'70 - '72 Trans Am Stripes
 

As mentioned on other threads here, I've been doing some work developing a set of stripes for our cars. The motivation for this project is obvious since it just doesn't make sense to get to the finish line of a great restoration, or invest in a nice paint job and then have to settle for average quality stripes, which are one of the most visible aspects of the car. Instead, the stripes should be the highest quality that an owner feels proud to lay on top of the completed work.

Stripes for a blue car are being completed first. I've used NOS stripes loaned by some very generous members on these forums for patterns. The first proof for a roof stripe arrived today. The vinyl is 3M Scotchcal film, the same product that is provided by the current suppliers. Although the proof needs some tweaks, for a first print, it came out really nice.

Here are some details that I feel are improved from what's currently on the market:
1. The dimensional aspects of the stripes will be spot on. For instance, roof, rear deck and spoiler stripes will be 18 3/8" OD. The field will be 12 1/16"

2. For the hood stripe, the nose (point) of the stripe will be.... in the center!

3. The clear reveal is 1/8", pin stripe 1/8" and outside clear reveal 1/8".

4. The edge is machine cut (no x-acto's here), with a uniform 1/8" clear all around. No over cuts, under cuts, or jags in the edge.

Here are some cool aspects of this work:
A. Center white color: It will be matched to the NOS stripe, BUT, if a person would like the white to more perfectly match the shaker color, then I will be glad to do that for them. Cameo White, or a PMS number, or a color chip. Each set of stripes will be individually made.

B. Color options: The stripes can easily be tailored to custom colors. If an individual wants to maintain an original looking stripe, but have a custom color combo to compliment a custom paint color, no problem. Gun metal stripes on a silver car? Matt black stripes on a black car? Easy.

C. Dot fade: Once the dot fade is perfected, not only can a set of stripes for a white car be developed, but also, some of the early '70 blue cars had a white stripe with a black dot fade pattern instead of solid black. It will be simple to combine these details to create this stripe.

D. Stripe set for a non shaker hood: I wonder how that would look?

Next steps:
- Tweak the proof
- Send the second proof to a couple of members here with NOS stripes to evaluate and provide feedback
- Complete the artwork for the hood stripe
- Complete the artwork for the dot fade

Timing:
I think realistically, it will be this time next month before a set of stripes for a blue car will be available. Probably end of July for the stripes for the white car.

Here's a link to some high res pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregsm/...7626629014035/

Feel free to provide any input you may have on this topic. I would like for these stripes to be really great for our cars.

Wow, this is great news! Keep us posted...

I'm assuming you already have an NOS set for white cars to critique your work with...if not, I can help.

Sounds excellent! I've got NOS stripes for my white car, but will need a set for my blue car in the future.

I'd be happy to try out the hood stripe section on my 72 since i am so unsatisfied with the pg hood stripe version in my "mix and match" S&S/PG set.

Looks GREAT, This is all that I hoped for when I originally brought attention to the fact that PG's kits might not be "ALL THAT". Their continued response is that they sell " the finest kit on the market" that just might change. I really never understood why someone with the ability to make it right didn't and really didn't care because they were pretty much the only game in town.

Now my question, in my original thread I discuss what is wrong with the PG stripe kit. The measurements that I took were from a GM stripe that I bought in the late 70's. I measured the roof stripe as wider than the deck lid stripe. I now that there are a few NOS stripes out there would anybody that has one please post the width of the roof stripe and the deck stripe from the outside of the pin stripes. Maybe I was wrong about the widths of the GM stripe.



Here is a link to my original RANT about this. This rant on TAC just about got me banned over there for life since PG is a TAC sponsor.


http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...0833&highlight


Here is a link to my RANT over on TAC. Pete from Fbody Warehouse and I do business together and are all good now, but there is some interesting reading about 1/3 of the way down. I was threatened with being banned privately. I still like being the BAD BOY over there :)


http://transamcountry.com/community/...p?topic=7393.0

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet... ............:jumping:

And here was my rant about both companies:

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...Stripes&page=3

Just curious... what WAS the original shade of white on the factory stripes and shaker... Polar (the '70 color), or Cameo (the '71-'72 color)?

Great news - glad you're pushing this one along. I'm definitely in for a set.

That has been my gripe all along with these reproduction parts. If you are going to go through the expense to reproduce it, why not just do it right the first time? It absolutely baffles me that with all the computer technology we have today, we can't copy a part that was developed almost 50 years ago using crude technology????

Just in time to make me feel great about putting on my nearly $500 PG stripe this weekend. Next you are going to tell me this one is $199. :rolleyes:

Formula8, please list the demensions of your nEW PG stripe.

Thank you. I'll be needing a Pantone color code for the blue. Also, the big 'crossed fingers' here is being able to replicate the gradient (dot fade). I'll keep you posted.

Craig, this is a great question. I have a set of NOS stripes in with these recorded dimensions. The dimensions are out to out of the clear, knowing the clear reveal is exactly 1/8" on each measurement:

Roof deck width out to out: 18 3/8”
Rear deck: 17 7/8”
Rear spoiler: 18”

However, most folks here who have NOS stripes on their car, and in their stash have given me consistent 18 3/8" dimensions for all 3.

For the NOS set I have, the deck and spoiler may have shrunk some. The application paper seems to be the most cruel to these aged decals. The application paper is more stuck to the decal than the adhesive cover. The application paper may be the culprit if any shrinking is occurring. The roof stripe may not be shrinking since it's a larger piece.

Currently, for the set I'm making, I'm lining them up at 18 3/8". I will be glad to adjust them if we can have some definitive documentation they need to change.

If people will post their dimensions as Craig suggested, it would be very helpful. Please clarify if it's out to out pin stripe or clear. If OD of clear, please clarify the clear reveal dimension. Also, please clarify if it's original stripes on the car, or NOS stripes placed on the car then or now, or recent reproduction stripes.

Keith, the NOS stripes have quite a bit of pink in it, so I'd say cameo white. The early '70 NOS stripe for a blue car with the gradient (dot fade) instead of solid black is a whiter shade, but I would not call it Polar.

I could use some input on this topic also.

The next proof printed will still be in the printers selected white, and after that I'll give him a shade, if one can be agreed on here.

I don't have any real info or sense of what the right color of white on the stripe for blue cars is.

But I will say I'd be really surprised if Pontiac's original intent was for the blue stripe on white cars to have so much "green" in it. I wonder if it just didn't fade quickly to that like so many of the bright blue interior parts faded to a green tint. I'll bet Pontiac designers wanted that stripe to match the lucerne blue shaker...

agreed^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

...X2. Just like the white stripe should be Polar white.

I don't know if my stipe is new or not as I purchased it around Novermber of 2010. Anyway, from the outside clear border, my stipe is:

Roof 17 7/8"
Trunk 18 3/8

FWIW, save your money on any glide on fluid or otherwise. I used it on the trunk stripe and it took a good 45 mins to get all of the gel out from under the stripe. I watched several videos on Youtube and the pros use about a teaspoon full of baby shampoo with water in a large spray bottle. Using that, the roof and hood took about 15 mins and came out much better so save the $20.

The border on my stripe was not perfect. I simply used an exacto knife and drywall square while the stipe was on the table and cut it straight. Simple, easy and no hassle.

It is sitting in the sun today to bake out any of the remaining bubbles. Once I dumped the gel, the hardest part was folding the stripe over the rear spoiler where it meeds the trunk lid. I ended up using a heat gun on that and it was all good.

If it has the clear border it is the NEW one. But they did not fix the width and in my opinion still suck.

Thank God it has a clear border as I put in on my red car!!!

So where are the Pictures?