F40 LM Restoration

The best part about this is that you are going to drive her. Beautiful car Tim.

 

Well done Tim!

As long as you are working with an experienced installer, the wrap should not be an issue. However, as with everything in life, there is always a risk. In general, the risk with a wrap is a very small chance that some paint gets pulled upon removal. Specifically, there is also a risk you take when you do a custom wrap as they have to cut it very near the car's surface. The mitigating factor is the caliber of the professionals. I absolutely certain Tim has the very best people doing this.

If Tim's car were all original paint, which had no clear coat I believe, and were more of a garage queen, I might advise to just wrap the lower areas of the car. But, as its going to actually be driven (Bravo Tim!) and it has been lovingly and masterfully restored by the best and with the appropriate paint job, then a wrap makes a lot of sense.

I am truly happy for you Tim and I am trying to imagine the experience of driving your F40 LM on track. When the time comes, I hope you will get the chills because thats what I get when I imagine what it might be like... As you know I have a little bit of a basis for this imagining... but not with an LM... gobsmacked is what comes to mind!

 

Have only the best wrap it. It is worth it and as stated earlier, if done right cannot hardly tell and will protect that spectacular finish.


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Doesn't Schmee use Topaz? You should have him film the process and upload it to his channel.

 

That's very impressive Tim. I've never heard about scanning and then (presumably) precutting the film. That's very thoughtful and through. The new films really do look very good and you can't tell. The only thing I wish to add is for those who are keeping the car clean: Its important to be extra gentle with wishing and drying because the film is easier to scratch than clear coat and thus can go from looking great to dull if one is too aggressive with cleaning. Also the film will hold dirt and road debris to a much higher degree than clear coat, so its doubly important to be through and gentle.

 

What about painting the car with clear plasti-dip? Easier to peel off, equally as protective and invisible. Probably cheaper, too!

 

Topaz can easily handle that kind of job. Scan, cut, apply. Tim's F40 wont be a challenge for them
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guN8l9104JM[/ame]

 

VERY impressive!

 

Wow!

 

Topaz is great, their work truly is the best.

I'd rather have Annabel from Topaz film it, a looker and it also means we don't have to look/listen to Shmee.

 

You should be present when they remove the film from a year old job. Every new generation of film claims that they don't damage the paint like the previous product. You would be much better off spraying the car with a layer of clear IMRON. Every film causes paint damage to some extent. The paint underneath will still get heavily pitted. The end result will be a repaint after the film is removed. It's most damaging to the clear coat. Consult the paint manufacturer as an educational exercise. Wear the patina proudly!! For track days a temporary layer of helicopter tape works great.

 

For my own project car I am now thinking to leave the panels in bare carbon/epoxy, just have it polished and then wrapped in the appropriate colour, that way if and when panels get damaged/scratched I can just have that particular section re wrapped. The weave pattern wont be of a quality suitable for simply leaving bare on mine.

Do we even need painted colour coats anymore, I can see a day when new car shells stay in primer and are colour wrapped from new.

 

Wrapping is quite common on racing cars, offering a much easier solution that repainting after a fix.

That solution is not viable on a street car. Not only a paintjob will always look better, but it is much more durable. A wrap after few years tend to look like crap, and would force the owner to get it re-wrap, which is far from cheap.

 

Knock on wood, I have had many cars wrapped and the wrap removed without problem. I find I can get about 5-7 years out of a good film job. But its really use dependent. I don't drive my fun cars in anything except fair weather and clear roads.

I like the battle damage Tim. Its appropriate for the use!

 

Tim, your F40 is glorious. I had the guys from Signature Group hit me up, for a full wrap protective on the latest addition. They recommend a ''hybrid of XPEL Ultimate Pre-Cut and Sun Trek''. They seen very keen, do you know anything about them?

 

Tim - based on the experience of my car after a few thousand miles of occasionally ungroomed Italian roads, I wonder whether a compromise is to do the front bumper (which get a lot of hits that would dent the paint without a wrap) and the sills which seems to collect stones from spat out of the grill behind the front wheel. They are both low down, and therefore less of an issue. Oddly enough, my front clam is entirely free of chips - not sure whether it is just luck, or whether it is a result of the front bodywork acting as a "debris catcher".

 

Wear "battle damage" proudly, as you've been advised. More than acceptable! Looks like you're planning to keep the car for a while, so there is not an immediate value issue. Then, whenever you wish or when the damage level requires, do a repaint. Sure it will cost you, but it seems to me that even with wrapping (or, because of it) you will want to repaint from time to time.

PS: I'm keeping track in case your car stays in Spain. I spend summer holidays just an hour away from Ascari. Seeing it would be worth the drive.

 

Tim, are you selling the car?