Help me choose a wrap colour

Ok so some of you may have seen in my build thread that I have decided to wrap my car....myself.

I've watched countless videos and I am going to a proper local shop next week to help out for a couple of hours and get some guidance.

I was originally going to go for a chrome colour but A) it's a pain to fit and B) the novelty would wear off after about 6 months.

I've been advised to go for a Hexis product, but can't decide what colour!

I am going to be ordering samples but don't want to go getting about 500 samples just so I can pick one, I want your help to narrow it down a bit.

I am basically going to pick from the Gloss Colours section on here: https://online.hexis.co.uk/Product-Detail?category=pg_HX20000&catdesc=HX20000-Coloured-Vehicle-Wrap

I know a lot of people will say white but I do not want to go that route as I think recently it's becoming very popular, so I want to go for something a bit different but not too drastic as I have to live with it for about 8 years!

So.....let's have some opinions.

Bright red

I'd have matt black. It's so expensive though compared to a gloss.

When you wrap it how do you go about areas like door hinges?

You wouldn't generally go as far in as the shuts, the wraps are only meant for the exterior.

The problem on a Supra will be the door handles, which of course will need removing. And don't put a stanley blade anywhere near the bodywork!

Not going for any matte colours. Definitely going to be gloss.

I was thinking Red but then the last two cars I've had have been a bright red so fancy something different.

Not decided what to do with the handles yet, might even get them carbon dipped.

You wouldn't generally go as far in as the shuts, the wraps are only meant for the exterior.

 

The problem on a Supra will be the door handles, which of course will need removing. And don't put a stanley blade anywhere near the bodywork!

Do people spray those areas then? I have to admit, I've only seen wrapped cars with the doors shut.

No they are left as is.

If you start wrapping all the door shuts etc then you verge on the point of a whole colour change as far as insurance etc are concerned

Just another thought, rather than change the colour, why don't you keep it silver and spend the money on buying facelift lights all round? It properly transforms silver Supras, and they're permanent upgrades unlike a wrap.

Because this is how it is at the moment (as well as the front which also needs painting) and A) I can't afford a full respray and B) although I do like sticking up for the silver supras I do fancy a change.

Well you've already got facelift rear lights You should be able to get the bodykit sprayed for circa £500. Then start saving for facelift lights. I think it will look fantastic in silver And the door shuts, engine bay etc will all match.

I can do mate but I had body parts sprayed a while back before changing direction and it just doesn't match. There are imperfections all over so it needs a full respray which is just not an option at the moment.

Trust me I've sat and thought long and hard and it's a wrap or harlequin lol.

I think you should stick to your initial plan and go for the red chrome. When you do your day at the wrappers talk to them about it and get as many chrome wrap specific tips as possible. Maybe you'll be able to persuade one of them to help you fit it on the side for a few quid?

Black chrome is nice.

In regards to cutting on the vehicle, have a look at cutting tape: http://www.langeman.com/WrapCut/. Image Perfect also supply it and jts great stuff.

You're gonna need to put a join in the material. Cutting tape will take the stress out of the job.

Wrapping material wise, you can't beat Avery. Their Supreme easy apply is a doddle to work with.

I think you should stick to your initial plan and go for the red chrome. When you do your day at the wrappers talk to them about it and get as many chrome wrap specific tips as possible. Maybe you'll be able to persuade one of them to help you fit it on the side for a few quid?

I'm just not sure on the chrome, it really is very very difficult to fit and I've already tried with a few free sample pieces.

Plus, would the novelty of chrome cars not wear off before the lifetime of the wrap?

Black chrome is nice.

 

In regards to cutting on the vehicle, have a look at cutting tape: http://www.langeman.com/WrapCut/. Image Perfect also supply it and jts great stuff.

 

You're gonna need to put a join in the material. Cutting tape will take the stress out of the job.

 

Wrapping material wise, you can't beat Avery. Their Supreme easy apply is a doddle to work with.

Got all that already thanks mate, only thing I need now is a colour to go for haha!

