Clear bra - kit or custom?

[MarcusD]

I have an opportunity to buy an NOS (New Old Stock) front bumper cover for my Mark VIII cheap, and I intend to have it painted and then have a clear bra put on it. With winter coming, I figure I can get it painted now, then wait until spring to get the clear bra put on, so that the paint has time to cure.



Otherwise I would have to deal with getting my existing one repainted and then drive the car for however long it takes for the paint to cure, hoping nothing damages the finish. Not a likely prospect, with Chicago winters.



I suppose I could drive the car without the bumper cover... eh, no.



So the only question is the bra. There is a kit available for my car for $113 from Ivinca-Shield, but it doesn't look like it covers everything I'd like to get covered. Would I be better off going with a completely custom job, a combination of the kit and custom, or just the kit? Here's a link, I don't know if this is a permanent link or not:



http://www.invinca-shield.com/n_genkit.asp?kit=2714



Here's a pic of the bumper:

Bear in mind that there is are limits to my finances.



For that matter, could I do it myself with the kit? They claim it's "user friendly".



P.S. If anyone in the Chicago area knows of a good installer, let me know.



Thanks.

 

[Super]

If you use a heavy duty high quality paint the same kind of paint Simi-trucks use you won't need a clear bra. People put clear bras on because OEM paint is thin. And you can have it cured in no time in a heated & controlled environment room. You will find in time that this heavy duty high quality paint will be much better then a clear bra.

 

[diogenes]

I drive a big rig and have for 20 years. I've never herd of heavy duty high quality paint.



My Peterbilt has over a million miles on it and even though I use a bug deflector and radiator cover in the winter I get chips. They just happen.



Id like to know the name or part number of that special paint so they can use it next time on my truck. You'd think after all these years somebody would have mentioned it.

 

[Super]

I drive a big rig and have for 20 years. I've never herd of heavy duty high quality paint.



My Peterbilt has over a million miles on it and even though I use a bug deflector and radiator cover in the winter I get chips. They just happen.



Id like to know the name or part number of that special paint so they can use it next time on my truck. You'd think after all these years somebody would have mentioned it.

I'm sure its not called heavy duty high """"""quality paint""""" LOL. part #329854322 how in the heck to know the (*#)!@# paint # is, find out your self. Maybe what I should of said I'm not a paint guru. If you got chips and "quality paint"? made for abuse, quality paint that also that has a lot of coats then all you need to do is touch up paint wet sand buff and its good has new. quality paint does not chip it dings ok "quality paint made for abuse" for the front end for rocks, I amage its a soft or med hard paint maybe with lots of layers

 

[MarcusD]

Well, it's not just a matter of chip-resistance, it's also durability of the gloss. From what I understand, on any kind of plastic body part like a bumper cover, you have to add special binders to keep the paint flexible. And those binders cause the paint to be nearly impossible to polish once it's scuffed up. I can attest to that fact on my current bumper. No amount of polishing will get rid of the scuff marks and spiderwebs on it. I'd rather have a virgin coat of paint and protect it with the clear bra. If the finish ever goes to pot, all I have to do is replace the film.