I am getting my hood painted soon and then I want to have clear bra installed. My question - how long should I wait to have the clear bra installed? Is there a time I should let the paint cure?

Thanks!

 

yes there is...due to the size of the clear bra...you have to wait like three months....I had to do this and it sucked cause now i have some chips...grrrr..oh well...in the mean time though you can use the Ghetto Bra!!!

it's Blue painters tape...used it going to L.A. and to Vegas back in October...werks wunders...not a chip...and if I can't get a clear bra B4 AMVIV I'll be using that again!!!..lol

 

I had the clear Bra put on as part of the purchase of my"05", my "03" was a chipped up mess. The installer who is giving oir club a discount and distributed Zaino says he will stand behind the install and mentioned nothing about Paint cure. He also does all the installs for the dealer and does them new off the lot including BMW and Porsche.

 

OK, so I have 2 conflicting theories. Anyone else want to chime in? Please?

 

At the risk of sounding wishy washy, if your repainting your hood you may have to wait. I had a brand new car with factory paint. The 3M web site should give you the info you need.

 

Not a paint expert here, but until a real expert gets here ....

I understand that getting a new car and putting a clear bra on right away is not the same as repainting and putting a bra on right away. For starters, by ther time your new car gets to you it has been painted for weeks. In other words, its been curing by the timer you get it. I also understand that the factory paint process is not the same as that done in a body shop. Different paint types and possibly different curing lamps etc. I would think that you would need to cure for awhile after a repaint. Experts???

 

I think the factory paint gets baked, doesn't it? And then the car sits on a dock for a few days, rides on a boat for a week and a half, spends a few more days to a week at the VDC, etc., gets transported to the dealer. My car had a prod. date of 10/21 and I didn't pick it up until 12/3. What's that - 6 weeks?

A repaint doesn't get baked and comes right back to you. So I think that explains the difference in the "conflicting" theories. A new car has a well-cured finish the day you pick it up. A respray needs several weeks to cure.

 

Hmmm, so I guess I should wait at least 6 weeks after the hood is repainted. I just hope it doesn't get chipped up while I'm waiting!

 

I have another suggestion.... skip the Saran wrap.

There's nothing wrong with a few honest paint chips!

 

Factory paint you can attach clearbra right away.

Aftermarket paint, I would wait 3months. Drive 3seconds behind
the car infront of you and you can minimize chips on your front
bumper quite a bit.

 

You have expressed my thoughts exactly.

Kind of reminds me of the woman who buys a beautiful dress, never wears it, always saving it for that special occasion.

She ends up looking lovely in her casket.

One last thought, you don't have those plastic covers on your living room furniture, do you? Just checking.

DRIVE IT, Drive it hard!

 

I had the clear bra put on at the dealer upon delivery of my 2005. I am very happy with it.

 

Factory paint is heat cured, when it rolls off the assembly line its ready to go...cured etc.

re-paint paint is catalyst cured and the solvents take a while to completly evaporate and let the paint completly cure. Depending on the many factors involved in a repaint it could be anywhere from 30 to 90 days of curiong before you wax or put on a clear bra. If you seal the paint ( stop the solvents from being able to escape ) you run th erisk of early paint failure as well as the possibility of the paint becoming cloudy or dull. Might not happen but then again it might.

I have been using the ghetto bra mentioned when I need to, I cant live with that line on my black car. As much as you need to wax and polish black the edges become white with wax and polish kinda like highlighter. We have the clear bra on our cooper and it has saved the car MANY times from chips.

 

Just thought I'd mention that repainting is not always catalyst cured. The autobody guy I go to bakes his paint jobs to cure them.

When I had to get a new bonnet he painted it, baked it, and had the clear bra put on for me.

So if you need a repaint, look for a shop that bakes its paint jobs. Then you can put on the clear bra immediately.

 

I'll second that

Earl