Gibson

Well, i recently saw a post on here about racing stripes. I plan on having two, 10 1/2" white stripes, with a 1" gap, put on my black GT when i get her, so ive been watching the boards like a hawk about this particular subject.

I have been particularly interested in the difference between vinyl stripes and having them painted on. Ive heard that the vinyl will run about $400 to $500. I saw a guy on here who paid $1700 to have stripes painted on.

I did some research today and talked to a guy at a local collision repair center whom i trust very much. I also tore through the phone book and called all the custom body and paint shops and detail shops and this is what i have concluded thus far...........

1. the vinyl stripes will only last 5-7 years. Especially if your car sits outside in the heat for any length of time. This is the opinion of dozens of DIFFERENT professionals around town.

2. If someone doesn't offer you some sort of guarantee/warranty on the vinyl stripes, WALK AWAY!

3. The major cause of vinyl stripe wear and tear is heat, but another less known major cause is actually car wax. Since the stripes' edges are "exposed" (for lack of a better term), wax will build up on the edges and can cause them to peel prematurely.

4. Vinyl stripes tend to bubble up if the car is not covered....again 5-7 years lifespan.

5. Everyone i talked to recommended that if you are going to get ROCKER PANEL stripes, that those SHOULD be a vinyl stripe, as they will actually allow rocks/road debris to "bounce" off rather than chip away at your paint.

6. As far as PAINTING the stripes on, i have not found a single person that quoted me more that $1000. Thats including quotes with a pearl inlay in the stripe paint and without.....and also includes a clearcoat finish that, when running your hand across them, you wont feel ANY edges to the stripe.

7. I was quoted $600 for painting the stripes on by one guy, and he included the clearcoat in the price and estimated 2 days time for the work....not bad, but im still waiting for a second opinion of that guys work from a friend that has dealt with him before.

8. Painting the stripes on has proven to be the way to go for me personally, but the fact that it is permanent may turn some people off, especially if they ever plan on selling the car. I DONT! it'll be my sons car when he graduates high school in about 17 years......considering he's now only 7 months old, he has NO say in what i do to his future car! If he behaves, i might let him drool on it like I will be....might as well, he drools on everything else

I am still waiting for a few returned phone calls in the next few days, so if that info is any different, ill post it.

By the way, I live in Charlotte NC, so keep that in mind..... Any advice on something ive missed in asking around...please share it. This car will be a dream come true for me and i want to make sure its done right the first time.

Thanks for reading my obnoxiously LONG post!

Brian

38special

My stripes cost 1053 dollars. Took 4 1/2 days to complete. Wet sanding the entire panel or piece to be striped. Wet sanding the stripe afterwards, and finally, 4 coats of clearcoat.

The painter said that this time is his off season. He would have asked for much more in the spring.

You cannot feel the stripe at all. Several folks thought that it was factory. They were very disappointed to learn that Ford does not make them this way. ARE YOU READING THIS FORD?

Since my car has metalic paint, the Dark Shadow Grey metalic Stripes blend into the car's Mineral grey at different angles.

swingle007

They sure look good Mark! Nice job bro....

John

outdoorstom

Brian - thanks for all the research and for taking the time to share it with everyone. I got 3 quotes on painted stripes, they ranged from $700 - $1,200. Like you, I plan on keeping my car for a long long time, so paint is the way to go.

adrenalin

Now you know I have to put my 2 cents worth in since I use to work at a sign shop as a graphic designer.

1. the vinyl stripes will only last 5-7 years. Especially if your car sits outside in the heat for any length of time. This is the opinion of dozens of DIFFERENT professionals around town.

Obviously they are not using the proper vinyl and I wouldn't call them professionals. Automotive vinyl has a 9-10 year, that's right...9-10 year guarantee against manufacturing defects (ie: cracking) under normal weather conditions. This stuff is made specifically for exposure to sun, wind, cold, heat, etc... If they are using cheap standard 3ml vinyl or cast vinyl then yes, 5 years if you are lucky before it starts to fade, but they shouldn't be using that stuff.

2. If someone doesn't offer you some sort of guarantee/warranty on the vinyl stripes, WALK AWAY!

Be careful on how you read into this. They will guarantee the vinyl but not if you damage it from abuse, such as getting real close with a power washer and blast some of the vinyl off. That is a problem with the person washing the car, not the vinyl. Also a lot of installers do not guarantee that they can do the bumpers the way you want them done, but that is the problem with the installer, not the vinyl.

