Isn’t it funny how the parts of a job you think are going to be the hardest turn out to be relatively easy, and the easier parts turned out to be a right pain!
I made a start this morning on the drivers side ‘ear’ (scoop on the side of the clam). Given the complex curves I had decided to put a join running along the middle front to back as you look at it side on. I also put a couple of filler pieces in the front edge where the grille is fitted. Job done in about 30 mins when I thought it would take a couple of hours.
Then I decided I would do the flat roof area of the clam (between the two ears). It’s a flat surface with edges front and back where the vinyl needs folding over. My... I ended up spending 2 hours just trying to get the vinyl to sit smooth on the top surface. It’s clearly not a flat surface and even applying the vinyl wet and having assistance to hold the vinyl off the surface while smoothing out the air bubble it was proving impossible to get it flat.
In the end I resorted to a bit of low heat from the heat gun and had to stretch each corner slightly to get it flat. Unfortunately that meant when it came to folding the edges over on the front and rear air inlets to the clam the areas I stretched when cooling down crinkled a bit on the edges - not major and certainly not enough to warrant removing the vinyl and starting again.
So that’s just the passenger side ‘ear’ to do and the stripes and door piece to do on that side. I reckon a couple of afternoons and I will be there.
I also came across a couple of darker blue Ford badges which are a bit closer match to circa 1986 period so fitted those for a bit of a rest from wrapping :-)
