It looks very close but I don't like the pores. It may come down to a personal preference thing.

 

Just thinking, regarding Gary's photos. I rather like the 3M look and think it is more realistic than original. Then my mind went to Mercedes or Jaguar interiors and their woodwork has so many coats of clear protectant that it, too, is extremely smooth [no pores].


What would happen if the 3M product was applied and then sprayed with clear coat?

 

Yes, the pores give it a different look and that look may not be for all - or any for that matter. And, the high-end vehicles do have real wood trim and yet it is so smooth it could be mistaken for plastic.

Perhaps someone can suggest a different vinyl?

 

I haven't thought about applying some sort of clearcoat. maybe put some on a sample and see how it turns out.

 

I wouldn't put a clearcoat on the vinyl. It could soften or melt it.

 

Rwrap ® Royal Oak Wood Grain Vinyl Film Wraps
I've never heard of this company but would it work? They have several shades and even have burlwood.

 

Any vinyl will work, even vinyl shelf paper, although the length of time it'll last will vary by the quality of both the vinyl film and the adhesive. I picked the 3M brand because I was told by the guy at FabLab that 3M makes a very good product. But, I'm sure there are many other brands that would be as good or maybe even better.

So, it is up to us to decide what we want. And, as I proved with the 3M sample, you cannot go from a picture on their web site - only a sample will do, as the pores don't show up on the web site picture. So, if you want to order a sample and compare to the original then perhaps we can find something that will work. I don't have time to order in lots of samples and then pick from that. But, I can draw it up so we will have the ability to cut whatever we settle on.

 

Scouting isn't what it used to be (believe it or not, they used to teach Boy Scouts how to rescue people from burning buildings), but one of the things I like about it is that they do still try to teach *something* useful. I was gratified to see how much the boys enjoyed the exercise - and there's a couple I wouldn't be surprised to see turn into gearheads in ten years' time.

 

Man this is an awesome idea, I think Ive seen some really close samples used in other applications... No all I have to do is remember where...

 

Let's take the discussion of the vinyl for the dash, door, and horn pad trim out of this thread and into a new one I've started, called What Vinyl For Dash. And, even if you've already made a comment or three, please chime in there and make them again so's we can have it all together in one place.

 

Tried to move my core support yesterday to make my hood/fender gap perfect. That'll have to wait for some other time. Passenger side core support bolt IS STUCK!

On another note. I really like that PMGR starter. Now that it's gotten some use it cranks quite a bit faster than it did when I put it in.

 

Havent done this yet but I did pick up a can of Krylon Silver Metallic paint, doesn't say its for plastics but I will be testing it out on a wood grain radio bezel that I bought for a customer at work who still has yet to pay me for it. Let me see what it will look like and how durable it will be. Also allow me to try out different techniques.

 

Dropped Beast off at the exhaust shop. Lots of tuning to do once he comes back.

 

I installed new wiper blades and backup lights.

 

Installed the correct cruise control throttle cable. The 460 EFI engines have the throttle lever on the right side rather than left, so everything has to go around to hook up.