Poser 101: Fake Carbon Fiber application

[eTiMaGo]

Sooo I was at the shop pickup up the aftermarket stuff for the GB, and I see a box with a roll of very good looking carbon fiber sticker... not the usual printed vinyl, but this one has an actual sheen and reflection to it like the real stuff.

So, just for the sheer heck of it, I get it, for experimentation's sake.

First order of the day, something easy, the emergency blinkers button and the blank plate on the other side:

http://www.etimago.com/yaris/CF/closeupflash.jpg

http://www.etimago.com/yaris/CF/closeup.jpg

Looks pretty good compared to REAL carbon fiber:

http://www.etimago.com/yaris/CF/cfcompare.jpg

The only thing is, it's not glossy, but maybe a bit of clearcoat could resolve that...

I tried my luck with the whole trim piece, but the result was pretty disastrous:

http://www.etimago.com/yaris/CF/trim1.jpg
http://www.etimago.com/yaris/CF/trim2.jpg

The sticker is actualy a very thin, textured metallic sheet, so it does not stretch at all. Still, it's nice to get a preview of what it could look like with proper aftermarket CF trim pieces!

So here's the final look:

http://www.etimago.com/yaris/CF/final1.jpg
http://www.etimago.com/yaris/CF/final2.jpg

I had a lot left over, and the only other relatively flat piece of interior I could find was the blank switch holder at the base of the handbrake:

http://www.etimago.com/yaris/CF/handbrake.jpg

Not that great, I admit, but hey, it's all in good fun :biggrin:

[Meteorite Man]

You may be able to form it with some heat....start from one end and knead it into place. It my get rid of those wrinkles.

Chuck

[brickhardmeat]

stickery:redface:

I hope you don't have a mess to clean up when you peel it off but if you end up getting CF replacment pieces I guess you won't have to worry about that.

Really this does look better than those crappy 3M dash kits.

[eTiMaGo]

You may be able to form it with some heat....start from one end and knead it into place. It my get rid of those wrinkles.

Chuck

Hmm thanks I could try that later, but it'll still be very hard as the material is metallic.

stickery:redface:

I hope you don't have a mess to clean up when you peel it off but if you end up getting CF replacment pieces I guess you won't have to worry about that.

Really this does look better than those crappy 3M dash kits.

Nah it's a low cling adhesive, you can pull it right off with no residue

[jimcat]

ha ha... i like that little green car

[brickhardmeat]

hey, that is fun stuff since it doesn't wreck your interior when you peel it up:thumbsup:

[njyaris]

not bad at all ..

[Black Yaris]

CF racing stripe? http://www.toledotuners.com/phpBB3/images/smilies/rofl3.gif

[Chris07LB]

Thats the best looking fake CF I've even seen.

Thomas, a little heat goes a long way when trying to wrap compound curves and such... reguarding your trim attempt.

[Black Yaris]

I was thinking the same thing, even metal bends with heat

[eTiMaGo]

CF racing stripe? http://www.toledotuners.com/phpBB3/images/smilies/rofl3.gif

hehehe... it's just a sticker sheet, putting it through a normal vinyl cutter should be possible, CF yarisworld sticker maybe? :biggrin:

Thats the best looking fake CF I've even seen.

Thomas, a little heat goes a long way when trying to wrap compound curves and such... reguarding your trim attempt.

Mmmkay, I'll have to find a hairdryer and see if anything can be improved... But after seeing it, I'm not sure if I want that whole trim piece in CF now :laugh:

[yrsdrgn]

it looks pretty cool. i was planning on doing that with the door handle pieces.

[slvryaris]

Looks good. The heat would help it conform to the surfaces better as evryone has added.

[Meteorite Man]

When you cover something and plan on using the heat, definately make it bigger than needbe. I'm sure that stuff will shrink. Wrap the piece of CF around the backside/edges so when you reinstall it the piece you covered will pinch the CF and not allow it to move or come undone.

Chuck

[Kaotic Lazagna]

looks good, i would do that to my interior too, but i really don't have the patience for it.

[smokinyaris]

where can we get some sheets of cf stickers......

[Jerkratt]

im friends with the lady at the local vinal shop im also friends with someone who works there.. i can get some made out....

[redduck]

http://www.decalfx.com/carbon_2_sheets.html

carbon fiber sheets the shite has how to videos as well

[eTiMaGo]

http://www.decalfx.com/carbon_2_sheets.html

carbon fiber sheets the shite has how to videos as well

That stuff looks pretty good too, with a nice gloss finish that mine does not have. The one I got is apparently made in Italy, at least the packaging is all in italian only!