I learned, after some required SCCA decals damaged my paint, to keep a pack of those vent covers and a pair of scissors in my tote.
Photograph by Chris Tropea
Need numbers for your next autocross event? Ditch the painter’s tape and try this easy, budget-friendly GRM solution instead.
While preparing our Club Spec Mustang for its first autocross, we needed new numbers for all five of our drivers. But we didn’t want to use vinyl or tape, which aren’t ideal for driver changes.
[An untested Mustang, five drivers and autocross debut: The result?]
Our solution? Magnetic Air Conditioning vent covers from Home Depot–three covers, each 8 inches wide and 15 inches long, for under $10.
The process? Make a template, trace it onto the covers–magnetic side down–and cut.
Just like that, for less than $10 and in under 10 minutes, we had functional and clean autocross numbers.
Want your numbers in a color other than white? Throw some vinyl on and you’re good to go.
How did they hold up? Through every turn, slalom and breaking zone, these numbers held true. Plus, during driver changes, switching them out was quick and easy.
I learned, after some required SCCA decals damaged my paint, to keep a pack of those vent covers and a pair of scissors in my tote.
You can get cheap magnetic sheet off amazon, etc too. In wider widths if you need bigger numbers, or want to do a panel. Some cheap vinyl numbers on it and its pretty easy to make a cheap panel that peels off all at once.
This is funny...............I'm using them on my Mustang as well.
maybe I am doing something wrong but after cutting them up to make really great numbers they just fall of my corvette.
Two driver car. When I registered they asked what number I wanted. I answered, "I'll take them all...but just give me 8 & 81."
In reply to ClearWaterMS :
You need to rub them on your hair to build up the static. (Don't forget to touch your sister's ear afterwards)
In reply to ClearWaterMS :
Tried to put some on the hood of my STI when I got it, slid right off (didn't know it was aluminum).
In reply to red_stapler :
If you spray detailer first then the SCCA stickers come off a lot easier. Some also slap them on their jeans a couple of times to pick up lint and reduce the sticky. That said, just get the vent covers or magnetic sheet and put them on those, takes up almost no room in the racing tote.
Saw someone putting numbers on with not painter's tape but rather racer/duct tape. I shuddered and tried to talk him out of it but he said it had worked before. THAT is a good way to test your paint adhesion....
Could have sworn this trick was published in GRM in the 90's.
I know I still have some of this in a cabinet in my garage.
I was told 50 years ago the number "8" was great to adapt to numbers change. A bit of tape and an 8 can be made into a 6, or a 9, or a 3, and even 0.
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