Charger Forums banner

Any wrap gurus?

3K views 33 replies 10 participants last post by  chad spender 
#1 ·
And I don't mean like Run DMC. I got a couple of questions about wrapping car panels.

1. Lubricate and squeegee or just straight peel and stick onto the surface? (hood, trunk, roof)

2. Is vinyl quality really detrimental?

3. Full roll or precut?

Thanks in advance.

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App
 
#3 ·
1. Lubricate, (our vendor Rider Graphix have detailed instructions on how to install) but it also depends on the type of vinyl wrap. I believe there is some that have air lock technology where you can lift it and reposition no problem. That said you do need a good vinyl application squeegee, it's like paint supplies, if you skimp on the supplies you're going to be in for a headache.

2. Vinyl quality is like tint quality, you want something to last a year or five years? (good brands, Avery and 3M probably others too I'm not all knowing when it comes to brands but those two I know)

3. Depends on what you want to do with it. If you're putting on rallye stripes go with a precut that way you don't have to cut the vinyl on your car which usually means you get some small scratches in your clear, but they can be buffed out.
 
#4 ·
Along with what Steve said here's my input, having done stripes on a couple of cars ( not at all considering myself experienced or an expert.)

For smaller pieces - lube it up. I think it's basically soapy water is what's recommended to use. It almost allows you to slide the piece into place easily. Even if it is the friendly kind you can peel and restick, every time you lift and reposition you have to do the whole piece and you risk debris getting under/on the car.
As far as cutting, definitely precut as much as you can.

FWIW There's a kind of wrap I've seen that's porous too. You can literally just squeeze the bubbles out without having to try and push them to the edge.
 
#6 ·
If you're going to wrap a whole piece, like a hood or a spoiler or trunk then might not be a bad idea to get a roll because you don't have to worry about positioning, you just start at a corner and start smoothing it on and then trim off excess. If you're doing a stripe or a portion of a panel I'd definitely go precut. There's lots of options on ebay for short money that are still 3M good quality stuff.
 
#8 ·
Avery and 3M are 2 of the best to use. Get good quality squeegees, I have ones from 4" - 12" and some are felt wrapped for use on certain materials. You can get knifless tape to make stripes on the car so you don't have to worry about cutting on the car, the tape has a cut string in it to cut the vinyl. You can apply vinyl wet or dry, it all depends on your comfort level. I do almost all of mine dry. If you go the wet route, you will have to make sure that you get all the water (usually 1-2 drops of liquid soap diluted in a bottle of water) out and let it dry good before you drive the car. It will help if you have someone give you a hand also. As far as how much you should get, I will usually get twice as much as I need just in case something happens. Don't try to rush things, take your time and you should be alright. There are a lot of videos on YouTube that can help you get ideas and pointers. Do your research and with a little practice, you will be working like a pro.
 
#10 ·
Sounds like you are well on your way to having a nice custom job done that you can take great pride in. I can't wait to see it.
 
#12 ·
The air release will make your life a lot easier.
 
#15 ·
I was planning on doing my roof, sideskirts, side mirrors, and some interior stuff. Also if I ever get the hood I want (truefiber a50) I'm gonna do the hood and trunk black as well. Good luck with yours:)
 
#23 ·
This looks really good, I definitely think that it's a better idea to do these "entire panels" like this with rolls of the wrap rather than pre cut. I tried to do pre cut trunk blackouts and it was really tough to get it lined up so there was no gap at the top and bottom of the panels.

Nice job!
 
#28 ·
I love how the Hemi lettering shadows through the new wrap. I am a huge fan of subtlety like that
 
#30 ·
Good, it looks awesome. I got an extra set of script emblem decals with the hood scallops I ordered and put them on top, got the same affect. Currently my favorite mod to date I LOVE this shadow effect that you can only see if you look close

 
#33 ·
Not trying to thread jack fellas. I want to do this to my car with the trunk and hood wrap but my car is black. What would be a good color to do for my car? I was thinking carbon fiber but don't want it to look too cheesy.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top