DIY Wrapping your Bow Ties with Carbon Fiber Film
 

DIY 3D Carbon Fiber Film Application on 2010 Camaro Bowties
To start your project you need some 3D carbon wrap material – see vendor thread here for more information on it. Once you have your Carbon Fiber wrap (we have one item on the site that you can use to do both front and rear bow ties), you need the following items:

Your cleaned Camaro
3D Carbon Fiber Wrap from headlight Armor (we used a 6.75" x 8" sheet for this tutorial)
Isopropyl rubbing alcohol – final prep cleaning
Heat gun
Scissors
Very sharp razor knife with new blade
Microfiber towels – we prefer the ultrasuede like ones
Can do attitude – what diy project doesn’t ;)

The tutorial was shot inside with brand new badges from our Chevy dealer but the application process works just as well with them mounted to the vehicle (you don’t need to remove them for install)

Start by cleaning the bowties with your favorite soap and water, paying particular attention to the edges where the gold center ends and the chrome trim starts. Rinse completely and dry. Make sure your hands are clean and oil free too. Next wipe the surface and edges with the rubbing alcohol.

Take your piece of carbon fiber and measure the needed amount for one of the bowties and cut as shown

http://www.headlightarmor.com/images...n-bowtie-1.jpg

You will have some extra both left and right and up and down.

Since the back bowties are easier, we are going to start there. With your bowtie cleaned and prepped and your carbon fiber wrap sheet cut, it is time to get down to business.

Start by gently warming the material a bit, just a little to bring it up to 80-90 degrees or so. Peel back ~ 1/3 of the backing paper – not all of it – and place on one side of the bowtie as shown. Using your thumb and pressing the material down into the center and out to the edges.

http://www.headlightarmor.com/images...n-bowtie-2.jpg

Warm the next third of the material – this time a little warmer as we are going up and over a small compound area - 104-122 degrees - and continue peeling the backing paper back and pressing the material down. Work from the area that is set across the center and out to the sides evenly left to right and top to bottom in small increments as shown.

http://www.headlightarmor.com/images...n-bowtie-3.jpg

Repeat until the end of the bowtie is reached.

http://www.headlightarmor.com/images...n-bowtie-4.jpg

It is now on. Warm again ~ 104-122 degrees and go over with either your hand or you hands wrapped in a suede microfiber towel to make sure you didn’t leave any bubbles. The adhesive has air release channels so you should be bubble free. Go around the edge with the back of your fingernail (preferably wrapped in the suede microfiber towel) and set the material into the channel between the center bowtie and the chrome surround.

Now it is time to trim. Get your sharp razor knife with a new blade and trim the excess away – using the channel where the center meets the boarder as a guide. This is the important step as you can’t uncut it if you somehow miss… We have found the cleanest way to accomplish this is to make two cuts per profile. For each section start somewhere other than a corner and make two cuts – one going in one direction across and into a corner and the other going the other direction into the opposite corner.

http://www.headlightarmor.com/images...n-bowtie-5.jpg

Getting there

http://www.headlightarmor.com/images...n-bowtie-6.jpg

Almost done.

http://www.headlightarmor.com/images...n-bowtie-7.jpg

Now go over the edges and vertical center section at a higher heat setting, getting the surface up to 176 degrees. Go over the just cut edges with the top side of your fingernail to make sure the edge it completely sealed and rolled.

Now time for the front! We have read a lot of ‘oh the front bowtie overlays were a *****’ posts and are here to tell you, the 3D Carbon Fiber material we use makes them a lot easier than even we thought going in. The process is generally the same as the backs.

Start by gently warming the material a bit, just a little to bring it up to 80-90 degrees or so. Peel back ~ 1/3 of the backing paper – not all of it – and place on one side of the bowtie as shown. Using your thumb and pressing the material down into the center and out to the edges.

http://www.headlightarmor.com/images...n-bowtie-8.jpg

Warm the center portion of the material – this time a little warmer as we are going up and over the larger pointed compound area - 104-122 degrees - and continue peeling the backing paper back and pressing the material down. Work from the area that is set across the center and out to the sides evenly left to right and top to bottom in small increments as shown. For this part of the install we used both thumbs at the same time, in a - < motion (though the photo shows one had as the other was taking the photo)

http://www.headlightarmor.com/images...n-bowtie-9.jpg

Repeat until the end of the bowtie is reached.

http://www.headlightarmor.com/images...-bowtie-10.jpg

It is now on. Warm again ~ 104-122 degrees and go over with either your hand or you hands wrapped in a suede microfiber towel to make sure you didn’t leave any bubbles. The adhesive has air release channels so you should be bubble free. Go around the edge with the back of your fingernail (preferably wrapped in the suede microfiber towel) and set the material into the channel between the center bowtie and the chrome surround.

Now it is time to trim. Get your sharp razor knife with a new blade and trim the excess away – using the channel where the center meats the boarder. This is the important step as you can’t uncut it if you somehow miss… We have found the cleanest way to accomplish this is to make two cuts per profile. For each section start somewhere other than a corner and make two cuts – one going in one direction across and into a corner and the other going the other direction into the opposite corner.

http://www.headlightarmor.com/images...-bowtie-11.jpg

Almost done.

http://www.headlightarmor.com/images...-bowtie-12.jpg

Now go over the edges and vertical center section at a higher heat setting, getting the surface up to 176 degrees. Go over the just cut edges with the top side of your fingernail to make sure the edge it completely sealed and rolled.

http://www.headlightarmor.com/images...-bowtie-13.jpg


Now you are done front and back. We recommend not washing the vehicle for 48 hours though it is ok to drive in the rain if necessary.

http://www.headlightarmor.com/images...-bowtie-14.jpg

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial! If you have questions about the application process or need any clairifications please let us know. If you have non-application questions please see our vendor thread here

Great Write up man,

Thanks! Hope it is helpful. Somebody emailed about removing the bow ties for application. It is not necessary at all. We bought new bow ties from our local dealer for application and tutorial, but it is just as easy to carbonize them in your garage without removing them.

Giving the thread a nudge, as we have had a variety of members ask how to apply the carbon fiber wrap on the bow ties :)

Good write up. Bump for you

I used the same technique with black vinyl while the emblems were still on the car. The front emblem took a little more time, but it was easy and came out great. After receiving a sample of the carbon from headlight armor, I want to re-do it with their product. It's very good quality.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...lbaugh/car.jpg

Wow where can i buy the carbon fiber hydrocarbon for the bowties?

The Carbon Fiber Wrap is on our website, please see our vendor thread here for more information.

Had a few questions about how many wrap pieces you need - one. We have an item on the site (can't directly link as this is not a f/s tread it is a tutorial) that you cut as shown in the first photo to yield material for both front and rear bowties. If you have questions about the application let us know. As the material is designed for full vehicle wraps and has an air release adhesive application is a lot easier that they typical eBay sign vinyl.

Any other colors besides black? I'd like to try yellow carbon fiber to see how it looks.

Black and White are the only options we have available.

Thank you!

Just ordered mine now. It said I didnt agree to the terms and conditions although I said I did:iono:

Hopefully it doesnt. Provided this info. Thanks!!!!



Order Number: 15956

Awesome write-up.