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What have you been doing with your Toyota? (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter JohnnyOshow22
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This rear quarter panel card reminds me of this project from a few years ago. The visors in my pickup were looking pretty rough, so I made some two-tone kydex visors. I mold kydex at 315 degrees, but it becomes pliable at a MUCH lower temperature. The interior temperature of a vehicle, in the summer, in Montana, is sufficient to warp kydex. So if you plan to make kydex door cards or visors or anything else, it probably wont hold up well inside a vehicle unless you use a metal backer or something like that.
On that note, don't leave your custom kydex holsters or belt gear in your vehicle on a hot day. It can be really disappointing, but it is good for business for kydex makers like myself.
On that note, don't leave your custom kydex holsters or belt gear in your vehicle on a hot day. It can be really disappointing, but it is good for business for kydex makers like myself.
Heck yeah. We have a Kydex maker in the group?
Sort of. It's been so difficult to get materials and components during COVID that I've closed my books until things turn around. I didn't feel good about passing the (significant) costs on to my customers. Instead, I've been working on making roll-top bags out of heavy coated poly for dog owners who hike to carry their dogs s*** out with them and not have to smell it the whole time. I keep having to make the prototypes bigger because so few people actually clean up after their dogs.Heck yeah. We have a Kydex maker in the group?
But, check out my Instagram to see some of the stuff I have done. https://www.instagram.com/treasurestatekydex/
That's cool. I have dabbled in Kydex holster and sheath making and it is a ton of fun. Never thought about making cruiser parts with it. 
My experience has shown that kydex isn't a great material to use inside a vehicle (without making considerations for the material properties). It gets hot in vehicles, and thermoform plastics don't hold their shape well in that environment. I have lots of other opinions about exactly what people want do with kydex inside vehicles, but I think maybe it's best if I keep those opinions to myself.That's cool. I have dabbled in Kydex holster and sheath making and it is a ton of fun. Never thought about making cruiser parts with it.
Replaced my non-functioning cigarette lighter with a pair of USB charge ports and a voltage meter. I noticed quite a lot of glare off the tablet, so I think tinting all the rear windows might be next.
I tinted my 40 windows when I lived in Texas to avoid some of the heat. The tint made it super hard to see out of at night, and not because it was dark but because of reflections of all the straight glass inside the 40. It is hard to explain but once I left Texas I peeled it off immediately. There are some funky angles that the light would bounce off and it wasn't always clear when a vehicle was coming... again, it is hard to explain. YMMV.
@REZARF That's an interesting angle (see what I did there?) to think about. I have noticed a bit of that while driving my 40 at night with no tint at all. On the other hand, it's quite rare that I drive that vehicle after dark. Initially I had wanted to tint the windows for privacy and security reasons. People love to look at FJ40s, but I don't love the idea of anyone walking past being able to easily see what I've got in the vehicle.
My plan had been to do all the windows behind the front seats with 20% light transmittance and to do the driver and passenger door windows at 50% light transmittance. Based on your comment, maybe it's better to leave the tint off of the driver and passenger doors? Did you end up removing all of your tint at once? Do you think leaving the tint off the driver and passenger doors is sufficient, or do you think the issue is related to all of the glass?
My plan had been to do all the windows behind the front seats with 20% light transmittance and to do the driver and passenger door windows at 50% light transmittance. Based on your comment, maybe it's better to leave the tint off of the driver and passenger doors? Did you end up removing all of your tint at once? Do you think leaving the tint off the driver and passenger doors is sufficient, or do you think the issue is related to all of the glass?
I went with a super dark tint to cut the heat. Maybe something lighter would be better. I tore it all out at once as soon as I got the chance and left the 110* heat. I think you are on the right track, it's a non-permanent mod so I say go for it. Don't let me persuade you. I think a little tint looks cool on a 40. I bet my issue is how dark I went and the fact that is was my DD for 15 years, there are a lot of annoying things about driving a mid-70's vehicle in modern traffic
And I finally have the description... its like a hall of mirrors but with glare.
Yes. I think I know what you mean. I was stopped at a stop sign with a gas station slightly behind and off to the side one night and ended up having to roll the windows down to be able to see. The angles were just right.
Another fun FJ40 quirk is that, when the sun is at a low angle, sometimes the reflection off the windshield will light up reflective road signs. Other times it just blinds oncoming traffic. A good pair of polarized sunglasses is required equipment for driving an FJ40.
I'm think going to move ahead with the tint. Knowing where and when I use the vehicle, I think I see more benefits than detriments. And like you said, it's non-permanent. I'll also do some additional research to see if internal reflectance is a property of certain types of tints.
FWIW, I'm getting 30% ceramic tint done on my lexus Thursday. A friend has a 20% tint on her car that's way too dark for me. I think 30% will be perfect to make it still usable at night, I'll see what I think after a few days of using it though...
I'll be curious to hear your opinion. I had 20% on all the rear windows of one of my cars in the past. The rearview mirror was mostly useless at night, but the side mirrors still worked fine and I had no problems. Are you doing 30% on all windows?
Yep, doing 30% all around. I’ll be sure to update with my opinion, I’m just hoping it makes a black car feel more livable.
@wizmariefa How did your tint turn out and how do you like it? Who did you have do it? Would you recommend them? How much did they charge? How long did it take? Any other details you feel like sharing?
I got it matched to 30% all around, and I really like it. No problems at night and it blocks enough in the sun as well. I went to Precision Window Tinting in 4 Corners, and it was $625 total for removal of some tint from the previous owner and ceramic tint. Apparently the rear sliding windows are difficult to tint, and there's a lot of glass on an 80 series.... only thing I wish is that i would have gotten the rear window darker, maybe 20% or 15%? But they did an amazing job and were incredibly professional; I'd definitely recommend them.
Not much during this cold snap, but it had been nearly two weeks since she ran so I tried out the replacement engine block heater yesterday. Plugged her in late morning then took her for a spin down to four corners around sunset when it warmed up to close to zero. She ran great
