Questions about clear bra - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

philipdistefano · 10-11-2009, 03:16 PM

I just placed my order for a Rally Yellow 2LT/RS last weekend, and I've been researching everything about the car that I'll need to know to keep it looking its best, and I came upon the 3M clear bra, which I'd never heard of before. So, I have a few questions about it based on what I've found. I do a LOT of Interstate driving, so I assume this is the best thing possible to protect my Camaro.

-Once the clear bra is on, is it on for good (for the life of the car)?
-I've read that the edges get dirty and can make some ugly lines. How hard is that to clean?
-Speaking of cleaning, do you just wash/detail the clear bra just like you would with the rest of the car?
-Does anyone have any pictures of a Rally Yellow with black rally stripes with a clear bra applied? They would be much appreciated.
-Does anyone near Baton Rouge, LA have any recommendations for a clear bra installer (I'm not willing to risk doing it myself)?

Thanks for the help!

-Philip

scythezo6 · 10-11-2009, 03:50 PM

My friend has a clear bra on his mustang and it does get dirty where the edge is. He just cleans that part with a microfiber cloth and some extra attention and it comes off pretty easily.

He also washes the clear bra'd parts of the car normally like the rest of the car, he doesnt clay it, but he does put Meguiars cleaner wax spray detailer over it. I dont know right off the top of my head which clear bra he has BUT it doesnt prevent the paint underneath from fading - if he takes the bra off 5 years from now the whole car would be the same color. So he tries to treat the entire car equally, bra or no bra. He says it should help the paint "age" evenly.

Hope this helps and hope anyone else can chime in (;

philipdistefano · 10-11-2009, 05:14 PM

Hmm, sounds like a little bit of extra trouble that is probably very worth it. A fair tradeoff, thanks for the info.

Anyone else able to answer any of my other questions?

scythezo6 · 10-11-2009, 05:39 PM

I'd definetly get one. My G6 has 3 rock chips on it already. The recent one is on the very front of the hood and its pretty deep =/

patriotpa · 10-11-2009, 07:26 PM

Who is going to model a clear bra for us?

philipdistefano · 10-11-2009, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patriotpa

Who is going to model a clear bra for us?

Good one.

htp autoworks · 10-11-2009, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philipdistefano

I just placed my order for a Rally Yellow 2LT/RS last weekend, and I've been researching everything about the car that I'll need to know to keep it looking its best, and I came upon the 3M clear bra, which I'd never heard of before. So, I have a few questions about it based on what I've found. I do a LOT of Interstate driving, so I assume this is the best thing possible to protect my Camaro.

-Once the clear bra is on, is it on for good (for the life of the car)?
The clear bra is easily removable if needed. Its not a permanent product but will last a long time if taken care of properly.
-I've read that the edges get dirty and can make some ugly lines. How hard is that to clean?
If the edges are properly heat sealed down you should not have any issues with dirt accumulating there. You can get a wax build up around the edges over time if you are not careful but its not difficult to remove. Take a Qtip or soft toothbrush and gently clean it out.
-Speaking of cleaning, do you just wash/detail the clear bra just like you would with the rest of the car?
Wash and wax the car just as you would your paint. Its great if you can find a good sealant to protect the film and prevent bugs from staining the material. Usually a good coat of wax will do just fine.
-Does anyone have any pictures of a Rally Yellow with black rally stripes with a clear bra applied? They would be much appreciated.
I havent done a yellow one yet but that color is one of the best colors to get film on. It is hardly visible on yellow. I do have some pictures of other cars I have installed film on that are yellow. PM me your email address and I will be happy to send you some photos.
-Does anyone near Baton Rouge, LA have any recommendations for a clear bra installer (I'm not willing to risk doing it myself)?
I do not know of any installers in your area that I can personally vouch for. I can do some checking around and see who may be good. I have been down there a few times for work but its a bit of a stretch for me these days and I am pretty busy with local work. I will see what I can find out for you and let you know.

Thanks for the help!

