Bush Pinstriping...........a solution ?

[neil_se Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close neil_se]

Vinyl wrap is very thin and won't hold up well to anything sharp. Clear Paint Protection Film will do the job nicely as it's much thicker and but also quite expensive.

[PradoJim Member Find all posts View Profile Close PradoJim]

For those of you who don't like the pinstriping, I gave the car a good test yesterday driving a couple of kilometres on the narrowest track the Prado's been on.

I'd have to call my magnetic sheets a resounding success. They survived about 100 klm on the expressway without flying off and didn't peel back or fall off despite pushing through a bush track narrower than the car. At the end of the day, there were hundreds of bush stripes down the magnetic sheets. Although my sheets leave a fair bit of paint exposed (bottom 4" of the door and the area more than an inch or so above the door handles), it seems that 95 or 99% of encroaching growth covers the area that is protected.

See below for a shot of the car fully sheeted, a second just to give you an idea of the brush and the third a collage of the magnetic sheet after a wash so you're looking at actual striping, not just the dusty stuff that wipes off. The last shot in that collage shows a stripe that continues past the magnetic sheet onto the paint on the plastic bumper just to show that it's not just the magnetic sheet that's getting striped.

Made me feel pretty good when I heard the nails-on-blackboard squeal knowing that the mag sheet was taking care of it.

[saftgt Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close saftgt]

Hi PradoJim,

What a brilliant idea. $ 180 ...on a $ 160K car....cheap protection. How do u store it when not in use and where did you buy it from?

[PradoJim Member Find all posts View Profile Close PradoJim]

Thanks. The sheet came from this mob, $215 - 10% for online orders. I had plenty left over and am doing my little Jimny with that. Making the templates was a bit tedious but you only have to do one side and then use them in mirror image for the other side. Total weight of all 6 sheets on my SWB is about 8 kg. After trips, wash them down on the car, peel them off and stack all 6 sheets on top of each other and slide them flat under one of the beds in the house. Out of the way 'til next trip.

https://magnet.com.au/magnetic-sheet...0mm-x-15m.html

[saftgt Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close saftgt]

U cut with a stanley knife or scissors

[PradoJim Member Find all posts View Profile Close PradoJim]

I started with scissors (see serrated edge in one of the collage pictures) but it's much cleaner and easier with a Stanley knife. After a few goes I found I could do a full depth cut in one sweep and free hand following a marking line was easy and stable. Much easier to keep the knife tracking than cardboard or thin timber.

Supercheap will mix up a spray can of your car's colour code for about $30. I needed 4 cans, a bit exxie. Would be great if your car was white.

That website has an error on the weight of the 15 x 620mm x 0.8 roll. They say it's 58 kg, it's not, it's about 30 kg, felt like 30 and says so on the box I got it in.

[PradoJim Member Find all posts View Profile Close PradoJim]

Just an edit to the above, use a box cutter. That's actually what I used and when I was doing some cutting on the magnetic sheet today I notice how the blade bends when doing tight curves, more so than a Stanley knife I think. Makes it a smoother and easier cut.

[saftgt Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close saftgt]

ordered mine today. my Prado is the gold colour. I do not think i will be bothered painting. thanks for the info on the box cutter.
will post picks up when done

[Doug32 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Doug32]

When I got the Prado anxiety atttacks were common whenever I took the vehicle into the bush. I have now resigned myself to the fact that scratches etc can not be avoided if I am going to use the Prado for which it is designed. I still take care but do not worry unduly as I intend to get the sides resprayed at some date which is a small cost compared to the enjoyment the Prado has given me.

[PradoJim Member Find all posts View Profile Close PradoJim]

Sure, I agree, lots of pleasure for the anxiety.

I bought mine used but with only 25K and showroom condition, had never been off bitumen. The underneath looked as new as the rest of it. In 2 months I've ground the front bash plate several times, scraped the sidestep, rock ground one of the alloy rims and taken paint off the front bumper. I bought it for 4wd and there's not much I can do about stuff like that given where I take it. I reluctantly accept that. And I'm only just warming up on my build. Locker and snorkel going in next week so lots more fun coming.

But I can do something about the very visible pinstriping. I also keep cars for 15 + years so it'll be a long time looking at it

[saftgt Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close saftgt]

I also keep cars for 10 yrs and they are also my daily drive. I have owned Clubsports Merc etc and always protected forms scratches to best i can. I also reluctantly accept scratches and they are always buffed out after a bush trip. Pradojim great idea minimizes the work of buffing after a trip and will protect the panels from those deeeeep scratches.

[Jacobus Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Jacobus]

Andy,
Have you used plasti-dip on your car at all? Does it affect the paint at all over time?

Cheers

[Andyfive Member Find all posts View Profile Close Andyfive]

I only have it on my bulbar and haven't had the need to remove it yet. I'm not sure if it will affect the paint underneath. Time will tell.

[Jacobus Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Jacobus]

Fair enough, I've used it on my side mirrors (GX model so not painted) and it has worked a treat. I'm looking to spray the door panels though but just unsure if it'll damage the paint.

[chappy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close chappy]

Bush pinstriping is a right of passage,the first thing I did when I got the prado home was go out and get it initiated.