You know that sinking feeling. Your pride and joy is your Torch Red C5, and backing it out into the driveway for a washing is almost as much fun as taking the car for a joy ride through the mountains. But then, as you’re leaning over to soap up the expanse of red on the rear fender, you spot that chunk of missing paint, which quickly lures a dark cloud over your sunny day. It’s amazing how such a tiny speck of white can stand out so prominently, at least in your mind. Where’s that can of touch-up paint? Thanks to Zip Corvette Parts, 8067 Fast Lane, Mechanicsville, VA 23111, 1-800-692-9632, you can avoid these afternoons of despair. Cleartastic paint protection is a clear, flexible, plastic film that is pre-cut for the areas that are most prone to stone chips and other road debris paint damage. It adheres to the paint via static cling, so there are no straps, bolts, glue, or other visible methods of attachment. When applied, the film is essentially invisible; you have to look closely to spot the edges. With care, you can leave the Cleartastic in place while washing the car, or you can remove them completely by simply peeling the film sections off and saving them for reuse later. As long as you make sure that the edges are securely in place, the Cleartastic pieces will stay on, even at high speeds. For this article, we checked out the Cleartastic installation on Eric Stehle’s 1999 Corvette hardtop. For C5s, Cleartastic provides a 12-piece kit, six pieces for each side of the car, with the driver’s side pieces marked for identification. The larger sections are applied to the fenders right behind the wheel openings, while the thinner strips go inside the wheel openings. Following Cleartastic’s detailed instructions, we installed the film using water and a plastic squeegee. Getting the larger sections positioned properly was a little tricky at first because even with the wet paint the plastic adheres quickly and securely. But it can be easily peeled off and repositioned prior to using the squeegee (or a plastic credit card) to push out the water and air bubbles. Cleartastic recommends allowing the film to dry for at least nine hours before driving the car. Cleartastic offers kits for 1963 to 2001 Corvettes, although some are not as extensive as the C5 kit. For example, the Cleartastic kit for 1963-67 Corvettes is simply a two-piece affair to protect the paint behind the rear wheel. Clearly, Cleartastic is a fantastic product for protecting your Corvette’s paint from stone chips – and for keeping those dark clouds away. at
01: With Cleartastic’s C5 Corvette kit, you get 12 pieces of clear film, six for each side.
02: The driver’s side pieces are identified on the back, which makes it easy to distinguish one side from the other.
03: In addition to the larger pieces for the actual outer fender areas, Cleartastic supplies these smaller pieces to protect the painted areas inside the wheelwell lips.s.
04: The Cleartastic sheets are cut for a custom fit, as you can see by this bottom main section for the rear fender. Originally, Cleartastic provided a single sheet for the entire area, but now two sections are included so they can conform to the body crease instead of covering the crease.
05: After making sure that the paint is clean, spray water onto the application area. A small drop of dish washing detergent (i.e. Joy) will assist with the proper positioning of the sheets.
06: Peel the Cleartastic film off its backing sheet.s.
07: Carefully apply the Cleartastic to the body of the car. The water makes it easier to slide the film around until it is positioned correctly. Excess water can be pushed out with your hand or a dry cloth
08: Once the Cleartastic is positioned, use a squeegee (a plastic credit card will work too) to push out the water and any air bubbles. The film disappears almost like magic.
09: With the water and air bubbles removed, the Cleartastic clings securely to the paint. You have to look closely to spot the edges.
10: During long-term storage, Cleartastic recommends removing the film sheets and storing them on the original backing sheets for reuse later.
Clearly Fantastic! Installing Cleartastic Paint Protection on a C5 Corvette
SOURCE: Zip Corvette Parts 8067 Fast Lane Mechanicsville, VA 23111 (800) 962-9632
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