Carl in LA

Colleagues...

Sometimes you just get a wild hair to do something (crazy) and you (blindly) pursue it (obsess) until you do something about.


I wrapped my hood and t-tops.

Havent seen it out of the garage yet but early reviews are not good.

The wife said the car looks like it has a toupee.

Carl in LA

Perhaps i should start from the beginning...

Purchased the material from a silkscreen place in downtown LA... McLogans





And a few tools to apply the wrap...






And the set up in the garage...






You have to use heat to shrink the vinyl around curved surfaces... (actually - I don't think it shrinks... it just brings the temperature of the vinyl up to its plasticity point at which time it can either be stretched or compressed - then it cools into the shape to which it was molded when hot)







And stuck it to the panels and trimmed... (note that it is not sticking too well to the area where the stainless steel t-top trim extends underneath the t-top...)







Then tackle the hood... (don't use bricks)







Why its so easy four-year olds can do it (not... I totally struggled on this and the edges are very rough)







More to follow on Sunday when I can get a pic outside...

Best,

Carl

Frank_Nesta

Hi Carl. I hope I get to see you and the warped car soon.

CraigH

I think the Tops don't look too bad at all.

The problem with just doing the hood is the contrast to the guards

Using it as an accent can look good but there needs to be well defined edges and often changes in angle to make it look like it should be there.

Look forward some shots outside the garage.

Carl in LA

OK...

In the light of day its not that bad... just different.




























So this may be OK after all... a little more skill and it could work... my goal was to do something like this cgi product... except with color-shifting orange.

Carl in LA

Now for some problems...

The vinyl did not really stick too well to the stainless steel trim around the t-top. Worse - I used a "wet-application" method on the driver side... There was so much "wet" that the adhesive did not really stick - so it was not sticking, on a curve, on my first attempt do wrap... results... lame.






Then... when I used those stupid bricks to hold down one half of the vinyl while I peeled the other half which left debris that scraped the vinyl! Dumb! With four hands that would not have happened.






But there was a huge upside to the project... five minutes with the scissors got me sweet brownie points with the lady of the house!!!

mikem350

To boldly go where no man has gone before

I like it

ddawson

Like to t tops not the hood.

It looks like a kid who didn't have enough funds to paint the hood

Love the dog addition LOL.

Frank_Nesta

Good job Carl.

briankeery

Tops yes, hood no. Valiant effort.

phat87

I think it looks good with that body color. Not sure it would work some other colors, but good on ya.

Brack c

love it ....
the tops are going to be the last piece i do for my 82 , except im using hydrographics . The carbon fiber look is awesome against my white paint .

Carl in LA

Hydrographics is a fascinating technology...

Brack c

Here's a thread I started with all I've done on my 82 ..

Carbon Fiber Hydrographics

13611

I like it!

Moser28

I want to do that with a set of fiberglass tops. I think its cool!

The Punisher

How much$ in material to do the hood and do you think it would cover cracks?

Carl in LA

The material was retail at $16 per ft on a 5-wide roll and the hood required 6-ft... so... $96 for material. $96...

Can you believe I paid that much for something that costs maybe 10-cents per sqft to make? Must have more money than brains.

Sheashhhh.

Cracks? The material is very thin and cracks would show through the vinyl.

Brack c

Carl in LA......

I have to ask , did it use to be Carl in TX ??
Yeah , sometimes i look at too much details in pictures , lol !!

I will say this , ever since i saw your tops , Ive been searching CL for some fiberglass ones to do

Snoopysvet

Carl - Not to Hi Jack your thread but do you raise puppies for Guiding eyes?

My wife losing her vision and has a Guide Dog, made a big difference in her life.

BTW - My glass is cracked so I am going to use your suggestion and wrap those tops!