09/08/2009

3M Crystalline Autmoible Window Tint

As I write these words, there's a new product causing complete chaos in our office. Strangely, it's not a new turbocharger or a super sticky street tire release. It's window tint.

And it's not just any normal window tint that we bought off of eBay and cut up with scissors, this stuff is 3M's new Crystalline Automotive Window Film. This is a fancy way for 3M to say that they've created a new window film that rejects 99.9 percent of UV rays (with a total SPF rating that exceeds 1,700), 97 percent of infrared radiation, blocks heat, and is nearly completely invisible to the naked eye.

Prescription Windshields of Chandler, Ariz., had previously installed the 3M Crystalline film into Project WRX V.08, Project EVO IX and Project Corolla. The window film promised to reduce cabin heat, prevent deterioration of the dashboard (and other interior panels), and reduce the degradation of racing seat fabric and safety harness webbing due to ultraviolet rays. The fact that the film didn't attract the attention of the police, due to its clarity and its low reflectivity when compared to standard tint, was an added bonus.

The 3M Crystalline film was specifically designed for automotive windshield use, installs the same as any other window tinting film, and comes in four different grades. All the grades (40, 50, 60, and 70) share the same UV and IR blocking capability. Crystalline 40 Auto Window Film, the darkest available, transmits 39 percent of visible light into the cabin and reduces solar heat by 50 percent. Crystalline 70, the film installed in all three of our project cars, is the lightest available, transmitting 68 percent of visible light and reducing solar heat by 38 percent.

After showing it off to staff members from our sister magazines Turbo and Import Tuner, with whom we share our office space, the buzz began. Once we entered the thick of our blazing Southern California summer, we decided to carry out a test of the 3M Crystalline film's ability. Once our results came back, it was over. Soon, every magazine in the office was talking about the stuff and scouring the Internet, trying to track it down.

With the air temperature reading a steady 101-degrees Fahrenheit, we took Project EVO IX out, along with another white Lancer Evolution, which was not equipped with any window tint. We did our best to stabilize the cabin air temperature between the two cars with a short drive and lots of air conditioning, and then it came time to park the two test vehicles.

Wireless digital thermometers (with a linear range up to 140-degrees F) were placed throughout both cars in the same areas. There would be one right on the windshield inside the cabin, one on the center console out of direct sunlight, and one sitting outside on the plastic shelf directly below the windshield wiper blade. Both cars were parked in open direct sunlight, facing the same direction, out of the way of any shade, and were closed and sealed at the same time.

Project EVO IX's starting temperatures were 105.3-degrees inside of the windshield, 100.7-degrees cabin air, and 92.3 degrees outside. The test EVO's starting temperatures were 107.4-degrees inside of the windshield, 99.8-degrees cabin air, and 100.9-degrees outside. After an hour of baking in the sun, both cars were re-checked.

Project EVO was now reading 156-degrees inside of the windshield (which was outside of thermometer's accurate range), 126.8-degrees cabin air, and the outside probe was pegged beyond its range. The test EVO finished with 130.1-degrees cabin air, and both the outside and windshield probe had pegged beyond their range. Perhaps most significant was the ending dashboard temperature, which we measured with a laser pyrometer. With both dashboards starting from the 108-degree range, Project EVO IX ended up with a dash temperature of 167-degrees, a full 25-degrees cooler than the test EVO's 192-degrees F. Now we're kicking ourselves for not equipping one of the project cars with 40-grade film and seeing the difference the darker film could make.

The 3M Crystalline window film can help make any car cooler and easier to live with, all while protecting the interior panels and fabric. This is something that is important for any project car, especially one that you plan on keeping for a long time. The fact that the film is clear is an added bonus, especially if you ever take your project car to a track day, or are fearful of police attention. With the 3M Crystalline film's metal-free construction, it also won't interfere with radio reception or cell phone communication. If you look closely, you can see a slight colored tint and visual distortion on the windows of our project cars, but you'll have to stare carefully. At a casual glance, most won't notice the film at all. Our front windshields are even covered in 3M Crystalline film and we haven't noticed any downsides at all. Now that's refreshing.

By Joey Leh