Text and photos by Steve Temple

It’s a gritty, grimy, messy world out there. And every time you head out on the highway, your personal project car has to face up to it. A vinyl nose bra is one way to fend off the ravages of rock chips, but why obscure your ride’s spectacular hues?

Which leads us to Xpel’s protective paint film. Unlike a vinyl nose bra, it’s nearly invisible, and can be applied not only to the front bumper and valence, but also to the headlights, side mirrors, and doors—actually, the entire car, if so desired.

The big news is that this film is available in precut patterns for not only 70,000 different production cars, but also can be hand-cut and applied to rare classics and collectibles, including replicas and custom builds (note sidebar). For purposes of illustration, we’re showing the install on a late-model Corvette, but contact Xpel for an installer to help with a custom hand-cut application.

Not all brands of films are created equal, though. Xpel’s founder Tim Hartt was originally a distributor and pattern maker for another well-known film manufacturer, but decided to improve on the product’s clarity and longevity, among other features, and introduced his own line in 2006. 

Today, the Xpel’s most popular clear-film product is the Ultimate, consisting of a polyurethane film with an acrylic polymer adhesive on the underside, plus a clearcoat on top made of elastomeric polymers. Referring to this new, elastic topside coating, Hartt says, “That’s where the magic happens.” How so?

Xpel’s Ultimate actually has the ability to “self heal” micro scratches, he claims, since elastomeric polymer tends to flow somewhat, filling in lower spots, especially in the presence of heat. Primarily, however, the Xpel film is designed to prevent chipping from pebbles and other debris, and contamination from road oils that can collect in the pores of the paint and cause yellowing.

Hartt points out as well that certain areas of the country need extra protection, such as in the Southeast, where love bugs in their mating season can cake up on paint and eat into the paint finish (giving a whole new meaning to, “love is in the air”). Also, road salt obviously poses a problem in cold climates, as does airborne pollutants in urban areas. With Xpel’s film, these contaminants wash off easily with standard car soap, and the surface can be waxed or polished for extra protection and a show-quality shine. Whatever your location or climate, having an extra layer of protection makes good sense, not only to avoid the cost of a repaint, but to keep your project car’s finish looking new.