-Philip

If you have any other questions feel free to PM me and I will be happy to help you out.

philipdistefano · 10-11-2009, 11:13 PM

Thanks a ton htp. I've sent you a PM with a couple of other questions, but now I have one more question to pose to the general public (unless one of the other yellow cars you've done had matte black rally stripes): does the clear bra make the rally stripes glossy? It seems like that would be really noticeable...is there any way around that? Would you just have to do the whole hood or not do any of the hood at all and just do the bumper?

htp autoworks · 10-12-2009, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philipdistefano

Thanks a ton htp. I've sent you a PM with a couple of other questions, but now I have one more question to pose to the general public (unless one of the other yellow cars you've done had matte black rally stripes): does the clear bra make the rally stripes glossy? It seems like that would be really noticeable...is there any way around that? Would you just have to do the whole hood or not do any of the hood at all and just do the bumper?

You do not want to go over the stripes with the clear bra. It will make the stripes look glossy. I usually make a custom hood piece to go around the stripes and seem it up to the stripe... but not go over it.

KATHY63 · 10-12-2009, 07:51 AM

Have you seen A camaro with one on it yet? We saw it on a silver one and you could see all the lines. Where it stopped on the hood, where the corners are cut. We did not like how it looked at all. My suggestion is to get it clear coated BEFORE you get any stripes put on if possible. We were asked by our dealership that question and we were under the impression it came with a factory clear coat. We chose not to get another clear coat. We have a 2SS IOM with the dull stripes and if there was a way we could get it clear coated and leave the stripes dull, we would do it. Thank goodness we haven't had any issues with rocks.

philipdistefano · 10-12-2009, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KATHY63

Have you seen A camaro with one on it yet? We saw it on a silver one and you could see all the lines. Where it stopped on the hood, where the corners are cut. We did not like how it looked at all. My suggestion is to get it clear coated BEFORE you get any stripes put on if possible. We were asked by our dealership that question and we were under the impression it came with a factory clear coat. We chose not to get another clear coat. We have a 2SS IOM with the dull stripes and if there was a way we could get it clear coated and leave the stripes dull, we would do it. Thank goodness we haven't had any issues with rocks.

From what I'm hearing, the lines are less noticeable on yellow. Also, I'd rather look at a few lines than knicks and scratches from rocks (which I will get from all of the Interstate driving I do. My current car has quite a few battlescars to prove it).

Thanks for your input!

-Philip

2010 2-Tone · 10-12-2009, 08:36 AM

Philip,
There is a guy in Houma that does custom 3-M bras. What I mean is that he doesn't use a precut pattern. I am calling him this week to set up an appointment. PM me if you want his name and number.

vdevine · 10-12-2009, 08:58 AM

Check out my old thread below, especially the video link. Also, dark cars tend to have the most visability problems and not so much on light cars. If your stripes are not metallic, the clear bra will make them shiny. You can always do the whole hood for more $. The pics in the link will show lines from 2 feet AND it should be noted that I took pictures with a flash and the light highlighted the edge of the bra. Otherwise, you really can't see it. People walk around it all the time and no one has ever said, look a line.

Lastly, I recommend Venture Shield over 3M. VS has lifetime warranty vs 3 year for 3M.

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...ight=sandblast

philipdistefano · 10-12-2009, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2010 2-Tone

Philip,
There is a guy in Houma that does custom 3-M bras. What I mean is that he doesn't use a precut pattern. I am calling him this week to set up an appointment. PM me if you want his name and number.

Really? I'm from Houma, and though I live and work in Baton Rouge, my family is still in Houma and I actually ordered from Trapp Chevrolet in Houma, so that may work out well.

However...aren't the precut bras better? I read that if they do the cutting on the car, it can mess up the paint when you remove the bra however many years later.

10-11-2009, 03:16 PM	#1
philipdistefano Remember, Remember... Drives: 2013 Subaru BRZ Limited 6MT Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 688	Questions about clear bra I just placed my order for a Rally Yellow 2LT/RS last weekend, and I've been researching everything about the car that I'll need to know to keep it looking its best, and I came upon the 3M clear bra, which I'd never heard of before. So, I have a few questions about it based on what I've found. I do a LOT of Interstate driving, so I assume this is the best thing possible to protect my Camaro. -Once the clear bra is on, is it on for good (for the life of the car)? -I've read that the edges get dirty and can make some ugly lines. How hard is that to clean? -Speaking of cleaning, do you just wash/detail the clear bra just like you would with the rest of the car? -Does anyone have any pictures of a Rally Yellow with black rally stripes with a clear bra applied? They would be much appreciated. -Does anyone near Baton Rouge, LA have any recommendations for a clear bra installer (I'm not willing to risk doing it myself)? Thanks for the help! -Philip

