After many months of body work my car is finally ready for paint. Door jambs being shot tomorrow, body to follow. I am going with original Garnet Red again. It has been great to see the original paint on the inner doors with everything pulled off, unmolested by 38 years of California sun!

My car is not a Z, but I think I want to go with white Z stripes after the Garnet is done. I am right on the fence, because I know it is not technically correct, but I am really liking the look.

A few questions, though:
1) what would be the correct color of white to use if I go for it
2) is it best to use the stencils from Classic or someone else, or are the correct measurements out there
3) I have seen some pictures of the rear deck stripes going right up to the rear window (non-vinyl top), 5/8 inch or so from it, while others leave a gap of a couple inches or so before they start. Which is correct? Mine is a rear spoiler car.
4) should you be able to feel the stripes under the final clear, or should it be smooth as you run your finger across the paint

The stripe color would be Dover White. I personally like the hockey stripe over the Z stripe unless it is a real Z/28. That's just my opinion, though. Sorry, I don't have an answer for your other questions.

its your car, do what makes you happy and enjoy it

Michael -

Looking back through the forums, I saw a post from you on the rear stripes from Jan 07; nothing like 11 months of agonizing about stripes :);)

The correct white color, as noted above, would be Dover White (code 50, Ditzler Code 2058). The original factory stripes were on top of the lacquer, with no clear over top, so you could feel the edges. I think most folks these days are putting them under the clear because it looks cleaner.

Here are some threads about dimensions. I think most people just tape it up using the diemensions from the AIM (hopefully reading the distance from the rear window reveal molding correctly) rather than pop for the stencils. Which way is correct for the spoiler (stopping at the rear bottom edge vs. being on the spoiler and trunk lid edge both) is a subject of debate and your call.

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=114443&highlight=stripe+rear

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=10763

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=84805

Personally, I think the Z stripe on non-Z cars is overdone. It looks nice, but a car with a different strip style stands out more these days. I am doing a DX1 stripe, but the D90 Hockey Stick looks good too.

Here's a Garnet vert with a black DX1.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/ekammerer/69rscamarom.jpg

Not Garnet Red but Dover white stripes. Color is the new Victory Red.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a203/Donzi4me/100_0747Medium.jpg

On mine, the painter painted the stripe color first, then taped the stripes off and painted the body color. Everything is under 2 coats of clear.

its your car, do what makes you happy and enjoy it
I CAN NOT agree more!

On mine, the painter painted the stripe color first, then taped the stripes off and painted the body color. Everything is under 2 coats of clear.

Wow. It would be very difficult to do a masking job on the stripes. Are you sure he didn't do the car first then the stripes?

Personally, I think the Z stripe on non-Z cars is overdone.

The reason it's overdone is that it looks so awesome!!! Go with what you think looks best:yes: Right or wrong, 99% of the people who will see your car, don't have a clue as to where the stripes originated, or what they are supposed to be on. They will just know that they look really cool.

FWIW, I have the bumble bee stripe on my 68, and though I like the look, when it gets a fresh paint job, it will have the Z stripes.

I definately prefer the Z stripes over the hockey stripes and even though mine is not a Z, it will have the Z stripes when I paint it. Charlie 69 RS

Well, my problem at this point is if I do them I want to make sure they are done correctly, and you see too many variations out there. Heck, Classic Industries' new catalog shows a 1969 Z28 in the stencil section, yellow w/black stripes, that are squared off with a pin around them before they meet the header panel in front. Isn't this wrong? Aren't they supposed to go all the way into the edge of the header panel in front for '69? If I order a stencil kit, how can I be sure it is correct?

I have done some searches on this topic here, but it seems you also get different advise, and I am not sure which is correct.

I get the rear trunk lid below the spoiler striped if dealer installed, not striped if factory installed thing, but am really confused on how the front end should finish (I think it is supposed to run to the edge) and what the correct distance is from the rear window moulding (hardtop) to where the rear deck stripes start.

Anyone with an original unmolested Z want to chime in? I appreciate your help.

Well, my problem at this point is if I do them I want to make sure they are done correctly, and you see too many variations out there. Heck, Classic Industries' new catalog shows a 1969 Z28 in the stencil section, yellow w/black stripes, that are squared off with a pin around them before they meet the header panel in front. Isn't this wrong? Aren't they supposed to go all the way into the edge of the header panel in front for '69? If I order a stencil kit, how can I be sure it is correct?

I have done some searches on this topic here, but it seems you also get different advise, and I am not sure which is correct.

I get the rear trunk lid below the spoiler striped if dealer installed, not striped if factory installed thing, but am really confused on how the front end should finish (I think it is supposed to run to the edge) and what the correct distance is from the rear window moulding (hardtop) to where the rear deck stripes start.

