BigRuski

@STEK HOWARD do you have any in matte finish? 

Hahahahaha @Jake someone shoot me lol

1969 Alfa Romeo GTAm (also called GTR) front bumper + both fenders are 1 piece. FML

I have another G wagon being dropped off on Tuesday next week

G550 4x4 squared is another pain in the ... 

You have to literally climb the damn truck, and i am 6'0, 1 foot on sidestep and 1 foot on wheel, crouching over just to do the hood(oh back pains) dont even ask about the window trim or top light bar. /hangself

I normally charge a premium because of the quality of work (tucking?no tucking? Precut?handcut?) A full vehicle wrap will cost you between $7000 - $9000 CAD. Some dealerships are upwards of $12000 CAD for full vehicle wrap.

Every client that ever messages me, i explain to them that there are cheaper options out there but be wary of install and quality of film used. In the end it might cost you double.

No car is literally perfect. I seen lambos with custom factory paintjobs have small nibs all over the car, porsches with hair in the paint. New M5 dark cherry red (400 worldwide only) customer had to send the car back to repaint, they had oil like marks embedded in the matte paint. Goodluck getting that out

They wax the living crap out of new cars to hide all the imperfections.

I use 3M Adhesive remover to strip it before i apply any film to any car. (have to becareful using it on repainted cars.) All edges get Adhesive Remover on it be it painted or not. It guarantees it will grab. Most repainted panels i see, are ALWAYS missing clearcoat on the inside. (this is from high end body shops who paint Lambo's / Ferrari's / Porsche's).

My Slip solution is usually 2 good sized drop of J&J Baby Shampoo.

My Tack is 4 caps of 99% with 800ml water.

I only use filtered water.

With Suntek i noticed that i needed to add a cap of alcohol into my slip solution, same idea with 3M Venture Shield.

I adjust my mixture based on temperature i am working in as well. 

The best film so far i have used for me is XPEL Ultimate, stretches good, can take a beating, cuts nicely, adhesive is perfect to my liking.

If you want something really sticky try Stek film.

Getting around bends and multicurves is alot about where you start and how you pull. From my experience.  I have attached a pic. Raptor hood is something similar to this hood i did not long ago

I have given a try to your nonhydrophic self healing ppf, i like it. I would get a roll and use it mainly on vehicles with aggressive curves, reason for that is the adhesive i found to be extremely potent. If you are doing by hand installs and film touches glue to glue, its near impossible to separate. I am buying 2 vehicles for my company and will try the hydrophobic one on the Mercedes GLA. How long does the hydrophobic properties stay on the film?

It stretched very well and cutting it felt good too. Here is a final picture of a 2018 Dodge Ram 3500 full hood i did recently. 

I have recently swayed away from 3M (too expensive, poor software, adhesive is too weak, i find i need to mix a little bit of alcohol into my slip solution) I will continue using XPEL as i find it very easy to use and takes quite a beating but i like to have several options. 

Hahahah thats long ago touched up.  and had to place rubber back under the rails too

She is almost ready.

Its not about selling this product to future clients. You have to see the bigger picture. 

This vehicle has alot of local hype around it between big shots. There is film crew recording entire process and difficulties which will be showcased at the auto show with an unveiling. There are several big sponsors in on this which open doors for me to take over several markets.

Profits wise, i havent lost anything really. Remember i am not on this car constantly. I just finished an S63 AMG full vehicle and Viper full front and VW Golf full front and i have to take 2 days off this week to do brand new Corvette full front and extra pieces. Some clients have seen the vehicle when they were at the shop and were so impressed they have booked in (another GT3RS / Maserati Ghibli.....) and 1 client has a 27 car collection who wants to start rotating vehicles in to get full wraps on them. I have to actually hire help soon because of this. Imagine the exposure and autoshow would give? May need a team of installers for next year. My focus is mainly high end clientele. 

Maximum profits will always be doing partial hood and fenders for dealers. Quick fast cash but you compete vs installers who charge peanuts and just slap it on not knowing what they are doing. I've seen cars with overlapping crumbled lines on trunk edges (no trimming done anywhere)

Also its winter time, majority of people are getting a few partial hood/fenders a week (some weeks 0 calls for some places). Slow season for us up north here.

Also: I have no deadline to complete this. Imagine once i am done, (this is how extreme the client has gone) he will get the car flat bedded to Porsche, for them to remove vents in the fenders (they are structual (bonded to the fenders not screwed on) and hold the fenders together from what Porsche said) they have to remove fenders off the car, cut off the vents, put fenders on the car, have me wrap the fenders and tuck the film, then they will remove fenders again, install carbon fiber vents with the $600 Porsche bonding paste lol and install fenders again. 

Almost there here are a few more teasers and what the rear bumper will look like with letters still on. Should be done next week

Has anyone wrapped the rockers on this?

I have done vipers before but mainly full front ends. I have a 1999 Dodge Viper that has old old film on it.

The exhaust runs under the rockers and the film is all dark yellow (could be from heat). From the looks of the orange peel, its old 3M Scotchguard. 

Do you wrap that rocker FULL top and side or do you leave a cut at the top for the exhaust because heat transfer melts film?

Knifeless tape is a nightmare. The promo video for it, they used it to cut off a piece from top of partial hoof (you might as well use the side of the roll for that to get a better cut) i tried it on this film and its crap, it comes off jagged a little. None of my clientel would approve (i mainly focus on high end jobs, and most of my work is full front ends or full vehicles)

@CaptainSpod thank you so much, means alot.

