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The world of automotive customization and modification can be overwhelming due to the sheer number of different products, applications and companies one comes across when browsing the internet for accessories. Although this is not a complete alphabetical glossary we hope to provide you with a list of the products, terms and most important companies you will encounter.
The wide variety of tools, fluids and sprays used to install and finish vinyl graphics, vinyl wraps, decals and window tints. We offer a wide variety of quality application tools from a number of reputable companies.
American Car Craft is an all American company dedicated to crafting hand-formed and custom-designed accents and accessories from chrome and stainless steel. They are most widely known for customizing American muscle cars such as Camaros, Corvettes, Mustangs and Challengers.
Vinyl film with a brushed aluminum finish. Most often this will be a metallic, brushed finish which is slightly reflective although there is wide variation. Creative Films and other manufacturers make a polyester foil versions that are highly reflective but not suitable for wrapping. Rvinyl's proprietary Rwraps series are great for wrap but have a satin or flat finish.
APS Auto Parts Specialist Inc. is a professional grille manufacturer located in Ontario, CA, USA. According to their site, they have been ranked number one in the grille industry although no references were provided to back this claim. As of 2007 APS has expanded its product line to include a variety of Chrome accessories, Fender Trims, Door Mirrors, Bull bars, Side bars (Nerf Bar), Hitch Receivers, and Tonneau Covers.
Any kind of vinyl or painted graphics usually located on the side panels of a vehicle. Pinstripes, body graphics, rally stripes, decals and complete vehicle wraps are included in this category. Check it out here.
Vehicle graphics most often die-cut from vinyl film and applied to the side panels, hood, trunk, fenders and/or roof of a vehicle. Check it out here.
Calendered vinyl film is made in a manner similar to mixing and rolling out a fresh pasta. The ingredients are mixed and then kneaded and expelled by the extruder like sheets of lasagna. Gigantic, heated, steel rollers form the vinyl into a thin sheet in a process called calendering. The first steps are the mixing and extrusion. In these initial steps, all of the raw materials are mixed together based on the specific formulation.
Caliper covers come in two varieties: universal and vehicle specific. Most of the universal caliper covers are made from impact and heat-resistant plastic. They apply with high-heat silicone adhesive and come in three sizes. Vehicle specific caliper covers are made by companies like MGP and ACC and are designed to fit your exact make, model and year vehicle.
Cast vinyl film is made through a process referred to as casting. In other words, the material that will eventually become a sheet or roll of cast vinyl starts out as a mixture that resembles a thick, viscous plastic paint.
A chrome delete is any vinyl wrap that let's you hide or delete the chrome trim that so many car manufacturers insist on putting around windows, on grilles and just about anywhere they can think of.
The Conqueror (also known affectionately as the Conquistador) is a favorite tool among window tint installers. Conqueror's have a pointed, beveled end for working tint under gaskets, a soft rubber edge for delicate jobs as well as a hard card like edge to squeegee out fluid.
Craft vinyl is an exceptionally versatile film product for crafting, decoration and scrap-booking. Frequently associated with calendered films such as ORACAL's 651 vinyl, it can also be made with premium, cast film.
Dash trim kits (not to be confused with stereo installation kits) are generally made from uncoated or domed polyurethane vinyl and are vehicle specific meaning they are designed for the year, make and model of a particular car. They vary in cost depending upon the material from which they are made. Vinyl dash kits were popularized by Rvinyl which released its line of vinyl trim kits in 2003. Traditional polyurethane kits can cost several hundred dollars and are available from manufacturers such as Benevento, DL Auto, Rdash, Sherwood and B&I Trims.
Decorative glass films, sometimes called architectural glass films, are a way of making your windows just a little more aesthetically interesting and eye-catching. With only the use of these basic films, you can turn even the most ordinary windows into something truly extraordinary.
Whether you're a sign-maker, an at-home crafter or run a window tint and wrap shop, digitally printed vinyl is the way of the future. Whether want to make custom stickers, full-color decals, wide format banners or exotic vehicle wraps, digital printing is a must.
A gasket tool is a thin, flat tool used to slide window tint under rubber window gaskets.
Manufacturer of window tint films and application tools.
Headlight protection kits are made from self-adhesive sheet of film which adheres to a vehicle's headlights and protects it from damage due to rock hits, inclement weather and UV radiation. There are a number of different manufacturers with 3M, Avery Dennison and Xpel being some of the most well-known.