3. The major cause of vinyl stripe wear and tear is heat, but another less known major cause is actually car wax. Since the stripes' edges are "exposed" (for lack of a better term), wax will build up on the edges and can cause them to peel prematurely.

I have never, ever, ever, ever, heard of wax damaging vinyl before. I have always used vinyl on my cars. The 1995 cavalier I owned is still driving around (vinyl has been on for over 9 1/2 years) with the stripes I put on it and they are still in mint condition. Heck, I even go over them with a buffer....no issues.


4. Vinyl stripes tend to bubble up if the car is not covered....again 5-7 years lifespan.

I have never heard of this either, let alone see vinyl "bubble" over time. If there are bubbles that is from the installation process (not being done properly).

5. Everyone i talked to recommended that if you are going to get ROCKER PANEL stripes, that those SHOULD be a vinyl stripe, as they will actually allow rocks/road debris to "bounce" off rather than chip away at your paint.

Well, finally something I agree with but vinyl will still chip. However you simply can remove it and replace it.

So that being said do you have to take better care when washing your car if you have vinyl...Answer is yes, however, that is only if you have a lot of edges, such as the rocker panel stripe and lettering. The wide stripes should never be an issue. Heck, the BOSS remake stripes I put on my 97 gt had several small pieces and the buffer never damaged them. The wax actually seals the ends and prevents them from lifting. Also, if the graphics person knows what they are doing all of the edges are rounded (so small you can barely see) and that prevents a point that has the potential of lifting.

If you haven't noticed I love using vinyl so I get a little shaken up when I see posts given vinyl a bad name.

Vinyl has been used for years in the automotive industry. Can it crack? Sure it can, after the manufacturers guarantee has expired, but not before and in the 1% chance it does, they will replace it.

Paint is not for everyone, especially me since the stripe idea on my car will change as I change body kits, hoods, etc.... over the years.

outdoorstom

Adrenalin - all I can say is, what's the big idea? Now you've got me wondering if I'm making a mistake by painting them on :scratch: Your point about modding the car later with a different hood or whatever is certainly a valid one, and I have a feeling I'm going to want to do things as more aftermarket items become available and the prices fall due to competition. I need to rethink what I'm going to do here. Thanks

adrenalin

Another way to look at it is this. Some people say they plan on keeping the car forever and passing it down from generation to generation, which I think is extrememly cool. However, some of those individuals plan on using the car just on weekends, or nice days, or whatever. How is that car being stored? Sure if you paint the stripes they will last longer than vinyl, but for most people if you have your car out as much as I do, 10 years from now the paint will have faded a little. 20 years from now the paint will need to be repainted (unless it was stored under a cover and never driven.

Anyway, both have postive and negative things about them. For me, vinyl is the only way to go. Perfect example. I have a body kit on order so I will be replacing my bumpers. I will just restripe the bumpers. So what have I invested. Approx $20.00 worth of materials that I already put on my car and another $20.00 to redo the new ones. $40.00, not bad considering what it would be to have them painted.

I changed the colour scheme 3 times on my 97 GT. I would never have done that if it was paint. Another benefit to vinyl, you don't have to get your parts clearcoated after which chips a heck of a lot easier than factory paint. Almost any autobody place (well the honest ones that just don't want to make a fast buck) will always tell you that factory paint resists chipping a lot better than aftermarket.

Gibson

Adrenalin,

Thanks for the input.... I have no problem with vinyl, and your info about the difference between auto and 3m vinyl is very interesting. Nobody i talked to mentioned the difference. But then again, i didn't know to ask the question either. I just think that painting the stripes might be a better option for me personally. But you right when you syat that in 15 years, you can just put new vinyl stripes on whereas you will probably have/need to repaint the faded paintjob by then.

As far as wax being a problem, i heard that from numerous folks in the area, all of whom i trust and respect the quality of their work. But since im not getting vinyl, it doesn't mean all that much to me in the long run.

Question!!! I had a 1985 GT with that flat charcoal grey stripe up the center of the hood that had "GT" in the front corner. WAS THAT VINYL? im not sure what they would have used in '85....but that stripe faded and peeled after about 5 years. Just curious.

