Any of you planning on removing the cheesy hood sticker and actually painting on the hood stripe? Its not very smooth, significant "orange peel" and not very good gloss. I cant help but think how good a high gloss black paint and a full re-clear of the hood would look.


The cars I have seen don't have any where near the gloss in this photo. I suspect it is not a sticker!

 

A painted hood begs the question, gloss or flat black. I think that if and when I decide to go that route with my Boss, it would probably be a flat black paint job, in keeping with the spirit of the originals.

 

FLAT!

I don't know why Ford made them glossy to begin with.
I think it would look meaner in flat, or matte.

Come on 5 DOT 0...
DO IT!

Do I have to show this again?

 

I'd like to see a black LS with white

 

This has bugged me since day one. Why didn't Ford paint the stripping and why not flat black? I know, it cheaper, but if you are going to build such a good car mechanically why drop the ball on the aesthetics?

 

Gonna have to agree with the matte finish comments.

 

If you want to talk aesthetics.....what were the design guys thinking in coming up with the LS graphics????

Should have had SVT in charge here.

 

I will probably do it soon after I get my car. I have a collision center so no big deal for me. I will keep you guys posted. Oh and the stripes should be all flat black!!

 

If I do it, and it's not likely, I'll be using original Ford gloss black decals. From Shane's comments about the flat/matte decals on his current 2010 they are a PITA to maintain when waxing your car. There is a local member that has a KB GT with matte black stripes and I hope to meet up with him later this Spring when he's back in town from school. I'll make up my mind at that time.

 

You know, now that you mention it. Flat black paint is worse!! I recently did a 2010 Camaro with 176 on the clock, complete paint inside and out - flat black. It can only be washed with mild soap and soft cloth with very careful wiping. Otherwise it will start to have different shades of sheen. Hence likely the reason Ford was smarter and avoided the flat sticker or paint for that matter. I agree it looks ten times better, but is high maintenance. Oh well.

Here are a few pics of the Camaro:

 

I'll probably be painting mine along with the stripes on the doors because I am lazy and it is easier to wax a painted car than a decalled one.

 

The original stock decals are high gloss and you just wax right over them. You can't do that with matte or flat black.

 

I'm assuming that Camaro guy doesn't know what a vehicle wrap is?

 

Dang, dang, dang.
This is the one thing I'd worry about.
I was set on flat, but now I'm not sure.
I was going to do flat black decals on my Kona GT, but for the price of the decals, and installation, it's about the same to paint.

I guess if they put clear over it, it's no longer flat anymore?

Reminds me of when I was a kid with my neighborhood car wash business.
Old cars with oxidized paint that had no shine.
You'd wash them, and the water would sort of soak in to them. You'd wax, and your applicator was covered in old paint.

How is the owner of that Camaro going to wax his car?

 

The Camaro guy is not going to wax his car, he just keeps it clean, along with collection of vehicles, in a nice climate controlled garage. Don't get me wrong he does drive the **** out of it when he has a chance. As far as car wrap, c'mon man that is cheesy!!

 

Orange peel is referred to on painted surfaces, not decals. It's not even close to the looks or texture of "orange peel".

While I agree Matte Black or even Satin would look nice on all but Kona Blue, Painted Gloss is far easier to take care of.

Dave

 

Many decals actually have a Paint and clearcoat applied, that is how they match body colors for OEM. Even if the black color is extruded into the film, (which I suspect it is not) the plastic substrate rarely has good scrff & Mar resistance and it would not would it weather very well and therefore get an automotive grade clear top coat. Also, the film telegraphs the orange peel from the painted hood. After 25 years in the automotive paint business, I comfortable calling it orange peel. What would you call it?

 

Hmmm. Interesting thought. Mine came in water etched and they are going to order a new hood sticker. Maybe I should just have it painted? I also had a small bubble on the Boss 302 driver side sticker that they have to replace. Hmm.....

Although I'm not sure how easy they would be to paint with the little pinstripe outlining the hood and side stripes?

 

My hood sticker arrived with scuff marks that the dealer could not buff out. I got an IOU to have it replaced, although I haven't done it yet.

 

Trust me putting on those stickers is a difficult job. You gotta ask your dealers if they have a decal man that they can trust with this high dollar sticker. Otherwise I suggest you guys leave it with the minor defects you are describing.