10-11-2009, 03:50 PM	#2
scythezo6 Virologist in the making Drives: 2010 VR SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: El Paso TX Posts: 2,865	My friend has a clear bra on his mustang and it does get dirty where the edge is. He just cleans that part with a microfiber cloth and some extra attention and it comes off pretty easily. He also washes the clear bra'd parts of the car normally like the rest of the car, he doesnt clay it, but he does put Meguiars cleaner wax spray detailer over it. I dont know right off the top of my head which clear bra he has BUT it doesnt prevent the paint underneath from fading - if he takes the bra off 5 years from now the whole car would be the same color. So he tries to treat the entire car equally, bra or no bra. He says it should help the paint "age" evenly. Hope this helps and hope anyone else can chime in (; __________________ Victory Red 1SS/RS Ordered - 8/4/09 & Joined Camaro5.com family 6000, Delivered to the customer - 12/21/09

10-11-2009, 05:39 PM	#4
scythezo6 Virologist in the making Drives: 2010 VR SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: El Paso TX Posts: 2,865	I'd definetly get one. My G6 has 3 rock chips on it already. The recent one is on the very front of the hood and its pretty deep =/ __________________ Victory Red 1SS/RS Ordered - 8/4/09 & Joined Camaro5.com family 6000, Delivered to the customer - 12/21/09

10-12-2009, 08:58 AM	#13
vdevine Drives: 2010 Black SS Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 605 View My Garage	Check out my old thread below, especially the video link. Also, dark cars tend to have the most visability problems and not so much on light cars. If your stripes are not metallic, the clear bra will make them shiny. You can always do the whole hood for more $. The pics in the link will show lines from 2 feet AND it should be noted that I took pictures with a flash and the light highlighted the edge of the bra. Otherwise, you really can't see it. People walk around it all the time and no one has ever said, look a line. Lastly, I recommend Venture Shield over 3M. VS has lifetime warranty vs 3 year for 3M. http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...ight=sandblast __________________ Vince SS2 Black with CGM Stripes 3800 Born: 25 May VIN#12136 6000 Mine 26 June 2009 SLP Loudmouth II, NOWEEDS, BMR 1.4/1.0 Lowering Springs, Cold Air Inductions Intake, Tune, Eagle Eyes w HID, SLP "SS" Grille Insert, Pistol Grip Shifter, Hawk PC Pads, RGB Scanner, Tint, Headlight Armor, Clear Bra, 22's.

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10-11-2009, 05:14 PM	#3
philipdistefano Remember, Remember... Drives: 2013 Subaru BRZ Limited 6MT Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 688	Hmm, sounds like a little bit of extra trouble that is probably very worth it. A fair tradeoff, thanks for the info. Anyone else able to answer any of my other questions?

10-11-2009, 07:26 PM	#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	Who is going to model a clear bra for us?

10-11-2009, 11:13 PM	#8
philipdistefano Remember, Remember... Drives: 2013 Subaru BRZ Limited 6MT Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 688	Thanks a ton htp. I've sent you a PM with a couple of other questions, but now I have one more question to pose to the general public (unless one of the other yellow cars you've done had matte black rally stripes): does the clear bra make the rally stripes glossy? It seems like that would be really noticeable...is there any way around that? Would you just have to do the whole hood or not do any of the hood at all and just do the bumper?

10-12-2009, 07:51 AM	#10
KATHY63 Drives: 2010 IOM manual 2SS Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: garage exceapt weekends Posts: 214 View My Garage	Have you seen A camaro with one on it yet? We saw it on a silver one and you could see all the lines. Where it stopped on the hood, where the corners are cut. We did not like how it looked at all. My suggestion is to get it clear coated BEFORE you get any stripes put on if possible. We were asked by our dealership that question and we were under the impression it came with a factory clear coat. We chose not to get another clear coat. We have a 2SS IOM with the dull stripes and if there was a way we could get it clear coated and leave the stripes dull, we would do it. Thank goodness we haven't had any issues with rocks.

10-12-2009, 08:36 AM	#12
2010 2-Tone Drives: 2010 RY 2SS with Custom Stripes Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Jennings, La. Posts: 2,220 View My Garage	Philip, There is a guy in Houma that does custom 3-M bras. What I mean is that he doesn't use a precut pattern. I am calling him this week to set up an appointment. PM me if you want his name and number.