I am preparing for a not so long, but not so short trip... About 500-800 miles (one-way)...

My car was purchased used with about 50,000 miles on the clock (with all of the normal stone chips on the hood that you would expect a car with 50K on the clock...not a lot mind you...but it's not a pristine nose either).

Should I be considering a clear bra? Or is a clear bra only a reasonable option when the nose is newly painted and pristine? Could I "touch up" any stone chips and have the clear bra installed?

Or should I just take the chance for the roughly 1,200 mile round trip?

 

Lots of people I see use some kind of blue tape. I am not sure of the exact brand however.

I have heard that the clear bra can cause issues with the paint not being able to "breathe", yellowing of the bra, etc.

A more permanent solution may be to touch up the chips and clear coat.

 

another option is to plastidip the front and peel it off when you are back. A lot of guys that track are starting to do that before track days.

 

i simply used blue painters tape when i made my long road trip. worked like a charm.

 

Definitely works well with your blue car! My silverstone will look like Frankenstein! But perhaps that's okay...better to look like Frankenstein temporarily than have a nose fill of craters permanently...

 

Absolutely. Those big rigs kick up some monsters. I've already had to re-spray my front end... i'd rather not do it again for quite some time.

 

+1 I have seen this work so many times and wish I did this before making my 500 mile trip to pick up my GPW

Just make sure the front is clean (preferably recently washed) and just mask up the front.

Scroll down on this page just a tad and you'll see what you need to know

https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/441...for-blue-tape/

 

If you're going to put a lot of highway mile on your car a clear bra is a great investment. Mine looks like it has been sand blasted from 12 years and over 330,000 miles but the paint beneath it is still pristine.

 

They make clear PlastiDip

http://www.amazon.com/Performix-1120.../dp/B000LNN11G

 

Blue painter's tape is ghetto and in the rain, looks terrible. I'd go with plasidip or trakk tape or if you have the coin, 3M Paint protection film (PPF)

good luck and don't tailgate other drivers. I made that mistake and ran over a retread tire that then proceeded to crack my lower bumper lip. Plus, the road debris they throw can crack a wind shield and pepper your bumper.

enjoy the trip

darcy