Anyone use carbon fiber or vinyl?

[khisanthax]

I was thinking of getting a carbon fiber vinyl sheet or just a vinyl sheet to make a bumper cover. They have sheets on ebay for about $6 a foot that comes with the vinyl backing and the heat gun for like $15. Has anyone tried using something similar for the front or rear bumper as a guard? I was thinking it would look better than the bumper bully and cheaper too.

[BamaCoupe]

Are you talking about the black section above the exhaust tips on the rear and the black insert around the fogs on the front? I have thought about CF Vinyl on the rear above the exhaust tips and on a Stillen front bumper where most people here paint black would look good.

[khisanthax]

I was thinking that instead of getting an ugly bumper bully I would get a clear vinyl or carbon fiber and use that on the bumber instead. But I'm not sure if anyone else has tried that before?

[S133P3R]

i have some CF on my center console that i did, i wouldnt reccomend it for exterior use cuz it will fade and get scratched off.

[Curtieson]

I would NOT buy just a sheet of it...first...that would run you some $30 (Car is about 5 feet wide)...and what would be the point when you can get one precut for that price or cheaper.

I did try this, and it became a $15 lesson on Vinyl Application. The set cost me about $25 total and I screwed up 3 of the 5 pieces. The guy is cool and will sell me the pieces I messed up for like $10 total, basically saving me the ebay costs. but it is TOUGH, and I can't imagine how much tougher it would be if I was trying to cut it out from a sheet.

Also...don't do CF...that would just look funny...and you would see the spots you missed very easily...do the clear, and I gave give you some hints on application if you want later on.

[khisanthax]

Do you remmeber the email of the guy you got it from? I thought the vinyl would be a highly flexible material ... I do remember reading else where that you can use a heat gun to melt the creases and folds so it's flat on the surface of the bumper.

I haven't been able to find anything that's precut clear vinyl for a bumber so sure, I would love to do that instead.

I found a price of $2.50 a foot that's 24inches wide, I guess I'll ask him more questions before I make a final purchase.

Any more tips?

[Curtieson]

A hair dryer works MUCH better then a heat gun, because you can use your hands with it.

You also don't really use the heat to flatten it, but you use the heat to all you to stretch it around the curves and corners that are in a car.

Shoot me an email, and I will forward on the company I bought it from. it was just a guy on Ebay...and in terms of quality...I didn't get to have it on the car long enough, haha, but it seemed nice! I expect most quality to be the same from film to film.

[khisanthax]

did you get my email?