I paid a vinyl sign shop to apply mine and the installer was PISSED and told me it was *very* challenging to apply due to poor quality and zero alignment marks. They would have preferred to just custom cut the vinyl they use in the shop compared to the cheap crap being pawned off as "hood blackout".

 

A pre-cut piece will never fit perfectly since it stretches, especially under increasing temperature. Vinyl wrappers use knifeless tape in order to cut shapes perfectly after applying the vinyl. https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...nifeless+tape+

 

Without question I would use bulk vinyl next time. I just thought the precut would be a bit easier. But damn, it sure wasn't.
I'm not a newb on car vinyl, but far from a pro. The 3M vinyl wasn't bad quality or anything, it was the pattern that killed it for me. Alignment was a compromise. Knifeless tape and bulk vinyl woulda been half as difficult with the added benefit of getting the shape absolutely perfect.

 

Beautiful 55 degree, New Years Day here in the Northeast. Perfect day to give the old gal a much deserved coat of Carnuba Wax.

 

This hit me as it has an overall look I’m going for with my Alveston HSE. Question, though: what size are your tires and if larger than OEM, where did you get your tire cover?

 

Yes, they are 275/65-18 tires. I just got that oversized spare tire cover from a place in Florida. Broncosparetirecovers.com. You just key in the tire diameter when you order it.
I will warn you, the black vinyl was miscolored, sort of a blue tinge to it. They were kind enough to send a replacement but I still wasn’t happy, it wasn’t a true black. So I masked off the LR logo and used gloss black vinyl spray paint and gave a nice fresh true black finish.

 

Thanks! In an oddball way, you just chose my next set of tires. I have been set on getting another set of Kenda Klevers (I run them on the Jeep currently and LOVE them) and was just planning on 265/65r18. Well, that size you have comes in the Klevers and is CHEAPER despite being marginally larger. WOOHOO!

Now I just need to find the time to refinish my Comets so I get them back on.

 

MFing squirrels.. Found my ABS problem, fixed the harness, then went visiting for the holidays and came back to find a nest and another wire chewed.

 

For the last year or so I’ve been giving the rodents favourite places a coating of bear spray. So far it seems to be keeping them out.

 

Hmm wonder what the neighbors would think of me wandering around the yard pepper spraying the squirrels directly