wong05tsx

iTrader: (6)

A scarce commodity on Ebay called Sign Vinyl. Only seen one seller who sells it so far:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=010

My friend used this just this weekend to blackout his trim of his 330ci. It came out 100% perfect. I couldn't find a single seam. Unlike the blackout tape, where you have to cut small pieces in order to get the corners. This vinyl is kind of like how you put on window tint. Put the whole piece on, squeeze out all the air bubbles, and carefully cut. The whole process to do his left and right side window trim took him 7 hours total, most of it spent ensuring that he cuts the vinyl perfectly without slipping and accidently slicing his paint.

What I should've done is take some pictures, but I didn't. He's gonna help me do my this weekend, and I'll be sure to get some pics up.

He recommended doing it on a hot day, since the vinyl is much softer and easier to work with while hot.

*In no ways am I affiliated with the ebay seller, I'm just suggesting an alternative to people who want to black out, who don't want to spend 500$ for the jdm trim, or spend 20$ to tape it out, and still be able to see the seams*

Before doing the work this Saturday, I been searching, and I'm not sure if I should blackout the door handle chrome too? I'm thinking keep the door handle since I have a polish lip on my wheels, it might flow a little bit better. But I'll let the poll decide.

As it stands:


With window trim blacked out only (Inkedup's car)


Windows and door handle (Ilovemyhonda's wife's car)


Thanks

ILoveMyHonda

Hey!! You didn't ask me if you can use my pic!!

ILoveMyHonda

I vote leave the handles chrome.

wong05tsx

iTrader: (6)

Mods please add "DIY" to title?

First thing is first, this will take 4-5 hours. Put on sunscreen. I got cocky thinking it'd only take me 2 hours. *Note, the people seen in pix is not me . I watched my friend do one door, took pix along the way, and then I proceeded to do the otherside*


Before further reading, let's show you some result pictures
Window trim + door handles blacked out (I liked this look the most)

Window trim only

Window bottom trim only



Some closer shots..

wong05tsx

iTrader: (6)

Comparison


btw, sorry it's all on camera phone

On to the fun part...


Step 1:
Get a piece about 2" longer on each side, and measure it so that it can cover the whole chrome piece.


Step 2:
Start at one side, stick the bish on, pull tight on the vinyl, and use your fingers to smooth it out


Step 3: (No Picture) there will be some air bubbles, simply lift up the vinyl slowly at point of air bubble, as soon as the bubble dissapears, smooth it out with your finger again.

Step 4: Use your local CHAMPS or Safeway card, and smooth the vinyl down to the very end.


Step 5: For the upper windowtrim, after vinyl is applied, but the vinyl so that it is about 2cm higher than the trim itself. After you do that, peel back the upper weather stripping, and tuck the vinyl under. Do the same for the underside.


Results:


Step 5: For the lower trim, follow steps 1-4, when vinyl is applied, you can see the seem between the weatherstripping, and the chrome. Use your exacto knife, insert inbetween the two, and slowly cut. Same goes for the underside.


Thanks for looking, and I hope that this may save many of you quite a bit of $$$ :}
Hope you enjoyed the show



Also, I bought an extra roll of this vinyl, it's shipping to me.. if anyone is interested I'd be insterested in selling it, just to get my money back.
Also if anyone's in the bay i'd be willing to help you do the install, for some moolah of course!

EuRTSX

Nice write up.

S14 n Tsx

Looks really, really Nice.

mxmattd

Looks awesome

Let us know how it holds up!

wong05tsx

iTrader: (6)

Friend's bimmer had it on for close to two months now, still lookin' brand spankin new.

The product we bought has a "6 year outdoor durability warranty". So I'm sure it should last quite a while

Washed my car the day after, no problem. Everything still on tight.
I also noticed, while doing this diy. The black strip on our roof, between the roof and the door, that piece is vinyl as well. And so is our B pillars.

The main reason I did the blackout is b/c I'm picking up mugen door visors. I don't like the look with chrome coming out of nowhere

aznboi2424

iTrader: (10)

Great find! you think i can use this on my rims? I dont want to paint them cause too expensive/too permanent. Is it easily removed like tint? Any sticky residue left behind and if there is can it be taken off easily.

mxmattd

Nice. Hopefully the color won't fade in the sun. If it holds up well down the road I might be giving this a try!

wong05tsx

iTrader: (6)

Eh, matte black on wheels would not look good imo lol.. maybe you can try the gloss black?
I'm not sure how tint is removed, so i can't say. It's the same material as decals, and IIRC, the last time I removed decals, there was no residue, aside from an outline of built-up dirt. If anything, I'm sure it's nothing a squirt of goo-gone won't cure.

Our B pillars and the trim between the roof and the door is vinyl as well. I'm sure it will be fine. If anything, you can just redo it, it's not expensive.

msmching

i'll choose to go with no trim at all tho(because of your wheels)....but u dun have that option for me to choose. haha

wong05tsx

iTrader: (6)

Been bout 2 weeks now. No problems, still lookin brand new. I took off the door handle vinyl after the first week, since the look on the side seems like something was missing. With the vinyl off the door handles, it flows a lot better since I have a chrome lip on my wheels.

Can a mod add DIY to the title or something?
Bump for possibly DIY menu

aznboi2424

iTrader: (10)

how was removal? easy? any residue left behind?

wong05tsx

iTrader: (6)

Peels right off, left a little bit of residue, but it came right off with some spray detailer and a microfiber cloth. No scratchs, nothin.

aznboi2424

iTrader: (10)

sorry for second post but 5 min rule:

I just searched ebay and saw almost 40 listings under black sign vinyl. Also since this stuff is used to make signs, maybe call up your local sign making place or even a distributor of sign making materials for smaller amounts of vinyl. Because i dont think anyone here needs 100 ft. unless people plan to black out their roofs for the TSXs like the roof overlay i saw, another good idea but still dont need 100 ft.

I think im gonna do that and just buy a few feet of high performance/high quality, assuming there are 2 different kinds, of gloss black for my rims.

wong05tsx

iTrader: (6)

I only see ~8 listings. The longest one being 10yds (30 ft).

To do both sides of the tsx, you'll only need about 14ft.

aznboi2424

iTrader: (10)

really? cause when i search for black sign vinyl, i get back 37 items. http://search.ebay.com/search/search...nyl&category0=
but like half are repeat. theres even a rainbow of colors of vinyl to choose from and even carbon fiber that might interest some ppl.

wong05tsx

iTrader: (6)

Figured some of you may want pictures of the blackout trim with window visors. It's what made me research this topic of blacking out the window trim.

afici0nad0

very nice