Invinca-Shield

Bish Wheeler · #1 (**permalink**) 02-07-2002, 07:03 AM

After much thought and touch up paint, I decided the best way to protect the fender flaires was to use the 3M Invinca Shield. I went to their web site www.invinca-shield.com to look at it and then called them @ 1 888 339 1385. They answered all my questions and were very nice people. The fellow I spoke with was in N.C.. He told me that they have a contract with Superformance to "Do" all the cars coming into that area. They offer a Cobra kit so's you can do the entire frontal area of a Cobra, costs $195.00. It was way more than I wanted to put on my car, just want to cover the flaires. They offer that part too at $28.00 per side. I have discovered that our cars are not all the same in that area so I asked if I could get just the material to make my own. Short Version: I bought a 24" X 36" piece of material, received it yesterday along with a complete installation kit and a video. Bad news is it cost $110.00 but I have enough to do about 6 cars. I'll let you know how it comes out.

Bish

Zderf · #2 (**permalink**) 02-07-2002, 08:49 AM

Bish.. I looked at Invincashield last year, but out of England. They sent me the info which consisted of various kits pre cut for Cobras. Problem was, which Cobra? Surely not a CanAm....so I passed.

I would be happy to share some of the cost with you to do my car, based on what success you have.

Please keep me posted.

Thanks.

Zderf

Bish Wheeler · #3 (**permalink**) 02-07-2002, 09:12 AM

Great Fred.

I'm going to play with it a little before I attack the car. Compound curves present a bit of a problem, it looks like you can get away with mild compounding, but I'm not yet sure how much. Probably won't get to it until next week, I'm up to my eyebrows in work, kids and S.O., but will let you know how it comes out.

We are probably re-inventing the wheel here, I'm sure there are a bunch of guys out there who have used this stuff, but it will be fun to learn.

Bish

RogerC · #4 (**permalink**) 02-07-2002, 09:50 AM

If you need one more to share the cost count me in.

Good luck!

Bish Wheeler · #5 (**permalink**) 02-07-2002, 03:11 PM

Roger,

As soon as I figue it out I'll let you know. As I said, I think I have plenty of material.

Bish

Blue Cobra · #6 (**permalink**) 02-08-2002, 07:51 AM

Just as an FYI for others, or if you get really frustrated Bish....

Ston-Gard, Headquartered in Bellevue (with US wide locations) will put the stuff on for you, of course not for free.

They will create a template for you Cobra (if they don't have one already) and put the stuff everywhere you want. As a default they cover every leading edge on the car, no matter the curves, bumps edges what-ever, and then give you a 3-year warrantee against chips, dings, bubbles, edges peeling back etc... They computer cut every edge and even have a bow-tie emblem pattern to cut into the stuff (though I don't know if you have the Bow-Tie emblem on you car Bish..and Rich).

If your car get a ding or chip they will remove the Ston-Gard and fix the chip and paint under it (or replace the headlight), and then replace the StonGard shield all for free. They also do headlights, door edges, splash area under your doors, and front side of mirrors. anything which is painted or made of glass.

I wish they could do the entire car but they are limited to 24-inch widths strips of the stuff. They use heat, lots of static cling and a little adhesive to get the stuff to stay in place. All the edges are rolled over the actual car edge to prevent peeling. And it can be removed without any damage to the paint under.

I know of at least 5 people who have Ston-Gard, including myself, and the stuff comes highly recommended. Never needs waxing and the edges mostly disappear except under certain light and the eye of a connoisseur (such as any Cobra owner).

http://www.stongard.com/sgcontent/default.asp

Kevin

Walt Tomsic · #7 (**permalink**) 02-08-2002, 05:24 PM

Bish, if you have any long skinny scraps left over, I'll take them. The Street 289 is "flare challenged" compared to your 427 body style but still manages to collect the occasional rock.

Walt

Bish Wheeler · #8 (**permalink**) 02-09-2002, 12:03 AM

Waldo,

I'll be happy to give you the "leavin's" for your nice little car.

Bish

Keith Vincent · #9 (**permalink**) 02-09-2002, 06:43 PM

Hey, Bishop,
You are going to need to leave the "leavin's" to Waldo in your will. Be sure to notify your executor of your plans. We are all going to be long gone before ol' Waldo gets that car back from the shop. His repair list runs at least seven pages. (You know how anal he can be) (can I say that here??). However, I will get mine back the end of the month. sooo think of me and I would be happy to help him later.
Off to look at the half naked youngsters in New Orleans. see you for dinner on the 23rd.
Keith, past president of the Closed Winery Tours

M & M · #10 (**permalink**) 02-10-2002, 08:36 AM

Keith,

End of February.... No Way! I was down to Coos Bay (in the snow!) a couple of weekends ago and slipped John a couple of $$'s and told him to keep the cover on that Green Snake! He promised that the cover would not come off until mine is finished.