Headlight tint is a self-adhesive, tinted vinyl film which is optically clear and made to be applied to headlight, taillight and fog lights. Many companies such as Rvinyl, Lamin-X and Xpel offer pre-cut headlight covers in a variety of different shades and styles but the designs and thickness of the film vary widely from one maker to the next. Rtint headlight film is the only film on the market that offers air-channels for bubble-free installation.
ImageOne Impact specializes in shop tools, safety tools, installer tools, mounting hardware, banner and POP stands to make the graphics producer’s job faster, safer and easier. They help customers save time and money by providing them the right tool or products for the job.
Interwest Tools is a division of Interwest Distribution Company. Founded in 1985, Interwest distributes window films, paint protection films and vinyl graphic and vehicle wrap films.
A well known manufacturer of headlight tint film, precut headlight covers and headlight protection. Based in Georgia and founded in 2002, Lamin-X is one of the most well-known names in aftermarket modification in the world.
MGP Caliper Covers is an American-based manufacturing company located in San Diego, California. MGP employs technologies used in the manufacturing of titanium, stainless steel and aluminum components for the aerospace and aeronautical industries. MGP Caliper Covers is a culmination of these technologies and 30 years of engineering experience to bring a much needed addition to the automotive market.
Paint Protection Film is made fro a thick, polyurethane film that is generally meant to be invisible to the naked eye once installed. Modern versions of PPF are self-healing and come in a variety of finishes and even colors.
Pillar trim wraps are vinyl covers you can stick to the surface of your door pillars, transforming their appearance. Not only can they upgrade your style to make your door pillars a little more sleek and sophisticated, but they can also be excellent for covering up damage and making your vehicle appear newer than it is.
Putco is a USA-based manufacturer of chrome trim, grilles and various automotive accessories. They have recently released a line of premium, LEDs as well. In business for over three decades and committed to manufacturing high-quality and distinctively styled parts with OEM fitment, Putco is one of the leading names in aftermarket accessories.
Craft, sign and wrap vinyl films are generally called reflective vinyl but are actually retroreflective. In other words, when light hits the surface of a reflective vinyl, it isn’t reflected back to the light source. What happens instead is that the light is reflected in multiple directions, resulting in shine from any viewing angle.
If you're looking for wall art vinyl that won't damage your home, office or apartment's walls, you need Removable Vinyl. ORACAL® 631 vinyl is made especially for use indoors and wil not damage your painted walls when removed.Â
Sign vinyl is an extremely versatile tool that’s essential to keep in your supply closet, whether you’re a professional or a crafter in your spare time. There’s also a lot more to learn about this handy material than what immediately meets the eye, however. Today, we want to walk you through the basics of what sign vinyl is, what you can do with it and why you should be using it.
Smoked is a designation used within the industry to denote tinted headlight and tail light film. The term "wrap" is meant to describe the film's ability to conform to the surfaces of a light housing to give a seamless, OEM look once installed.
Spec-D Tuning has been in business since 2003 and has progressed throughout the years to bring a higher level of excellence and service to their customers.
Taillight tint is a self-adhesive, tinted vinyl film which is optically clear and made to be applied to headlight, taillight and fog lights. Many companies such as Rvinyl, Lamin-X and Xpel offer pre-cut headlight covers in a variety of different shades and styles but the designs and thickness of the film vary widely from one maker to the next.
Tint Dude is popular internet forum that not only provides a place for tinter and installers to discuss their trade but also has updated information on state tint laws.
Translucent vinyl allows some light to pass through the material, which creates a glow effect in the sunlight or when another light source is present. The surface below translucent vinyl is somewhat hidden from view, unlike transparent vinyl that can allow you to see completely through it.
Transparent vinyl is specially engineered to be see-through regardless of where you're viewing it. While your initial instincts have you picturing this material as difficult to see and even washed out, the opposite is true. Because the vinyl is transparent, it catches the sun's natural light as it travels through, thus causing the colors and designs to stand out even more strongly than if the vinyl had been unlit.
RimPro-Tec® Wheel Bands are a 5 MPH bumper for your rims. They have a unique two-piece hard plastic design backed with a shock absorbing acrylic foam attachment tape. Wheel Bands mounting tracks easily tape on to the front lip of rims. They have been specially formed into an arc shape that accurately matches the radius of wheels from 13" to 22". The tough plastic color inserts quickly snap into the mounting tracks. They can be quickly snapped back out for color changes or repairs.