Chips on nose in the DESERT IN ARIZONA

Factory cars have baked on paint which is tougher than merely air dried.  I share your pain on thin/soft Miata paint.  Just make sure your paint is seasoned/dry enough for the PPF clear bra.

On most of the speedster projects paint jobs my painter uses an epoxy primer, that allows for a better bond to the sanded gel coat surface and also promotes better color adhesion to that primer.  Other issue can be in allowing the primer to set up too much before doing the color as the primer would then need to be scuffed prior to a top coat. Same scenario goes for applying  clear coats, if you let it set up too much, you're going to have to sand prior to applying the clear.

So, now you have a decision to make:

1.  Just get an opaque (black, I assume) bra to cover up the stone dings like a lot of us do or;

2.  Have the nose re-painted and then put an opaque bra on it or;

3.  Have the nose re-painted and put a clear film on it.  If you choose Door Number 3, then wait a year between the re-paint and clear film application OR have the paint shop bake it under the lights for whatever duration they recommend to cure the paint.  And do the primer/paint combo Alan recommends - some primers bond much better to the color coat than others.

The quoted $750 for a clear film is pretty much the going rate, nation wide, but ask the installer if he/she is using a 'pre-cut to a template' set of clear films or if he/she is winging it with a bulk sheet.  Both methods work and both look good, but IMO the template version can fit better, depending on the talent/experience of the installer - Those that can make a bulk sheet fit all of the compound curves of a Speedster nose are very talented, indeed....  There's nothing flat out there.  A template for an original 356 Speedster will fit our cars, too.  How that works is the installer has access to a database of cutting instructions for a computer-controlled cutting machine.  He/she downloads the template he wants and the machine cuts out a bunch of pieces that get applied where the instructions show to place them.  That way, he/she is not cutting off puckers or wrinkles free-hand (which can be done artfully and look very good if done right).

I've had a clear film on my car since 2004 (done free-hand) and while it has suffered a bunch of "hits", only one punctured the film and that was fixed with a tiny dab of clear nail polish (to keep dirty water from getting behind the film).  It still looks like this (photo taken last year) and that puncture is centered on the horn grill, halfway between headlight and grill.   The rest of the specs are bugs yet to be washed off.  It is starting to slowly darken, but the light has to be just right to see the difference.   Removal, down the road, is done with a low-temp heat gun and a solution of 50/50 water and alcohol, if needed.

Hey Gordon,

How much of the front was done. The complete clip and hood?

Still looks great!

Brian

The shape of the nose makes these cars very vulnerable to stone chips.  Just look at the mass of open body at the front.  There is no large grill as on most cars, to absorb many of the dings.  Being lower to the ground adds to the risk.

Racer-Dude:  

My film covers all across the nose below the bottom of the hood, stretching up to about 4" - 5" beyond the tops of the headlights.  That's all one piece, on mine.

The hood got a separate piece that covers the bottom 1/4 of the hood itself and wraps around about 1/2" onto the back side.

If you zoom in on the passenger side of the hood, there's a shadow/spot along the edge, roughly in line with the top fastener of the headlight screen.  That's the top of the film on the hood - the fender film goes up beyond the headlights.

I wonder how good the spray on clear works SEMS @ $ 37 a can is one of the more notable brand names. 

Also 3M Paint Defender Spray Film 90000 @ $28 a can .

JPC posted:

I love my new speedster and I like to cruise, even though wiyh second  BRAZILLIAN speedometer says 90 when I am And only 80.

This is my second one and I still haven’t been able to get it corrected , so love the one you’re with

 

I only have 800 miles on the SPEEDSTER  but I have too many chips I am going to get a clear coat 8 mm plastic nose job for $750 which will cover 18 inches in the front nose

 

Do you guys have any ideas. I have more chips on my 800 miles then I have on my Miata which has 60,000 miles.MAZDA Miata have been noted for having very thin paint.

 

I’ve had bras in the past and I’m not been please with us on a 356 back in the 80s

 

 

 

 

 

 

JPC, there was a similar topic discussed this month...It might be helpful...here's the link:

https://www.speedsterowners.co...wax-instead-of-a-bra

Alan Merklin posted:

I wonder how good the spray on clear works SEMS @ $ 37 a can is one of the more notable brand names. 

Also 3M Paint Defender Spray Film 90000 @ $28 a can .

I'm going to give that 3M product a go. Will do the front of the rear view mirrors too. 

( Jeeze....I'm going well into overtime with the look on the new car ) 

The good thing is if it doesn't come out looking good you can simply peel it off the car

A forth option to add to Gordon's list.  Consider your nose chips as a badge of honor, earned by driving your car. 

Dave watch these videos.  Especially the second one. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hi5TyVcDyI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqXJ4DwhiqQ&t=3

That looks interesting.  I think if one was going to touch up the paint and wait a month before doing the coating you could possibly hide a lot of stuff.  

Marty Grzynkowicz posted:

Dave watch these videos.  Especially the second one. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hi5TyVcDyI

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqXJ4DwhiqQ&t=3

 

 

Yes, I saw the first one before and have to wonder about the quality of the job on the second one. I'm sure the instructions must be adhered to bang on and one problem can be applying too thin a coat, another might be not letting it dry/cure properly etc. 

The lad that did the second video clearly had problems but I'd have to question his application techniques and abilities when he says he tried to use a clay bar to remove part of it. Not really the right tool I think. 

I'll practice a bit before trying it on the car and give a 3M rep a good quiz on it too if I can find some product. Some ads say Canadian Tire carries it but I cannot find any inventory of it in town. 

I’m Goin right above the lights horizontally I hope that’ll be enough for the clear bra

JWC  this is the worst area and needs to be protected.  I have the Expel clear film.  

An d all this time I thought that was a bad lipstick job  

Never wear the stuff😏

Naaaaahhhhhh........   Marty prefers "lip Gloss".  

Pricier, but worth it.

I would probably go with this entire area (I did).  I actually have stone ding up on top of the fender beyond where my film goes - God only nows what hit there.

Actually, I'm just showing off my "Powerpoint" skills......

Seems to me the paint wasn't cured very well if you're getting the much chipping after only 800 miles. I have 30,000 miles and I have some chipping but not very much. I'd contact Justing and see if he'll respray the front of the car you. Then let it cure for a while before you drive it.

Troy Sloan posted:

A forth option to add to Gordon's list.  Consider your nose chips as a badge of honor, earned by driving your car. 

BINGO!