What's the ETA on your ordered car?

Mike

Bish Wheeler · #11 (**permalink**) 02-11-2002, 09:44 AM

Zderf, Roger C, Walt

Hey guys, if you can make a pattern of the stone guards you want I will cut them and we can put them on the next time we get together. They should be around 12 to 14 inches high. Pretty simple to put on, but there is a wetting solution that needs to be used while you position them. It looks like soap, but they say not to use soap so it must be something special.

Bish

wilf leek · #12 (**permalink**) 02-11-2002, 12:07 PM

Bish - I await with interest to see how you get on. I have been speaking with Invincashield UK about the self-same thing. Some friends who tried it with a similar product (sorry, not sure what)said that they could never get it to follow the compound curve without wrinkling. Sure it must be down to how you apply it, since invincashield themselves can do it!
UK price comparisons are interesting - use £1 = $1.42ish to convert - AC Cobra whole kit (but who knows what shape) = £135, rear fender kit = £25.65, 40" long strip 24 "wide = £40. Comes with the "solution" to apply.

Wilf

Zderf · #13 (**permalink**) 02-11-2002, 01:11 PM

Bish... I'll try to get a measurment this week, and post same here on this thread. Thanks for taking this task on.

Zderf

Bish Wheeler · #14 (**permalink**) 02-11-2002, 04:35 PM

Fred,

You will need to make a pattern that gives the shape of the flaire so I can cut it to shape. Each one of these darn cars has a different shape (width) at or near the bottom. The reason it should be 12" to 14'' tall is because anything more than that will get us into the compound curve problem. As Wilf says, "It can be done" and they talk about it in the insructions, but if we can minimalize compound curves it will be good. The good news is, the stuff is easy to remove if we botch the job.

I just brought home my son's first car. A 1996 Chev. Corsica. Not a bad little car, not a hot rod by anyone's measure, but a lot more car than I had at his age (they still hand cranked cars when I was his age

). He is headed for the Air Force after graduation and the car should serve him well. 'Course he is taking a framed picture of himself strapped into the Cobra just to show that he really is cool.

Bish

RogerC · #15 (**permalink**) 02-11-2002, 05:10 PM

Bish,

Do you want us to bring the template with us on the 24th? or mail it to you? What's the deal?

Roger

Bish Wheeler · #16 (**permalink**) 02-11-2002, 05:34 PM

Roger,

The things only take a minute to put on, so when we next get together I'll bring the stuff and we can stick them on. Of course if there is a nice day and you happen to be in the neighborhood.....

Bish

Bish Wheeler · #17 (**permalink**) 02-12-2002, 02:30 PM

Wilf,

So if 1 BPS = $1.42 U.S., your 40 X 24" strip is about $60.00 U.S., Right? Or is my math screwed up? If that is the case, your cost is about 1/2 what I paid here. I paid $110.00 for a 24X36" strip of the stuff.

BTW, I'll bet we have some empty seats on our run into Idaho this summer. Come on over!

Bish

wilf leek · #18 (**permalink**) 02-12-2002, 03:34 PM

Bish - don't tempt me, going to DVSFII is already mind blowing for me!!
And sorry - had finger trouble in my earlier post, my sheet price is for 24" x 24".

Wilf

Bish Wheeler · #19 (**permalink**) 02-12-2002, 03:43 PM

Thanks Wilf, was getting ready to call those guys up and re negotiate.

Didn't know you were going to DVSFll, great, but you ought to come early and go with us and then go to Indiana.

Bish

Bish Wheeler · #20 (**permalink**) 02-12-2002, 09:56 PM

I just put the stuff on my car and to tell the truth, it was very, very easy. I made patterns from a brown paper bag. Made two of them 'cuz my car is not the same on both sides. (The story is that the mold was pulled from an original and none of them were the same, side to side).

Then I had to attach the pattern to the Invincishield material so I could cut around it. That presented a problem as tape will not stick to the backing. I ended up using 3M spray on contact cement which got enough of a grip for me to stick the patterns on and cut them out. Since you are working from the "back" of the pattern (you're on the back or the side that will attach to the car) you need to make sure the pattern is facing the correct way before you cut. Naturally my first cut out was facing the wrong way! Once I figured that out it went very fast, about 10 minutes start to finish.

I made mine 12" high which put them just below the point where the compounding would have gotten severe. When I put them on, the compound curves were evident and I thought "Oh crap" for a minute, but I just kept squeegeeing and pretty soon everything took shape. They recomend that you have a little denatured alcohol around to help stick down the edges. I guess the alcohol displaces the water and makes the stuff stick. I used the alcohol in a couple of iffy places and everything then "Stuck". I may go up to the shop in the morning and find the things laying on the floor, but I don't think so. So now I am an expert!

Bish