ArcTec34

Is there really supposed to be a difference? If so... I can try to make it happen once I'm done.. hmmm

I covered the edges of my tail lights- they were kinda beat up on the inside from where I dremel-ed them to put LEDs in, they look great now- I should have done this with electrical tape or something a long time ago, vinyl works a little better though: http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/v1.jpg added vinyl to cover up the A-pillars: http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/v3.jpg and re-cut the c pillars as I described above: http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/v2.jpg

hey J- tips for the roof: you can get the entire rof covered from window molding to window molding on the other side, just give it a little heat throughout and stretch the inch or so extra you need (from a 48 inch piece) for my sedan at least, above the windshield was 49 inches and 50 inches above the rear window. you need two people at least (I had two people hold while I heated with a hair dryer) and heat and stretch the entire piece, if you put down part in the middle and stretch the outside you'll be able to see which parts have been stretched compared to not. next thing that kinda troubled me was seaming. For the front and rear, I made the pieces longer than needed, then later pulled them up, used a plastic bendable cutting board, put it on top of the paint, and used a really really sharp Xacto knife to make a straight line cut And the biggest pain was getting the vinyl edges under the moldings above the windows. The front and rear windshield moldings are easy to work with as they are flexible and you can easily use a plastic vinyl squeegee to get the seam under it. The windows, however, are tough. Use a little heat as you go along, and get both a DULL xacto razor and a sharp one. use the dull one, on a very low angle (maybe 20 degrees from parralel with the edge) to push the vinyl in under the seal without cutting it, then go back and use the sharp one to cut in the seam. I tried just about every approach and this worked flawlessly

A few things that people asked me to post: 1) the seams on the hood scoop (although these look really obvious in this picture, it is with a flash and also perfectly in focus, but unless you're a foot away and looking for them specifically, you can't see them. Also- seams for the pillars- and the rear pillar seams are similar. I could have done the from pillars in the same piece but it really wasn't worth it and would have wasted more vinyl) http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/u3.jpg http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/u4.jpg I did the roof! the edges around the rubber moldings were kind of a pain.. but here: http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/u2.jpg http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/u1.jpg I'll take an outside pic tomorrow because its dark outside now..

nopee! gunna keep them on, I was playing around with that before, you can't see the pinstripes through the vinyl and it doesnt appear to pull the stripe off with the vinyl upon removal

Update (with good DSLR pics! woo!): the first piece that I did, behind the license plate (its wet) http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/t1.jpg http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/t7.jpg http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/t2.jpg the entire trunk- not the "stretch" marks behind where the license plate goes..luckily it can't be seen. the most important thing I've learned is that when using vinyl, you can't squeegee down one part, then strect another to form, stick it down, etc like I did in the above pic. Its best to heat up the entire piece, mold it to form, and them spend the time/detail getting it put down/stuck on/the bubbles out. I'm SO glad that I bought this vinyl opposed to crappy vinyl because of its ability to push out the bubbles. If you look at the inside of the vinyl (the stick side) its textured/grooves and basically has pockets so that air bubbles don't show.. I'll post a picture eventually. anyway the hood with grille and hood scoop removed: http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/t3.jpg http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/t4.jpg with the grille and hood scoop done! http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/t5.jpg http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/t6.jpg next, the roof! but probably not until next week =[ sigh

I've never done window tint..beats me! I'll let you know in about two weeks after I tint my car too....

I'm only going to do the painted part of the bumper, and not the lower plastic part

The flat body panels..well, anything that doesnt curve outward (like the grille, top ot the trunk back..a nd probably parts of the bumpers are the tough parts) but the hood was a joke, and the doors, fenders, and roof will be too =] I have a business trip next week, but I'll get the roof done sometime soon, and then while I'm away I'm getting my front bumper repainted, and then I'm going to try to do the rest as soon as possible

I finished the hood scoop and the hood. the hood itself took only 40 minutes from start to finish, the hood scoop- and hour and a half ish.. haha. I'll post pics soon

sad thing is I have a wonderful nikon D90, just used my cell phone for ease I'm hopefully doing the hood tonight.. I'll use the nikon after

I'm sticking with the gold wheels. And I paid a few hundred bucks for an atlantic blue pearl grille, so I wasn't about to spray paint it

hahaha nope :-p it was black already

kinda botched the grille...you can't see it in the pic but the bottom part is a little streched and discolored- when you stretch matte vinyl too far it gets glossy.. I'm going to leave it for now though, will redo towards the end of the project http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs095.snc4/36118_1349849869842_1339200078_30839607_5348362_n.jpg

haha maybe for one of the bigger pieces.. right now it'd just be me cursing a lot :lol:

haha very observant, yes, I did that too :-p

yeahh here, I finished the trunk, and did the mirrors. Next up is the grille and hood scoop, then the hood itself http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs061.ash2/36417_1348106826267_1339200078_30834710_2895044_n.jpg http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs121.snc4/36417_1348106786266_1339200078_30834709_8044524_n.jpg It looks ridiculously great and its quite intimidating.. can't wait to do more

Hahaha. I'm taking my time and I also don't have much time..so I'm only trying to do one piece ish a day. I also am getting my front bumper repainted on the 12th before I wrap it, so that will limit me. I have the new hangers to fix my exhaust but I'm too lazy!! Haha and taking the piece off takes less than a minute, ill wrap the rest of the trunk tonight

first piece done.. aka the piece behing the license plate on the trunk. some people have PMed me asking for pics because they were interested in just doing this..here you go. sorry about the quality, its dark out, but you get the idea. http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/s2.jpg http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/s3.jpg http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/s5.jpg http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/s1.jpg http://berzindesign.com/vinyl/s4.jpg

Laminate also is less of a big deal because this is not printed vinyl with anything on it, it is just the vinyl, and no print material that will fade, etc

I'm not getting laminate. I'm going to have this on my car for 2 years and it will hold up fine for that amount. I got 2 48 inch by 15 yard rolls

Got the vinyl! Will at least do something with it tonight..woooo!

do you have a link to a good pre-cut kit?

^ that link didn't work for me, by the way

Firstly: has anyone ever removed the little bumper strips on the side of the door? They're just adhesived on..I'm going to remove them/reinstall them when I vinyl.. I guess maybe ill call the dealer and try to get adhesive strips from them Anyway, to keep myself busy until the vinyl begins, I just ordered suntek carbon 35% window tint, and am going to wing it and try doing my windows myself..woo. I know the majority of people swear by professionals doing it. But..psh, how had can it be?