996scott

I went to my local sign shop to have some magnetic numbers made. The guy said they're fine up to about 80mph. Has anyone had problems with them coming off? Maybe I should just stick with shoe polish.

TD in DC

Yes. Ask me how I know. Mine came off at 115-120. Now I use a little piece of tape on the leading edge. Not really much of a problem, and much easier/cleaner than shoe polish.

earlyapex

My numbers (on an oval) were good to about 130 mph with a 4 inch long strip of painter's tape on the leading edge. I use individual magnetic numbers on my SC and they have been good up to 100 mph without tape.

Darren

With tape on the leading edge they are good to 150+. Mine are like TD's where its not numbers that are magnetic, but a magnetic oval that has vinyl stickers on it. If the numbers were magnetic, I think you would have more difficulty because there is more leading edge per surface area of magnet.

JackOlsen

Here's an option you can throw together in a hurry. Get a roll of vinyl 'contact paper' -- the stuff they sell at hardware stores. Trace a circle on it from one of your wife's serving dishes, and cut out the circle. Then add the vinyl numbers you can get for $6/pack at an art supply store. There are enough numbers in the bag to do three number sets for a track weekend, and the adhesive on the contact paper won't stay on when you pull it off.

As a bonus, it'll also stick to fiberglass doors.

(Usually, I get them on straighter.)

Darren

Great solution! Although it amazes me how we all spend way too much money on our motor/suspension/etc...and then we are so happy when we save $50 on making car numbers!!!

Capt. Carrera

Make sure you get low adhesive contact paper. I simply cut the numbers out of the contact paper, and apply.

And yes, magnetic numbers come off at less that 100. Even with tape. There's nothing like having one of those big ovals fly off the car in front of you. Especially when it hits your car...

kurt M

The sheet magnets will stick better if they are not bent or have little lips sticking up. I see them coming off more often on cold days as the material is stiff and does not conform to the car as well. If they are stiff you need to warm them well so they lay completely flat. Store them on something flat but don’t store them on the inside of the front trunk unless you want rust stains on your hood. The magnets will cause metal particles to stick to the hood and rust. They also cause brake dust to collect on the doors around them while in use. I used to use them but ended up going to stick on and then back to using markers on the glass. They don’t look as pro but no worries about paint and tape or them coming of.

As was said tape the leading edge.

Geoffrey

There are several strengths of magnet sign material. I had an oval background with vinyl numbers on them and they have stayed put at 170 and they are 3 years old.

ColorChange

I have chosen vinyl I can run through my printer. Magnetic can scratch with any dirt or lifting. This is low cost vinyl and replacable.

https://rennlist.com/forums/racing-and-drivers-education-forum/195778-print-your-own-racing-numbers.html

TD in DC

Kurt, as usual is right. The oval on my front hood flew off during the first run of a cold and wet morning. I usually leave the numbers on throughout the DE, but I had taken it off that night so as not to attract the attention of Danville's finest, and I had forgotten and left it in the back of the car (so it was cold when we started).

Usually, I roll mine up and store it in a PVC tube that fits into my track bag. The night before an event, I take them out of the tube and unroll them in the hotel room. Although I think that they would stick pretty well up to maybe 150 provided that they are warm, I now tape the leading edges of the ovals because it was distracting seeing and hearing the oval fly off at 115-120 and then see it flutter down like a butterfly from about 40 feet in the air to the side of the track. Eyes should be forward on the straight, not looking at your own number in your rear view mirror

sbelles

I don't know where everybody else is getting their numbers but I've been using the same ones for five years with no problems.

PMS993

Let me offer this suggestion. When I was running my street car in DE, I would go to my sign shop and they'd run my numbers in vinyl then attache them to static cling sheets. Those I'd mount similarly to regular vinyl (spray water then squeege) and they would last at all speeds with no problem at all.

TheOtherEric

I like Jack's idea, and I'm going to do it. I paid big $$ last year for some sweet magnetic numbers that a) flew off at under 110mph, and b) permanently hazed the clear coat on my prior car since I left them on overnight and it rained. Taking mag numbers off and on every day is a pain. [EDIT: and yes, I did scotch tape the edges down but it didn't work]

I have used contact paper and have been very happy with it, so I'm going back. Capt Carrera says to use LOW stick contact paper, but I must disagree. The low stick stuff I've seen doesn't stick for 5 hours much less 3 days. Just put a coat of wax on beforehand and the contact paper comes off easily, with no chance of marring your finish due to dust or water. And another bonus: contact paper comes in woodgrain! Sweeeeet.

kurt M

I have also found that if you weld large sheets of 1/4 thick steel plate to the hood and doors the magnetic numbers stick very well. And folks thought I was slow becouse it is a 4 cyl.

How long ago did the paint haze? I had the paint on a truck do just that. I planned to just live with it but it went away on its own many months later.