap a pic.
Edit: my first reply was a bit of a joke
I own a company that has installed 3M clear bras on over 2500 vehicles. We work with both the heavy 3M film for lights and the paint film. I also have rolls of the white film many new cars arrive at the dealership with to protect their hoods and other surfaces from pollution damage enroute. If you have any questions, I'd be glad to answer them here.
Regards,
DougM
Regards,
DougM
- Thread starter
- #14
I used to work at an exotic car co. and we filmed the front of cars with the 3m material, its close to invisible. How much would it actually cose to have an 80 series filmed? (Sides, hood, rear) Do you work in Seattle at all, I'm interested .
A $399 'commuter package' is:
-12" leading hood edge
-fenders to match
-mirrors
-all forward lamps (thicker 3M film)
We charge $25/door for the bottom 12" and would triple it for the entire door. There are folks in Seattle that install 3M, I'm sure. Pricing is up to them, of course.
DougM
-12" leading hood edge
-fenders to match
-mirrors
-all forward lamps (thicker 3M film)
We charge $25/door for the bottom 12" and would triple it for the entire door. There are folks in Seattle that install 3M, I'm sure. Pricing is up to them, of course.
DougM
Just wanted to tell you guys that when I went to (called) Doug last summer asking him to supply me with the said film for my aux. lights in a pinch.
He was very nice to deal with and was very accommodating, not to mention the product being top notch.
He was very nice to deal with and was very accommodating, not to mention the product being top notch.
