Tomrdy's Nardo grey 3.0i (Thank you and farewell!)

[adam1985]

looking really good.
Nardo seems a popular wrap colour at one of my local wrap places
https://www.facebook.com/wrapmonkeysund ... =3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/wrapmonkeysund ... =3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/wrapmonkeysund ... =3&theater

[CrazyBaptie]

Looks great! Always wanted to give wrapping ago all be it on one of my much older simpler cars. What sort of prep did you do to the paintwork? I take it you had to get it resprayed first and any stone chips ect dealt with?

I didn't respray any of the panels (or the boot) because besides the peeling clear on the corner, the rest is still totally fine. So all I did was sand down the clear and misted over it with some touch up (should probably use primer but it's what I had on hand) and levelled it out

one caveat though if you are thinking of wrapping your older cars is check all the seams. My left rear quarter was repaired (poorly) after an accident and I actually have some paint lifting in one of the edges. Something like that may fail when the time comes to remove the vinyl so extra caution needed. I decided to still do it because I figure that's future-tom's problem

Stone chips I've left as they aren't too bad on my car surprisingly though I've got a few nasty ones on the bonnet that I've just filled in a bit with paint and gave it a rub down.

Depends really how perfect you want to get it I suppose!

Other than that I've just washed the car and then with each panel right before laying vinyl:

- wipe down with APC
- clay bar
- wipe down again with APC
- wax and grease remover

See that was my outlook as long as it is smooth underneath the wrap should apply well - have you had any issue with blemishes or stone chips showing through?

Also what brand of wrap are you using?

[tomrdy]

See that was my outlook as long as it is smooth underneath the wrap should apply well - have you had any issue with blemishes or stone chips showing through?

Also what brand of wrap are you using?

Stuff like stone chips will show through but obviously less noticeable as the colour is uniform (if your chip has taken off all the paint). Issues with paint colour and stuff don't show so I imagine if you had just a repaired/primered panel, you could just straight up wrap it.

That said I haven't wrapped anything with a big one in it or major scratches. The bonnet and front bar will be interesting for that!

Re:brand, I ended up getting some stuff off AliExpress "Carbins".

It seems pretty good in my limited experience with wrap and my only point of reference was some 3M carbon that I used in the past. The results speak for themselves I guess!

Was less than half the price of Vivvid (which I was originally going to get) so I figured since it was my first go, get something cheaper to learn - and if it's hard to work with, itll force me to learn more? Shrug.

[tomrdy]

Took a breather today and just wrapped some small bits (panel work is the tiring stuff).

Driver side door is now all done and buttoned back up!

I wasn't going to cut the rectangle out for the key but figured it would be quite annoying if I was out and about and the remote stopped working for whatever reason and I had no blade.







I'm growing more and more nervous each day that I'll hate the colour the moment I roll the car out onto the driveway

[Marlon]

I'm growing more and more nervous each day that I'll hate the colour the moment I roll the car out onto the driveway

Well with all the skills you've learned it will be easier when you wrap it a second time
Looking good btw

[tomrdy]

Well with all the skills you've learned it will be easier when you wrap it a second time
Looking good btw

Ahhhh I don't think my fingers can take a second time for a while lol!

Thanks

[Magicarcher]

Great writeup. what make of wrap did you use?

[RustyZ4]

I do have to admit, it clashes with your curtains

[JamieZ4C]

Great writeup. what make of wrap did you use?

He's said in a previous post 'Carbins' from AliExpress. Just search on the website it's easy to find

Great thread OP, loving your work. I wonder how long those wheels are going to last in their current form?!

[AveZ4coop]

Brilliant, honest write up. Personally I think the colour looks good.

Hope you do still like it when you have finished?

[tomrdy]

Great writeup. what make of wrap did you use?

He's said in a previous post 'Carbins' from AliExpress. Just search on the website it's easy to find

Great thread OP, loving your work. I wonder how long those wheels are going to last in their current form?!

The wheel-photoshopping has already began..... 3 weeks ago

I do have to admit, it clashes with your curtains

hahah dammit I thought no one would notice them. Those curtains were put up like 10 years ago as a temporary fix to block out the direct sunlight on my other car.... "temporary"

Great writeup. what make of wrap did you use?

Here's the link to the listing I purchased from: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Carbins ... 4c4dpwuJSy

There's a lot of other listings that are cheaper but are probably an identical product. I went with them Carbins though as they seem to be "branded" at least and are the only ones with reviews and 99% feedback (others ranged from 93-96%).

..

Shooting for the passenger door today. I'm hoping it will go a lot faster since I've done the other side already!

[tomrdy]

Brilliant, honest write up. Personally I think the colour looks good.

Hope you do still like it when you have finished?

Thanks! I keep finding myself ducking into the garage to ummm & ahhh at the colour lol. I think I'll like it... I think.

[tomrdy]

UPDATE:

So in the last few days finished up the passenger side door (door handle as well but don't have a pic for some reason).



Next I finished the hood.



And then... I decided to tackle what I suspected to be the hardest piece - the rear bumper.

I figured it would be hard because of the recess in the licence plate area and spent quite a bit of time umming, and ahhing about how to tackle it.

I tried laying a test piece on and trying to stretch it in but the vinyl tore and also the amount of stretch meant the other areas would be a nightmare.

I tried laying it as 2 pieces and cutting the upper piece along the middle horizontally to fit in and cover the underside. This was OK but it was too hard to cut straight.

In the end, I decided to do it in 3 pieces.

- Piece for where the licence lights go
- Lower piece with knifeless tape cut along the bumper line
- Upper piece cut along the same bumper line



I laid the bottom piece first as having the top bit lip over would make it more invisible due to the way the light would bounce instead of having an exposed edge facing up (thank you Youtube vinyl gods!).

This was actually heaps hard to wrap. I cut a straight edge for the middle and laid it in since it was such a severe angle, if you tried to push anything in there it just looked bad and would also cut but. But then this meant all stretch would shoot towards the sides after the angle change at the end of the licence plate area

But got it done in the end!



Then I laid the under piece where the lights go. Didn't take pics of this because... well you cant really see it.

Then tested out how the seam would look. Unless you get your face right up to it, its not visible so OFF WE GO!







I haven't cut out the parking sensors. I tried laying over and also taking them out to lay separately. The latter was much worse because it meant when you pushed teh sensors back in, you could bubble up some of your tucks in the hole.

So I've just done it over it and just shaped it in. I'll leave them uncut for now as it looks pretty clean

Now just have....

- Front bumper
- Boot lid
- Rear taillight frame
- Tail light french tries
- Mirrors x 2
- A pillar
- Sideskirts
- Redo front right quarter as that was my very first one ... and it got real contaminated and has bad cuts

Seeing the bumper in the colour i am 100% sure ... that i'm going to LOVE IT Excited to finish but if I"m honest, pretty over the actual doing part. Gotta.. just.. keep... going.

[markplant]

Top work

[BeeEmm]

Fantastic work and a credit to your skill, knowledge and patience. Is that colour similar to Porsche's 'Crayon'? If so it will look terrific in daylight.