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dennis
Model S Plaid
I got mine yesterday as well, and they are the right size. You get 9 of them for $7.00 including shipping. I plan to get the painting done this week.
SteveW25561
Member
I checked that link on eBay but the auction images don't have Tesla. Did you ask them to custom make it? Do you think they can also do the "T"?
dennis
Model S Plaid
I was wrong. It appears that the letters are too large for the rear caliper, although they are fine for the front. I will follow up with the seller and post the results.
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They have the TESLA lettering script in their available images. Don't know about the T.
skdave
Member
I made the T last Friday in a reflective red. Also made Tesla Parking Sign in reflective red. Will post photos tomorrow from my office. I will make the tesla caliper logo in cut out letters next week, if you all still have interest..
dennis
Model S Plaid
So here are the dimensions of the lettering:
Factory front caliper lettering: 9/32" x 3 3/4"
Factory rear caliper lettering: 7/32" x 3"
Decals from eBay seller: 14/32" x 3 7/8"
I think that the taller letters from the eBay seller actually look better for the front calipers, but they do not fit on the rears. So I emailed the seller requesting that he make them in 11/32" x 3 1/8". These will fit the rear calipers and are proportional to the lettering he sent that fits the fronts. I got a message from him today with the USPS tracking # for the smaller decals, so I expect to receive them in a few days. Great response by the eBay seller!
dennis
Model S Plaid
I used the same person that you found (thanks!). They are sending me the second set for free. I let them know that any Model S owner that orders these decals will need the 2 different sizes for the front and rear.
According to the USPS tracking, the rear caliper decals should be delivered to me on Friday.
SteveW25561
Member
How do people plan to protect the decals once applied so they don't peel off with time/wear/washes etc? I was reading on the G2 caliper paint website and they recommend against clear coats since they tend to yellow and deteriorate (and their paints are already high gloss).
Edit:
Actually, on further thought, instead of the decal, we can get a stencil made (ie instead of peeling away the unused vinyl, peel away the logo parts, making a negative) -- then apply the sticker and paint on the logo, removing the vinyl when dry. This would be much more durable than a sticker. I'm gonna write the ebayer and see if he can do this, instead (or basically ship the decals without bothering to remove the 'background', and leaving the transfer paper on.
Edit:
Actually, on further thought, instead of the decal, we can get a stencil made (ie instead of peeling away the unused vinyl, peel away the logo parts, making a negative) -- then apply the sticker and paint on the logo, removing the vinyl when dry. This would be much more durable than a sticker. I'm gonna write the ebayer and see if he can do this, instead (or basically ship the decals without bothering to remove the 'background', and leaving the transfer paper on.
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dennis
Model S Plaid
I'm going to investigate having paint protection film (clear bra) applied over the decals.
rogbmw
Member
Dennis - I would definitely NOT recommend putting the paint protection film over the decals. Brake calipers have the potential to get warm, and it would be a mess for a clear film not made for high temps to get hot/warm. I am the one who does the wheel T stickers and rear stickers. I just don't do the high temp stickers and am glad that someone can offer them. One other thing that people are doing with the wheel T stickers are when they are using the Rial wheel center caps, they paint them one color - say silver, then place the stickers on and use them as a template, then spray the cap another color to match the color of the wheel, then peel away the sticker leaving the painted T. If you are worried about color staying on the calipers you may want to try this, although I think most High temp stickers will be fine. Good Luck.
dennis
Model S Plaid
Thanks for the heads up! I will leave the decals alone - I have a spare set in case they get messed up. Get the car back tomorrow from the wheel shop.
dennis
Model S Plaid
Here is a pic of the painted front caliper with the decal from the eBay seller. I also received a revised set of decals from the seller today which are slightly smaller than the previous versions (which fit nonetheless). Looks like he sees an opportunity in serving the Tesla aftermarket!
SteveW25561
Member
They look great. Did you paint the caliper yourself? If so, what paint did you use? Also, how do you plan to protect the decal from the elements and cleaning, etc?
Dennis
Looks great. Very nice....look forward to doing mine in the spring when I do my winter tire changeover. I will also be spraying the wheel wells with Second Skin Spectrum for noise reduction. When I did my porsche calipers, I used the G2 paint kit which come in various colors, applied the decals, and then sprayed with hi temp clear coat (glossy or matte available). Works really well and easy DIY project as long as you can jack the car and have all four tires off for about 6 hours. Cheers!
Looks great. Very nice....look forward to doing mine in the spring when I do my winter tire changeover. I will also be spraying the wheel wells with Second Skin Spectrum for noise reduction. When I did my porsche calipers, I used the G2 paint kit which come in various colors, applied the decals, and then sprayed with hi temp clear coat (glossy or matte available). Works really well and easy DIY project as long as you can jack the car and have all four tires off for about 6 hours. Cheers!
dennis
Model S Plaid
I had them painted by California Wheels in Campbell, CA for $400. They were first recommended here on another thread by @Laurent. The decals are heat resistant, so I am just going to see how they hold up. I have a couple of sets of backup decals in case any get damaged by wear and tear. It helps that we don't have any snow/slush/salt in CA!
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