Quick update, the sunshades are in the final stages of production and should be ready to ship to me within 2-3 business days. Stay tuned...

Awesome, sounds good Arne!

Spent a little time this afternoon installing the latest pre-production sample.

I know, you are all saying, "Another sample? You said we were almost ready to go!"

You're right, I did say that. And then on last Monday I received a message from Joe, the manufacturer. Rather than paraphrase it, I'll just paste it here for you all to read.

Arne,

Yesterday my silk screener...informed that they are not able to print on the mylar that I supplied them. Essentially, their process won't print on the adhesive side of the tint. On the original tints this was never a problem since the supplier for the film had less adhesive on the mylar. Unfortunately that film supplier is no longer in business.

The options are to use vinyl letters instead of silk screened letters. This looks the same but has a small visible line around each letter. This is what we did for one-off's and race cars for IMSA, SCCA and car shows. I can make a sample tint with vinyl letters for you to test install and see if that will work?

Joe

Sigh. :disappoin

While I had reservations, I had Joe build me a sample using the letters to see how it would look. Honestly, I was not optimistic. I was envisioning the "vinyl letters" as being the fairly thick traditional die-cut items, and could not imagine how you would be able to get the mylar to stick tightly to the windshield with thick letters.

The new sample arrived on Friday, and I found time to install it late this afternoon.

The results were better than I feared. Quite a bit better, actually. Not as good as my memory of 30 years ago, but much better than I feared once he mentioned the vinyl letters.

Turns out the vinyl material is far thinner than I expected, and the small line around the edge is less noticeable than I thought it would be. From 3 feet away I doubt anyone will notice.

Finally using real mylar (instead of paper which doesn't stick to the windshield) gives the opportunity to get a true test of the shape. And that is very close, but I'm working with Joe to make another small adjustment.

Pictures:

On the car.

Instructions. (Copyright 1975!)

Examples of what the vinyl letters do:

From the inside - ignore the squeegee marks, but note how the numbers look a bit "embossed".

From the outside - note the reflection around the 'Z'. This is only visible from this distance in certain light, but it is there.

So here's the important parts.

• I was expecting (and promised to all of you) that the end result would be the same as the originals. Well, after having to re-create the dies, the loss of the original lettering stencils and having to pick and tweak a newer font, and now the change in production process, it should be obvious to all that while these will be made by the original maker and be as close as we can come with currently available materials and processes, they won't be "the same" as the originals. Yes, virtually the same as the one-offs done for racers, but not the same as the original retail versions, as we have all been expecting.
  Therefore, anyone who wants out, let me know. I'll be contacting each buyer individually to offer this, just in case some people aren't following this thread that closely. I'll happily send a full refund by check back to anyone who asks.

• This does, however, re-open a new possibility. Since we won't be silk-screening them, the restriction for 20-per-logo no longer applies. This means that 280-Z will be available! So as with the refund, if anyone wants to move some or all of your order to 280-Z, please let me know.

I apologize for the time this project has taken, and that the end result will not be quite what was promised.

I don't know if it's just the photos but I think I like the border reflections. I'm not sure how to describe it, it's an eye catcher. I bet it sparkles around the letters as you walk by in sunlight

By the way, the font looks great!

I've never looked through a mylar banner, is it see-through? Having the vinyl letters shouldn't be too distracting I think. I have a window banner on my car now and I hardly notice it

Pretty easy to install?

I must have been writing when you posted your next message but consider me 'in'

Arne: I'm still in as well.

Dan

Pretty easy to install?

Not too tough.

The original instructions say to use clear water only. But the additional adhesive on the newer mylar doesn't allow it to slide around for positioning as easily as the originals did, so Joe is experimenting with a drop or two of dish soap in the water to make that easier.

Cleanliness is essential. You want the inside of the windshield and the contact side of the sunshade to both be as dust and lint-free as possible. You'll never get it perfect, accept that going in or you'll get really frustrated.

The instructions say to use a squeegee, and they do mean a RUBBER squeegee. Flexible rubber is essential, a harder plastic squeegee won't do it.

Lastly, it doesn't pay to try to get it positioned too tightly against the rubber windshield seal. Try to get it too tight and you risk wrinkling and creasing the mylar. Absolute perfect fit is not critical since even an eighth to a quarter of an inch gap really doesn't show - since the black rubber window seal is right behind it.

I've never looked through a mylar banner, is it see-through? Having the vinyl letters shouldn't be too distracting I think. I have a window banner on my car now and I hardly notice it

Definitely transparent, especially from the inside.

Hi Arne:

Was any thought given to using a static cling vinyl - very easy to install and it stays were you put it, until you pull it off. I've had static cling vinyl signs on the sides of my car at 100mph+, and the IZCC Decals have never come loose on the inside of the glass.

just a thought... but the "new" adhesive seems to be somewhat of a problem.

Nonetheless - the new one's look great - and I really didn't care if they were "exactly" like the originals anyway.

Keep at it...

Carl B.

Arne, I am in, I ordered 2 with Datsun, I would like one in Datsun and one with 280 - Z if possible.

I think they will look great and be very close to the one I have on my car now. I included a picture of my original taken from the inside of the car, you can see that there is a gap space around the letters. I think that was caused from exposure and shrinkage. It's also not as reflective as it was when it was new, you can see that from the photo.

I am sure that the new one will be better looking because my original one was so dirty on the glue side when I got it that you can see the dust in between the glass and the mylar. You can see in the picture.

Thanks again for all your work.

I'm still in.

I have added Andy, Carl, Dan, Michael and Julio to the "still confirmed" list, and have diverted one of Michael's DATSUN orders to 280-Z.