Destroying the paint - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

bballr4567 · 10-25-2008, 09:23 AM

So how long do you think itll be before the HUGE front area of the Camaro looks like a golf ball with all the rock chips that are bound to happen??

I figure that the bumpers would be fine but the headlights are going to turn into fogged and chipped versions of the 98-02 Camaro. I really hate to say this but I think itll happen pretty fast.

The main thing the car has going against it is that its such a FLAT area for the front of the car. In fact some areas even lean forward!

Does anybody know what the headlight covers are made out of?

franknbeans · 10-25-2008, 09:27 AM

won't on mine.

http://rockblocker.com/

nUcLeArEnVoY · 10-25-2008, 09:32 AM

Don't be so sure about that. The difference between these headlights and the 4th-gens is that not only was quality on compromise during the 4th-Gen production period, but also the 4th-gen headlamp lenses were fully exposed to the elements.

The 5th-gen Camaro has a pretty-well concealed set of headlamps, protected under the shade of the huge v-shaped indention. Harmful UV radiation will have a much tougher time getting to the lens along with road debris which is what causes those ugly hazy, yellowed headlamps. The same thing goes for the Mustang - Personally, I have yet to see an S197 Mustang with foggy headlamps and I live in Florida! And they're not even as well-hidden as the Camaro's!

However, if you're worried about it, do the very thing the factory always failed to do: put clearcoat over them to protect them. Unfortunately, federal standards for headlamp housings are very low, so most car manufacturers went ahead and cut corners on them and just slapped some very mildly-protected clear lexan plastic over the headlamps and called it a day. The Chrysler cars are notorious for it which is why their cars from the late 90's and early 00's have some of the foggiest headlamps imagineable.

Maybe the reason Mustang headlamp lenses are always so clear is because they do put clearcoat over them, I don't know - but I do know their concealed locations helps, and it will help even more so with the Camaro. Just get them clearcoated and you won't have a thing to worry about!

As for the bumper... especially on that SS, well all I can say to everyone including myself is that we best be as careful as we can. xD It's gonna get rashed up eventually, but that's what a quick bumper repaint is for.

bballr4567 · 10-25-2008, 10:19 AM

Very very good points. I have never thought about putting clear coats on headlight lenses but it does make a ton of sense.

Ive thought about the rockblocker and itll be a great investment for sure. I cant get the site to work so how much does one of their kits usually run?

patriotpa · 10-25-2008, 10:54 AM

What's the best coating to use to reduce the chip damage to the front? I don't want the front to look all rippled from the chip coat, and a bra is TOTALLY out of the question.

*CamaroSpike23* · 10-25-2008, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patriotpa

What's the best coating to use to reduce the chip damage to the front? I don't want the front to look all rippled from the chip coat, and a bra is TOTALLY out of the question.

see post #2

patriotpa · 10-25-2008, 02:23 PM

So? There's no info on the site....looks like a front.

franknbeans · 10-26-2008, 10:29 AM

price is around 250-350. . well worth the money.

ucla1ove3 · 10-26-2008, 02:00 PM

can you wax and polish on that stuff?

*CamaroSpike23* · 10-26-2008, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patriotpa

So? There's no info on the site....looks like a front.

clear vinyl wraps custom made for your car. so that when the vinyl gets chipped, you just replace the section.

dvnt88 · 10-26-2008, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamaroSpike23

see post #2

What about the 3M clear tape / Bra that I see alot of Corvete drivers getting installed to keep the front end from looking like a cheese grater?

franknbeans · 10-26-2008, 06:48 PM

It's about the same thing dvnt88. . .

and yes you can wax over it. . . it's just like waxing over stripes.

Gomerr · 10-26-2008, 07:43 PM

thank you franknbeans for beating me to the rockblocker link post

the rockblocker stuff is something i have heard MUCH about with very few bad results. grantid the cost may be a bit outrageous, think about the long term investment? custom cut vinyl strips made of 3m vinyl that prevent the crap we hate most...rock chipping.

now of course you may not think its worth it since you've been driving car(s) for xx amount of years and never cared. but this being my first "major" car, im gonna get that lovely little addition to make sure its perfect.

franknbeans · 10-26-2008, 08:47 PM

for sure man. . . When i sold my srt-4 it only had 17k miles on it. . Weekend driver car for 4 years and there wasn't "a lot" of rock chips, but more than i wanted.

I want 0 on my Camaro 4-5-6 years from now.

10-25-2008, 09:23 AM	#1
bballr4567 Drives: 2016 Camaro 1LT M6 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 1,256	Destroying the paint So how long do you think itll be before the HUGE front area of the Camaro looks like a golf ball with all the rock chips that are bound to happen?? I figure that the bumpers would be fine but the headlights are going to turn into fogged and chipped versions of the 98-02 Camaro. I really hate to say this but I think itll happen pretty fast. The main thing the car has going against it is that its such a FLAT area for the front of the car. In fact some areas even lean forward! Does anybody know what the headlight covers are made out of?