Anyone with an original unmolested Z want to chime in? I appreciate your help.

My recommendation is to use the template and lay it out w/masking tape at first. There are plenty of pictures that have been posted with various details. The stencil kits can be a little bit off.

JohnZ's car in the first thread I linked is original. Van (ChevyThunder) has an original and restored 69 in this thread:

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=75576&highlight=original+stripe

Do an advanced search with "stripe" by user "ChevyThunder"; Van has more than one post with pics.

Based on what I did and how my stencil kit worked, I say Stencil and Stripes Unlimited is not the product to use if the end result is as JohnZ said in an earlier post. "The top of the stripe is curved to the bottom of the back glass." The kit I used definitely does not produce that. Mine look more like this picture RamAirDave posted. And my emblem is on the edge as this picture shows. Now I am confused.

Gary,
Great photo, is RamAirDave's picture from an original Z, or was that a stencil kit?

Alright you veterans in TeamCamaro land with the original Zs, time to chime in with some photos. I know this thing has been debated many times here over the years, but what is the truth?

1) On a non-vinyl hardtop 69 Z with factory rear spoiler, do the rear deck stripes begin 5/8 inch from the window molding, or is it the 2 inch plus distance you see on many cars?
2) Is the top edge straight across as in Gary's RamAirDave photo, or does it follow the contour of the rear glass?

The pic of mine that Gary posted is original, factory paint of an 07A D80 Z.

The main issue I have with the stencil kit is that the radius on the rear stripes, near the rear window, has "corners" rather than a smooth curve.

That is the only part of the stencil kit we used. When we do it again, we will reverse the stencil kit (laying it down and remove the part that is supposed to stay) and use it as a guide in that area, using 3M fineline to get a smooth radius.

.....The main issue I have with the stencil kit is that the radius on the rear stripes, near the rear window, has "corners" rather than a smooth curve.......

Dave my stencil kit had good smooth curves. I just question which is the right way. A constant 5/8" from the rear glass or not.

Gary whose stencil kit did you use - if I buy one I want to make sure I get the correct one

Just spoke with Rick's by phone, they said they have an original '69 Z on the floor, said the original rear deck stripes follow the slight contour of the rear window molding where they begin.

Wow. It would be very difficult to do a masking job on the stripes. Are you sure he didn't do the car first then the stripes?


Nope, I was surprised too. Painted most of entire hood and trunk the white color. Then taped the stripes in and painted the body color. Then 2 coats of clear on top. No raised edges on the stripes.

Nope, I was surprised too. Painted most of entire hood and trunk the white color. Then taped the stripes in and painted the body color. Then 2 coats of clear on top. No raised edges on the stripes.

Now I understand.

Just spoke with Rick's by phone, they said they have an original '69 Z on the floor, said the original rear deck stripes follow the slight contour of the rear window molding where they begin.

That's correct - and 5/8" from the molding. :thumbsup:

Michael -

Personally, I think the Z stripe on non-Z cars is overdone. It looks nice, but a car with a different strip style stands out more these days. I am doing a DX1 stripe, but the D90 Hockey Stick looks good too.

I absolutley agree, Z stripes have been done to death! The DX-1 or the Hockey is highly underated. It's not my car though, if the Z stripe makes you happy go for it. The only thing I will say is that when I am looking at buying a car, non correct striping really turns me off. Do the vinyl decal and don't clear over it so that a future buyer or even you can change the look without repainting the entire car. Wasn't that how they were done originally anyway!

I am certainly far from being the expert, but as far as I know the only vinyl striping to grace the sheetmetal of the first gen was the SS hockey stick striping on the '69, and that was only the door portion as the front fender portion was painted on. I read somewhere that they thought the door portion could be nicked easily and therefore might need to be replaced in time, hence the vinyl. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

As far as the Z stripes, I am now of the opinion that there is a reason Chevy designers made those two depressions in your cowl panel. And that was so they could be filled with Dover white (in my case) paint. I have ordered the stencil kit from Rick's, should be here by Tuesday. My car finally went into the booth today for new Dupont Garnet Red.

A future buyer? There will be no such thing here. I'm pretty confident my 4 year old son will make sure of that.

Stripes with stickers were the door part of the D90 Hockey Stick in both 68 and 69, and the hood part of the DX1 in 69. I don't know for sure the reason, but my guess is because the fenders and doors (or fenders, header, and hood) were not together on the car when the painting and stripes were done, it was done that way for alignment purposes.

Glad you made a choice! It does look good, or else there wouldn't be so many. It certainly is the "classic", "iconic", "penultimate" 1st gen look.