sothpaw2

I thought I saw a thread months ago on this but I can't find it with search.

? What have you guys done to protect your nose/hood/wheel wells that works?

I would be inclined to try painter's tape.

I wouldn't worry about this so much but this car is new to me and I would like to enjoy the paint for a bit. My '93 really got torn up by the high speeds at Pocano, it was full of bugs and chips. A lot on the hood.

Thanks

96GS#007

A couple friends of mine have the 3M clearbra (Ultrashield and Ventureshield are two of the names that installers use for it). It's held up very well to several years of track abuse.

We have it on my wife's Honda as well. When we moved across the country last summer (nearly 2300 miles), it paid for itself IMO. After the drive the color of the front of the Honda was bug splat yellow and road grime brown yet it looked brand new after a good scrubbing.

JiminFL

I've considered the 3M, but so far it's been painter's tape for me, and it has worked fine. On LMB the basic blue tape is a nice 2-tone effect.



Just be sure you put the first strip of tape on the downwind edge of the area to be taped and layer toward the wind from there so it will stay on at speed. If you do it starting at the nose and working up the hood, it'll all start to lift after one session and get worse from there as dust stops the flapping part from re-sticking.


Jim

Aardwolf

"What have you guys done to protect your nose/hood/wheel wells that works?"

I just don't follow super close, haven't had any problems so far.

AU N EGL

There is a spay on nose bra. that can be pealled off.

GO_BLUE_VETTES

Clear contact paper from Home Depot. Tape down leading edges with race tape. Goes on and off easy - its a lot easier than cleaning tire boogers off!

jrz1

search under race tape. comes in many colors and some are advertised as easier to remove. I found some yellow tape for my VY Z. If you're persnickity, you can use a hair dryer to remove and most of the glue will come off with the tape.

Phil Smith

I have a GM bra and Colgan mirror bras. Plus I have been using the clear contact shelf paper on the sides. Works well - easy on and easy off. Use a little painters tape in the wheel wells for extra protection. Be sure to do the hreadlights. Mine are getting chips because I didn't use the stuff on them. Don't know about the thin windshield. It is getting sandblasted. If all else fails use ZAINO!

PS

WNeal

painters tape has worked very well for me.

Definitely can see me coming, blue front on a black car.

Joe_G

For the nose I use a nylon bra from downsouthvettes (Forum vendor). Excellent product, goes on in seconds, rolls up into a little tube that fits in the rear cubby.

For wheel protection I use clear shelf paper from Target. Goes on easy and comes off easy, and stays on at track speeds unlike painters tape that I had problems with peeling off at speed.

You can see both in my avatar.

WNeal

02impactblue

shelf paper works well

PA Z06

I did the 3m Bra, and so far so good, I had so many rock chips, that I had the bumper resprayed then 3md it. Kind of expensive but works really well, and best part is when I take it off the front will look brand new.

95jersey

respray...every 2 years

StArrow68

I have an Electron Blue coupe with 4 years on track. The nose is good
since I run a GM bra most of the time at the track. The wheel well
panels are pretty good since I use blue painter's tape, and the two
tone blue is ok as noted. However, since I don't cover the lights or
the hood I have many small chip marks above the bra. Also, under the
door panels I have gouges that run from chips to inch long and deep
into the composite material.
Not following close may help the nose some but after a few 4wd yahoos
clip apex berms on the dirt side and leave rocks, that isn't going to help
around the wheels or under the door panels. Also, I don't think you can
stay away from following, at least if you intend to pass a few folks.

Randy

sothpaw2

I have a GM bra that my bother gave me--is this just as good as the 3M and nylon ones that you guys are mentioning?

And does everybody agree pretty much that the clear shelf stuff (is it tape or paper--comes in a roll??? What does the box say?) is better than painter's tape?

For the areas I tape up, it would be nice to not worry about it coming off at speed. As long as I can get it off at home and it doesn't hurt the paint, it's fine with me.

I am a beginner so I will end up behind other beginners in the green group, it's inevitable.

Thanks for all the advise guys!!

ps. Any reason I shouldn't tape up some of the hood too? Where do I get the clear stuff I could use on the hood?

Joe_G

I had the GM bra but it was a biatch to put on. This one is so easy my 4 year old literally puts it on for me.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...9&goto=newpost

But I'm sure yours is fine since you already have it. Probably better for rocks by the way.

Shelf paper is on a roll and it stays on pretty darn well. I found it only at Target in my area. It comes off easily, sometimes the edge will leave a little glue but that comes right off with bug and tar remover.

vms4evr

That's what I did after my 2nd event. The GM Z06 bra does take about 10 mins to put on but it works great. You can tell from looking at it that it lives in a "hostile" world... the Colgan mirror bras also help.

I'm using the clear contact paper that you get from Lowes or HD. Comes in rolls for about $7. You can get a few events out of a roll. Put a coat of quick detail on the car to make it slippery. The contact paper will come off easy enough. I do it Thursday night then rip it off at the track Sunday when I'm done or Sunday night when I get home. Way easier to deal with than painters tape. Leaving it on even in 100deg heat all weekend and it still comes off easy. It will leave some residue anywhere that air bubbles formed. So you want to smooth it out as much as possible when you put it on. The residue comes off with soap and water.

Do your headlight covers. They will take a beating. Also plan on your hood taking a beating. I already have several chips in it. You would have to cover the whole hood with contact paper to protect it. My chips are randomly scattered across the hood.

Say goodbye to your windshield now. Mine looks like I drive through rock showers after only 8 events.

The nice part is besides chips you won't have to cleanup tire bugger marks or brake dust off the car. Just peel off the contact paper and it won't even show that you were out playing all weekend...

One other suggestion. When you pull out of hot grid onto the track. Don't tail gate the guy in front of you during the warmup lap. If he's on r-comps he is picking up and tossing every pebble on the track at you.

Sooner or later though your car is going to have plenty of chips. I've even gotten one on the roof along with tire bugger marks...

We need someone to make a Corvette Condom

SouthernSon

exactly! I now leave the speedlingerie off cause the chips run deep and all the way up to the windshield. One of these days I'll just repaint. Besides, the car needed repainting when it left the factory, to be honest!

jrz1

Amen about the windshield. Mine looks like it's permanently got a light mist spray after only 2 events. Paint isn't too bad but it will get beat up without protection.