Painting - Stripes or No Stripes

[=Enigma=]

Oh man those stripes look WAY off. :eek: Were you pissed when you laid them out? I hope it's just the picture too....but it's doesn't look that way.

[CANDYBLUE2+2]

Hey Biker, I've only seen one green on a Z and it was leaning towards British Racing Green...Not very pretty IMO. Your green is one that will catch everyones eyes, like it or not. I like it!!! As for the stripes not being perfect enough for some of you out there, I suggest you try doing it sometime, it's not as easy as you think, and going over hood scoops and body lines can be all the more challenging. For a first time effort, I'll give you an A for just having the nads to try it. I've done quite a few stripe jobs like this over the years and believe me when I tell you, they don't come cheap.

[EScanlon]

...believe me when I tell you, they don't come cheap.

Nor Easy....especially for a first time.

Theres a couple of ways to "fix" the irregularities, it all depends on what you want to do.

One is to overlay a different stripe over the edge between the two, taking painstaking care that it's perfectly straight TO THE BODY and not to the stripe as that is what you are trying to fix. You could use vinyl striping tape to do this, or you could use paint

The second is to simply re-paint the stripe.

I like both colors you used. Definitely an eye catching green and it is a pleasant shade at that! The silver does look good on it.

The picture straight on to the front of the car is the one that makes it look as though the stripes were done in sections and/or by leaning over the car while doing this. Additionally, the reflection makes it look as though the passenger side is closer to the center line of the hood than the driver's side.

If you plan on re-painting the stripes, or just add a contrast (and edge blurring/blending) stripe, then instead of applyng the masking tape bit by bit, tape down one end of it, then carefully holding it taut- sight down the tape looking past the tape to the hood. I would do this standing at the front of the car, wiht the anchor point being at the top of the hood closest to the windshield...or even at the top of the cowl. Slowly bring the tape down, keeping it perfectly straight until it just starts to touch the first high point. At that point, reach out and touch and press down on the tape...gently. Then continue sighting for the remainder of the tape. Do the same for the other side / stripe. Step back, and CRITICALLY evaluate the edges. Don't use a straight edge or other mechanical device...this is where your EYE is the tool. Once you have them straight, then rub the tape down to press it on firmly.

Hope this helps.

Enrique

[biker]

Thanks for the advice and encouragement guys.

The stripes in the photo do look off over the top of the bonnet but it is the angle of the camera (I had to look twice myself).

My wife and I laid the guide tape and I was quite happy to use my eye but she was pedantic and measured the line spacing at every 200mm. I was nearly pulling my hair out and in frustration stuffed up the rear stripe below the bumper bar. Ended up fixing that problem okay. However, I had to cut my losses as I was starting to get disenchanted.

After several months of painting and sanding and painting and sanding etc etc i was glad to see the back of the job. I can always respray it quite easily as I now have a decent base to work with.

Would I do it again - umm yep. I learnt a lot along the way and am sure that a spray job can be done in several weeks rather than several months.

Regards Biker

[CANDYBLUE2+2]

Nor Easy....especially for a first time.

Theres a couple of ways to "fix" the irregularities, it all depends on what you want to do.

One is to overlay a different stripe over the edge between the two, taking painstaking care that it's perfectly straight TO THE BODY and not to the stripe as that is what you are trying to fix. You could use vinyl striping tape to do this, or you could use paint

The second is to simply re-paint the stripe.

I like both colors you used. Definitely an eye catching green and it is a pleasant shade at that! The silver does look good on it.

The picture straight on to the front of the car is the one that makes it look as though the stripes were done in sections and/or by leaning over the car while doing this. Additionally, the reflection makes it look as though the passenger side is closer to the center line of the hood than the driver's side.

If you plan on re-painting the stripes, or just add a contrast (and edge blurring/blending) stripe, then instead of applyng the masking tape bit by bit, tape down one end of it, then carefully holding it taut- sight down the tape looking past the tape to the hood. I would do this standing at the front of the car, wiht the anchor point being at the top of the hood closest to the windshield...or even at the top of the cowl. Slowly bring the tape down, keeping it perfectly straight until it just starts to touch the first high point. At that point, reach out and touch and press down on the tape...gently. Then continue sighting for the remainder of the tape. Do the same for the other side / stripe. Step back, and CRITICALLY evaluate the edges. Don't use a straight edge or other mechanical device...this is where your EYE is the tool. Once you have them straight, then rub the tape down to press it on firmly.

Hope this helps.

Enrique

Enrique, What are you, a public school teacher by day? That has to be some of the best advice I've seen in a while.

I couldn't have said it better, without actually doing the work myself.

[EScanlon]

Thank you John!

Not a school teacher, just someone who's been through a couple of "mills" as the saying goes, and just trying to pass on some of the knocks I've received as subtle pushes...hopefully to help someone avoid the knock entirely.

If I can describe something, a process, a procedure or even a "look" and YOU as a reader can replicate or visualize what I write...then I've done a good job.

Again, Thanks.

Enrique

[BrianL1987]

I like the Z's just the way they came from factory but, stuff like stripes & wheels that could easily be put back later seem pretty cool.

[crazyoctopus]

not a big stripe fan of any kind, but i do like the look of the fender stripes like the ones coastgaurdz posted.

There is however another stripe that is just fantast.

with green being your base color, you could have a white thick stripe and then a perfect yellow or a bronze.

[Arne]

I like the Z's just the way they came from factory but, stuff like stripes & wheels that could easily be put back later seem pretty cool.

Thanks for reviving a 3 year old thread. :stupid:

[ajmcforester]

I really like the color combo that is sharp. If I knew these were the stripes you would be looking at I'd posted some ideas. That is a hard one to pull off, the hood shape makes it hard from some angles, even if they are straight it will look off. I've thought in my head with that long hood it would look great, but that bump-out causes trouble If your satisfied I'd keep it it still looks really good.

Now if you want to change it hears an idea. I knew a guy with a 240z in the 70's that he raced and he did the same stripe and hated it. What he did next is what I saw pictures of and I loved the look. His car was red with whites stripes, so what he did was paint it so the stripe from the windshield forward was one stripe. then painted the top of the bump area Flat black (he wanted to paint it red, but he didn't think he would get a close enough match). Then he had it pinstriped like the Bob Sharp editions, but adding a line from the from the front of the car to the lower part of the bump on the hood with red paint, and painted 240z on the side of the bump. The Bob Sharp special editions on the 280z they pinstriped the botom edge and the top edge of the bump and painted 280z in the middle with gold leaf between the pinstripes.