[TheMealOnWheels]

I've decided to do something about my ss being PBM, so I bought a bunch of wrap. I haven't wrapped a vehicle before, and, well, it shows. I have no help, and I just can't lay it down. I tried the hood today with poor results.

I feel good about my prep, but the vinyl just stretches and folds too easily for my unexperienced self. The videos I watch make it look so easy, but so do the videos where they rebuild a trans lol!

Before I ruin all this wrap, I'm soliciting help... anyone know of a place around longview, tx 75601 that can do this?

 

[chevy2fan]

Oh brother, wish I could be of value here... LOVE that you're giving this a try.
Any thought of NOT starting on the single most visible part of your SS?
Maybe the trunk lid and spoiler perhaps?

 

[TheMealOnWheels]

Oh brother, wish I could be of value here... LOVE that you're giving this a try.
Any thought of NOT starting on the single most visible part of your SS?
Maybe the trunk lid and spoiler perhaps?

Yeah, the trunk lid scares me: abrupt curves, spoiler in the way, etc. I don't know, I kind of thought if I could get a strip down the center of the hood, I could work outward from the center, following the dips off the cowl. Plus, with the hood being horizontal, i thought it may be like working on a table... with creases. It kind of worked, but the outsides stuck big time and, before I knew it, it was wrinkling and creasing as I fought to pick up those sides.

The roof may be a decent option for a second attempt, but I don't have a whole bunch of extra. Only 61ft, which should be fine, but... I need to make progress before i commit to keep trying.

 

[15SuperSport]

You need a bigger oven 😉

 

[FMOSRacing]

I failed wrapping a headlight, so I'm no help at all. I have never done very well applying vinyl anything. It's apparently a skill/talent/gift I do not have.

 

[wilkin4]

You need two people to do a hood, the wrap needs to be stretched a bit, and laid down on the hood, with a person on each side, and go from there....

By yourself, almost impossible...

 

[TheMealOnWheels]

You need two people to do a hood, the wrap needs to be stretched a bit, and laid down on the hood, with a person on each side, and go from there....

By yourself, almost impossible...

That makes me feel a little better about my first attempt being a failure, but confirms I need a hand if I intend to do this. My friends in longview are not automotive enthusiasts, maybe my 1.5yo will help? He loves hot wheels, this is just a bigger one...

I thought I may be able to get a small section down and stretch it to lay the rest. But really, I need to be able to stretch and lay it slowly while someone else uses the felt covered squeegee. I need more hands.

 

[uncv.chase]

If you want to do it on your own, stick one side to the fender and stretch the rest across the other side in the air and lay it down with tension. The heat it and squeegee from the middle out

 

[1Evil55]

For the hood specifically a second set of hands to drape it over initially is needed. Can't tell from the pic but doesn't look like much water between the film and paint. Soak it and squeege like crazy.

 

[wilkin4]

I would like to get a carbon fiber wrap on my hood, help hide and protect from more rock chips....

 

[16HeronSS]

Wonder if vinyl wrap is similar to commercial labels. I used to spray soapy water on the back and windows when I used to apply then squeegee the liquid out from the center out. It helps to align them properly before the squeegee.

Could’ve sworn I’ve seen a video of the clear bras being installed in the same fashion.

 

[SS WOT]

I utterly failed on the headlamps. Pulled off side decals with only 2 or 3 bubbles to pop. And wishing I had a third hand on that. I did go heavy on they soapy water so a bit of them was spent getting them to stick. Maybe some assistance to hold up edges until ready to squeeg them down...
I salute your courage.!

 

[TheMealOnWheels]

So, if you watch the vvivid videos (not those videos, guys!), I don't see them using bubble solution? I see them apply dry. I did this with a dawn wash, an alcohol wash, then blowing it off with my compressor just before applying. Part of the problem was the shear size of the piece, but also that I was aiming to do the center and work outward. But the backing paper was a single piece, so I had to peel from a corner. Eventually, I stuck the passenger rear corner, then pulled the backing off in a really helter skelter effort that left creases before I even stuck it down. I've done appliances (fridge, countertop), but I've always had the wife help. I bet I could get a panel or two if I had more hands...

You guys applying with soap and water, are you doing it with vvivid vinyl? Or another brand? Not that I'll trade my vinyl, just want to know if this is a method suitable for vvivid.

When I'm powder coating, my emblems are done with vinyl decals with stencils. I'm decent at laying those down with no bubbles, but I never use soap and water for a lubricant. When I tinted my house windows, soap and water. But I thought of that as a different process altogether.

 

[wilkin4]

Window film, yes, you use water, but with adhesive backed wrap, never seen water used. Possible some brands have water activated adhesive I guess, just follow manufacture instruction on your product....

 

[Sleeper1]

I would like to get a carbon fiber wrap on my hood, help hide and protect from more rock chips....

We can get 'er done if you want.

 

[badbird]

I've done a few cars and the hood sucks to get in place, you really need two people to get it set, but once it's on and decently flat you should be able to pull up the corners enough to work your way out from the middle like you were thinking. Personally I'd probably start at the center back by the cowl and work out from there. You should be able to get that center bulge all the way forward without too much trouble.

Depending on what film you're using it will go on dry, all the 3M stuff I used did. I have seen people spray something on top of the film to keep the squeegie from scratching the film, but I haven't tried that myself, maybe next time.

For your first time the hood might not be the best place to start, I'd say a fender or door maybe, not a lot of complex curves, and the they're small enough it's less painful if you have to scrap it and start over. You're just going to need seat time to get used to how the film reacts to heat and how far you can go with stretching and contracting.

If you have any specific questions let me know. I think I've posted pics of my ws6 on here before, I'm not pro level by any means but I think it came out alright

 

[SaberOne]

💸 Good luck on that one, considerable skill is required.
There are Master Wrappers and I don’t mean Snoop Dogg - saw one in action at a Las Vegas symposium. Man, he was good!
There are two things that I will never do; hand-gliding and wrapping a car.
I've had three cars wrapped in clear vinyl, and the shop did a decent job (not great) on two and screwed up my SS. Unfortunately, they work on volume, so they did a rush job, and it's a pain-in-the-ass to have it redone. The best warranty is the one you never have to use.