The colored PPF to install on a same color vehicle is no different then regular ppf (but why would you use colored)

Changing colors its a MASSIVE workload. If you are doing a full vehicle. That spoiler took me 6 hours (too many curves) + few hours for trunk lid.

It would cost $15000 to wrap the vehicle in colored ppf (considering labour + quality of work + film cost *cough* almost $10sq/ft)

Why would you do this instead of vinyl? Why is my client doing it?

He wants 1of1, something no one has done.

Quality finish of film is ALOT better then vinyl, it really looks factory painted, even pictures dont do it justice, its like a flawless paintjob.

Doesnt scratch like vinyl

Self healing (vinyl isnt)

Wont rip easily if rocks hit it.

10 year warranty.

Wait until i do the rear bumper, the GT3RS sticker isnt coming off and it will look 3d engraved ;) i left a sample piece on it today (going to leave it until i get to it, to see if it bubbles up around letters)used only my alcohol solution (no soap)

@Jake its really Ultimate with a thin layer of paint under it. Same as installing Ultimate, can take a beating but...... if it dries even for a little it will leave a very noticeable vein. 

I truly have issues cutting it. I know the exact pressure for ppf to score it at 90 - 95% penetration but when i cut this one, i am left with a small layer of paint which makes things a nightmare. I cant put more pressure as i risk cutting paint.

Hahahaha i think if i do 1 again, i will book it for 2 weeks and take a week to rest lol just before that G550 i did 2x G63 all in a row

There is a Brabus G550 waiting lol he hasnt booked in and waiting for me to tell him go ahead lol

Thanks guys  here are a few more. Still working on it. Spoiler is 1 piece covering the edges and a bit in underneath then another piece butts against it on both sides on the bottom. Yes did it on that stand had to pop a million bubbles after it was on before it dried.) 

Engine cover is all 1 piece

The white on the engine cover will be covered with a carbon fiber cover so it will never show.

Whats left?

1 quarter panel

Rear bumper

Front bumper

(Fenders will be done last as the car will go to Porsche to get vents removed then i will wrap them at Porsche and Carbon fiber ones will go in)

I am not the best but i consider myself a pretty good quality installer.

I have VW dealership and i was fully booked that day from Mercedes and Porsche. VW needed 6 partial hood and fenders. I had a helper with me. We did each car in 8 minutes. With finding the vehicles in the lot and moving it out and next one in. 

Yet, Dodge Rams / Range Rovers / F150 / Minis you can never do it that fast, i dont care how much experience you got.

Remember i said "Quality" my prep is a 3 stage clean then install then final prep.

Full vehicle wraps, i can do solo in 4 days or if i am exhausted 6 days taking my time. I did a G550 4x4 squared solo in 5 days. 

Full front ends, i never rush or speed, takes me 1 full day by myself. (Full hood, full fenders, full front bumper, mirrors, a-pillars, headlights, roofline) 

Mind you i install practically 7 days a week (the other day i went 6:30am to 1:30am for 2 days same amount) then took a full day to sleep.

Ok roof is done. Here is the corner and front windshield area.

@XPEL Jeff

@minty with a very fine pin you can do wonders. Heat it up and tuck and make it hold then let go. Just tedious. Here is mid install

Adhesive remover works wonder. enjoy the scrubbing ( might need to polish after) and get hand lotion (you will need it) your hands will take a beating.

@minty i am pure ppf as well. I am tucking it ALL with a very thin card. Cutting alone takes half a day for 1 panel because i have to trim so close, i am pretty good with the knife (very steady hand) but what i noticed is this film has 2 layers (a layer of film and a layer of paint  underneath, because i am not putting enough pressure to go through the second layer a very fine layer of black paint layer was leaving behind and if i put more pressure i dont want to cut paint, so not risking it). Just going extremely slow with this install. I added a picture of the roof edge for you to see.

The door was really tough beside fenders, because its really tight.

@XPELJeff  i never back down from a challenge lol that quarter panel took 3 days and 2 attempts but i know the exact route for the other side so i will mimick my steps and manipulate the film. Thank you, thats amazing to hear. Alot of stress hahahahah this is actually a secretive project. I am only showing you guys, there will be a big showing at an autoshow (cant say more) Jeff we are going to put vinyl decals on top for their company logos and even put #XPEL, there is a magazine its going into. Cant mention more about what mag. 

Like i mentioned, there is a professional video being done. I am wearing go Pros on my head and body hahahahha there are more go pros on ladders way up above and high end cameras recording from side. To showcase all the issues we run into and how we overcame them. Dead batteries on GoPros are prolonging this too hahahah

I am more then positive the company owner would want some XPEL website exposure possibly if you wanted to contact me in PM jeff with email and i can pass it on to the owner of the vehicle and what he wants to do.

This will be showcased in Monte Carlo France as well ;)

Cutting is an install of its own. Covering all edges.

Here is another teaser. Should have 1 side of the car done today. Tomorrow is shot, have a Lamborghini Huracan Performante being dropped off for full wrap in matte XPEL Stealth

Nice install looks great

hahaahahha ya at first he didn't want to (i explained to him prior to the original post that it will be an extremely intense job and to hide edges / corners i will have to have the car stripped and entire car done by hand), then he had Porsche dealer get their bodyshop employees to come and strip the car. The fender vents are actually bonded to the fender and it's $7000 to replace if it brakes. After i am done wrapping the vehicle, he will have the car towed to Porsche, they will remove the front vents (however they want to do it) then i have to wrap the fenders at Porsche bodyshop and they will install carbon fiber vents.

Sorry for delay, the project is on pause until next week. As i am wrapping a Full 2017 Mercedes S63 AMG. 

......but the car has finally been stripped and i will post progress pics as i go along