Vinyl Wrap - First Attempt

[Kitzy]

I was sitting around contemplating the meaning of life... alright, so I was just wondering why Chevy made their logo gold and how stupid it looks on certain colors.  I started looking for a replacement and quickly decided a paint to match emblem was not worth $80.  So I researched some vinyl wrap and picked up a few 5'x1' rolls of different colors.  One obvious choice was Satin White Pearl but knowing Chevys white diamond isnt as bright as most others white others white pearls I also grabbed white carbon fiber and black carbon fiber.  The Satin White Pearl matched the best.  However the logo has a black border that had seen better days so in stepped black carbon fiber.

Before...


Border done in black carbon fiber...


Finished product...


Tapatalkin...

[Obsessive Detail]

Looks good!

[Too Stroked]

Looks good. How hard was the material to work with?

[Kitzy]

Looks good. How hard was the material to work with?

Surprisingly pretty easy.  Its pretty forgiving.  You can stick and unstick it fairly easily.  I didn't use any heat like recommended because in all honesty I was planning to have to redo it out of failure.  It was more of a trial run to get the feel. Its fairly stretchy and pretty easy to work the bubbles out.  The only issue I had was hard corners.  You know, the kind that make up all of the chevy logo.  Heat may have helped there but i managed without it.  The solid color is easier to work with than the carbon fiber variety.  The carbon fiber type are an actual weaved pattern that can come apart at the weaves when stretched too hard.  For instance if it sticks to itself and you attempt to unstick it, it may tear.  However, the surface seems to be a harder, more durable material on the carbon fiver than the softer solid color.  The solid colors also show markings like finger nail marks and stuff really easily if you're not careful.  I did this in occasion when using my nails to force the vinyl down in to tight areas.  I will try to get a picture of just how complicated the carbon fiber part was.  It is by no means flat.

Tapatalkin...

[Kitzy]

Tapatalkin...

[sscully]

If you did that without heat, that is a great job.

I had issues galore doing the surround on my grille and I had the heat gun out.
- Same thing, inside to outside corners.
I did not learn seams until after the fact.  I was waiting until I had to redo it, but that has not happened yet.

I had the body shop do the bumpers, and you can tell a pro did those.  Glad I spent the money on it, he took the bumpers off, cleaned up the rust on the back and undercoated them at the same time he put the film on.
 

[Kitzy]

On this particular application there is nowhere for a seam to be.  I used a piece larger than the emblem even for the surround and then slowly worked around and cut the inside out of it as I worked it down in to the valley.  Then trimmed the outside up and worked it around the back side.  It actually wraps very cleanly around the back of the logo about a quarter inch all around.  I figured that would help hold it on and clean up the edges that are seen.  Only the corners don't wrap full around but they cover the front fine. 

If I have tine later I will attempt the back logo.  It has a chrome surround rather than black that goes well with the rest of my truck so I will only be doing the gold part.  The only problem is going to be its not removable from the truck like the front.  Its adhesived on.  I may just take the tailgate off depending on how the back up camera is wired.  I really don't want to do it vertically.  I want to be able to get comfortable for cutting with the razor blade.



Tapatalkin...

[Kitzy]

Funny little bit...

We had crazy storms roll through last night with torrential down pours.  This is why my truck is wet in the pictures.  I couldn't get the logo to sit on the hood.  It kept sliding off because my paint is so slick.

Tapatalkin...

[Kitzy]

Ok I did the back logo.  It was easier. I did use some heat but don't think I needed to.  I actually think the front came out better hut it still looks a million times better.





Tapatalkin...

[Blown F-150]

I really like the white vs. Gold. Just makes the truck look so much cleaner. 

I was in the same boat with the Ford logos being blue (in may case very faded blue). I was cheaper for me to buy new emblems to get the look I was going for.

Good to know the vinyl isn't too horrible to work with.

[Kitzy]

Thanks.  I agree its much cleaner.  I think I may attempt some interior pieces.  The previous owner put cheap stick on wood trim in it.  I might get anthracite carbon fiber and redo it.

Tapatalkin...

[Kitzy]

So I think I'm going to order the Anthracite Carbon Fiber vinyl.  I really don't care for the wood trim look in my truck. It is an adhesive add on and looks like it.  I think I can make it look better using vinyl.  I'm not going to go crazy and do everything but I want it tasteful, accented.  My big concern is using the right color.  I want the carbon fiber look because I like the way it looks when curved and I like the texture of it.  I also think it's a bit more durable and easier to work with than the solid colors on curves.  I have the carbon fiber white but I think it's too white for my trucks paint.  It won't match.  I have the pearl white that I sued for the logos but I think that's too much contrast for my interior which is all black leather and black plastic.  I have black carbon fiber but I think that's too subtle.  In comes Anthracite.  What do you guys think?  Here are some examples.

[sscully]

That looks like the color of the Wave pattern in the FX4s, I have that center panel surround in my Lariat.
- I had the same problem with the 70s wood coffee table trim.
In the Ford it is lighter than the black radio, black HVAC panel and the black cigar lighter panel.

The black CF pattern being too subtle could just turn into one black blob where it is applied against another black panel.  If you go with the Anthracite, it will have some contrast still.

Here is my center trim panel post conversion to the FX4-Lux center panel.


The flash washes it out a bit, but there is a shade variation ( along with the pattern )

[Kitzy]

That contrast looks good.  I ordered anthracite.  We will see.

Tapatalkin...

[attworth]

I must have missed something. What is this vinyl wrap stuff?