THanks again for the pictures too, they were awesome!

Brian

05SatinGT

Good informative reply, Adrenalin. Thanks,

orthoguy

I was told to wax my stripes. And if the car is garaged during the summer, that the life span is much greater and will go beyond the initial warranty. I am not sure if it is the heat alone that does the damage but more the UV rays.

Mike

adrenalin

Brian,
The stripe was most likely vinyl that was on your 85. Keep in mind that also vinyl technology (I know, just how technical can it be) has improved dramtically over the past 10 years. In 85 the vinyl would have been 3mil calendared vinyl, which according to todays standards only lasts 5 years before it starts to crack. So that sounds about right in your case.

UV does some nasty stuff to vinyl but I do have a few suggestions and tips for you.

Wax is your friend, but even more importantly is glaze. Before you wax apply a coat of glaze. 3M makes an excellent product. Glaze protects your cars finish from UV rays, bird droppings, etc.. It helps the vinyl last a lot longer.

The place that vinyl will start to fade/deteriorate (spelling?) first is the hood. Just like the rest of the top of the car it gets the most exposure to the sun, but combine the sun and the heat from the engine and the vinyl is basically baked on, so if you put stripes on and plan to take them off in a year or two, invest in a vinyl eraser (no, not one that you would use in school).

Any 90 degree angles should have slightly rounded corners. When I say slight I mean you don't even know they are rounded until you are about 4 inches from them and say "Gosh John, those corners look like they don't go to a point". That prevents vinyl from lifting. Great trick especially on letters (Like the GT 350 on my car).

and last but not least, no matter where you get vinyl from, if you go that route, make sure it is automotive vinyl and not a standard 3mil or "specialty" vinyl. For example, CHROME is considered a Specialty vinyl...and are you sitting down.....manufacturer states "indoor use only" yet you see chrome vinyl on a lot of cars. I know, I don't like it either but people do it. Not all specialty vinyls carry the same warranty period. Vinyl that has metallic in it lasts longer and is easier to work with.

When you ask about warranty and the guys tells you his speech, ask him if the warranty is the "stores" warranty or manufacturers. For example, 1 place I worked at said "3 year warranty on everything" even if the vinyl had a 10 year warranty. This way they cover their butt. If they tell you their warranty is 2 years and the manufacturers is 5, well, you should look for better vinyl. Some places only give a 30 day warranty on automotive vinyl because I have seen what some people have done to their cars and I don't blame the companies for covering their butts.

Now the most important thing if you vinyl your car (well another important thing I guess),never bring your car to a drive thru car wash that uses brushes. even if you don't have vinyl stripes you need to get smacked just for driving through one.

Stangfriik

I'm gonna get a few coats of clear coat over the hood so you can't feel the stripes. How much longer will this prevent the stripes from fading/deteriorating?

adrenalin

Clear will help a lot. I use that if I do airbrushing on vinyl to protect everything.

Call me silly but why would you clear coat the car to protect the stripes? I'd get the stripes painted instead if you are going that route, after all, the reason for vinyl is so you can replace it or change your design. You can't do that if you clearcoat over top and it would take a lot of clearcoat so you don't feel the edge.

I8URVTEC

38special...those stripes are great. I want to do a stripe like that on my satin silver GT. You have any more pics?

Stangfriik

hmm good point. To be honest, I haven't even priced the clearcoat applications so I'm not sure what it would cost compared to having them painted. Do you have any guess on how much the clearcoat applications would cost?

adrenalin

Prices vary depending on who is doing the work. Around my place the "not so good shops" want $500.00 to paint my body kit when it arrives and that includes clear. However a very good shop in my area wants $1600.00 for the same job. I know for a fact the $500.00 job will be light and most likely will have runs. The $1600.00 job will be to perfection. So who knows what it will cost you.

holderca1

That was actually 20 years ago, time flies when you are having fun.

GRAYPNY

I talked to my bodyshop guy today and he quoted me a price of $1600 to have a set put on like 38special's. :bang: Good thread btw~

38special

I8URVTEC

Here is another good look.

38special

If you are going to replace the hood, you will need to repaint the hood anyway. These things usually come primed or unprimed, but not painted.

Keep the old one for the wall of your game room until you return it to stock for resale.