In May we're bringing the show truck down to Battle in Bama. I only have an open car trailer. I REALLY don't want to detail again when I get down there. Was thinking I can just get some of that wrap they use on new cars or wrecked ones with a busted out glass, and wrap most of the truck. Anybody done that before? Shold be safe for the paint, I mean, they stick it on brand new cars.

Discuss.....

 

I've gone to a lot of car shows in the past 25 years and I can tell you when it comes to open trailers, you are better off just driving the show vehicle. It will get 10 times dirtier on an open trailer than just driving it. Also, you may find new rock chips that would not have occurred if it was just driven. Add to that, the headache of towing a trailer. The rear tires of your truck will throw stuff all over your car - oily substances, rocks, sticks, tiny shards of metal and glass, pretty much anything you run over. Unless I'm going really far away from home, I just drive it.

Anyway, some tricks I've seen folks do over the years and in no way do I recommend them, but here goes.

One guy had a custom molded fiberglass shell in roughly the shape of his car, that hinged closed over his car on an open trailer. It covered the entire car, was attached/hinged to the trailer in 2 pieces. Craziest thing I've ever seen, but that car was clean and damage free when he arrived. I wonder though if the cost to make that exceeded a closed trailer.

I've seen pallet shrink wrap over an entire car on a trailer. Didn't see any damage to the paint when he was done unwrapping it. He struggled quite a bit getting all of that off though. He was carefully lifting it and trying to cut it with a box cutter and I'm cringing the whole time, but he got it off.

One guy came in with a car cover on his open trailer cinched so tight, the rope wore groove marks into the paint and where the wind whipped the cover against the paint, there was scuff marks all over it, SO DON'T DO THIS EVER!!!! You hear people tell you never cover a car on a trailer, well, I've seen first hand what happens when you do.

One thing I have seen that I would recommend that seems to work well for avoiding rock chips and general front end splattering of items are those front trailer shields. It's just an aluminum crescent shaped shield that attaches to the front of the trailer and rises up quite high to allow rocks/oil to travel over the car instead of hitting it. They won't protect the car in a rainstorm, but they help.

The only tried and true way to get there with clean show car is a fully enclosed car hauler. But, you have to justify the cost, where to park the thing at the event and at home, watch it sit for 98% of the year, replace tires even though it's only been towed twice, shew away friends who want to borrow it, weigh the possibility of renting it out, but then realizing it's going to come back with dents and scratches, blown tires, missing lights and a sticky hitch because no one else knows how to take care of them. So, unless you go to a car show every weekend 300 miles away, enclosed trailers are just not worth having.

 

tow vehicle throws too much **** around, unless it's closed, doesn't matter what you do. all things considered, don't own, rent....

 

The car hauler I bought uses the ramps as a shield on the front when underway. Very effective against chips, debris, road spray. You'll still need tp spray detail for dust, and if it rains you are screwed. But those ramps have to be carried somewhere, so why not?

My new 1988 T/A Link

 

I had a stone guard on my open trailer and while it cut down on some damage, rocks still managed to find their way to my windshield. Enclosed is the only way to fully protect a car.

 

I've contacted one of the wrap companies and they assured me it won't damage the paint. I've also found info that many of the car hauling outfits wrap custom cars as common pratice while hauling. Soooo.........looks like I'll wrap it up and hope for the best. It's about a 10 hour drive.

 

Just make sure if any of the plastic is flapping in the wind it is not rubbing on the paint. It will dull the paint and you will be buffing, trust me I have been there.