I have a 92 Z28 Convertible Heritage Edition (White w/ Red Stripes) that I’m in the process of restoring and trying to determine if I should paint on the stripes or use the vinyl stickers. I know the paint will cost more and be nicer but I’m trying to keep the car as original as possible.
Has anyone painted on the Heritage stripes and how did they come out? If you had to do it again would you go the same way?
Does anyone have experience with installing the vinyl stickers? I’m ready to get started with the project and I’m starting second guessing myself and how I should proceed.

Smitty
92 Z28 Vert

 

the vinyl is very easy to work with,looks very clean and holds up great if you buy the good stuff.you need some patience when trimming but a lot easier than paint.i dont know how gm did it then, but all the recent striped cars and trucks are vinyl.

 

I leaning toward using the vinyl as it what GM used but I like the idea of painting on the strips and then clear coat. I seen a lot of Heritage Stipe kits available. Any recommendations?

 

i have used stripe kits from these guys and had no problems.

http://www.colebrothers.com/graphics/camaro.html

 

I checked out the site and they did have stripe kits but w/o the pin striping. I trying to make it look stock so I'm looking for a vendor that offers the heritage strips that look just like the OEM stripes.

 

you dident read the page .........
it says if you want the pinstripes they have them they are optional there is a box to check when you place your order.

there not shown in the pictures,it tells you at the bottom of the page about the pinstripes........

To add a separate sheet of pinstripes with 60 feet of 1/4" pinstriping to your kit for $5.00 click below and add the item to your shopping cart:

 

I recommend http://www.phoenixgraphix.com/gm/9192h.htm
Accurate, templated for exact locating, and top quality. This is a specific Camaro Heritage decal package guaranteed to work even for your convertible.

 

I was thinking about doing this myself. Do you know if the Heritage stripes from Phoenix can be easily removed afterwards without damaging the paint? If I wanted to change back to stock I'd hate to mess up the original finish.

 

ha............once there on,your gonna need a heat gun and hours to get them off.

the vinyl will pull up the paint.i wouldent reccomend trying to remove them.

 

Thanks for the link to Phoenix Graphics website. Their Heritage Stripe Kit looks more like the original stripes. I think I'll use the Phoenix Graphics stripe kit instead of having them painted on.
I agree with regal301. Once the stripes are on they will be hard to remove without damage to the finish.

 

good luck with your car,post some pics when its done !

 

The way I like them is so there is no edge. Install vinyl stripes and decals, then clear over them, give them a smooth edge and protection. Looks great to me, a buddy of mine had this done. Didn't have to worry about people peeling the vinyl or it coming up when washing the car and wot not.

-Take care

 

i was always told if you clear over dry paint(base/clear) the clear peels easy.

or so i was told.

ex:clear over the base within 1 hour so the clear bites in the base.

im not a bodyman, i did spray my car.

 

I've never heard of applying a clear coat over vinyl stickers.
I did hear that it is better to let the paint completly dry and set for a few weeks prior to installing the stripe kit so that the paint doesn't outgas and cause bubble in the vinyl. Anyone have any experiance with installing stripes on new paint?

 

i painted a chevy impala,and put silver stripes on it.i waited 3 weeks during the summer (75-90 degrees).and had no problems.

 

1--yes give the paint at least 2 days if buffed 4 if not to let the fumes out b-4 doin any vinyls

2--- NO CLEAR OVER VINYLS many people do it but after couple weeks clear peels off....

 

vinyl doesnt pull the paint off if the prep work was done properly...

 

His car went 6 years like this before he sold it and somebody wrecked it, still the vinyl was under the clear. So #2 was an unneeded post and not factual. Do it right and you won't have to worry. I'm no body man either but 6 years seems good to me, and that would probably have gone longer if he kept it and drove it for years to come. So...

 

yeah,if the prep work is done properly, BUT MOST OF THE TIME ITS NOT.

that was to caution him agenst trying to remove the stripes after they have been on a while.

i agree with the no clear over vinyl,even though i did some blend work on my 2 doors and i cleared over the formula 350 decals rather than remove them,and its been 3 years and they are fine.i used dupont clear.

good vinyl will last and not peel

 

don't wanna start an argument or anything but op asked for opinion from some one that work with vinyls and paint
ask any real professional painter and they will tell you the same thing... just because your buddy's car didnt peeled off doesn't mean it doesnt happen. ive seen cars with 1/2in thick bondo and it hasn't crack, but that doesn't mean its ok to use that much bondo...like i said im not trying to start an argument im just defending my FACTUAL pont.

 

I have the same exact car as you do except mine is a hardtop. I have recently re-painted my car and putting the stripes back on TODAY! I went with Vinyl because of cost and the ability to change them. I have a insider at a sign shop who is making them for me, I just got them the CAD file to cut the stripes to GM spec. Either way you cant go wrong painted or vinyl really comes down to cost and what you want. I also slightly changed the color of my car and stripes so just in case I dont like the red I can always go a different shade. Once you paint well your kinda stuck unless you pay to have it all re painted again.

