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Auto Detailing and AppearanceShare tips and tricks on how to make your Third Gen shine! Get opinions on products or how something tasteful looks on your Chevrolet Camaro or Pontiac Firebird.
I'm reconditioning a set of polycarbonate T-Tops and I'm looking at vinyl warps, I've already gone the route of sanding and polishing the Acrylic/Plexiglas and still have a ton of scratches, maybe not a ton but enough that it's gonna bug the **** out of me and to be honest not wanting to continue the process of sanding and polishing, all that work to get them perfect and expecting them to get scratched up just from being used. With that said I'm looking into possibly vinyl wrapping them with a translucent wrap. 3M offers the Scotchcal translucent film, confirmed with 3M that this product will work on polycarbonate but only comes in a maximum width of 24" and concerned about seeing a seem. 3m does offer Scotchprint vinyl which there was a member BADNBLK that vinyl wrapped his T-Tops but that wrap is not translucent and I like the idea of the T-Top allowing light to shine through. A member of a FB page mentioned FlexiShield Paint Protection Films would this be a viable option? I do have an email out to www.flexishieldusa.com that I'm waiting on a reply. 3M™ Scotchcal 3630 - Black Translucent Film | Graphic Film (rvinyl.com)
Last edited by 91banditt2; Nov 17, 2022 at 12:04 PM.
I'm reconditioning a set of polycarbonate T-Tops and I'm looking at vinyl warps, I've already gone the route of sanding and polishing the polycarbonate and still have a ton of scratches, maybe not a ton but enough that it's gonna bug the **** out of me and to be honest not wanting to continue the process of sanding and polishing, all that work to get them perfect and expecting them to get scratched up just from being used. With that said I'm looking into possibly vinyl wrapping them with a translucent wrap. 3M offers the Scotchcal translucent film, confirmed with 3M that this product will work on polycarbonate but only comes in a maximum width of 24" and concerned about seeing a seem. 3m does offer Scotchprint vinyl which there was a member BADNBLK that vinyl wrapped his T-Tops but that wrap is not translucent and I like the idea of the T-Top allowing light to shine through. A member of a FB page mentioned FlexiShield Paint Protection Films would this be a viable option? I do have an email out to www.flexishieldusa.com that I'm waiting on a reply. 3M™ Scotchcal 3630 - Black Translucent Film | Graphic Film (rvinyl.com)
This material is not made for wrapping and is made for backlit signs where the light is cast from the back. You will definitely see a seam. It will let some light through but being black even translucent the light will be minimal. You will have to apply this using fluid or you will see every stinking bubble from inside when you look up. IMHO and dealing with vinyl all my adult life I just don't think this will give you the effect you are looking for.
From: Franklin, KY near Beech Bend Raceway, Corvette Plant and Museum.
Car: 1992 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: 5.0L L03 TBI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Re: Wrapping T-Tops
I have a 92 Pontiac Firebird with the plastic T-tops and I too am interested in doing something to improve their appearance. Mine aren't warped or cracked and have very few minor scratches and don't leak a drop in powerful thunder storms, high power car washes or washing at home with a power washer. But when you look up through them they have what looks like a million little sparkles in them. These sparkles aren't on them it's in them. I thought about some sort of wrap. I don't care if I can see through them afterwards. My enjoyment comes from them being out and having the open roof.
If anyone has any good ideas or has redone their plastic T-tops I'm interested in hearing about it.
Note to the OP. Our factory GM plastic T-top are made by Lexmar and are cheap acrylic plastic with some sort of scratch resistant coating and not polycarbonate Lexan.
You may find the same issue as with the translucent and it may not come wide enough to do in one piece, since it is headlight specific. I am not familiar with this also.
Why not window tint film if you want light to come through? Does tint not work on plastic?
You may find the same issue as with the translucent and it may not come wide enough to do in one piece, since it is headlight specific. I am not familiar with this also.
Why not window tint film if you want light to come through? Does tint not work on plastic?
Are there window tints that are put on the outside?
I don't need them tinted darker, I would be ok with a clear film just to protect but I think it would look better with a darker smoked look.
If none of this works for you Paint Protection film will do what you want, it will just be clear but it will protect them from scratches and such.
Interesting, I just sent windowtint.com an email asking about thier products,
From that ebay ad
" This vinyl is designed for vehicle exterior wrap use ONLY. This vinyl won't stick good on polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS, PET/PBT blends, concrete, wood, glass, plastic, textured, aluminum, metal."
What will it stick to
Email sent to www.invisiblemask.com "Is the INVISIBLEMASK - 3M PAINT PROTECTION film good to use on Acrylic/Plexiglas? I have a set of Acrylic/Plexiglas automotive T-Tops that I want to wrap with a clear or a smoked translucent vinyl type of film. each T-Top is approx. 30"x30", can you make a recommendation?"
Thier reply,
"The Armorwarp Ultra film should stick fine. The only drawback is how it will look when looking through it.
It is about 98% clear but that 2% may bother you."
Our cleanest/clearest film is the Armorwrap Ultra and we do sell it by the foot. You’d install it with soap/water and squeegee and then have to trim around the edge.
You had scratches on the roof. You could wax/polish out.
If you go back and read the first post you'll see that I've have already spent a lot of time sanding and polishing them, I'm exploring other possible options other than sanding and polishing. Maybe there's a product on the market that could give the Thirdgen community with the plexiglass t tops a different option than sanding and polishing
