Article: This [Slate Auto] Long Beach studio is designing America’s cheapest EV truck

[Luxrage]

The body panels are removable, right?

Would that make painting easier?

I asked about this to Slate directly as that was gonna be my plan from the get-go. Everything is removable except the roof, which is bonded on.

 

[KevinRS]

From what I find searching, 3 years on a wrap is on the low end, parking in the sun all the time and not keeping it clean, and it's still easily removable at that point.
Even baked on factory paint doesn't last forever, I've seen it last less than 8 years on roofs and hoods, even an expensive shop paint job won't match a factory one, and DIY will be worse.
I can see if you have some DIY inclination doing the wrap yourself, with the intent to replace it for another $500 when it starts to show it's age, or you just decide you want a new color.

 

[AZFox]

Even baked on factory paint doesn't last forever, I've seen it last less than 8 years on roofs and hoods, even an expensive shop paint job won't match a factory one, and DIY will be worse.

The difference is that leaving vinyl on too long puts you in a nasty predicament.

 

[KevinRS]

The difference is that leaving vinyl on too long puts you in a nasty predicament.

How long do you intend to leave it on is the question. Newer vinyl is better about it, but from what I was reading, from people's experience who had done them starting years ago, when it "starts" to show it's age, at 3-7 years depending on care and sun, it's still easy to remove.
People who have had real issues probably left it on way past "starting" to deteriorate, like waiting to repaint until it's not only oxidized and clearcoat gone, but showing rust spots at the corners. Part of the "problem" people have had in those cases was removing it without damaging the supposedly pristine paint underneath. I can think of several options with a wrap applied directly to bare plastic that wouldn't apply to a painted metal body, though I guess with metal you could always sandblast down to bare metal and start over.

 

[AZFox]

I'm curious about plasti-dip. One of my favorite youtube channels is https://www.youtube.com/@dipyourcar

Or take parts off and hydro dip them.

 

[cadblu]

The body panels are removable, right?

Would that make painting easier?

Slate has said somewhere that the panels are easily removable (i.e. easily replaceable for damage repair) and designed with minimal contours for the purposes of easy wrapping, with the screw head locations serving as index points for the pre-cut wrap kit sheet. IIRC the statements were made in the Munro video.

If the body panel shapes are easy to wrap they will also be easy to paint.

If you’re looking to paint the entire vehicle, wouldn’t it make sense to find a certified collision shop with a full-size spray booth? The idea of removing panels, hood, and doors, even if designed to be removable, doesn’t sit well with me. Where I live, I see a lot of “Caliber” shops that have full size spray booths. I think removing body panels is a gateway to future problems with fasteners, electrical connectors, harnesses, uneven alignment, panel gaps, etc. Even if I consider myself a good mechanic, I’m not at the level of a factory trained Slate technician.

 

[AZFox]

If you’re looking to paint the entire vehicle, wouldn’t it make sense to find a certified collision shop with a full-size spray booth? The idea of removing panels, hood, and doors, even if designed to be removable, doesn’t sit well with me.

If removing and replacing parts that are specifically designed to easily be removed and replaced doesn't sit well with you, then a lot of things that happen at collision repair shops probably wouldn't sit well with you either.

What I was suggesting is that paint shops, certified or not, would remove panels for prepping and painting if it's faster and easier to do it that way, which it probably is.

There might be an issue with color matching though. Sheen matching, to be more specific. Parts painted with metallic paint separately may not have identical sheen the way they would if they're painted when they're assembled.

 

[smack daddy]

Paint on this plastic would probably have to be done just right to not scratch off much easier than on metal panels.
For better than DIY rattlecan, how much do you thing a reasonably good paint job could be done for? It's not the 80s anymore.

It is actually not to bad you just have to use a really good primer then wet sand it then use a quality paint

 

[smack daddy]

If the parts are easily removable anyone thought of hydro dipping

 

[smack daddy]

Not sure if everyone is aware, but if you change the color of your vehicle, either by paint or wrap, most states require that you report it to the DMV and have the registration and/or Vehicle Title updated. Just something to keep in mind.

Really I have never heard of something like that I never have

 

[sodamo]

Really I have never heard of something like that I never have

Is vehicle color on your registration?

 

[KevinRS]

It is actually not to bad you just have to use a really good primer then wet sand it then use a quality paint

Depends on the formulation of the plastic though. Some plastics designed to resist getting dirty are really hard to get a good primer coat stuck to. Saw a video recently where the artist was trying to work with a new porta-potty shell as an art piece, and paint meant for plastic just scratched right off, multiple different recommended primers, same, then they thought sharpie might work, just trying to get the door blacked out, colored in a big area, and when dry, again it came right off. This is all after taking the steps like cleaning with alcohol.
Some plastics will need to be sanded, possibly treated chemically, then primed. We won't know about that unless Slate tells us or someone tries.

 

[cadblu]

Is vehicle color on your registration?

Yes, in NYS the color is listed on the registration card.

 

[Luxrage]

Not sure if everyone is aware, but if you change the color of your vehicle, either by paint or wrap, most states require that you report it to the DMV and have the registration and/or Vehicle Title updated. Just something to keep in mind.

Just renewed my registration on one of my vehicles (TX) and they let you update the primary and secondary colors during the renewal. It's just simple drop-downs which is nice. Took off the plasti-dipped white trim bits and got to set the Fit back to just 'blue.'

 

[smack daddy]

Is vehicle color on your registration?

Don’t think so I will have to look just the serial # make and model