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      06-19-2010, 06:31 PM   #1
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Best Clear Bra?

I know a few members on here have purchased the clear bra from 3M. I know there are a variety of levels in quality from 3M. I also know you can choose to have the whole hood covered or just the front.

I'm trying to decide what is the best 3M clear bra to get and if I should have the whole hood covered.

Has anyone had this done and can share some feedback?
Thanks,
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      06-19-2010, 06:37 PM   #2
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Is on Bar Refaeli
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      06-19-2010, 06:53 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Voltigeur View Post
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Is on Bar Refaeli
Couldn't have said it better.

Thread moved to the cosmetic mod section.


Best regards,
south
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      06-19-2010, 10:08 PM   #4
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Venture shield is what most recommend and what I'll be putting on. The 3M product sucks. Avery has a new product that looks good pretty good but doesn't have any track record at this point.
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      06-20-2010, 07:40 AM   #5
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thanks i'll look into Venture.

after reading this thread at the Z06 forums... it seems that all of these eventually peel or scuff and become a pain. some people luck out and some don't


http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...-shield-1.html
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      06-20-2010, 12:33 PM   #6
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It's a lot harder to scuff than the paint. I'd much rather replace the film in 4 to 5 years, if it even needs it, than have a bunch of chipped body panels that would need repainted.
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      06-20-2010, 03:04 PM   #7
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I don't have any personal experience with ventureshield (which 3M purchased once they realized how good it was), but I do have experience with 3M's clear bra. I had it installed on my MkV GTI in 2007, and just recently as I'm getting ready to sell the car, I took the bra off. In the 3+ years it was on the car, it never yellowed, and did a fantastic job of protecting the paint.

I took it off because the installation was less than perfect, and some potential buyers were concerned that it wouldn't come off without damaging the paint. So I took it off, wiped off the bits of adhesive that were left over, and the car now looks fantastic. Almost as good as the day I bought it. I'd highly recommend installing a clear bra, but be sure you take proper care of it, such as polishing and waxing it like you would the regular paint/clearcoat. It's the best $500-1000 you'll spend on your car, especially when you plan on selling it.
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      06-20-2010, 03:53 PM   #8
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detailing dynamics hands down speak to eddie tell him I sent you
detailingdynamics.com

they are located in mineola New York

they have worked on every high end car you could think of
McLaren F1, F40, F50, Carrera GT, superleggera, ACR viper..... the list goes on and on, just walking in there is a free car show

I had mine installed there about a month ago and they did a phenomenal job could not have been better. I would not go anywhere else.
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      06-20-2010, 04:47 PM   #9
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Clear Bra

Detailing Dynamics is the best you'll find in these parts. Super clean shop. Have used others and believe me it's all in the install. Having work done by them next week.
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      06-29-2010, 05:59 PM   #10
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Picasso:

I would call Premier out here on the West Coast and ask what they use. It doesn't yellow-out or get dull. After I take delivery, that's where I'm going. There might be an authorized installer of the same product near you.

Meanwhile, to prevent potential damage while running-in during ED, I'm looking into getting a cheap & temporary "clearbra" kit, one with pre-cut sections to install while over there.

Anyone have any suggestions?
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      06-29-2010, 06:50 PM   #11
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An installer near me says he quit using 3M and Ventureshield. He's a Llumar authorized dealer and he claims their product offers better protection, clearer and easier to work with. Several reviews online seem to back him up. My only concern is they also "cut-out" the pattern and apply it. The best jobs I've seen are those that are custom hand cut with edges wrapped. Much better finished look. I'm looking for someone in Michigan or northern Ohio to get this done.
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      06-29-2010, 11:59 PM   #12
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Tough thing is you'll never know how well the pre cut kit is designed until it's on the car and some are horrible.
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      06-30-2010, 04:32 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PicassoM View Post
I know a few members on here have purchased the clear bra from 3M. I know there are a variety of levels in quality from 3M. I also know you can choose to have the whole hood covered or just the front.

I'm trying to decide what is the best 3M clear bra to get and if I should have the whole hood covered.

Has anyone had this done and can share some feedback?
Thanks,
Venturetape/sheild. 3M bought out the company and now its backed by 3M so that's another plus.

It is by far the strongest, best looking and most elastic material out there.

The installer is a big part of the equation. He/she must extensively stretch whatever film they are using to give it a very uniform and "tight" look over the surface or it will result in more of the orange peal look.
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      06-30-2010, 06:01 AM   #14
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50% installer/50% film.
For future reference, if you are anywhere in SoCal, Premier is THE best place to go. Alternative is Harris @ InStyleGraphics. I've seen his work in person during and after many times, and he is excellent too.
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      07-01-2010, 11:25 PM   #15
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Precut offers a more standardized protection and more installers utilize it. Custom installs are also offered on the market, but very few companies can do it properly. Here are some pictures of a bad install on a '10 911 Turbo. The install was from another company and was chosen because of pricing and the assumption is that quality of installation is equal. Needless to say, this vehicle ended up back in our hands after the customer was very dissatisfied with the other company's install. Not only were there many flaws with this installation, but there were razor cuts on the paint. For those curious, the other company installed a precut kit:














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      07-04-2010, 09:14 AM   #16
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I had 3M put on over ventureshield because of the built in clearcoat. I get a lot of rubber marks on the hood at the track, they are much easier to remove from the 3M product and there is very little risk of damage while doing so. The major downside to 3M is that it's difficult to install - I am less than pleased with the number of stretch marks, etc - but ultimately care more about protection than looks.
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      07-04-2010, 09:59 AM   #17
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Can we see the repair of the screw up?
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      07-04-2010, 01:38 PM   #18
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Quote:
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Can we see the repair of the screw up?
Most certainly:





















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      07-19-2010, 02:54 PM   #19
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Thank you for all the replies... seems like venture shield is the best.

Premier... which did you install on the Turbo when it was redone?

Anyone know any good installers in NJ???

Thanks
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      07-19-2010, 03:19 PM   #20
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More Info on Films

The installer that several of us in North Texas have used is Norm Schilling (does beautiful work). I ran across this link on Norm's website to a thread on a Corvette forum: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...film-pics.html. The posting in the thread you want to look at is #17 as Norm talks about the various available films and his experience with them (it's definitely worth a look). Good luck to you. The installer is the key.

The films all eventually give out as they take the rock hit (and get the damage) saving your paint.
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      07-20-2010, 05:05 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PicassoM View Post
Thank you for all the replies... seems like venture shield is the best.

Premier... which did you install on the Turbo when it was redone?

Anyone know any good installers in NJ???

Thanks
Speak with the guys at Detailing Dynamics....they're the best in the area.
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      07-20-2010, 07:48 AM   #22
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Dammit, why'd I have to wait until I got to Germany to get my M. If I was still in Northern California I'd drive down there in a heartbeat.

Any of your guys wanna take a German holiday and do a wrap while they're here???
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