Vinyl wrap for TE look?

T

TThompson

New member
So I am pretty aware that this might annoy some of the members on here, but I'm going to ask it anyway.

I have a BP Limited and LOVE the look of the TE, but don't have $3,000 to drop on the conversion. My question to others is what are your opinions on wrapping the lower fenders in a flat black vinyl to achieve a "TE style look" without the price? I know that the lines are somewhat different, but I think that it has the potential to be an alternative. What do you guys think, would it just look odd or what? I planned on doing the rocker panels, rear bumper from the curve down, fender flares wrapped around to the fender wells, and front bumper lower half plus extend it up and over in the middle section for the more aggressive look.

Any photoshop gurus care to take a crack at it?

Any opinions taken into consideration, but I think I am going to do it regardless and already got a quote.
 
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TThompson said:
So I am pretty aware that this might annoy some of the members on here, but I'm going to ask it anyway.

I have a BP Limited and LOVE the look of the TE, but don't have $3,000 to drop on the conversion. My question to others is what are your opinions on wrapping the lower fenders in a flat black vinyl to achieve a "TE style look" without the price? I know that the lines are somewhat different, but I think that it has the potential to be an alternative. What do you guys think, would it just look odd or what? I planned on doing the rocker panels, rear bumper from the curve down, fender flares wrapped around to the fender wells, and front bumper lower half plus extend it up and over in the middle section for the more aggressive look.

Any photoshop gurus care to take a crack at it?

Any opinions taken into consideration, but I think I am going to do it regardless and already got a quote.
Click to expand...

I know at least one of the guys on the forum has painted (instead of wrapped) theirs to look like a TE (maybe Phillyd2?). You won't get the same exact look since the TE bumpers, both front and rear, are tucked a bit higher up than the SR5 and LE bumpers.
 
limamike said:
I know at least one of the guys on the forum has painted (instead of wrapped) theirs to look like a TE (maybe Phillyd2?). You won't get the same exact look since the TE bumpers, both front and rear, are tucked a bit higher up than the SR5 and LE bumpers.
Click to expand...

Phillyd2 has done a full TE conversion, but color matched the black TE pieces to get a more "Limited" look to his TE/Limited. Looks awesome in my opinion. I know there was a guy on the lifted thread that vinyl wrapped the front of his BP to get the TE "mustache".

Hold on I'll find it for you in a sec...
 
jangoforhire said:
Phillyd2 has done a full TE conversion, but color matched the black TE pieces to get a more "Limited" look to his TE/Limited. Looks awesome in my opinion. I know there was a guy on the lifted thread that vinyl wrapped the front of his BP to get the TE "mustache".

Hold on I'll find it for you in a sec...
Click to expand...

Someone else in the DC area has done just the painting then... they were at Ducmonsta's meetup.
 
Got it, its user "jaweinmann"

Search his username for more pics of his truck, but here is his front end vinyl wrap:

Link to post:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/65893-post-your-lifted-pix-here-49.html#post964544

56753d1327614409-post-your-lifted-pix-here-2.jpg
 
jangoforhire said:
Got it, its user "jaweinmann"

Search his username for more pics of his truck, but here is his front end vinyl wrap:
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have been looking at his ride for a while now, looks really good. I just wonder if once I go through with it I will still be left craving the full on TE look with cleaner lines. Oh well, $3k for TE kit plus 1/2 of whatever is left for the divorce, I think its a safer bet to just pay a few hundred and try it out. Heck, if it looks terrible I suppose I can just rip it off and go back to stock BP!
 
If you wheel, don't waste the money on vinyl IMO. Any vinyl wraps I have ever came across were not as tough as paint so branches and whatever else you encounter on a trail will tear it up.
 
I'm not the biggest fan of it, but why not try plasti dip? Check out the FJ forum for a huge thread about all of its uses.

Needs to be touched up every once in awhile but that means it is easy to reverse and cheap.
 
glenmonte said:
I'm not the biggest fan of it, but why not try plasti dip? Check out the FJ forum for a huge thread about all of its uses.

Needs to be touched up every once in awhile but that means it is easy to reverse and cheap.
Click to expand...

Gotta agree with glenmonte... If you do wheel, don't go with plastidip tho. it will come off. Otherwise it works great and holds well. Can't get much easier, at least you'll know how you like it or not. It's the cheapest alternative

brockeverly said:
If you wheel, don't waste the money on vinyl IMO. Any vinyl wraps I have ever came across were not as tough as paint so branches and whatever else you encounter on a trail will tear it up.
Click to expand...

Good to know... I have been thinking of vinyling my whole truck! just for fun and for the added paint protection against the trail. Still might do it but haven't decided. IF I do it, going to go all matte white! except leave my currently matte black hood alone and wing.
 
Thanks for all the replies guys.

KCarguy- yeah I know I will always want to TE kit but its just too much for this point in my life.

ANTMAN- I have seen some of BFLAN's posts but never knew that he had wrapped his before, thanks for the links. I like Sam's a lot as well, but I think that I am going to take it one step further and connect it all by doing the rockers and the lower portion.

I must say that although I am excited to see some pics of what it will look like, I am completely bummed that I didn't come up with an original idea. My whole life I have wanted to lead, and now I am back to being a follower!:gun5:
 
Did you ever hear the expression great minds think alike?

If you hunt around I bet you could trade in or sell your 4runner and buy a trail edition for about the same as spending 3000 on parts. Just my 2 cents.

That said I plan to try vinyl all around as you described, then if I like it, I wii go ahead and have it sprayed with lin-x.
 
axxman said:
If you hunt around I bet you could trade in or sell your 4runner and buy a trail edition for about the same as spending 3000 on parts. Just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but then my wife would lose the leather interior and heated seats, and more importantly I would have to give up the push button start, which would almost certainly lead to a severe wrist injury if I had to go back to turning a key. :mad: Seriously though, I just picked it up less than a month ago, and I am not really looking to go a different route, but I do appreciate the suggestion.

As far as lining the fenders with rhino or line-x be careful. I just lined the interior of my 4runner and while with proper prep it can work allright, those products were never designed to stick to plastic like our bumpers and fenders and WILL NOT be as durable there as they would be on a metal truck bed. Just an FYI, I thought about doing it myself and came upon that in my research and after talking to the guys who do it for a living.
 
A couple thoughts: First thing you should do is remove the front air dam. That piece of junk makes the truck look low and bulky. I think you'd be glad you did it and this may alleviate SOME of your TE-fever (or at least make you like the LTD's lines more). Several people, including myself, have done it. The only difference (other than looks) is slightly more wind noise above 50mph. Besides, going matte black with the matte black air dam in place would make the two blend together. I think the front might look REALLY low and bulky.
 
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