uksignboards.com | Conforming chrome/foils How have they done these cars!!!!

Vinyl

Conforming chrome/foils How have they done these cars!!!!

Posted by Simon Sheridan on 18 March 2007 at 03:13

Hi guys, we work with motorsport modified/jap/rally cars and thats pretty much it for the last 4 years. I am getting more involved with the drift scene where all the cars they have brought over to compete from japan are COVERED in a conformable chrome vinyl and of amazing standard when viewed up close. I have a number of projects where customers want these kind of looks and after playing with chromes am rather worried. We have done these kind of designs but not with foil to this extent.

Is this some kind of special chrome only available in the far east!??

Your advice on getting results like this would be most appreciated, looking at the coburn,hexis chromes i would use i just can’t see them doing this you cant get heat to them to supple them up. Any tips on fitting as i was going to try wet in some areas but dry much as poss and will use a sealit pen to lacquer them on.

Apologies for the array of pics, but its shows just what they have acheived and stunning they are too!

Cheers

Simon

Simon Sheridan replied 18 years, 8 months ago 12 Members · 26 Replies
26 Replies

Simon Sheridan

Member
18 March 2007 at 12:35

Here’s one of my designs I’m working on. The wheels arches are quite flared and there’s some worrying contours here and there.

Any help much appreciated as this is only going to get bigger for us.

Thanks

Si
Andrew Bennett

Member
18 March 2007 at 13:29

Wow, is that all digital?

How’s the handles done, tiled for the underneath part?
David Rowland

Member
18 March 2007 at 13:39

stuff looks good.
Kenny Ramsey

Member
18 March 2007 at 16:28

As far as I’m aware you can get chrome vinyl which is actually more of a foil and chrome vinyl that is chrome onto a white vinyl backing.
John Harding

Member
18 March 2007 at 16:31

heres the link to a previous post – maybe of interest

http://www.uksignboards.com/viewtopic.p … me+transit

John
Simon Sheridan

Member
18 March 2007 at 16:49

Thanks for the replies.

Going by that link I’ll have a look at the 3M stuff but that is pricey!

Anywhere else i can source foil/chrome with vinyl backing?

Thanks again

edited to say: I can not see any 5yr vinyl backed chrome on 3M website.
Simon Sheridan

Member
18 March 2007 at 17:41

arrgh again covered in red chrome/foil

Dam I NEED this material
Peter Normington

Member
18 March 2007 at 19:18

Dont know if it helps, the gerber can print metalic foils onto conformable materials but for the size I was wondering if a suma thermal does the same?

The other thing I can guarantee, if you do find conformable foils, they will by definition cost a bomb, they have eluded the maufactures for years, so if someone has developed them, they wont be given away

Peter 😀 😉
Simon Sheridan

Member
18 March 2007 at 20:09

Thanks for the input Peter. It is strange that all the UK suppliers ive spoken to have said our chromes wont do that.

This stuff is everywhere in Japan on the various race cars out there, im working on a contact who lives there to do some recce work for me.

Prob is im against the clock as always 🙄

Si
Chris Wool

Member
18 March 2007 at 20:23

how do they print the chrome on to packaging ?.

i have some stickers with a very good quality chrome printed on them which is on a ply able clear. how is it done ?.

a sheet of that with a print on would give that foil look

there is a magical process somewhere.

i have printed a tint to clear then over chrome nice effect but not comformable

chris
Hugh Potter

Member
18 March 2007 at 21:09

i used coburn rainbow chrome on an old astra i was borrowing, it conformed ok into the fuel filler cap, and door handles, i had no wrinkles in it, although i don’t see it as being as technical as some of those cars,

http://www.uksignboards.com/viewtopic.p … tra#168297

http://www.uksignboards.com/viewtopic.p … tra#168494
Martin Pearson

Member
19 March 2007 at 17:26

If you look carefully most of the chrome is kept away from the severest compound curves which probably helps. Like peter has said a thermal printer can be used to produce metalic foils but they are not cheap to buy.
I would be surprised if any of the graphics on these cars were a 5 year film anyway as they are changed more frequently than that because of damage and sponsors changing.
But as Peter has also said any conformable foil is bound to be expensive compared to a cast or wrap vinyl. I can’t see how they could make a true foil as comformable as a vinyl as it is a completely different material, yes some will be more conformable that others but that is already true of vinyls.
George Zerbino

Member
19 March 2007 at 20:59

What I do is how Peter suggests, print the chrome foil with the Gerber Edge onto normal vinyl. Works for me (shame about the 300mm width limit 🙁 )

Regards,

George Z.
Peter Munday

Member
19 March 2007 at 23:07

Why are the graphics on the drivers side in reverse?

Peter
Martin Pearson

Member
19 March 2007 at 23:13

isn’t it obvious Peter?
Peter Munday

Member
19 March 2007 at 23:19

Err, Nope!
Martin Pearson

Member
19 March 2007 at 23:24

It was another question Peter, I don’t know the answer either :lol1:
George Kern

Member
20 March 2007 at 04:29

Keeps the graphics looking streamlined throughout the car. It was a JDM performance thing a few years back, now everyone seemed to hop on the idea.
George Zerbino

Member
20 March 2007 at 08:48

Japanese love symmetry, I seem to remember that was one of the main reasons.
Kenny Ramsey

Member
20 March 2007 at 14:21

I thought the image of the car was flipped
Andrew Bennett

Member
20 March 2007 at 14:54

I’m not so sure I can post details of the company but there is a vinyl supplier down on the south Hampshire coast that does this type of vinyl graphics on racing cars.

Maybe an admin can put me right please?
Peter Normington

Member
20 March 2007 at 15:10

Andrew, it is in order to give out suppliers names if asked for.

suppliers is are allowed to reccomend themselves though.

Peter
Peter Munday

Member
20 March 2007 at 15:56

Andrew your thinking of Holographic Films in Havant, Hampshire. They are about a mile from me, have used some of their stuff and I would say that it won’t go round compound curves, no stretch in it at all.

Peter
Simon Sheridan

Member
20 March 2007 at 16:16

quote Andrew Bennett:

I’m not so sure I can post details of the company but there is a vinyl supplier down on the south Hampshire coast that does this type of vinyl graphics on racing cars.

Maybe an admin can put me right please?

I’m i think i may know who you mean.

Well i have 14 yes 14 colours of chrome samples on there way to me. I don’t know who from or what make. All i know is its 5yr aluminum on vinyl backing and the same stuff 😀

With regards to the mirroring of the design it is all about the symmetry of the design on the car and how it all stays the same as we all know flipping designs on vehicles can throw spanners in the works when the canvas behind has changed.

We shall see, if it goes well i’ll post up the finished result if don’t i wont 😀

Thanks for all the input
Andrew Bennett

Member
20 March 2007 at 17:28

Thanks for that Peter N.
Yes you are 100% correct Peter M

Simon, how did you get 14 samples, I take it you mean under a meter or even A4? 😀

Could you tell me how I can get some as I would like to have a play 😎
Simon Sheridan

Member
20 March 2007 at 18:46

Hi Andrew,

At the moment i dont really know too much. The samples are only small (bit under A4) and from my contact in the far east from one of the tuning garages out there he has dealings with. It was a very short bad English email. lol
Its all a bit Vague.

Prob find its no good or never turns up now.

edit for my own poor English………… i was rushing earlier guv 🙄