Best way to protect rocker panels?

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Swink

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Feb 17, 2018
11
1
3
San Marcos, Texas
Just went and saw my 81 elco fresh out of the paint booth. The guys at the body shop did an absolutely incredible job, way too good for the daily driver that it is. Where I live the roads are horrible so I'd like to protect the rocker panels from getting all chipped up by gravel. I had the shop remove the rocker panel trim and grind the little mounting tabs off. The old paint had a lot of chips and dings from rocks, any way to prevent this on the new paint? Maybe some kind of clear wrap? Or I guess I could put mudflaps but that's not a great look.
 

melloelky

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Oct 22, 2017
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other than having autobahn come out and film them id look into 3m's protective film.the # escapes me @the moment but it's pretty good alternative over having it done profe$$ionally
 
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08Malibu

Royal Smart Person
Feb 9, 2014
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Do they make plasti-coat spray in clear so if it gets chippy you can peel off and re coat. I too dread getting fresh paint chipped
There are people out there doing whole cars in clear plasti-dip. Stuff looks as good as a clear coat on the internet. I’m sure it isn’t as good in person.
You can wait until your paint cures and have a pro clear wrap your rockers if you’d like. I’m not crazy about someone coming too close to my car with a razor though.
 
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WanaBa442

G-Body Guru
Aug 5, 2017
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Do they make plasti-coat spray in clear so if it gets chippy you can peel off and re coat. I too dread getting fresh paint chipped
1618661976309.png

Wait until your paint is fully cured as mentioned as this stuff has a high solvent content.
Mask off what you dont want to protect and lay down a few coats. I'd recommend a test panel or two so you can find the texture you want. Too close or too heavy and it'll look like the moon, all lumpy and saggy if you pile it on.
there are other options though:
1618662302845.png
 
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69hurstolds

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Jan 2, 2006
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My concern with all of that is this- something has to be the sacrificial lamb. Whether you use the factory-style rock guard stuff, plasti-dip stuff, or the clear bra wrap material, or whatever you use...if you have to keep driving on rocks, it will take it's toll on something.

If you're leaving it smooth paint and want a smooth finish, I would suggest having someone who knows what they're doing put the 3M clear bra stuff. Some of the newer cars use small patches of the stuff from the factory in places where chipping may be an issue.

Another "temporary" thing that I've done in the past, is use those metal binder clips and small plastic mud flaps and clip them on, not permanently mount them. I had used it many a time driving longer distances to car events. Squeeze the handle on the visible side and remove it to keep it from looking totally fubar. Then when I get where I'm going, or back home, unclip and remove. I would take solace looking at all the gunk and crap that stuck on the flaps knowing that would hit the rockers otherwise.

Depends a lot on how you want it to look.
 
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Swink

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Feb 17, 2018
11
1
3
San Marcos, Texas
My concern with all of that is this- something has to be the sacrificial lamb. Whether you use the factory-style rock guard stuff, plasti-dip stuff, or the clear bra wrap material, or whatever you use...if you have to keep driving on rocks, it will take it's toll on something.

If you're leaving it smooth paint and want a smooth finish, I would suggest having someone who knows what they're doing put the 3M clear bra stuff. Some of the newer cars use small patches of the stuff from the factory in places where chipping may be an issue.

Another "temporary" thing that I've done in the past, is use those metal binder clips and small plastic mud flaps and clip them on, not permanently mount them. I had used it many a time driving longer distances to car events. Squeeze the handle on the visible side and remove it to keep it from looking totally fubar. Then when I get where I'm going, or back home, unclip and remove. I would take solace looking at all the gunk and crap that stuck on the flaps knowing that would hit the rockers otherwise.

Depends a lot on how you want it to look.
Where did you get the mudflaps? On ebay seems like most of what I could find is just the universal style. I feel like if there was a more "custom" or fitted one that was made to fit the elco wheel arch it could be kind of a cool look.
 

Swink

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Feb 17, 2018
11
1
3
San Marcos, Texas
other than having autobahn come out and film them id look into 3m's protective film.the # escapes me @the moment but it's pretty good alternative over having it done profe$$ionally
Oh wow, just looked that up on Amazon. Much cheaper than I was expecting. 35 bucks for a 10 foot roll. I don't think it would be really hard to put it on myself since it's just a straight line down the side of the car. Thanks for the recommendation
 
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