Richard is a bit more forthcoming about his choice of materials to wrap such valuable subjects - it's Metamark MD5, the same MD5 that's used for thousands of other somewhat less conspicuous jobs by digital printers the world over. In terms of application of the printed livery, nothing is actually cut directly on the cars. Instead a mixture of wrapper's-eye, careful preparation and well honed technique is what gets the job done to the required high standard. Heat isused, but judiciously and only where absolutely necessary.

Most companies work either to deadlines imposed by customers or see jobs extend themselves to fill the time available. The Gumball wraps take time and are usually undertaken by a team of four application specialists rather than ..the normal two a typical car wrap might require. The Mercedes derived, McLaren SLR's exquisite lines befit a car with its hefty price tag and its designers’ and stylists’ reactions to the treatment it undergoes at Raccoon's premises can only be guessed at. [ » ]

The instruments of your craft include the felt-edged squeegee, the industrial heat gun, the scalpel and a few other pointy, sharp objects. Add to that several square metres of resilient PVC covered in solvent based ink and solvent derived adhesive and you have your basic recipe. Now add some cars that may be worth more than the gross national product of some of the countries the rally passes through, and off you go.

There are a few practical dimensions in addition to consider in approaching a job like the Gumball wraps. How, for example do you move a Lamborghini so you can work on it, and will saying sorry help if your foot slips off its he-man clutch and it takes out a wall in your premises? In a word - no, but insurance may help. Richard isn't telling, but it's a costly policy that lets him shunt exotic cars around his premises so his skilled fitting teams can work on them.