Hi Ken,

I wrapped my supra a few years ago as a temporary measure (which has now been 4 years), its quite hard at first but you do get better at it. I subsequently wrapped my wife's impreza and now in the middle of wrapping her NA. Not keen on her choice of colour this time for the NA, its matt purple, but it makes her happy. Don't be put off trying with the negative comments you may get. Its a 20 year old car, 18m of decent wrap costs less than 200 quid (some spend more on detailing) and if all fails or you don't like it, you can pull it all off and either start again or forget it.

Here's some tips you may find useful that I have learnt along the way.

If you intend to do it outside, then only choose the stillest and warmest days. Once it has been heated the first time then even the lightest of breeze will make it go almost crispy and hard and you will run into problems. But saying this, if you get a really warm sunny day with no breeze, the matt black stuff goes on perfectly and much easier as the sun warms it up nicely. Its a real double edged sword.

Buy plenty of squeegees and I found the 3m felt ones to be the best on matt finish, I couldn't get on with the chamois covered squeegess at all.

Take your time and if you can have 2 helpers to get your sheets aligned before you start to apply, once aligned and you start application you will probably want to do it on your own as it does take a fair bit of concentration.

On a supra, you really do have to remove the door handles, or the doors are a nightmare and you never really achieve a good finish around them. On the Subaru and an old Gen 6 Celica I did the doors on, its was easy to do with the handles in place,, but not the Supra. In fact just this week I have done the doors in purple on her Supra and thought I would try with the handles on, big mistake and waste of time wrap and effort as its got to come off and be done again with the handles removed. I was being a lazy tool really as I had already taken the door panels off to get the mirrors off.

Heres the one I am doing now for the missus, this was on Wednesday.

One of mine from about a year ago. Worth mentioning though that after 4 years and 3 winters in the open from before I had my garage, it has just about got to the stage where it really needs doing again.

I don't have any pictures here of the Subaru or Celica we did, but she has on her facebook page I am sure, if you would like to see them pm me and I can give you her details, I don't do facebook so cant link it.

Good luck.

That looks really good mate, good work.

I've just ordered a full colour sample swatch for £20, a worthwhile spend I think so I can really see all of the colours first hand.

Handles and all trim will be removed, I've no idea what to do with the wing mirrors though just yet.

Did you remove the glass and wrap them or get them painted in black or something?

That looks really good mate, good work.

 

I've just ordered a full colour sample swatch for £20, a worthwhile spend I think so I can really see all of the colours first hand.

 

Handles and all trim will be removed, I've no idea what to do with the wing mirrors though just yet.

 

Did you remove the glass and wrap them or get them painted in black or something?

For now they have just been rubbed with a scotch-bright pad and done in satin black because she has a set of Gandalor lookalikes to go on but we need to work out how we will fit them, looks like we need to make an adaptor plate. The lacquer had all but gone on her mirrors anyhow so I wasn't worried about giving them a rub over first. They are really hard to wrap and I wasted hours trying to wrap mine when I tried. The great thing about using matt or satin blacks is that mirrors handles etc, all the things that are really hard to wrap can all be painted and it looks fine.

Another idea on the mirrors is to get a set of those carbon skins which just clip over. May be a good idea.

Another idea on the mirrors is to get a set of those carbon skins which just clip over. May be a good idea.

I have not seen them Jake, where from?

Supra wing mirrors wouldn't be a problem to wrap.

Supra wing mirrors wouldn't be a problem to wrap.

Well you must be better at it than me then. I tried and couldn't get a decent result.

I think the trick to doing the wing mirrors is putting a joining strip in on the underside where it won't be seen. Although I might just get them carbon dipped.

I know you said no mattes...but these colours seem to be in season for the imports, matte white and matte blue. Very nice on a supra!

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I think the trick to doing the wing mirrors is putting a joining strip in on the underside where it won't be seen. Although I might just get them carbon dipped.

Please don't do the whole carbon accents, handles and mirrors. It looks cheap on a supra, as the supras lines don't compensate for it...other high end cars do...but they don't have real character like a supra!