Hi,

I'd like to get some numbers for my car for doing DE days and autocross. What are the suggested shopping places? Those of you who have big numbers on the doors - are they removeable magnetics? What are the requirements for PCA DE? For autocross days I only need small numbers and would like to find static film types for the rear windows. Any suggestions? thanks!

PS sitting here at work looking at a box of goodies from Gert! aaahhhh!

 

There's no ideal solution to this. I use magnetic numbers, but they're very large and they flew off during a DE once despite my having taped the edges down with scotch tape. Not cool. Also, I left them on overnight at a DE and moisture permanently marred the hood finish. Very not cool. My preferred solution is cutting numbers out of white contact paper, but it's a total PITA. Takes way too long. I wish there were a way to mass-produce numbers out of contact paper.

 

i use magnetic for auto-x and vinyl "low" adhesive for track days. the vinyl things are available cheap from any sign shop. i got the magnetic numbers years ago from a guy in Wichita, KS called Solotime. i think he still advertises in Autoweek.

 

The easiest solution: Go to a place like Tapp Plastics and get a set or two of removeable vinyl numbers. I'm assuming that you will want numbers that change as opposed to having assigned numbers with the groups you will DE with.

If you have assigned numbers or no Tapp Plastics around, you can do what I did for a removeable solution. Order all the letters and numbers you need in your favorite color made from adhesiove vinyl from Mr Letter. I found them to be really cheap. Get some adhesive blank in the background color you want (I found a nice dark blue for my iris blue cabriolet) and some magnetic sheet. Put the background on the sheet and then add the numbers. Cost per panel of numbers was about $7. Less than $25 for both door number, class letters and numbers for hood and tail.

I stored the sheets with the numbers on the underside of the front trunk or in a cardboard "folder" so they stay flat. On track days, wipe the area you are going to add the sheet to with a microfiber cloths to get it clean. Apply the sheet with the numbers and for added safety, put a bit of clear tape along the leading edge of the sheet.

I did about 10 days of DE and many autox days with numbers like this. I did numbers as required by our PCA for both doors and front and back with car class for the doors. The photo below shows what they looked like. No scratches to the paint. I lost one panel on a cold morning when I did not tape and they had not stuck flat due to the temperature (no problems with no tape on hot days). Don't leave on overnight due to condensation.

 

Thanks for the options, guys. Gives me a few avenues to check out. Last year I was able to run with my number '902' all year, and I'm hoping to stick with that number in the future, so I want a constant number, removable sign. Thanks esp. for the tip about removing at night!

 

Bob,

I was looking at the Solotime website and he seems to have a good selection of numbers. How did you like them?

What's the consensus between magnetic vs. static signs?

 

Paul,

Fastmeatballs.com makes reusable numbers ("permanent", too, if you're racing) that can be pulled off about a dozen or so times.

 

I went w/ fastmeatballs also and they still stick well. Don't worry when they answer the phone, "Yeh-llow!!" They showed up within about four days, and look great.

Jim

 

I've priced the resusable vinyl numbers (and for autocross, letters) at Solotime and at a smaller Internet vendor. A set seems to run about $140 with shipping, and will last less than a 10 days or so! That seems very pricey to me.

Maybe I should go with magnetic numbers and just clean the paint REALLY well before application?

Do the reusuable numbers really last such a short time?

 

I ended up ordering magnetics, but haven't got them yet.

I've been warned to have the car clean before application, and to MAKE SURE not to leave them on in sunny weather after they have been on in the rain as this does bad things to the paint.

 

I went to a local "Signs by Tomorrow" shop, and have got two 8"(for doors) and two 4"(for windsheild and rear bumper) three digit vinyl adhesive numbers for $11 in my color of choice(bright yellow).
I scraped them off after three days, they left no traces.

Will do it again. Really liked how professionally they looked. Much better than shoe polish or taped magnetic numbers in my opinion.

 

The 3M material that looks perfect, although in white only, is Scotcal IJ3555. It's the stuff they use on buses (with the graphics applied by an inkjet printer) and is designed to come off without heat or chemicals without leaving an adhesive residue. The only problem is that the smallest quanitity I've found is 48" x 150' for about $300. Still, that would be cheaper than buying the resuable vinyl numbers for about $150 which will give me less than 10 uses. I could cut a LOT of numbers and letters from a roll that large!

 

For track DE, check with the groups you're going to run with to find out their requirements, then decide on what to do for the track. With some groups you get pre-assigned numbers and you use theirs (we use vinyl ones that stick in the top center of the windshield with pre-assigned run group and car number).

For autocross, I bought a large sheet of magnetic plastic and cut a set of numbers out of them. These go on the doors when I run. Generally, autocrosses are looser about car numbers, and you generally use what you brung.

 

Here is a thread from our San Diego board that provides many possbile vendors for getting numbers. Sounds like you would like some magnetic numbers. I recommend getting separate numbers so you can change your car number between clubs if necessary.

http://web2.pcasdr.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=655

 

Some more looking and I think the stuff to really get is 3M™ Scotchcal™ Changeable Opaque Imaging Media 8522. It's for personal vehicles, thick (7 mil) and is changeable (in 3M speak that means the adhesive should come off completely with the film). Because it's thick, it should come off easier, too. You can see the info about it HERE .

I found it locally for $230 for a 36"x45' roll. That should be plenty for stencil hand cut numbers and letters.