Can anyone tell me of a product name/brand of a temporary protective tape to apply for autocross that will not damage the paint and is easy to apply/remove?

 

Blue painters tape works

 

you're talking about racers tape. It's like duct tape but not so sticky. it's supposed to be similar to gaffers tape, but i've never compared the two personally. look online or perhaps check out anyone local that sells auto racing supplies.


Though seriously, all you're going to hit are cones which leave some plastic residue on your paint. It comes right off. besides to not get that on your car, you'd have to apply it every where up to about 24" from the gound. You know exactly know which part of your car is going to slap those cones around.

Now if you're getting it to do car number and class, that makes sense.

 

I've seen a lot of people using blue painter's tape including some very expensive vehicles. With my new baby, I'm thinking I may do the same thing, but I also just saw these vinyl things (photo here http://www.aestheticreations.net/gra...rchipguard.jpg)
from Aesthetic Creations that are cut to fit just in front of the rear wheels. Anyone try these out for AX protection? What It got me thinking of was making magnets in the same shape to put on the car for those areas.

 

The cheap and easy solution is 3M/Scotch painter's tape from Lowes or Home Depot. Get the widest tape they have so you don't have to overlap as much. Don't just use generic masking tape without testing to make sure the adhesive comes off easily after baking in the sun all day.

If you're lazy like me (and don't mind the extra cost), I just have 3M clear bra and don't bother with the tape.

 

+2 on the painters tape.

 

Careful with racers tape. It is very similar to duct tape and I have found that it does leave a residue on the paint.

When I run track events in my M3 I put down a first layer of the painters tape and then put the racers tape on top (that way it comes off real easily).

Of course, the longer you do this the more you realize that it doesn't matter. Soon you will be just using painters tape, and then after that it will be no tape. Then, all of the sudden, your car has a full cage, race seats and other safety equipment. Before you even knew it you were hooked on the sport.

Well, at least that is what happened to me.

 

For those who regularly track their car and want to protect their headlight/foglights, another alternative to blue tape is headlight protection film. I have it permanently mounted on my own car (MINI belongs to She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed). The film is 40 mil thick! That's about 10 sheets of paper thick (regular clear bra is around 7 mil). It will protect headlights against flying marbles/gravel better than a couple of layers of tape.

http://xpel.com/products/headlight.asp

 

look for gaffers tape. it's used in the movie industry but it doesn't leave a residue and come in wider sizes than painters tape. I've seen 4" wide at local hardware stores and even wider at specialty stores.

 

I use gaffers in my profession, and let me just say that high quality gaffers tape will cost A LOT more than blue painters tape.

 

i found them to be easier and also reusable which is why i recommended them.

 

What are you protecting your car from at an autocross?

My initial thought is that daily driving is far more taxing on the exterior of the car.

 

if you get residue on your lights or paint from the tape, just use Goo Gone. That stuff is safe and works amazingly! (might just want to wipe off with water after the goo gone just to make sure tho

 

Clear contact paper...Couple of bucks a roll and it is 12" wide.

 

^This! I get the vast majority of the my cones with the sides of the car. My passenger door is covered in scuffs. Shows you actually put the car to work instead of hard parking it.

Seriously, they rub off, and this time of year, probably won't even leave a mark. Your first event will be the first and last time you tape the car up. It gets pricey and is like hanging a giant "I'm a huge noob" banner off the back of the car.

 

iv used blue painters tape. works well, even in a tropical storm.