The History Behind Paint Protection Film

If you’ve got a fantastic paint job on your vehicle, one of the best things you can do to protect your car’s value is adding paint protection.

Top of the line paint protection film is a type of urethane film also known as an ‘automotive clear bra’. Applied to a vehicle’s doors, hood, bumpers, and side mirrors, it protects the impact areas of a vehicle from debris and impact that can damage its paint on the road.

However, you may be surprised to learn that clear bras had a long history before their current  applications.

A military conflict

During the Vietnam War, helicopters played an important role in helping troops. They were used for everything from air cavalry to MEDEVAC and supplies. The rotor blades of these choppers were often impacted by debris like flying dust even when they were being used for simple routine missions.

Damage caused by this debris could seriously impact the performance of blades and pose a looming risk to troops and military outcomes. Mechanical malfunctions caused by the damage often required costly blade overhauls. It was clear that a solution was needed to protect the blades so they could remain operable longer.

A simple solution

As it turns out, the solution to the blade problem was simple and relatively cost-effective. The military began installing a protective film to insulate the blades against damage due to debris. This would mean any impact would cause damage to the film rather than the blade.

Film was much easier and far less costly to replace than a helicopter’s rotor blades. Due to this early application, this type of film was often known as “helicopter tape” in its earlier days. However, with changes in popular application, this term has largely become obsolete and the common term is Clear Bra film.

Clear bra films became known for their many advantages

Race car drivers would add them to their cars to ensure peak performance by protecting a car’s finish. They gradually began to go mainstream in the nineties, when car owners came to appreciate them as a more convenient solution with numerous advantages.

● UV transparent to prevent uneven fading

● Easy to remove or replace

● Not damaging to paint finishes

● Completely invisible

The main disadvantage

As is often the case – the main disadvantage is cost! clear bra film can be very expensive to have applied to your family sedan.

The affordable alternative is to have an affordable  quality paint protection applied. This may be as simple as a two coat process, a ceramic coating or one of the new hybrid ceramic coatings offering both a polymer finish and a hard wearing ceramic.

Why not ask your local Jim for a quote to provide you with Paint Protection, call 131 545. You know you are worth it.