Dirt Race Cars

[Tenacity Graphics]

I'm just curious what materials other companies are using to do dirt race car wraps. I have been using Arlon DPF 4500MLX for the last few years and just looking to possibly change it up to find something that might last a little longer and conform better during insulation while still keeping the cost of the material down. Any suggestions would be helpful!

 

[unclebun]

DPF4500 is calendared, so it's not conformable. But if you're doing cars that are made of flat sheet metal it will work except over rivets.

Nothing will last longer if the car is driven in races.

If you want better conformability you'll need to go to a cast material and laminate, which will cost a lot more. And will likely be more fragile as it's thinner and softer.

We did this car using calendared material and staying off the molded front end made that possible. It lasted all season.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

How much longer do you want it to last? The saying goes, rubbing is racing. Back before wraps became prevalent, the group I was in had to re-paint our car at least once every season.
Maybe try briteline cast but as unclebun said, it will be a bit more delicate.

 

[Tenacity Graphics]

Just looking for something that will have a better adhesion, seems like I can lay a car and in the smallest spots it will lift overnight. The picture is a bit of an over kill on the material lifting as its been hanging on the shop wall for a few years but just trying to show the the angle that I'm trying to wrap that lifts when using the Arlon DPF 4500MLX material.

 

[2B]

It looks like the edge started lifting and then tracked down the channel
Avoid a full bleed when using a calendared vinyl, or edge wrap if full blood.

How are you laying the vinyl?

We would lay INTO this curve instead of spanning and then pressing into the curve
Applying post heat is also important

 

[Notarealsignguy]

I don't think it was the edge. Looks like the low area was bridged and then just pushed down like already said. Walk it in or if you're gonna push it down, heat it farther back before you squeegee it down so it pulls material and puts tension more on a flat area rather than dead center of the low spots.

 

[unclebun]

It's calendared material. You can't install it like cast wrap material. Even in a shallow angle like that you have to lay the material to the angle, then continue on to the edge. It will always lift back up if you bridge the gap and press it in, stretching the vinyl to make it stick. Typically before the next morning it will always pop back out again.