 

There's a risk removing the decals later on. While the paint under the decals may stay close to original finish, the rest of your paint won't be "original" anymore. It will suffer the normal ravages of being exposed to the elements (fading, UV damage, road damage from dust & bugs etc, etc). Even if everything is done to care for the paint, there will be a subtle difference. Especially on the hood.
That means if you decide to later remove the decals, you risk still being able too always see where the decals used to be. You might be able to polish and blend the areas, but again you might need to get down to taking off a slight layer of paint and refinishing. And will, say the hood, now match the rest of the car? How far will you have to go to hide any evidence of where the decals were?
If you decide to put on the decals, be sure you want to stick with them because there are some risks to removing them later. On the other hand, if you painted them on, then you really have no options but repaint to get rid of them.

 

Thanks for all the info / advice. I decided to go with the vinyl stripes to keep the stock look of the car. I'm dropping my car off today for paint and the Heritage Stripe kit from Hawks just arrived on Saturday.
Once the paint is completed I'll wait 2 weeks and then install the stripes. I also plan to have a new convertible top installed once the paint is done.
Everything should come together just before the Mother's Race & Rod Nationals Car Show at Laguna Seca in May. I'll post pics when it's completed. Thanks again.

 

Can you post some new pics of your car once you get the stripes back on? What color did you change on your car / stripes? I want to make sure the stripes I purchased are to the exact diamention before I install them. Do you think you could you send me the CAD drawing?

 

well I tried getting the stripes back on last weekend but didnt go as planned I did get them laid out and made sure they were right and looked good so that was a plus. I went with the new GM artic white which is brighter then my stock or the old GM artic white, therefore I went with a brighter red then the original as well. I will post pictures of my car with the stripes as soon as they are done, I am shooting for this weekend once again.

 

How are you coming along with your Camaro? Did you get the stripes back on?
I have a question about the location of the stripes. On my car the rear stripes are set close to 3" apart. The fronts were closer to 2" apart. I tell you know that who ever installed the original stripes did a **** poor job. Aside from the air bubbles in the vinyl the stripes were not centered properly. They were so far off that the had to elongate the mounting holes for the hood blisters to get them to line up with the stripes. The CAD file I got from another member shows them set at 60mm (2 3/8") apart. How far apart did you set your stripes and are they set apart the same distance on both the hood and trunk?

 

Got my stripes put back on earlier this week took a few days to get them on and to dry and everything but I am very happy with the end result. I have attached a picture of the front and rear stripes. The stripes are center on the hood and deck lid and I place mine 1 1/2 inches apart on the hood and the deck lid/spoiler. They look perfect and line up very nice. I can get you more detailed pictures of anything if you would like to see it. Also any specific questions let me know as I think mine came out very nice.

 

Your paint and stripes really came out looking great. I hope mine come out as nice. The problem with putting my stripes 1.5 inches apart is the hood blisters would not sit centered on the stripes. I can't believe the fronts stripes were set at 2" apart and the back stripes sitting 3" apart. Maybe I'll split the differance and set them at 2.5" apart? Anyone else have Heritage Stripes on their cars that and measure the distance between the stripes?

 

Thanks for the complimets. Honestly I would meshed center of the hood and deck lid and go from there. Measure where the front stripes will sit center with the blisters and continue the same distance to the decklid. The rear stripes will look good no matter what so just placethe front ones equal distance apart and use that same distance on the rear. Where do the blisters sit in the hood and how much room is between them? Throw up some measurements of the hood and blisters and I could get a better idea.

 

Looks really good.

 

Thanks those are just crappy cell phone pics and one from the garage when I just got done with the front ones. The weather is not being nice today I really want to head out soon and get some better pictures.

 

I have a 86 GP with a blend stripe between the two-tone paint.
The factory was a decal with the stripes starting large then getting smaller with the other color doing the opposite.
When I repainted the car Graphx here in Orange county recommended that I have the vinyl clear coated due to the thin stripes. They made a full width of one color then put the other color on in strips.
It is a garage queen but they have been clear coated for 15 years and look just fine and its much easier to polish with them clear coated.

 

So any updates on this?

 

I'm painting my 92 heritage and do you sand the stripes completely off , how do you go about it cause I plan on painting on my stripes then clearing over it, should look cool but I'm concerned w/ the prep before paint, remove stripes completly or sand then some, please help w/ details, also do i need to dissasemble both bumpers , spoilers, mirrors etc... side skirts?

 

Get a good heat gun a lot of soap and water and some go be gone or something like that. A heat gun will help you the best to get them all off and its the best way. I did the the hard way I did sand some of mine off and some spots did not come out perfect. Using the heat gun seemed to work the best, it is a long job tho so be ready.

 

Thanks, that is what I keep hearing, use the heat gun then peel em'
Thanks for the info,
Mike