10-26-2008, 10:29 AM	#8
franknbeans Whipped Drives: 2010 CAMARO Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Pittsburgh-ish - PA Posts: 4,216 View My Garage	price is around 250-350. . well worth the money. __________________ Car of the week 7/7/14

10-26-2008, 06:48 PM	#12
franknbeans Whipped Drives: 2010 CAMARO Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Pittsburgh-ish - PA Posts: 4,216 View My Garage	It's about the same thing dvnt88. . . and yes you can wax over it. . . it's just like waxing over stripes. __________________ Car of the week 7/7/14

10-26-2008, 08:47 PM	#14
franknbeans Whipped Drives: 2010 CAMARO Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Pittsburgh-ish - PA Posts: 4,216 View My Garage	for sure man. . . When i sold my srt-4 it only had 17k miles on it. . Weekend driver car for 4 years and there wasn't "a lot" of rock chips, but more than i wanted. I want 0 on my Camaro 4-5-6 years from now. __________________ Car of the week 7/7/14

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10-25-2008, 09:27 AM	#2
franknbeans Whipped Drives: 2010 CAMARO Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Pittsburgh-ish - PA Posts: 4,216 View My Garage	won't on mine. http://rockblocker.com/ __________________ Car of the week 7/7/14

10-25-2008, 09:32 AM	#3
nUcLeArEnVoY Oldbie that nobody knows Drives: 2011 1SS/RS M6 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Homestead, FL Posts: 3,459 View My Garage	Don't be so sure about that. The difference between these headlights and the 4th-gens is that not only was quality on compromise during the 4th-Gen production period, but also the 4th-gen headlamp lenses were fully exposed to the elements. The 5th-gen Camaro has a pretty-well concealed set of headlamps, protected under the shade of the huge v-shaped indention. Harmful UV radiation will have a much tougher time getting to the lens along with road debris which is what causes those ugly hazy, yellowed headlamps. The same thing goes for the Mustang - Personally, I have yet to see an S197 Mustang with foggy headlamps and I live in Florida! And they're not even as well-hidden as the Camaro's! However, if you're worried about it, do the very thing the factory always failed to do: put clearcoat over them to protect them. Unfortunately, federal standards for headlamp housings are very low, so most car manufacturers went ahead and cut corners on them and just slapped some very mildly-protected clear lexan plastic over the headlamps and called it a day. The Chrysler cars are notorious for it which is why their cars from the late 90's and early 00's have some of the foggiest headlamps imagineable. Maybe the reason Mustang headlamp lenses are always so clear is because they do put clearcoat over them, I don't know - but I do know their concealed locations helps, and it will help even more so with the Camaro. Just get them clearcoated and you won't have a thing to worry about! As for the bumper... especially on that SS, well all I can say to everyone including myself is that we best be as careful as we can. xD It's gonna get rashed up eventually, but that's what a quick bumper repaint is for.

10-25-2008, 10:19 AM	#4
bballr4567 Drives: 2016 Camaro 1LT M6 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 1,256	Very very good points. I have never thought about putting clear coats on headlight lenses but it does make a ton of sense. Ive thought about the rockblocker and itll be a great investment for sure. I cant get the site to work so how much does one of their kits usually run?

10-25-2008, 10:54 AM	#5
patriotpa Account Suspended Drives: 02 Silverado, 09 Vue, 10 1SS Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Tired of apologizing when we should be kickin' butt! Posts: 1,966 View My Garage	What's the best coating to use to reduce the chip damage to the front? I don't want the front to look all rippled from the chip coat, and a bra is TOTALLY out of the question.

10-25-2008, 02:23 PM	#7
patriotpa Account Suspended Drives: 02 Silverado, 09 Vue, 10 1SS Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Tired of apologizing when we should be kickin' butt! Posts: 1,966 View My Garage	So? There's no info on the site....looks like a front.

10-26-2008, 02:00 PM	#9
ucla1ove3 Drives: soon to be 2010 CAMARO :] Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: houston, tx Posts: 1,284	can you wax and polish on that stuff?

10-26-2008, 07:43 PM	#13
Gomerr Drives: 1991 Honda Civic Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: St Louis area Posts: 52	thank you franknbeans for beating me to the rockblocker link post the rockblocker stuff is something i have heard MUCH about with very few bad results. grantid the cost may be a bit outrageous, think about the long term investment? custom cut vinyl strips made of 3m vinyl that prevent the crap we hate most...rock chipping. now of course you may not think its worth it since you've been driving car(s) for xx amount of years and never cared. but this being my first "major" car, im gonna get that lovely little addition to make sure its perfect.