Team Camaro Tech banner

Proper Way to Paint Stripes

16K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  Garfields Maro 
#1 ·
Finnaly going to start looking into paint my 69 Sport Coupe. The car is not a Z28 clone but does have a 302, a 4 speed, etc. We are going with a medium blue with the white style Z28 stripes and painting it at home. I know I've seen the Ricks 1st gen stencil kit recommended all over the place so I'd like to know the proper or best way to use it?

The front panels on the car are all NOS GM parts but we do not have them aligned right now. Is the best way to get the edges painted blue and then align the panels before paint? I've seen the stripes painted while panels are on the car and when off.

The paint we will be using needs 8 hours to dry before laying down tape, so the plan was paint a few coats of the blue down, let it dry then mask off the panels and do 2-3 coats of white. I've read this may leave some residue behind and a paint edge I'm assuming? What can I use to remove that residue before the clear? Should I wet sand with say 600-800 grit before the clear to remove the paint edge? Or will covering it in a few coats of clear do the trick?

Lots of questions but this is my first time trying a stripe paint job and I'd like to get it right.

Thanks!
 
See less See more
#2 ·
There are many opinions on this, but when my car was painted, the guy painted the stripe area first and then used the stencil as a mask for the stripe. He said doing it this way would minimize the edge of the stripe. After the stencil was applied, he removed the front end body panels before painting them so that he could paint both sides.



 
#3 ·
I presented this very same issue to my painter & we elected to paint the base then the stripe & then the clear. His feeling was once it was wet sanded & polished, I would not be able to feel the stripe. This was with the SS style stripe not the Z/28, but same principle. I saw it last week after being painted & it looks great, but I'll have to wait & see before I can give my final verdict.
 
#4 ·
I went over this many times in the past.Are you not using base clear.If not you will feel the strips.Do you already have the paint.It would be nice to be able to clear and bury the stripes if not when you wax the car you will have a hard time getting wax off the stripes.I have heard of glue issues but I think it is when you try and stripe with base.If you put stripes on top of clear you wont have problems with glue and pulling base if taping over base.

I base/cleared the orange let sit for a week made sure all panels are aligned wet sanded all panels to be striped.Layed the stripes down,removed cowl,deck lid,and spoiler.base/cleared the stripes let sit for another week.Wet sanded whole car and did three coats of clear.This gives plenty of material to bury the stripes...I would not buy the stencil kit to early I bought mine about 6 months before I paint my car.


 
#5 ·
You can't be using BC/CC if you have to wait 8 hours to tape. If you choose to bury the stripes you should be. And you can use intercoat clear after the base is laid to avoid tapemarks on the basecoat. I use it often. It is NOT topcoat clear and it's designed for this purpose, among others. It can be taped in as little as one hour. Then simply apply the second color and shoot your final clear. I'm a purist and prefer stripes as the factory applied them and not buried. And I don't have a wax build up problem either.
 
#6 ·
The paint is a single stage that can be cleared. It is 8 hours before taping if not baking the paint which I will not be able to do. I do not have paint now I am just doing the research.

Pro-Street69Camaro468 sounds like you did alot of steps and I've seen pics on here of how the paint turned out and it looks great. What grit did you sand your clear coats? Specifically the coats over the your orange base, then the clear over the stripes?
 
#7 · (Edited)
Finnaly going to start looking into paint my 69 Sport Coupe. The car is not a Z28 clone but does have a 302, a 4 speed, etc. We are going with a medium blue with the white style Z28 stripes and painting it at home. I know I've seen the Ricks 1st gen stencil kit recommended all over the place so I'd like to know the proper or best way to use it?

The front panels on the car are all NOS GM parts but we do not have them aligned right now. Is the best way to get the edges painted blue and then align the panels before paint? I've seen the stripes painted while panels are on the car and when off.

The paint we will be using needs 8 hours to dry before laying down tape, so the plan was paint a few coats of the blue down, let it dry then mask off the panels and do 2-3 coats of white. I've read this may leave some residue behind and a paint edge I'm assuming? What can I use to remove that residue before the clear? Should I wet sand with say 600-800 grit before the clear to remove the paint edge? Or will covering it in a few coats of clear do the trick?

Lots of questions but this is my first time trying a stripe paint job and I'd like to get it right.

Thanks!
I see know problem in doing this as long as ya get the clear on within the specified time ? It was close to 8hrs before I laid stripes ....mainly 'cus I wanted a break tho ;)

Residue ? I had a little trouble with residue from the stencil , if that's what you're referring to ? It was only around the stencil itself, none from the tape provided in the kit. Seems as though the solvent from the paint had penetrated, leaving a sticky substance in a few spots:mad: I used wax/grease remover very carefully. Think I'd recommend laying another layer of tape over the stencil or not use them at all. BTW, you can get the stencil kit directly from Stencils Unlimited (that's where Ricks come from) and save yourself some :beers: money.

As for the edge along the stripe, I'll let the more experienced answer but I think for non-metalics, it's ok to sand a little if need be. I applied 3 coats for stripes, didn't do any sanding, 4 coats clear, and the edge can barely be felt. Probably could've leveled it completely during the cutting/ buffing process but chose to leave well enough alone.



Another BTW; I painted this panel by panel, stripes and all... before assembly
 
#8 ·
I personaly would not sand the stripe before the clear.Three coats of clear will bury the stripes,you will still feel them a touch but this depends on how buried you want them.I have 6 coats of clear over mine which were done with base and this is a thinner mil thickness than single stage.
 
#9 ·
Ok to get this straight..clear in my head..
These stripes are stick on 'labels' (????)
They are not masking stencils one uses to spray the stips on...like doing customs flames and such (????)
I so, why do you guys use the 'label' stick on stripes and not mask up and paint?

The wife likes the stripes, and wants me to do them...along with the rear spoiler on the next body rebuild in 2 to 3 yrs time...but also wants them done like foose did ...but as factory design..... with fine pinstriping (like foose did) to finish the edges off properly...then clear over the lot.
 
#10 ·
Thanks for all the good responses so far guys. I was thinking of doing the blue basecoat, letting it stand till I can tape it off. Then painting the white, let it stand till I can remove the tape and clearing the whole car. I will be wet sanding and buffing myself and I have been able to hide lines where I've had to repaint pretty well so far doing other small jobs.

I fixed a crack in my 98 Camaro SS' hood and you wouldnt be able to tell where the clear coat line is if the damn red paint had matched :)

As for the stencils I am not exactly sure what you get? I thought it was a tape layout for where the stripes go? They are not stickers thats for sure.
 
#12 · (Edited)
No Steps, these are masking stencils and kind of a rip off imo...or should I say overpriced ;)

Adam, basically all you get as far as stencils are concerned, is what you see in Daves pic for the cowl panel and a pair for the filler panel below the rear window. There's some guide pieces for the header panel, IIRC, a roll of the correct width tape and some diagrams with the correct dimensions, etc. You have to supply your own masking paper. Here's a link.....

http://www.stencilsandstripes.com/pr_chev_cam.asp
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top